Ken Hisuag

Yuuhei Satellite, feat. Shinra-Bansho & Shoujo Fractal - Connecting With You (Full Collaboration ver.) What a big project for such an obscure track! Weirdly enough, while I appreciate both Yuuhei Satellite and Shinra-Bansho, I haven't found their collabs to be all that extraordinary compared to their standard projects. They are unique, though; perhaps this is the natural product of rectifying their respective styles? Personally, I think there's a different explanation, but I'm not willing to go too deep with it. SilentBird - Arcadian Waltz Hi there, Gou! It's very fortunate that this exists, since I wasn't finding much for this piece otherwise. The original is rather chaotic in its energy, so this is a nice switch-up in comparison. AramiTama - Blooming Flower at the End of the World Here's something unique; it reminds me of another piece from some time ago. I describe it as "loud ambience." Does anyone else find it mildly unsettling?

It should be obvious by my non-interaction with this thread that I have no worthwhile input on the subject, but I found this music video and recognized the name, so I thought I'd share it. Side note: I love the Scarlet Talks.

I'd been looking forward to Mago's release for some time, due to the composer being NoteBlock, who is among my favorite artists in VGM. I put off doing a feature for it in expectation of a proper soundtrack release, but I also wanted to get it in before year's end, so I've decided I can put it off no longer. The game itself is a retro platformer, and as such has a [relatively] retro chiptune soundtrack. Other instruments are occasionally utilized, but the majority of music is pure chiptune, arranged in a variety of genres suiting the context. The composer's style is normally extremely energetic and jumpy, but this project is rather well balanced, from active but stable "overworld" themes to the more intense battle themes, plus event-oriented cutscene tracks and occasional mini-game tracks for an extra dash of variety. Overall, this was well worth the wait for me, and I will continue to await an album release.

