KECH-8053~6: Atelier Firis Original Soundtrack

[Efendija]

Added complete English tracklisting in accordance to Acttil's translation/localization work.

This being on PC too, I've used the opportunity and found some files that contain composer's comments for (I assume) the usual sound room extra that unlocks after beating the game. For reference, the files in question are two "str_extra_bgm.xml", one in PACK02_JP.PAK and one in PACK02_US.PAK archive (in appropriate languages as expected).

Contents of the English file (free of xml stuff):

Spoiler:

"Traveling Atelier"
"Thank you for playing to the end! And please continue to enjoy your journey! There are lots of endings to see. We had a string quartet from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" join in for this atelier theme. With their powerful contribution, I think the tune sounds like something from an exciting journey. (Yanagawa)"

"With the Sounds of a Cauldron"
"The atelier theme after the exam. Now you can travel without worrying about a time limit, so I wanted it to have a more carefree feeling. Firis is a little tomboyish and reckless when she leaves Ertona, but she's gained a little more calmness with the exam over. This tune matches that change. (Yanagawa)"

"Warmth Returns Someday"
"Thank you for playing the game! As an underground city, I was asked to make this theme different from other town themes. I imagined a closed off yet kind and nostalgic atmosphere to compose this track. I was included in creating more tracks this time, and used Ise on flute and Miyoshi on guitar. Their live performance was warm and wonderful. (Yano)"

"Warmth Returns Someday -Night-
"The sound of pickaxes I imagined should stop at night, making a more quiet atmosphere. The chamber orchestra strings were toned down to a quartet, with quiet break beats and different rhythm to the melody added. I found it exciting that there were more tracks with different day and night versions in this game. (Yano)"

"Bustling Along the Water"
"When I think of red roofs and white townscapes, I think of Spain... But the producer asked for it to sound more "South American". I decided to arrange the tune with a bit of salsa, as a form of music associated with Spanish areas. The continuous high tones from the back trumpets were played by Negoro. Amazing! (Yano)"

"Bustling Along the Water -Night-"
"As opposed to the strong Mediterranean sun, heavy traffic, and bustling multinational city feel of the day version, this one is much more calm and relaxed. The tempo is the exact same as the day, but the atmosphere is totally different. The image is of a soft night in a city of water, where you watch the sunlight dim as your body sways in the night breeze. (Yano)"

"City of Dreams"
"You've reached the place of the exam! So I made a loud and flashy town theme to go along with that image. The violin was played by TAM. As a city where alchemists gathered, I thought it would be a town full of strange people and sights, but it was unexpectedly normal. I thought there would at least be a crater or two around town... (Yanagawa)"

"City of Dreams -Night-"
"I'm the type who can't sleep the night before a big exam, so I was always sleep deprived when facing anything important. I'd spend the night alone, sipping a can of coffee and smoking outside until dawn. Firis spends her sleepless night talking to friends, I'm very envious. (Yanagawa)"

"Still Too Soon for a Young Lady"
"Following after the tavern in the last game, this one's jazzy too. I look back with nostalgia at my time in college, attending jazz study sessions. Then I realize that I'm already at an age where that's nostalgic... I don't know what to say... I guess I just need to drink!! (Yano)"

"Shopping Any Time, Any Place"
"The request for this track had a note that said, "Shops in this game might not always be indoors." Continuing the marimba in the last shop theme, I mixed bossa nova and samba to give it a more casual impression. When I think of instruments associated with a "journey", the first thing that comes to mind are leather percussions. These instruments enhance the ethnic feel and traveling mood. (Yano)"

"Cocoon of Knowledge"
"I composed this while looking at photos of libraries overseas. I love the idea of high ceilings, with books piled up to the very top. I say that, but I use e-books at my house, so the number of actual books I own is very small. I prefer reading paper books, but I don't have space, so I can't really help it. (Yanagawa)"

"Behind Steam and Light"
"The most famous products of hot springs are thick steam and mysterious beams of light blocking your view. I've been disappointed by them countless times in my life. (Yanagawa)"

"Nestling Wind"
"I intended this track to sound like laying around and relaxing on the grass. However, nowadays it's hard to go and do this. There aren't many grassy fields, and people will report you as suspicious if you enter some of them. How sad. (Yanagawa)"

"Nestling Wind -Night-"
"I had clarinets from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" join in for this. Hearing the soft sound live made me sleepy. Also, keep this a secret, but I fell asleep at work while mixing it. I was in a wind ensemble back in school, but hearing the woodwinds would always make me sleepy, leading to scoldings from my peers. I even fell asleep on stage during a performance one time. (Yanagawa)"

"Snack in the Shade"
"I composed this while looking at a fun, rough illustration that Yuugen drew. The image of Firis stuffing her cheeks with food was ridiculously cute. I wonder if it'll be made public? (Yanagawa)"

