KICA-1001: GRADIUS III

[Teioh]

From what I figure the music for Gradius III was composed by Prophet FUKAMI, MIKI-CHANG, La Nakamur and J_KANE. The booklet does say Music: Konami Kukeiha Club, but what do the liner notes say?

[Crash]

I'm not sure how you're differentiating the liner notes from the booklet. The booklet contains the liner notes on one side (which are captured by the pictures on the site), and a graphic on the other.

[Teioh]

I'm sorry, I probably didn't make myself very clear. I'm talking about Booklet 2 where only these 4 composers write their comments.
Now we have the booklet and I don't know what specifically they write about but http://bsm11084.hp.infoseek.co.jp/90a.html interprets it as 4 composers, 1 arranger (Prophet FUKAMI) and the musical performance by Konami Kukeiha Club.

[Cedille]

I'm not sure if we can count J_KANE as the fourth composer, as he didn't explicitly talk about his role, and based on Fukami's comment, I assume he'd have been responsible only for sound effects, but as this album seems to contains sound effects as the last track, he should be credit for it anyway. Fukami explicitly said the three arranged tracks were his, so it's correct there was only one arranger and it's Fukami. Higashino and La Nakamur revealed what tracks they composed ("Dead end Cell", "Cosmo Planet" and "King of Kings" were Higashino, and "Underground" and "Machanical Base" were La Nakmur), for what it's worth.

I don't know where the performer credit of Konami Kukeiha Club came from, but I think Kenichi Ono, Yuichi Nagashima, Takumi Yamazaki and Junko Asami should be credited for the fourth track (a drama).

[CaptainCommando]

Since the interview here is with the Arcade composers, I'm going to say this is the arcade soundtrack rather than the console.

Prophet Fukami = Seiichi Fukami - Arranged tracks, composer
Miki Higashino - "Dead end Cell", "Cosmo Plant", "King of Kings" (the last two are two of my favorites!)
La Nakamur = Keizou Nakamura - "Underground", "Machanical Base"
J_KANE = Junichiro Kaneda
M. Izumi = Mutsuhiko Izumi?

Great the liner notes mention at least some of the tracks!

http://www.vazcomics.org/mamend/G/gradius3.htm - Arcade
http://www.mobygames.com/game/snes/gradius-iii/credits - SNES

[Dag]

The arcade credits have K. Nakamura, so it's possible La Nakamur is actually Kozo Nakamura.
Some JP sites say it's Keizo Nakamura, others Kozo Nakamura. Both worked at Konami in the 90s.
The only hint I have is that Fukami says La Nakamur is a new member.

[Zhane Masaki]

I found a seiyuu credit for track 4: Takumi Yamazaki

[Dag]

Ok I think I finally have a solid proof on K.Nakamura/Nakamur's identity.


In Zen Intergalatic Ninja's credits (NES) we have:

SOUND DESIGN: J_KANE, NAKAMUR, AYACHAN, SAKAGON, T_TOMMY

In Canadian Copyright DB's Zen page (man, that's my new fav site), it lists Kouzou Nakamura rather than Keizou (it also reveals Ayachan=Ayako Nishigaki, Sakagon=Yuichi Sakakura).

Apparently Nakamur=Kozo can be confirmed in some Pop'n Music too.


Thus K. Namakura=Kozo Nakamura=Nakamur. So if nobody objects I'll link him later.

[strugglepoo]

Some good information from Gradius Portable Official Guide via shmuplations.com

Hidden “Gradius” and “Salamander” stages

Kaneda: "As the sound director, I believe I remember suddenly being told to add these stages in the middle of the development?"