With the power of bonus hour, courtesy of daylight savings' end, I hope to make it to the end of the first modern era. Touhou 12 ~ Unidentified Fantastic Object There are some very iconic tracks early on in this entry, but they tend to be more reliant on simple, repetitive motifs; there's nothing wrong with this, but in this case I prefer some of the more complex pieces. Interdimensional Voyage of a Ghostly Passenger Ship remains one of the most unique stage themes in the series with its hybrid jazz integrated into ZUN's standard style (on that note, Heian Alien gets honorable mention). Alternatively, Emotional Skyscraper ~ Cosmic Mind is essentially a standard final boss theme; however, I consider this to be the successful capturing of the "elevated" tone that ZUN didn't quite manage in Catastrophe in Bhava-Agra. Byakuren is meant to be perceived as a somewhat elevated character, and this theme communicates the ideal mood for this perception. Touhou 12.3 Hisoutensoku ~ Unthinkable Natural Law In some estimations, the peak of Tasofro's productions (technically in conjunction with 12.5, which this acts as an optional expansion to). Whether that's true or not, it does have some significant musical contributions. I consider Did You See That Shadow? as the definitive menu track for the fighting games (though not my absolute favorite), properly conveying the spirit of the Touhou Project (complete with the Eastern Story motif) while retaining the style unique to the sub-series. More importantly, however, this release features my favorite Akiyama composition, Our Hisoutensoku (Full ver.). To me, this is peak Akiyama, leaning fully into his own styles and ultimately running away with them. It remains one of my favorite pieces in the series. Touhou 12.5 ~ Double Spoiler An easy one; Bell of Avici ~ Infinite Nightmare. Overall, this entry doesn't differ that much compared to its predecessor of 9.5, but somehow I appreciate this soundtrack a little bit more. The arrangements seem darker than usual, and I wonder if this wasn't a way for ZUN to make use of compositions he didn't feel fit well into his mainline titles. That's pure speculation, though. Oriental Sacred Place will be addressed later. Touhou 12.8 ~ Great Fairy Wars I dare say this is one of the most unique games in the series, being a spin-off title that remains individual in its mechanics to this day. Because it's a spin-off entry, I'll stick with a single track for it, but it is technically large enough to warrant better treatment, and I'm sure others would have no problem picking out more tracks once familiar with the full collection. For me, Great Fairy Wars ~ Fairy Wars is the standout piece; considering it's a final boss theme, it's unusually cheerful, but still maintains the necessary intensity for its function, and as such fits the situation perfectly. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 5.5: Unknown Flower, Mesmerizing Journey Another EP with extremely limited option, although this being a short-notice situational release does somewhat justify it. I'm somewhat obligated to pick Unknown Flower, Mesmerizing Journey as the only original composition of the collection, but I'll also mention this version of Tomorrow Will be Special as a noteworthy arrangement. Touhou 13 ~ Ten Desires I've mentioned my appreciated for this game's stage themes in the past, and I'll further reinforce here that I'm not very fond of the boss themes. Aside from that, it may be worth mentioning a distinction between the standard versions of these tracks and their "spirit" variations, which are the same but with emphasis on the melody or accompaniment. There's also layered edits (dubbed "complete"), and while I don't believe these are official, they are usually my preferred option for listening. Regardless, my favorite tracks are Desire Drive (of course) and Let's Live in a Lonely Cemetery; the soundtrack as a whole excels in atmospheric melodies, and as far as I'm concerned these are the strongest. Honorable mention to Welcome to Youkai Temple, specifically the standard version as the spirit variant doesn't have the same pluckiness. Oriental Sacred Place My frustration with this collection is its heavy reliance on remixes, having only one original track out of eight total. Granted, these are some of the better examples of ZUN's remixing abilities; these tracks tend to differ more from their originals than music collection arrangements normally do (possibly had something to do with the context of composition, but that's too complicated a theory for right now). I still prefer a bit more balance/variety for these releases. While I'm not that fond of the original Magus Night, the subtle differences in this collection's version make it a bit more appealing to me. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 6: Trojan Green Astroid There's quite a few unusual tracks in this album where I figure ZUN was experimenting with expansions of his customary style. The Barrier of Ame-no-torifune Shrine is practically a trip through space in musical form, and somehow scrapes the outer limits of standard Touhou sound while still remaining recognizable. On the other hand, Trojan Asteroid Jungle is a delightfully jumpy, jazzy, yet mysterious piece, and sets the standard for the music collection style going forward. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 7: Neo-traditionalism of Japan For all intents and purposes, the second-half/continuation of volume six, featuring many of the same musical characteristics. I've always found these two especially hard to pick favorites from. Nonetheless, my official selections are Green Sanatorium and Winds of Agartha, both very different in energy yet somehow comparable in tone. Honorable mention to Led On by a Cow to Visit Zenkou Temple, the unrecognized experimental predecessor to fellow percussion-focused piece Primordial Beat. Touhou 13.5 ~ Hopeless Masquerade Imo, HM functions as the perfect crossroads between the "first" and "second" modern eras; it features a wide variety of cameos in homage the series' history and serves as a climax to the loosely-connected stories of 10-13, but also introduces a new gameplay system and artstyle for the fighting game series. This happens to be my favorite Akiyama arrangement collection (somewhat fitting, as it was also the last); something about the instrumentation and overall style feels free-er than usual. This Dull World's Unchanging Pessimism ~ Shinkirou Orchestra is my favorite menu theme for these spin-offs, not for any reason connected to its use, but simply because I love its melody and progression. For my second pick, there are several tempting options, but the one track I listen to most from them is the remix of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's "Kappa" ~ Candid Friend. Honorable mention to Omiwa Legend and its accordion. WHY DO THESE TAKE SO LONG?! Can y'all tell I was rushing through the last several entries? So much for an extra hour of sleep.

I begin to wonder if I'll finish the PC-98 era before year's end. I could of course calculate it out now, but there's no impact either way so . . . Meylan - Illusion of a Maid ~ Icemilk Magic A relatively short arrangement that nonetheless manages to make its point. Surprising variety in the instrumentation, specifically contrasting its piano intro and interlude with its chiptune hybrid sections; it contrasts well without breaking the flow. aKoidion - Cute Devil ~ Innocence Not your standard solo instrument cover, this is a detailed arrangement from a skilled accordion player. It's not a simple matter to make a single instrument cover sufficient range to make up for the lack of accompaniment, and while the accordion is one of the few instruments capable of multiple simultaneous layers, I still consider this quite a find. Alstroemeria Records - DAYS / BEAUTIFUL MOMENT Once again, I'm struggling to find remixes of this game's later tracks, aside from circles I'd previously utilized. I'm using this piece for Days because of the extra bit at the end, which I think adds a nice touch considering what the original piece is meant to be. To make up for that, here's a double-arrangement of Icemilk Magic and Cute Devil together: Lowlands Blossom - Dreamy and Illusionary Twin Moons Granted, this is more two separate remixes tacked together, rather than a proper combining of the themes.

I was considering a feature for Hiveswap: Act 2, quite sure I'd featured the prequel at some point in the past. However, it isn't present in my records, and I can't seem to find it in the thread manually, so it may be I haven't actually showcased Hiveswap: Act 1 yet. If I have, then this will be redundant; but in case I haven't, this will ensure it's been taken care of. There's quite a bit of backstory to this game's existence, but I'll leave it to those interested to look into that. My investment, as usually, deals exclusively with the music. This soundtrack was jointly composed by James Roach and Toby Fox, and while it is rather small, it manages to establish a musical identity through its instrumentation and style. Many tracks are characterized by sounds I would describe as "cartoonally alien," but the arrangements themselves seem more focused on setting the mood, which I appreciate. Some pieces are unusually short, but the album release includes some bonus arrangements that expand upon them; I suspect the composers cared quite a bit about the project.