"Snack in the Shade -Night-"
"A night spent in a forest town. I would be too excited to sleep! And that's the image I went with. It's pretty upbeat for night time. (Yanagawa)"

"Wedge of the Earth"
"This town is cool with that huge piece of art (At least I think it's art?). Objects like that in fantasy worlds are always mysterious, and excite me. There are lots of mysterious objects scattered throughout this game, and I couldn't wait to see them. Maybe you should take a casual walk around and see for yourself! (Yanagawa)"

"Wedge of the Earth -Night-"
"Oh right, this wilderness town was close to the exam grounds. Firis is happy that she's getting close, but it must also be a little sad knowing the journey is nearly over... That's what I considered while arranging this. (Yanagawa)"

"Snow on the Wind"
"After running down the street as snow gently falls, I rush into my house. I warm my cold hands by the stove, with a kettle standing on top, and gaze out the window. That's the image I had while composing this. I live in Nagano, but picture-perfect scenes like that don't happen. I come home after work to a cold room, with only my robot vacuum wandering around to greet me. (Yanagawa)"

"Snow on the Wind -Night-"
"Many words that refer to snow in Japanese are beautiful. There's "rikka", and "kazahana", both also referring to flowers. I love that part of Japanese, it's heartwarming. (Yanagawa)"

"Tale Spinning Journey"
"This is the first track that plays after leaving Ertona, and it was also the first field track composed for the game. The instrumentation represents the lonely, desolate land with little greenery, but also the excitement of starting a journey, and slowly builds up in arrangement. The fields are pretty vast now, so the music is longer to match. (Yano)"

"Tale Spinning Journey -Night-"
"Unlike the day tune, which, unusual for a field theme, utilizes a drum set, this arrangement is more mellow and quiet in tone. While there are fewer night compositions, we had a string quartet from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" join to give each note power. The resonant, singing strings are something that really need to be recorded live. (Yano)"

"Tale Spinning Journey -Danger-"
"This tune swaps in when you enter an area with dangerous foes. We wanted the player to think "Huh? Why's the BGM different here?" to really help distinguish the area. The melody disappears, and heavy percussion comes in. The piano drops in range, with the occasional discord struck to make for a more violent arrangement. (Yano)"

"Green Roost"
"Clarinets and flutes from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" participated in this track. I remember being very happy when, during recording, I was told that it was the perfect tune for clarinets. By the way, roost is "negura" in Japanese. (Yanagawa)"

"Green Roost -Night-"
"Night in the forest is a bit scary, so I wanted this to feel quiet yet gloomy. A forest at night, the moon, and a girl in a white dress... Why do they all fit together so well? I wanted a situation like that to come up in game... Although it would be creepy. (Yanagawa)"

"Green Roost -Danger-"
"The percussion has come more to the front in this version, so it feels more lively. It doesn't feel super dangerous outright, but it does feel more like something is lurking out there. This reminds me of my school days, when I wondered aloud if a snake or a serpent would pop out, and my friend quipped that they're both snakes. (Yanagawa)"

"Into the Endless World"
"This is a theme for a great prairie, when you start a new journey after getting off your ship. It's a longer piece, with melodies from various instruments, and rich in changes to the arrangement. If you happen to see something new during the quiet portion in the latter half of the track, it really feels like you're on a grand journey. I highly recommend trying it. (Yano)"

"Into the Endless World -Night-"
"This was based on the image of a starry night sky stretching over a vast open plain. When the harp comes in, it feels more like a fantasy RPG... Although this actually is a fantasy game. We used a string quartet from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" for the strings. The melody is fairly long, so I'd like to introduce Ise on flute again. (Yano)"

"Path of Trials"
"Horns from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" participated in this. The trumpet was played by Negoro. I was told this is a dangerous zone, filled with strong enemies, so I made this grand and lively. This is kind of a secret, but they thought this was a boss track at first, and had it playing somewhere else during much of development. (Yanagawa)"

"Path of Trials -Night-"
"I composed the night version to bring out the feeling of loneliness in the wilderness. It uses the same tempo and the same melody, so it's interesting just how different the arrangement feels. We had flutes from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" participate in this. (Yanagawa)"

"Path of Trials -Danger-"
"This arrangement goes all out on the percussion to convey a feeling of extreme danger. However, it's still an Atelier game, so I was careful not to make it too ridiculous. I like the 7 time section where the brass instruments come in. I have a lot of fun composing tunes where the beat changes so often. Even though they aren't very popular! (Yanagawa)"

"Whispering Memories"
"Continuing from the last game, I was in charge of BGMs for ruins. I put break beats and synth in here and there, to bring out a more mysterious feeling. However, the areas in this game are relatively open, so I chose sounds that didn't feel too confined. I hope the melancholic melody and dramatic latter half portrays an atmosphere of "people once lived here." (Yano)"