The Drama Track from the CD Soundtrack

Kaneda: "It's 100% a true story… more or less. (laughs) The characters were based on the actual staff of the time. I completed it pretty quickly because the story came from actual experiences of mine, like the time I wrote the Kuchuusen intro melody for Gradius but forgot to put it in the game. (laughs)

Knowing this was a shooting game, I wanted the music to be upbeat and rousing. And since there were many stages, I wanted each one to have a distinct feel. The composers who had worked on the previous Gradius games told me they wanted to do something different this time, like choir vocals for example. The songs I wrote were the boss theme, “Dark Force,” and the music for the Gradius and Salamander stages. I also wrote the intro for Higashino’s “Try to Star.” I also remember that I thought the ranking theme I had written was really great, but there was another sound director there who didn’t like it much. (laughs) He said it was too short and too bright, and wouldn’t fit… so it was rejected at first. I think this soundtrack cd has so many catchy tunes, its great to listen to just as normal music. 5 years ago a new employee at Konami came up to me and asked me to sign his copy. I signed it and told him he should go get everyone’s signature. (laughs) I have a lot of personal memories surrounding this cd."

So let's update this composer breakdown list:

Junichiro Kaneda = sound director & sound effects contribution

• "Dark Force (boss BGM...dark force)"
• "original gradius I music" arrangement
• "original salamander music" arrangement

Seiichi Fukami

• from legend into myth (arrange version):
• "In The Wind" contains "In The Wind (3st. BGM1...in the wind)"
• "Hit and Away" contains "Departure for Space (dog fight 1...departure for space)", "Aqua Illusion (2st. BGM...illusions of water)" & "Sand Storm (1st. BGM...cloud of sand)"
• "Legend" contains "Invitation (select BGM...invitation to space)" & "Prelude of Legend (title BGM...prelude of the legend)"

Miki Higashino

• "Try to Star (dog fight 2...challenge the star)" w/ intro by Junichiro Kaneda
• "Dead End Cell (6st. BGM...cell)"
• "Cosmo Plant (8st. BGM...space vegetation)"
• "King of Kings (ranking BGM...king of kings)"

Kozo Nakamura

• "Underground (3st. BGM2...the base at the depths of the earth)"
• "Mechanical Base (10st. BGM 1...machine stronghold)"

Mutsuhiko Izumi = most likely an additional music composer

[d-leto!]

Guys, where barcode came from? I have the CD, not a thing on outer box, and inner box w/o obi

[Phonograph]

I don't know but that box could be an initial printing limited edition (with same catalog, but later released without box)

[Fargusno]

Mutsuhiko Izumi's album, Third shown that he composed Fire Scramble. But it's the SNES version which credits to Kazuki Muraoka, Kazuhiko Uehara, Harumi Ueko and Yukie Morimoto. Maybe uncredited or something since the Arcade version has Izumi credited in it
https://remywiki.com/Third

[LuxKiller65]

To clarify the barcode question asked above, it was also present on the "initial print limited edition with outer cardboard box", as a round yellow sticker.

Interestingly, and unlike subsequent stickers (KICA-1010, KICA-1135, etc.), this sticker is actually unique, it has a serial number with 5 digits, but most likely stops at a few thousands... maybe 2000? Does it say anywhere how many copies of the 1st print they made?

(photo added)

[AKanda]

Is there the first CD from "KONAMI Group"?
I can't found older than this one, only tape or vinyl.

[Aifread]

Originally Posted by AKanda

Is there the first CD from "KONAMI Group"?
I can't found older than this one, only tape or vinyl.

Thunder Cross
Gofer no Yabou Episode II
Ganbare Goemon 2
F1 Spirit & F1 Spirit 3D

All released May 21, 1989. There's a few others from later that year that all came out before this one.

[LuxKiller65]

K30X-7702 is even older (21/03/1988), but from a different publisher.

Why always the 21st day of the month?

[Aifread]

Oh here we go. 1986.

[AKanda]

Originally Posted by Aifread

Thunder Cross
Gofer no Yabou Episode II
Ganbare Goemon 2
F1 Spirit & F1 Spirit 3D

All released May 21, 1989. There's a few others from later that year that all came out before this one.

All of them are cassette / vinyl (not CD).

Originally Posted by LuxKiller65

K30X-7702 is even older (21/03/1988), but from a different publisher.

Why always the 21st day of the month?

oh Nice. Seems to be a sublabel of King Records (distributor of Konami at this moment).

For the 21st, maybe it's because Konami has been created the 21st March 1969

[Aifread]

Originally Posted by AKanda

All of them are cassette / vinyl (not CD).

No, they're not. All the ones I linked are CD releases.