Soro Buta-R - Creation It's actually someone from Liz Triangle, but as part of a collaboration project; as such, many characteristics of Liz Triangle arrangements are present. The atmosphere is strong, solemn and heavy with a sense of significance. There is little musical progression, as the weight and direction of the song are carried in the words, but it still builds upon itself slowly until reaching a climax. Trick Nostalgie - Faint Dream ~ Inanimate Dream I did look for other options, but the only other arrangement that held up to my expectations was from an earlier featured circle, and this is still my favorite remix of one of my favorite Touhou tracks. JynX not only captured the intensity of the original, he enhanced it, and for once the overwhelming business of his style fits right in. C-CLAYS - After Play For a suitable followup, we head over to the heavy electronic genres. I'm not a personally big fan of this kind of music, given its limited progression and reliance on repetition, but it's fun to listen to from time to time.

Back at it again. Silent Sinner in Blue This is the other experimental PC-98 EP, and thus the informal companion to Perfect Memento (even following the same tracklist structure of two originals and one remaster). In comparison, these arrangements are a bit more standard, following familiar progression structures. Youkai Space Travel is my recommendation as possibly the closest we'll ever get to a PC-98 music collection. Touhou 10.5 ~ Scarlet Weather Rhapsody This is where Akiyama properly established himself into the legacy of Touhou, although I find he rarely gets the credit he deserves for it. I'll get The Ground's Color is Yellow out of the way now; it is still one of his most infamous compositions, and serves as an excellent example of his style and its strengths. The rest of his collection is something of a study; multiple tracks reuse motifs from each other without any apparent connection otherwise, but other tracks are allowed exclusivity in their arrangements. There's a consistency throughout that may make quickly distinguishing between tracks difficult, but no track is without its unique touches of instrumentation. I pick Drunk as I Like for my secondary, though it's a close call. There's a bit more to the honorable mention this time, too; one might expect attention drawn to ZUN's contributions, but while his style has settled since the last fighting game, I find I prefer Akiyama's arrangements. It might be cheating to consider Crimson in the Black Sea ~ Legendary Fish (Arrange), since it's exclusive to the released OST and not part of the game itself. Nonetheless, I consider it one of the many overlooked contributions of Akiyama, and would thus like to draw attention to it. Alternatively, I'm especially fond of his rendition of Aya's theme. Touhou 11 ~ Subterranean Animism Feels like the gaps between main game entries are getting wider. Touhou 11 is where I first started noticing the stylistic uniqueness of each game, independent of ZUN's personal style. This collection is characterized by darker sounding arrangements, both in instrumentation and progression structure (and even motifs, to an extent). You can usually source a track from this game by the sound alone, even if you can't recall it completely. This is technically true of previous titles, but this entry accomplished it in a most noteworthy way nonetheless. Awakening of the Earth Spirits is my favorite menu theme of the series, not so much because it accomplishes anything special with the leitmotif, but more due to the atmosphere captured in the track. Second choice is more difficult (as per usual of late), tied between Green Eyed Jealousy and Satori Maiden ~ 3rd Eye. While the former was an early favorite, the later grew on me over time, so take that as you will. As a side note, Hartmann's Youkai Girl is overrated; not by any means bad, more my personal U.N. Owen was Her?. Grimoire of Marisa is an especially egregious example of ZUN's EP practices; it has only two tracks, one original and one remaster. If one is at all a fan of the Seihou soundtracks, there is a good chance the original was perfectly satisfactory, in which Magician's Melancholy is the default pick. I do like this track, but its presence in this list seems somewhat hollow under the circumstances; I would personally have preferred ZUN to have included both tracks in a music collection (they would have been a perfect addition to Volume 5.5, if only its release was closer). I am again out of time, and I'm still stuck in the first modern era.