"Whispering Memories -Night-"
"The night version of a theme meant to convey the feeling that "people once lived here." While I like going to see historic ruins, I can't handle things like the occult, horror, and ghosts. The sentiment that people once occupied a place is enjoyable, but I don't want anything beyond that feeling. (Yano)"

"Fissure in the Sky"
"By "fissure" I mean a tear, or a crevice. As an island floating in the sky, I wanted to give it a bit of a pretentious title, so I looked for words in the dictionary. I heard that extremely strong enemies were here, so I used a unison of heavy percussion and strings to give it a clearly different feeling from other maps. (Yano)"

"Fissure in the Sky -Night-"
"I used a changing beat to represent the uncertainty of players in this area, but the sheer difficulty of composing this track gave me a game over before the game even started. This map has very strong wind, so the sound of wind causes loud environmental noise. I sought to create a powerful arrangement that wouldn't lose to such sound. (Yano)"

"Light Lost in the Trees"
"This track was ordered for an area with an exciting name, the Great Tree Sanctuary. The image for the tune took some influence from a certain enemy character in the area. Have you met them yet? It could be fun to fight them multiple times! (Yanagawa)"

"Light Lost in the Trees -Night-"
"Speaking of great trees, my elementary school had a shockingly huge ginkgo tree. I wonder if it's still there? If anyone from my hometown is reading this, please tell me (lol). (Yanagawa)"

"Prayers Sink Eventually"
"The piano at the beginning sounds like drops of water... Now that I think about it, the whole dungeon's underwater! Water drops wouldn't fall anywhere! Um, oh right. It represents exiting the dungeon and going back onto land, and water dripping off of Firis... Maybe that's straining it. Oh, it's straining to be underwater for a long time! Yeah, that connects, that's good enough! (Yanagawa)"

"Prayers Sink Eventually -Night-"
"The above is a joke, I'm serious. It's the image of sinking deep, deep down into the water. When you look at the surface while sinking underwater, the air bubbles from your breath sway around beautifully. Sometimes I just want to keep sinking forever. (Yanagawa)"

"With the Scent of Grass"
"This is the theme for a small plain, and has the image of a real journey. Sometimes I really long for the scent of grass. I think back to the time when I would run around in woods and fields. Remembering it makes me want to cry, though. Maybe I'm just tired. (Yanagawa)"

"With the Scent of Grass -Night-"
"Out of all the characters, I think Ilmeria is the most likely to smell like grass. Also, maybe Dion. Although that's purely based off of their image. It would be really exciting if Ilmeria smelled like grass, though! I'm sure someone out there agrees with me! (Yanagawa)"

"Sound of Swaying Leaves"
"I really missed the scent of trees, so I bought some cypress fragrance. I use it when I sleep, and it really helps. It feels like I'm at a hot spring resort. I want them to sell more Japanese style fragrances. (Yanagawa)"

"Sound of Swaying Leaves -Night-"
"The night version was done only with recorders. I played them myself... I think it sounds good. By the way, I ate some mackerel the other day! It was really good, too. I was moved. It must be obvious what season I'm writing this during! Anyway, I liked playing the two soprano and alto recorders, you should try it yourself if you get a chance. (Yanagawa)"

"Jade Silence"
"This is the BGM for a dense forest. The latter half sounds like it could be used in a tea commercial. I guess that means it sounds like a really green and natural arrangement. I used many instruments with the image of "trees", such as the marimba. Hearing Ise's flute among such a calm atmosphere was so relaxing. Keep this secret, but I fell asleep while recording this. (Yano)"

"Jade Silence -Night-"
"I kept trying to completely change the night versions of tracks, and had a hard time arranging them, but this one sounds pretty similar to the day version in a rare twist. A forest at night would actually be pitch dark, and you couldn't walk around easily... But that actually brings out the mystery and awe of nature. No joke. (Yano)"

"Scene from on High"
"The BGM for a mountainous area. Why did I make a title like this? I must have been really tired, yeah that's it. This uses a tricky rhythm of both 2 and 3 time, but some sections deliberately lean more to one or the other. It might be interesting to look for them. (Yano)"

"Scene from on High -Night-"
"This arrangement just uses a simple 2 time beat. Maybe it's thanks to the soft sounds that don't feel like sunlight, or the reverberating mallet type instruments, but it sounds like a quiet night atmosphere. The length and tempo are exactly the same, while the melody is very close, but the mood has changed completely. Music really is profound. (Yano)"

"Time to Conquer!"
"This BGM plays on a wilderness map. Quite rare for the tunes I compose, it uses a standard 6/8 time. The rhythm of the instruments comes together very often, and it feels like a fun performance. I like to dance around while composing music, but now that we're done, I'm worried about how I'm seen around the office. Anyway, I really like the strings that come in after the high point. (Yano)"

