Update -- Cho Aniki ~ The Ultimate, Invincible, Most Galactically Powerful Man

[Secret Squirrel]

Cho Aniki ~ The Ultimate, Invincible, Most Galactically Powerful Man -- TYCY-5487

Strangely enough, I find myself feeling that I need to apologize for this week's update.

I'm about half way through it, hoping to find something that doesn't annoy me. Anyway, it's different, and it has its fans, who will hopefully extoll its virtues here. BTW, this is that very same series that's sometimes called a "homoerotic shooter."

Specialy thanks to Dragon God for providing the album.

[Dragon God]

Not sure if you had completed to upload the tracks or not, but tracks 14 to 17 are missing. If you're still uploading, disregard my message. Review coming up.

[Secret Squirrel]

Okay, all done now.

And, I did like 09 - Asian Shuffle.

[Dragon God]

My discovery of Cho Aniki started when I viewed Koji Hayama’s English page created by CocoeBiz. A quick google search mostly brought up Ai Cho Aniki reviews, one of them featured music samples, which was happy but also sickeningly catchy music(which I later discovered to be by Taku Iwasaki). Later in January 2005, I received a video tape featuring a live concert of Koji Hayama. It contained some excellent rock pieces and some addictive electronic music too. This made me search for more of Koji Hayama, which eventually led me to eBay. It was there that I found a small collection of Cho Aniki soundtracks, such as Aniki Bangaichi, Aniki no Subete and Ai Cho Aniki. There was also another one on sight, but it was only described as the soundtrack for the Saturn/Playstation game of the series. For so long, I had wondered what this would be… Eventually, I got the chance to listen to this mystery disc. I was surprised to find out about a collaboration of 4 composers. Koji Hayama was indeed present, but instead of creating the majority of the music, Hayama only had 2 tracks out of 17. The other 15 tracks were split evenly between the 3 other composers. The other composers were : Don McCow(later discovered to be an alias for Isao Mizoguchi), Taku Iwasaki and Sanae Kasahara.


All four composers have some interesting backgrounds. Koji Hayama has of course started the famous series with some unique music featuring synthesized choirs and a bit of rock in between. Isao Mizoguchi was the sound director for Ai Cho Aniki, so Iwasaki composed under his guidance. Isao Mizoguchi also co-composed the second Langrisser soundtrack along with Noriyuki Iwadare, plus he was the sound director for Lunar. Taku Iwasaki is well-known in the anime music world for Witch Hunter Robin, Read or Die and Ruroni Kenshin. Sanae Kasahara, on the other hand, collaborated on Resident Evil : Code Veronica and produced sound effects for Lunar. Anyways, I don’t know how they all ended up composing for this crazy game, but I’m glad it turned out like this.

Mizoguchi has the honor to start off the soundtrack with “The Ultimate, Invincible, Most Powerful Man in the Galaxy”. While the first 18 seconds are just airy ambience, the first part of Hayama’s “German Jammin’” from Aniki no Subete makes a surprise appearance, but instead of being done in a crazy fashion, it’s orchestrated, complete with strings, brass and fine drumworks. Choirs join in by the end of the piece, and it gives the wrong impression with this soundtrack, as it is the only orchestrated track aside its reprise. Mizoguchi’s “Sea Man” is an interesting mix of bass, synth and a hand-clap instrument, at a point he actually sings a bunch of random wordings which aren’t really understandable anyways, but it gives the track a bit of charm. Another noteworthy track by Mizoguchi is “The God Wei-To and the Goddess Benten”, with starts off with drum & bass, while Mizoguchi mentions “Idaten” and “Benten” once in a while, who are the “players” of the game. At a certain point, Mizoguchi adds a quick electric guitar solo, which is certainly welcome. The synth solo is also quite pleasing as it goes through a more mellow passage, which definitely gives this track variety.

Iwasaki has some interesting contributions as well. “Dancing Kannon” is fast-paced piece; a bass and asian flute play above a series of continuous vocal samplings, later on, a female voice joins in shortly to accompany the bass and flute, which makes it stand out. “Asian Shuffle” contains tribal drums, some bass and the asian flute, the beats come in pretty fast, which would represent a jungle or maybe a temple of some sort, by the end of the piece, we hear a quick xylophone solo, which isn’t all that common in game music. Iwasaki had the opportunity to compose the theme for the final battle, and he delivers in style. “Last Battle (AHH!!)” starts off with some metallic clanking effects, then a distorted vocal makes a quick appearance, only to be swallowed in one of the most addictive melodies ever. Drums, an electric guitar, the shamisen and the funniest vocal samples get the piece going. It’s certainly an oddball, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Iwasaki even takes to time to display some quality guitar solos here and there during the piece. The man has class, no matter how you look at his musical style.