Busy weekend caused me to miss my Musical Discoveries post, but instead of posting late I've decided to postpone to next week and prioritize continuing this; I keep putting it off because of how long it takes, but at this point it's getting past the point of acceptability. I could probably fill a thread of its own with original Zunish compositions, a good portion of which would be from fangames (but instead I occasionally feature them in the MD thread). I won't do entries like yours just yet, but I may consider doing so later on. Now, for the first modern era! Actually, where does this era start for the music collections? Should I have included music collections four and five in the classic era? Well, too late now. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 4: Retrospective 53 Minutes Easy picks, and fitting openers as well. Hiroshige No.36 ~ Neo Super-Express and Blue Sea of 53 Minutes are hard to beat, both for their superior atmosphere and complimentary usage of ambient sound effects. They also do a good job at showcases the distinct sound that music collection originals tend to have; Neo Super-Express would need some tweaking to pass as a stage theme, but Blue Sea would require a complete overhaul (which has been done, but the point stands). ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 5: Magical Astronomy By far my favorite music collection volume, featuring a healthily limited quantity of remixes (that are nonetheless noteworthy among their kind) and several originals of legendary arrangement. G-Free is one of those tracks vying for the mysterious #11 spot in my ranking, capturing all the intensity of a boss theme while also carrying the spacey style that characterizes this album. Beyond that, it's almost impossible to pick a track out from the collection. Obviously Greenwich in the Sky gets plenty of love, but Satellite Cafe Terrace and Welcome to the Moon Tour deserve at least as much attention. So for this one I'll cheat and leave it open; if pressed, I'll favour the latter two for second spot and honorable mention, respectively. Perfect Memento in Strict Sense This is another tiny three-track EP, but where the previous example was somewhat forgettable, this one is worth giving some time to. It is one of two entries where ZUN experimented with his old PC-98 sounds, unrestrained by the confines of their native hardware. All three are noteworthy arrangements; especially relevant is Child of Are, the official theme of written-work-exclusive character Akyuu (keep in mind that this was released around the same time as the Untouched Scores series was coming out). The collection is characterized by an almost off-key sounding harmonization structure, feeling conflicted but somehow cohesive. I think my personal favorite is Japanese Saga, but hopefully all three will receive proper appreciation. Technically Eastern and Little Nature Deity would be next, but I'm skipping it for reasons that will be stated shortly. Touhou 10 ~ Mountain of Faith Earlier I referred to this soundtrack as having "overall strength" in comparison to other entries. By this I meant that there is a standard of quality motifs and progression structures that persists throughout the soundtrack; as a complete collection, I would consider it my favorite in the series. Everything said about Music Collection 5 applies here; Gensokyo Beloved is easily my favorite track (for reasons given elsewhere), but beyond that becomes a difficult choice. For now, I shall go with Faith is for the Transient People, and add Fall of Fall ~ Autumn Waterfall as honorable mention. Strange and Bright Nature Deity The music for this series of written works was spread across three separate releases, all of which could accurately be called EPs. Given that they all follow the same story, and are even named the same with successive numbering, I am considering them as a single collection. Additionally, the tracks from Eastern and Little Nature Deity were re-released as part of this series with little change, so I am grouping that into the collection as well. I ought to admit to being less familiar with these tracks than usual; in fact, you may consider the Three Faries my "blind-spot" for Touhou music. I can safely say that Sunny Rutile Flection is my favorite of the three character themes (as well as one of the strangest names for a track I know of in a series full of odd titles), and I can easily recommend the rest of the collection based upon my vague memory of them, but it may be unfair of me to pick a secondary favorite. The one other track that stands out to me is the collection's rendition of The Refrain of the Lovely Great War; it predated the game it would later be remixed for, and I personally prefer this older version by a great deal. That isn't very much ground covered, but it's been an hour and I'm out of time. Have patience; Lord willing, I shall return!

GNOG. What is GNOG? This is one of those games where no one is entirely sure what the theme is, but will nonetheless likely enjoy the experience. By my analysis, GNOG is a music-assembly game; by interacting with a robot, you eventually compile its song, and then it sings to you. I don't know what the intended takeaway is, but I appreciated the way the layers of each track are added on gradually, allowing the listener to distinguish them and better comprehend the track's cohesiveness.

When I recall Boneworks, I remember a sizable collection of exemplary synthwave covering a variety of moods; when I covered it earlier this year, I was flabbergasted that my attention hadn't been brought to it before, and I continue to consider it an underappreciated soundtrack. Last month, I heard about the associated release Bonelab. When it comes to sequels and followups, my expectations for the music are, by default, something at least equal in quality to the predecessors'. More rare, but also more desirable, is a musical successor that expands and builds upon the standard of the original. Bonelab continues to contribute synthwave compositions spanning a range of moods, more so than it's predecessor. But more noteworthy is the attempt to integrate other genres into that soundtrack, not merely presented on their own, but hybridized with synthwave to unify them into the collection. The whole OST seems rather experimental; even the more straightforward synthwave pieces come with an unusual twist more often than not. Overall, I consider Bonelab's soundtrack to be a worthy successor to that of Boneworks, and potentially a superior one.