"Time to Conquer! -Night-"
"I kept imagining fog rolling in at night, so I made this night version feel a little damp in atmosphere. The modernistic arrangement using strings and piano was fun to compose. Also, I tried adding finger snaps into the latter part to bring out more of a night mood. The 2 beat feels a little jazzy. (Yano)"

"Quiet Snow"
"There's warmth that you can only feel because you're cold. Human skin and steamed buns are an example. I love buying meat buns from a store while it's snowing, then eating it as I walk. I eat them nearly every day during winter. It's slowly turning to winter again now, too. (Yanagawa)"

"Quiet Snow -Night-"
"The night version only uses piano and strings. The image changes quite a bit by just removing the sound of bells. It's hard to describe, but it seems less beautiful, and more of a heartrending feeling. Girls are cute when they get chilly. This tune makes me want to run around a snowy mountain with Firis. (Yanagawa)"

"Together with Transience"
"This BGM is for an underwater map. I used a keyboard instrument called a "Guitaret" (confusing name, I know) and pipes to represent the swaying, shining water surface above your head. Special fields are a good excuse to use synth tones. The beginning is in 9 time, but after it changes, the latter part feels more like a calming waltz. (Yano)"

"Together with Transience -Night-"
"The night version brings up the tension of being underwater by removing the melody. The rhythm track is in drum 'n' bass style, making this night track a little irregular as it feels faster. I'm a nervous person, and I hate the feeling of suddenly not hearing anything around me when I'm underwater. In this game, you can talk like normal underwater, but I wonder how it really sounds? (Yano)"

"Sign -Rest-"
"This jingle has an idyllic, peaceful air. I can picture a shop selling ice cream made with fresh milk. I'd love to spend a day just relaxing and napping. Although it wouldn't really be a "nap" if you sleep from morning to night... Whatever, I just want to sleep. (Yano)"

"Sign -Trees-"
"When portraying a scene of trees in a BGM, I always want to use simple xylophones and marimbas. Landmark jingles are still jingles, and many of them are meant to leave strong impressions during your adventure. That makes it hard to decide how to end the track to loop it properly. (Yano)"

"Sign -Frost-"
"It's been a year and a half since I moved to Nagano. The blanket of snow covering the townscape during winter only excited me for a moment at the beginning. After that, all I feel is coldness. Anyway, this is a landmark jingle for ice and snow. There are many sounds that give a cold feeling, leaving me confused. I decided to go for a relatively straightforward sound for this one. (Yano)"

"Sign -Earth-"
"This landmark jingle is in the image of rocks and craters. I decided to pay homage to the BGM for the desolate "Scar of the Land" in the previous game. Deserts and wilderness naturally make me imagine hot climates, so I selected instruments to match the feeling. I know some of these regions can be cold, so it's strange. (Yano)"

"Sign -Damp-"
"A landmark jingle for watersides and wetlands. Combining the environmental sounds of water, it gives a cool feeling. The intro is also really nostalgic... It reminds me of visiting my grandmother in the countryside during summer vacation as a young child. I want long summer vacations as an adult, too. Ise wanted to play this, so I got a live flute performance. (Yano)"

"Sign -Great Tree-"
"This one has an image of grandeur. The tune is like a big sigh you can't help but release when you see an enormous tree in front of your eyes. (Yanagawa)"

"Sign -Ruins-"
"Landmark jingles need to be simple, and immediately transmit the image to the player. Thus I make them as symbolic as possible. Things that are hard to symbolize are also hard to compose. (Yanagawa)"

"Sign -Forest-"
"Forests give me the image of thickly grown, tropical plants. Adding a steady drum completed this jingle. (Yanagawa)"

"Sign -Nature-"
"This one has the image of quiet sounds in a wide open area. I think it would be good to play during the awkward moments after a gag fails, too. Although that might make it even more uncomfortable. (Yanagawa)"

"Sign -Danger-"
"Other tracks already represent busy activity and danger, so I wanted this one to feel creeping. By the way, I'm the type who would always push a button that says not to push it. (Yanagawa)"

"Sign -Lakebottom-"
"This is the jingle for the landmark at the entrance of "Wavebreaker Cove". The intro phrase is the same as the boss that dwells here. I wonder if anyone noticed... I like piano music with lonely tunes like this. Although I have to restrain myself from over-composing them, and losing the Atelier feel. (Yano)"

"Speedy Broom"
"I decided on the name just from the impression. I wanted to compose a lively track that you wouldn't get tired of, even after listening to it for a long time. The wind chimes at the beginning are timed with the shining effect when you first get on. That's a lie. It's just a coincidence. A pretty amazing coincidence. (Yanagawa)"

"Quick Flight"
"A normal battle that'll be an easy win. Despite being busy, I asked Asano to play the piano and organ. The violin was played by TAM. Both of them did great. It's a theme for battles that end quickly, and I came up with this name after considering other titles involving rushing that didn't quite work out. (Yanagawa)"