Kasahara did the most fun-packed tracks in the bunch, ranging from happy circus-like music to some catchy music peppered with the most hilarious vocal samples on the soundtrack. “Teacher and Pupil's Triangular Form” is filled to the brim with happy pills, whistles, trumpets, synth, some wacky vocal effects; it’s bound to make anyone smile. The funny part is one voice saying something while another responds which sounds like “Hhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiii”. “Gods of the Ancient Age” gives the impression of being a new-age piece with the slow movement and bells, but that impression doesn’t last, as a voice cries out accompanied with a gong, steel drums, bass and synth all make the meat of the melody, until we hear some really silly vocal samples, as if someone is forces himself and you hear the guy go “Uuurrghhhh!!!”, it’s another track that would make anyone smile. Kasahara certainly had a lot of freedom in his pieces as they portray the odd sense of humor the Cho Aniki series is known for the best way possible.

Koji Hayama’s two tracks are taken from his Kinzoku Bat album, which was an original album, so it’s not the usual type of VGM he creates. “Find the News” is a happy pop/rock song which has its share of guitar, synth and of course his unique vocal samples. It tends to be a bit repetitive, but the samples make up for the repetitiveness in spades.


Since Cho Aniki isin’t actually in huge demand, getting this soundtrack may be a bit difficult since I’ve never seen it on Yahoo Japan Auctions and this copy which I’m reviewing right now is the only one that I’ve seen on eBay. Try these two sites and you may just bump into it. The disc is fairly varied, and has over 50 minutes of quality music. Just get over the false fact that Cho Aniki is “gay”, and you’ll be fine.

Bottom Line : A+

[XISMZERO]

This album's almost as frickin' crazy as a Parodius soundtrack. Music like this accompanies me when I'm feeling clownish and/or zany... that's precisely when I bust out some Sexy Parodious or Capcom World.

[Rimo]

This album is definitely "special"; you have to be in the right mood to appreciate it fully, as XISMZERO suggested. It moves a lot and the compositions are solid enough to listen to it throughly. Some tracks reminded me a bit of some songs by Ryuichi Sakamoto, mainly those with a groove. I liked it and thanks for providing!

[CaptainCommando]

There's a nice overview of the Cho Ainiki series up on Classicgaming 101 (along with some other good stuff). Some of the stuff in Cho Ainiki is just plain goofy, though there is also some stuff that would make the more homophobic America cringe.

http://www.classicgaming.com/reviews/choaniki/choaniki.htm

In any event, I find I enjoy some game music more when I know more about the game it came from.

[Parn]

This is one of the strangest soundtracks I ever heard. But I think it's very interesting, too. I'll probably give it other hearings. :) And Dragon God, thanks for the contribution and your nice review. I actually listened to the soundtrack while reading your review.

[]-/|\-oOo-/|\-[]

If you guys think the music is unusual, just wait till you see what game this is soundtrack is specifically from...a PSX game. Scroll down past the SNES game at the top to see...

http://www.classicgaming.com/reviews/choaniki/choaniki2.htm

Yes, that really is a live digitized naked man.

[Dragon God]

At least some people enjoyed it =P And glad to know my review is helpful and entertaining :)

[bigabobo]

nice update ..was expecting that Twinbee album to be the next release, so this came as a surprise. :)

also: great review Dragon God. Not too many people (myself included) know much about the Choaniki series or those particular game musicians so that was helpful. Expect to get quoted (and not given any credit) on various videogame message boards for years to come. :)
I hope one day an album gets posted here where *I*'ll be able to write a full-length informative review like that. But that'll never happen unless it's related to Natsume or Technos Japan.

OH WAIT!
The Choaniki Playstation game was produced by Yoshihisa Kishimoto, the creator/director of the original Double Dragon game and producer of a bunch of other Technos games.

[Secret Squirrel]

Oops, heh. That Winbee album I kind of mentioned as a joke, poking fun at ]-/|\-oOo-/|\-[, who didn't like it. I still could do it, but I'm not sure when, as I hope to keep a kind of balance.