Yep! A Drunkard's Lemuria was composed by ZUN for the Uwabami Breakers game; I forget the details, but I think the developers were friends of his (similar to the Seihou situation). rythmique - Silently Crossing the Asterism I would have thought Casket of Stars was overshadowed by Magus Night, but contrary to that presupposition I found a lot of really great arrangements, to the point that it was a struggle to pick one for the feature. I went with this one primarily for the vocal performance's synergy with the arrangement, a delightfully airy blending that retains an unusual degree of range. hatsunetsumiko's - Lotus Love Again, I tend to think of Yuuka's other associated themes before this one, but it clearly gets the love it deserves. Those who remember RT4 will know what I was thinking of listening to this piece; after all, it's the same artist, just a different vocalist. In comparison, I appreciated the contrast between the vocal performance and the piece itself; the guy in the back is still creepy, but I can forgive it for the sake of the rest, and I wouldn't mind hearing more like this. Saitama Saishuu Heiki & Aether - Sleeping Terror ~ Sleeping Terror There were plenty of option for this, but with the previous two being relatively low-energy, I desired a more intense arrangement to balance the post out. One of the defining features of Sleeping Terror is its signature intro, and this piece successfully captures its intense contrast without losing its energy on its entrance into the main body of the piece.

Original composition from ssbbmaster popped up in my feed today, and I dare say it's among the best pieces I've heard from him thus far. Thought I might as well share while it's still fresh.

Earlier this year, we finally got the release of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. I'd been looking forward to this game for some time, having enjoyed the original for its subversive humor; however, I had expected it to be merely an amusing experience, without being too surprising. The final product turned out to be an awing experience, far exceeding my expectations and establishing itself among the most memorable games I've ever played. So of course, I planned to eventually feature it here. Time may have gotten away from me a bit, but I'm finally making good on that intention. For the most part, the music is intentionally minimal in its intrusiveness, but nonetheless manages to leave an impression. Occasionally the music is pushed to the forefront, retaining the overall style but adjusting the mood. In all situations, styles and intentions, it always seems to be "fitting."

Random Touhou Fan - Spirit Battle ~ Perdition crisis There's a fair supply of arrangements for this piece, but the energetic music box remix appealed to me. I usually prefer simpler music box covers (more realistic), but this one seemed to balance out somehow. Kori - Alice Maestra A bit more of an imaginative take on the Zunish style, rather than the standard straightforward "remastering." I think I prefer this take, too. xi-on - Maiden's Capriccio ~ Capriccio Not that I didn't foresee this, but this one was much harder to find for. For obvious reasons, most musicians prefer arranging the Dream Battle version, and as the titles are so similar most of the top results were in that category. However, I did eventually find a few, and this one was the preferred option (it's xi-on, I couldn't ask for much better than that). On a closing note/bonus feature: A mere couple days after my weeks long search for remixes of the original Bad Apple!! had ended, Kommisar dropped his take on this very track. The irony . . .

Comics, manga and other forms of image-assisted reading are something of a transitional medium. The visual assistance means a slightly less cognitively demanding experience, but still more than a film or stage play. I tend to appreciate them more for the showcase of artistic skill, but otherwise they have the same balance of merits as any other medium, mainly a tradeoff between mental engagement and emotional immersion, and again dependent upon the investment/effort of the one engaging. I'm not sure exactly where audio dramas fit in; certainly between film and visual novels, but on which side of stage plays? Fanfiction is a fascinating subject. In theory, it should be equal to fiction books as a written medium; however, it tends to exhibit its own unique pros and cons. For example: private online publications are not constrained by production considerations, and may be published as short or as long as the author desires. However, they also seldom have the benefit of a professional filter, meaning the quantity is staggeringly vast and the quality ranges from unintelligible gibberish to classically styled epics. Wading through the moors in search of treasures is rarely worth the effort (I speak, as usual, in a comparative sense), but that isn't to say it's never worth it. I'm not sure if I would "recommend" these titles, as they all cover more complex themes with results I don't always agree with. Nonetheless, they are some of my favorite fanfictions. Sever and Shatter by "hoopdedoop" (Touhou Project): Likely the best Touhou fanfiction I've come across, taking a few select characters and putting them in a situation where their deeper motivations and personalities can be displayed more powerfully. Stage Beetles and Broken Legs by "Aryashi" & "relationshipcrimes" (Hollow Knight): The trend in all of these is the focus on character development through events, as opposed to character reactions to events. Yesterday Upon the Stair by "PitViperOfDoom" (BnHA): Despite certain themes that I don't personally appreciate, this is largely the missed potential of the BnHA universe realized, albeit with an alternative premise. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by "The Zed of Ages" (LoZ:BotW): One of these days, I may have the opportunity to discuss the nuances of adaptation. Until then, this serves as an example of what it means to properly adapt a video game into a novel. The Sword and His Flowers by "Freya Thorine," a.k.a. "Free Thought" (Redwall): This served as a turning point in my understanding of fiction as a concept, taking a premise I though I understood and turning it into something much bigger. On a side note, if anyone ever comes across some archive of this, or better yet the anthology prequel (I think it was called The Journey Home), I'd appreciate being informed, as it has otherwise been lost.