"Blue Skies"
"I composed this normal battle theme (for even matches) with the same group as above. I played the flute for all of my own tracks again, but this was the most enjoyable to play. It contains the image of Firis leaving her town, then going on a journey under the big, blue sky. (Yanagawa)"

"Determination to Strike"
"The lead violin was played by TAM, and the strings were a quartet from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra". The guitar was played by Miyoshi, the flute by Ise, and the bass by HIROTOMO from the last game. The instrument introductions took up most of my space for this extravagant battle theme (against strong enemies). This is my favorite battle theme in the game. (Yano)"

"Scrimmage"
"This general boss battle theme was performed by the same members as above. The title was taken from American football terminology... But now that I think about it, RPG boss fights are usually one versus many, a lot different from a football game. I composed it to represent the different twists the battle could take... But that unison at the end. I'm surprised everyone could play something like that. (Yano)"

"Arcturus"
"Hello everyone, it's me, Daisuke Achiwa! This track is the BGM for fighting powerful foes, so I started with a tense intro, gradually growing in excitement. The normal battles seem to mostly be fairly casual tracks, so I wanted this to give off the image of a real, tough fight! (Achiwa)"

"Let Me Cut You..."
"This title just makes me want to shout "HELL NO!!" I'm kind of disappointed that others in the office didn't joke about it... I used triple time to turn it into gothic punk and rock waltz style, with lots of rhythm changes. The violin was played by TAM, the trumpet by Negoro, the guitar by Miyoshi, the flute by Ise, and the bass by HIROTOMO. (Yano)"

"Shooting Star"
"Palmyra's theme. At first, I wanted to make it a heavier tune, but I was told to make it cute to match her appearance. After doing retakes, it ended up like this. I thought the blippy sparkly parts would go well with her voice. Also, hearing her say "Palmyra Beaaaam!" is too cute. (Yanagawa)"

"Pororoca"
"The title word is used as an onomatopoeia in the Tupi language for loud noises, and also a noun meaning "big wave". I represented the power of a boss that can control the weather on a lake with relentless torrents of sound in this theme. The violin was played by TAM, the guitar by Miyoshi, the flute by Ise, and the bass by HIROTOMO! (Yano)"

"Rabbit & Crow"
"Theme for the twin bosses. As the title suggests, it's based on the image of a rabbit and crow. TAM played the violin. I also had horns from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" participate. I've started dabbling in playing the electric guitar, but this was the hardest tune to play so far... Even though the flute for it was really easy. (Yanagawa)"

"Win or Lose"
"The theme for the battle with Ilmeria. Situations where you fight characters in your party come up fairly often in Atelier, but I really like the lead up to this one. Some of the voices during the fight can only be heard in this battle. Did you notice? (Yanagawa)"

"Beyond Wisdom"
"I was a little hesitant about having to beat the heroine of the previous game, as I felt an attachment to Sophie, but master versus apprentice battles are still exciting. This was also my first time arranging the OP theme of a previous game for use in the next game, but I think it turned out well. (Yanagawa)"

"Going Even Further!"
"The battle victory jingle. The trumpet was played by Negoro. Flutes from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" also participated. I think I troubled the performers when I asked for their performance to sound like a smile. I just hope you can see the smile in the sound. (Yanagawa)"

"Let's Build a Statue!"
"The Flussheim festival theme is an arrangement of the town BGM. Rather than using 7 time from the base, I used a simple and easy to follow 4 time to bring out the feeling of a festival. By the way, when I think of a bustling city of water in Japan, I think of Osaka. I'm from the Kansai region, so I imagine the people of Flussheim with Kansai dialects. (Yano)"

"Yearning for the Sky"
"The theme for the title screen. The quiet arrangement is to create a seamless transition from the title screen into the game itself. The melody also has the same motif as the BGM for the starting town, Ertona. The flute was played by Ise. I didn't have space to write this in other comments, but Ise played in a lot of tracks for the game. Thank you! (Yano)"

"Yearning for the Sky -reprise-"
"Anna Okazaki, who sang an insert song in the previous game, sang the chorus for this latter title theme. It's a lot brighter now, but much like the day and night field tracks, it's a different arrangement on the same length. The rhythm of the melody is a little different, and Ise played this as well. Also, I really wanted to put "reprise" in a track name at least once. (Yano)"

"The First Step"
"A ridiculously simple track. It probably took an hour at most to finish. Regardless, it still reflects the instruments and arrangement trends of the game, so I felt fulfilled making it. This might sound arrogant coming from me, but I want to keep playing it over and over (lol). (Yano)"

"Hm Hm, I See"
"Those who played the previous game might think "Oh?" when they listen to this. It's an homage to Yanagawa's recipe learning theme. I arranged it simply, so it works in both 6 time and 3 time. (Yano)"

"Song of Leaving Home"
"I was in charge of a lot of character themes for this game! First off, the theme of our heroine, Firis. She's innocent and bright, with a strong yearning for the outside world. The title is based off of a song that I like, but it was actually originally a German folk song. (Achiwa)"

"Wind Chaser"
"The theme for Firis' older sister, who watches over her perhaps a little too warmly. I aimed to give the main piano tune a gentle, feminine feel. I think this is only the second Atelier game where the heroine's older sister appears, after Totori. We had an older brother appear before, too. Do you know who I'm referring to? (Achiwa)"

"Wind Chaser on Piano"
"The piano version of the older sister theme. But personally, I think of this as a certain other person's theme. I can't mention their name for spoiler reasons, though. (Yanagawa)"

"I'm Not Even Trying"
"The theme of Ilmeria, who acts like a rival. Her appearance is pretty standard for a tsundere rival type. We keep making stories with rivals, like Eisel, Cordelia, and Mimi, and I'm losing track of which ones were actually tsundere or not. Maybe because of their beatings. (Achiwa)"

"Bright Girl"
"Fritz's daughter was only mentioned in the previous game, but she appears here! She's big! Almost too big, in more than one way! Her appearance is pretty impactful though. I want to see her bound around in battle and other vigorous actions. But I'm sure the weight gives her back pain and stiff shoulders... I'm talking about her big axe, by the way. (Achiwa)"

"The Nomad and the Sword"
"A wandering swordsman. His sword is made of enamel. Just kidding. He seems to like treasure hunting. I don't enjoy collecting things that much, but I've started wanting to read books that I read as a kid, so I started buying them in auctions and other places. I guess that still makes me a collector, so it's embarrassing in hind sight. (Achiwa)"

"Seeker of Time"
"Just being a historian adds a bit of a mysterious feeling. After looking at the character list, I could tell he and Revy would end up as the victim of jokes, so I silently cheered them on (lol). Tsundere is good, but characters that act opposite of their appearance tend to be interesting. That's why a lot of serious looking characters are fated to end up in comedic roles. (Achiwa)"

"Elder and Urchin"
"This is a title I wanted to use ever since Atelier Marie. My wish was finally fulfilled. Big and hearty old man characters tend to end up doing cool things at critical moments. If they're just hearty, they would just be an old geezer who's all show and no action, after all. (Achiwa)"

"Stories of Greenery"
"Oskar has grown and also slimmed down. I can hear the lamenting cries of chubby boy fans everywhere. I wanted the melody instruments to represent "thinness", so I used various stringed instruments. For instance, an instrument from Finland popular because of a certain anime movie. Did I really need this instrument? (Achiwa)"

"Apostle of Creation"
"A general theme for alchemists. I love the Atelier series game process of using alchemy to fulfill dreams and solve problems, so I'm happy it's been maintained for so long. I'm also proud as a creator. (Achiwa)"

"Firefly Nation"
"The general theme for people living in the first town, Firis' hometown of Ertona. They live in a mine, and work there is pretty hard, so I kept the tune more modest. I also did it to make it like a seed, from which an exciting journey starts. Although that might be a little rude to them. (Achiwa)"

"People of the Lake"
"The theme for people living in the lakeside town of Flussheim. That reminds me, the first end of year party I attended after joining the company was held at a hotel by Lake Shirakaba. We all went to a teddy bear museum, and it was a lot of fun. It's already been 20 years since then. (Achiwa)"

"Spiccato Princess"
"Theme for the people of Reisenberg. I say that, but I mainly composed it with the image of the mayor, Edel, in mind. Just look at the title. This game has several towns, so I look forward to seeing the scenery and atmosphere of each one. (Achiwa)"

"To All Travelers"
"The general theme for travelers. Looking at the character documents, I saw quite a wide range of individuals, so I composed the track using a "journey" in general as the image. Not a lone journey, but a relaxing journey surrounded by friends, through the beauty and vastness of nature. (Achiwa)"

"Blue Sky Girl"
"Logy appeared in the last game, and now Escha appears in this one! I tried arranging Escha's atelier BGM "Morning Dew Pizzicato" into a bossa nova style. This mainly involved a cuica. To better imagine it, I was playing air cuica at home, but my family saw me. That was embarrassing. (Achiwa)"

"Live and Sleep, Through Tears or Laughter"
"This was the first event track I composed for this game. The percussion that comes in part way makes it feel like a journey, but I created the rest to feel more like comfortable "daily life" in the world. Please try snapping along to the finger snaps at the high point of the tune. (Yano)"

"What Should I Do Today?"
"A theme for daily life. I wanted the latter part to feel a little nostalgic, and more like Atelier. If I was told that I can travel freely for a year, while I'd be happy, I would also worry about what to do every day... (Yanagawa)"

"Gentle Dusk"
"An event theme I composed while thinking about dusk. The flute was played by Ise. I like the sorrowful melody at the high point of the tune. I was writing the tune while thinking back to days long ago, when I'd play in the nearby park until sunset. I want to do it again, but I would certainly cause concern if I did that at my age now. That makes me sad. (Yano)"