On the wiki (specifically translation pages), there's occasionally an alternative title listed under the translated one. Initially I surmised them to be alternate translations, but there are too many examples where the meaning doesn't compare properly: Of course, now that I'm giving it more thought, I realize I have no proof these are in any way official, nor any other knowledge of where they came from or what their purpose is.

Previous engagements kept me from returning here at my intended time; rest assured I have a post for this week. After my initial plans temporarily fell through (stay tuned for next week), I thought it would be nice to return to a couple soundtracks that have received expansion since their initial showcases. Last year I featured Cityfire's 30XX, which turned out to be one of my favorite soundtracks of that year. As an early access, release, it was understood that more music would be added as the project progressed. Since then, a stage editor function has been added with accompanying editor themes: calmer arrangements of the associated stage themes. Additional stages have also been added, and there are even some bonus remixes included in the album. Shortly after Fall Guys fell out of the mainstream (apparently only temporarily), I attempted to showcase some of its music. I considered the feature somewhat hampered at the time by the lack of sufficient material; the soundtrack was good, but it was also very short. Today, that is no longer the case, as composers Jukio Kallio and Daniel Hagstrom have continued to arrange new tracks for the game with each season. Each new batch is in a unique style characteristic to the accompanying event, though always remaining true to the sound of the originals.

These days the term "Christian" gets thrown around a lot, to the point that hardly anyone knows what it means anymore (Acts 11:26, literally translated as "disciples of Christ", or "dedicated followers of Christ"). I refer to myself as a believer of the Bible, because that establishes to others my understood standard for discerning truth. I hope I am and strive to be a Christian, but it remains for others to see Christ in my behavior and assertions. :) To be fair, I'm only reading two of those books on my own. The others are books I'm reading to other people, but I figure it still counts (technically the last two are being read to me).