"Happy Days"
"This track is for happy scenes, as the title suggests! I composed it while thinking of Firis smiling and skipping along, but for some reason, I can't stop imagining her tripping and falling at the end. How mysterious. (Yanagawa)"

"Hidden Loneliness"
"A theme for sadness and loneliness. I've created several of these kinds of tracks for the Atelier series, but this is one of the most gloomy. Maybe the journey theme caused it? (Yanagawa)"

"My Dream Recipe"
"A tune that plays during bitter and serious scenes. I was forced to retake it twice because it was "too dark", but third time's a charm. The beginning is rather gloomy, but by the high point Firis' positive character shines through, so I think it's a good representative of the story... This ended up being a rather serious explanation, for once (lol). (Yano)"

"This Seems Bad"
"A tune that plays during accidents and other tight spots. I use a lot of turbulent and dangerous sounding chords and melodies, but I'm using the same Atelier-like instruments, so it doesn't feel like a world crisis... It doesn't, right? (Yano)"

"It Broke on Its Own"
"The request for this tune was for when trouble strikes. Reading only this made me want to make it very serious, but that would just result in it being discarded. By trouble, they mean gags, after all. People don't really die in gag scenes. Even if you died in a gag, you'd just pop right back to life. (Yanagawa)"

"Now You've Done It"
"Today was the day when I started thinking that Yanagawa's music naming sense is unfair. Even if you do something bad in Atelier, you just get a scene where you're called stupid. Following that idea, I had Negoro play the trumpet using a mute cup. Ise played the flute, but had to do a retake because of a silly reason like "It's comical, but doesn't have enough of an idiot factor." (Yano)"

"Candy Explosion"
"I like rushed and shiny tunes like this. Composing them excites me. The title comes from a long time ago, when me and my friends were having a konpeito (candy) fight. One of the candies thrown hit a wall and exploded. The bouncing shards really hurt, but it we all laughed. (Yanagawa)"

"Super Candy Explosion"
"I was asked for a version that's even more loud and panicky, so I made this. I want to become a fabulous adult, someone who this tune is really suited to. (Yanagawa)"

"Push Forth, Through the Mud"
"I received a request for a tune that could be used during scenes of determination, so I also made this. The lyrics of "To the Lands I Want to See" were really fitting, so I tried arranging it. (Yanagawa)"

"Traveling Atelier -Good End-"
"I really like the usual format, so the ending theme is an arrangement of the atelier theme. The original is lively but a little too busy, but cutting down on the number of sounds resulted in a bit of a lonely tune. It's regrettable, but every journey eventually comes to an end. But you can still go on another journey. That's the image I was going for. Writing that was a little embarrassing. (Yanagawa)"

"Traveling Atelier -Bad End-"
"...This uses the same original track, but it's so different, maybe a little stupid. Changing the chords and tones is enough to completely change the mood. That's one of the fun aspects of composing music. This theme is used for bad ends that make you feel a little dumb. (Yanagawa)"

"Exam Start!"
"As the name suggests, this jingle is for the start of the exam. I borrowed just a little phrase from the Firis character theme. I hope someone out there noticed. (Yanagawa)"

"Just Doing Whatever"
"Words that change completely in meaning depending on the use of kanji or katakana are interesting. When I was a student, I always thought I'd be free from exams when I grew up, but that turned out not to be the case. I think you have more of them as an adult... (Yanagawa)"

"The Supreme Article"
"Theme for the alchemy exam. I had a hard time grasping the image, and made 7 rough drafts, then had them choose one. Maybe they chose this one because people associate the sound of bells with exams. (Yanagawa)"

"Preparation"
"One of my favorite phrases is "always be prepared". I didn't quite understand it as a child in Japanese. I thought it had to do with spices or something. (Yanagawa)"

"Exam Finish!"
"As the name suggests, this jingle is for the end of the exam. I borrowed just a little phrase from the Firis character theme. I hope someone out there noticed. (Yanagawa)"

"Results Announcement!"
"As the name suggests, this jingle is for the announcement of results. It plays for the results of your work mainly in the atelier, so I almost immediately decided to base it off of the atelier theme. (Yanagawa)"

"Let's Walk Together!"
"This jingle means you have a new friend! It has the image of taking steps. Does it sound like that to you? (Yanagawa)"

"See You Tomorrow!"
"This jingle is for going to sleep until the next day. The day before I wrote this comment, the sun was still out when I left work. Summer days are really long. (Yanagawa)"

"I Hope It Fits"
"A jingle for when you obtain a new outfit. Speaking of clothes, I've gained 15kg in weight since joining this company a year ago... I think half of it is muscle, but I can barely wear my old suits because of it. I need to do something about this, because I can't wear my formal suit if the occasion comes up. This is bad. (Yano)"

"Got Something!"
"A jingle for when you obtain some sort of a key item. I wanted it to have the feeling of "this could be related to progress in the game". I didn't make it overly cheerful for no reason. (Yano)"

"Got Something Great!!"
"The jingle for when you obtain a letter of recommendation. There aren't many fanfare jingles in this game, but they're used for important things. I had to use a plain title to prevent spoilers. (Yano)"

"Flora (Game Ver.)"
"This beautiful opening theme was written for Firis by Asako Nasu. This song feels like she's stepped even further into the world of Atelier, compared to her previous songs. Please enjoy it along with the opening animation. (Okamura)"

"Flora"
"By the way, we were trying to decide which song to use for the opening theme until the last minute. It was between this and "Living One Day at a Time". Both of them are wonderful songs, I really would like to thank everyone involved. (Okamura)"

"To the Lands I Want to See (Game Ver.)"
"This song is by Mineko Yamamoto. The acoustic guitar and bass were played by Dani, the piano by Asano, and a string quartet from the "Akihabara Ward Orchestra" participated as well. So many performers helped to create this! Thank you so much! As the theme for the avant-movie, this was composed with the image of setting off on a journey. (Yanagawa)"

"To the Lands I Want to See"
"If you listen to this on a day you don't feel too great, it perks you right up... That's the song I wanted to create. By the way, once when I went outside for a jog late at night in my casual clothes, the police stopped and questioned me. If you're going out for a run, you should dress to look like you're exercising. Wait, why did I bring this up again? (Yanagawa)"

"Beyond the Tempest"
"The song that plays when you depart Flussheim on your ship. The song is by Haruka Shimotsuki, while the music was written by Michiko Naruke, bringing a wonderful collaboration to reality. People had been telling me that Naruke's music would be a good match for the Atelier series, and her union with Shimotsuki's song created a spectacular representation of the Atelier world. (Okamura)"

"Beyond the Tempest (Game Ver.)"
"We've been inviting performances from artists of many genres to liven up Atelier's sound, especially since the Dusk series, predecessor to the Mysterious series. We intend to continue looking for more wonderful chemistry, much like we're using alchemy. Please look forward to it! (Okamura)"

"A Blue, Fleeting Journey (Game Ver.)"
"Luis the minstrel's song was sung by Pia. Her beautiful voice and lyrics fit the journey theme perfectly. I grew up in a landlocked area, and always had a strong yearning for the sea. When I grow old, my dream is to have a house in a fishing village with a little harbor, and go fishing every day. I'm sorry for talking about something so silly and inconsequential here. (Okamura)"

"A Blue, Fleeting Journey"
"Pia is from Taiwan, but she challenged herself with a Japanese song for this game. Her way of singing Japanese is a little different from usual, and has a beautiful atmosphere. Apparently, Atelier is played more than I expected in Taiwan. Thinking about people outside of Japan enjoying our games makes me very happy. (Okamura)"

"Trails of Light"
"This is the first ending song, looking back on Firis' journey after she passes the exam. The song is by Haruka Shimotsuki, while the music is by Ryudai Abe from ACRYLICSTAB. It seems they're bound to work with Gust Sound, regardless of the form it takes. This game has two ending themes. I'm sure there are some people who thought "Wait, that's the end already?" when this played. (Okamura)"

"Living One Day at a Time (Game Ver.)"
"This song plays when Firis departs on another journey, after the exam. While the lyrics seem like a scene taken straight from daily life, it also gives a feeling of the relation between Firis and Liane. I think it has good atmosphere, and it's one of my favorite songs. I think about it sometimes when I'm bogged down in work, and wanting to go somewhere unknown and far away. (Okamura)"

"Living One Day at a Time"
"The theme of Atelier Firis is a journey. We created this song with the feelings of the Gust staff in mind, who do nothing but work every day, and want to go traveling. I'd be happy if I could go on an adventure, and have fun seeing various places around the world. With that said, I think I'll take a vacation now. Bye! (Okamura)"

"Resurrection (Game Ver.)"
"This is Yuka's first time participating in Atelier (as a vocalist), paired with the familiar Dani on guitar and bass. As the title suggests, something hurt or broken can be revived through alchemy, the power of creation. That's the image used for the lyrics. (Achiwa)"

"Resurrection"
"A core tenant of the Atelier series is that alchemy is the power of creation and building. In the real world, there are many examples of new technology and discoveries used to solve problems. Even if something is greatly damaged, the power to create something new will overcome it... That's what I believe. (Achiwa)"

"Into the Journey"
"The song is by Ceui. The violin was played by TAM, the drums by Negoro, and the flute by Ise. This musical composition looks back on Firis' journey, and looks forward towards progress. The title screen theme, the Ertona BGM, and even the melody of "Tale Spinning Journey" come together for the game's grand finale. Thank you so much for playing to the very end! (Yano)"