Getting into the classic era, where decisions become generally more difficult, but in a good way! Touhou 6 ~ Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Indisputably among the best compilations of ZUN's work in existence, despite its age and arguable over-exposure. Not a single track lacks some level of appreciation in the fandom, and it continues to be a standard by which to measure modern releases (though other titles might better serve the role). Septette to the Dead Princess remains in my top three, and I am officially acknowledging Beloved Tomboyish Girl as among my top ten. Honorable mention to Shanghai Teahouse ~ Chinese Tea. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 1: Dolls in Pseudo Paradise Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is the only instance in the commercial releases of the SC-88Pro sound. Concerning said sound: I appreciate it well enough for stage and boss themes, but the unique style ZUN utilizes in his music collection arrangements doesn't seem to be as suited to it. It doesn't help that most of these tracks are remixes of the Seihou soundtracks, both of which were already available in SC-88Pro versions and usually better. Still, I can appreciate the extended versions of some track this album provided; nonetheless, the only tracks I enjoy listening to are the originals (there are three) and Enigmatic Doll. Between the originals, I'm split between Forest of Dolls and The Strange Everyday Life of the Flying Shrine Maiden. Regardless, this is probably my least favorite collection in the franchise. Touhou 7 ~ Perfect Cherry Blossom Another classic, with a singular formatting in its progression from one track to another that makes it difficult not to rush to the end. I must recognize the masterpieces of Necrofantasia and Bloom Nobly, Ink Black Cherry Blossoms, but I will also note the vital relationship Border of Life (Revival) has with the latter. The initial piece functions as one of ZUN's best climax compositions in the series, but cannot quite accomplish the "punch" without sacrificing the subtlety that gives it its impact. The additional track is insufficient on its own, lacking proper setup; but with the motifs previously established and the mood set, the "punch" can be delivered, reinforcing one of the most memorable moments in the series! Honorable mention to Capital City of Flowers in the Sky. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 2: Ghostly Field Club For all intents and purposes, the actual first entry in the Music Collection series, establishing their standard of equal parts uniquely styled originals and minutely tweaked remixes from the games. Of course, most fans are aware of them for the characters of Renko and Merry, whether or not they've listened to the music. This is my second favorite album of the music collections, but my specific favorites are easily Girl's Sealing Club and Strange Bird of the Moon, Illusion of the Mysterious Cat. On an unrelated note, this is one of the few times that a game track was introduced in an earlier release (Illusionary Night ~ Ghostly Eyes). Touhou 8 ~ Imperishable Night I refer to my earlier suggestion of titles better suited as the standard for the series. 6 is iconic, 7 perfects the build-up, and 10 has overall strength, but 8 manages balance in a way that has yet to be matched imo (again, I am referring specifically to the music). It's worth noting that this was the point at which ZUN settled on his sound style, which has remained consistent ever since. Retribution for the Eternal Night ~ Imperishable Night is easily my favorite from here, but thereafter it becomes difficult to decide. I remember my initial experiences with Touhou that Flight of the Bamboo Cutter ~ Lunatic Princess was an early favorite, so I'll settle on that. Touhou 7.5 ~ Immaterial and Missing Power The first fighting game, and thus the first occurrence of someone other than ZUN contributing to the official music catalogue. While I believe it bears the marks of a first attempt, I maintain that it stands up far better than the fandom seems to give it credit for. Akiyama forever established himself as the man to beat in terms of Touhou arrangements, while simultaneously establishing his own composition abilities. I will always argue for the more deserving reputation of Eastern Memory of Forgathering Dream over the similar but shorter motif of Broken Moon; while both have their merits, the former has far more range and versatility. One would think my secondary track would be one of ZUN's contributions, but while I agree Missing Power is underrated (not to mention I appreciate Night Falls and Demystify Feast as much as the next person), it is my opinion that ZUN was still developing his style for the fighting game's music, and it doesn't stand up as well as some of his other work. Alternatively, I'm surprisingly fond of Wanderings by NKZ, whose contributions to this soundtrack are possibly the most overlooked part of the entire series. ZUN's Music Collection Vol. 3: Changeability of Strange Dream From this point on, the music collections are mostly remember for a specific track or two and/or some event in the Sealing Club storyline. For this one, the track in question is Kid's Festival ~ Innocent Treasures, officially ZUN's autobiographical music theme, complete with unsung lyrics that I have yet to find a proper performance for. After that, I'm torn between Dream of Arcadia and Boys and Girls of Science Era; I'll settle on the former, and consider the latter an honorable mention for now, but be aware that my opinion keeps inverting. BTW, does anyone have thoughts on the alternative title trend that became inconsistently prevalent in the music collections starting with this one? Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red Here is one of the "complications" I mentioned; three tracks that are slightly superior versions of their Touhou 9 counterparts (if you've ever wondered why Aya's theme bears the moniker "short version", it's because the full version is from this release). For consistency's sake, I'll name Flower Viewing Mound ~ after Higan Retour, but overall its hard to judge anyone for completely skipping this entry entirely. Touhou 9 ~ Phantasmagoria of Flower View I'd be ecstatic for ZUN to do more phantasmagoria games. As a collection I prefer Touhou 3, but for individual tracks there's something noteworthy in the concept of ZUN returning to old material for little twists, not in a different stylistic context as with the music collections but purely as an exercise. Considering this specific version of Ghostly Band ~ Phantom Ensemble has remained my number one Touhou track, my bias is clearly in favour of the experiment. Not withstanding, the collection overall suffers a bit from the disjointed mixture of remixes, originals and recycled tracks. I'm going to surprise someone and make my second pick Mound where the Flowers Reflect, the atmosphere of which stands out from the typical ending theme (I know it's not the ending theme, but the comparison is there, isn't it?). Fate of Sixty Years gets honorable mention. Touhou 9.5 ~ Shoot the Bullet Ever wonder if ZUN was composing stage themes for 9 before deciding to make it a phantasmagoria game and decided to make a new kind of game for the unused music? Anyway, because the spin-off soundtracks are so short, I'll be sticking to one song each for them. For this one, it's unquestionably Sleepless Night of the Eastern Country; the other tracks are fine, but this is the only one I listen to on the regular. That's where I'm gonna cut it for now; this is taking a lot longer than I though it would.

I am an avid reader, and have been since my early teens! Books I am currently reading: Epistle to the Ephesians* by Paul the Apostle Mother Teresa: An Authorized Biography by Kathryn Spink Faith has its Reasons by Kenneth D. Boa & Robert M. Bowman, Jr. Ben Hur by Lew Wallace The Fellowship of the Ring* by J.R.R. Tolkien The Second Confession* by Rex Stout North, Or be Eaten! by Andrew Peterson Seven Arrows by Matt Rogers & Donny Mathis Gently and Lowly by Dane Ortlund Books I love and would recommend: How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas That Printer of Udel's by Harold Bell Wright Gods, Graves and Scholars by C.W. Ceram The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer The Gospel of John by John the Disciple The Acts of the Apostles by Luke the Physician The Epistle to the Romans by Paul the Apostle To the proposed theory, reading is one of the most effective ways of growing your vocabulary, which has been speculated to diversify cognitive processing. Additionally, fiction can help develop imagination, while non-fiction can help develop understanding, but both are somewhat dependent upon the level of engagement. Of the mediums of media, books (reading) are the most likely to be mentally engaged with, whereas with film and video games it tends to be less common (distinguished from emotional engagement). I speculate this to be a consequence of the cognitive demand placed upon the person; film does most of the work of comprehension for you (especially modern day film), while books leave much of the work of comprehension to the reader. Put another way, more effort is required of the reader than the viewer, and as with any skill, practice assists with development.

Alright then, we'll see how far I get with this before I run out of time for today. Touhou 1 ~ Highly Responsive to Prayers This is my favorite entry of the PC-98 era, musically speaking. It's notably different from proceeding material (particularly if you're listening to the original), but it's still composed of quality motifs and progression structures. Swordsman of a Distant Star (one of a few different titles for the track) is my particular favorite from the album; second place is more difficult to pick out, but I think I'll go with Eternal Shrine Maiden. Touhou 2 ~ Story of Eastern Wonderland This is where ZUN's definitive style was established, particularly with the distinction between stage themes and boss themes. Complete Darkness and Himorogi, Burn in Violet are my picks for this one, but with the corollary of ZUN's later SC-88Pro arrangement of the latter being the preferred version, both for instrumentation and slight arrangement distinction. Honorable mention to Hakurei ~ Oriental Wind. Touhou 3 ~ Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream As my second favorite PC-98 entry, this one is more difficult to decide on. Nearly every track has noteworthy merit, and picking one or two immediately brings to mind the ones left behind. Nonetheless, I believe I'll settle on Eastern Mystical Love Consultation and Maple Dream..., with the former favoured toward the Untouched Scores version. Honorable mention to Strawberry Crisis!!, theme of my favorite character. Touhou 4 ~ Lotus Land Story While there's plenty of good pieces here, I have far less trouble deciding my favorites for this one. Sleeping Terror and Faint Dream ~ Inanimate Dream are far and away the best tracks in this era as a whole, and the latter remains one of my favorites in the entire series. Touhou 5 ~ Mystic Square All of the Alice-associated themes deserve recommendation, with Romantic Children and Grimoire of Alice particularly standing out to me. Additionally, I want to give honorable mention to Wondrous Romance ~ Mystic Square as an underrated menu theme. Touhou 5 Music Room A total of twelve bonus tracks were released with the final entry of this era, and I see no reason why not to consider this its own release. Anyway, it gives me an excuse to highlight Magic Shop of Raspberry and Phantasmagoria ~ Hardworking Day After Dark, as well as just generally draw attention to these oft overlooked tracks. Alight, I'm out of time; be back later.

Okay, I'm fully prepared this time. Laz (scarps) - Break the Sabbath Nice to see a familiar name that isn't one of the big circles, especially when a search is encountering unusual difficulties. The amount of "Did Jesus Break the Sabbath" videos that apparently exist is equal parts disturbing and hilarious to me, and the fact that they seemingly outnumber arrangements of this piece is just another layer on top of that. Eulogous - Scarlet Symphony ~ Scarlet Phoneme Soft jazz is another nice find amidst the sea of heavy electronic that otherwise seems to dominate the top selections (not a complaint, just an observation). I suspect arranging in genres favouring improvisation (jazz, baroque) can be more demanding in certain areas, but that's only speculation. CYTOKINE - creeping indication After quite a bit of searching, I finally started finding remixes of the original Bad Apple!!. Granted, I suspect the infamous arrangement's influence is still detectable, but the missing motifs are present, and that's as much as I can ask for. I chose this one for its genre contrast to the other two.

That's a potentially confusing header, but I'm rather fond of the grammatically unique style of Touhou titles, and once this one emerged I decided to keep it. The recent popularity poll rekindled an idea I had about ranking within Touhou. Given the extensive nature of the series, some of the categories suffer from impossibly high quantity of options, specifically regarding characters (as has been discussed) and music. As my investment in the series is focused more on the music, my considerations on this matter were formulated in that direction, but I suspect the idea could be applied in other directions. To encourage the recognition of underappreciated tracks, I propose the challenge of an alternative ranking system: rather than a list of one's favorite pieces from across the whole series, a compilation of favorites from each individual entry. Instead of a top ten[ish], such a list would be comprised of at least one, at most three, tracks per game or disc release. I call this a "challenge," because the endeavor would require a near complete familiarity with all the music in the series, which most fans do not have. There might also be a question concerning smaller entries like Forbidden Scrollery or Bohemian Archive (a similar question might arise with character rankings), but I believe the exercise would be nonetheless interesting to attempt.