[Guest]

Right now I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay into Miyazaki's late 70s mini(well as "mini" as you can get with compendious anime)-series Future Boy Conan, a surprisingly heart warming post-apocalyptic story about a kid who pretty much raises himself after his grandpa dies on a small island after the world is destroyed in some sort of "magnetic war."  I guess its based off of an Alexander Key novel called "The Incredible Tide," which I incidentally had the pleasure of reading in seventh grade, after which I promptly forgot all about it.  Apparently its an *extremely* rare novel and was only in print (in English I suppose) for a few years in the 70s as is my understanding.  <------- Digression

Other than that its all been Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman!

And of course the new Hakaba no Kitarou series that's airing in Japan right now... Whenever they get around to being uploaded on Youtube that is...

Where are you watching that one? (Conan -- that is so oldschool I didn't even think to look for it)

Yoshitaka Amano did concept for Gatchaman.

How does DDR work at the arcade again? I always remember playing here or there for virtually free :)

I can't remember if you get to keep playing till you lose or not. But every arcade I've ever known has guys that work there that let everyone play for free. I think the DDR machines draw curious people into the arcade, and if you can play well all the more people. So it's win/win for the manager.

Plus it demonstrates how the game works to always have kids playing on it.

Just to clear a few things up I couldn't get to earlier (then again I probably shouldn't be hanging out on the office computers so I'll make it brief):

I am somewhat familiar with Kate Bush's work, though not apparently as well as you.  And I also know that Running Up That Hill/Deal With God is her major single which is why I quoted it; kinda a stream-of-consciousness kind of thing.  My comment was referring to the fact that she's been handed all these record deals from major distributors ever since David Gilmour (or whomever) discovered her but she ends up making these fairly whacked out records that make almost no sense musically, seemingly to goad poor criticism.  I do stand by my Tori Amos comparison though.  She's like Amos & Annie Lennox.  That would make a killer sitcom methinks.

I do agree with you about the Lynch comment though.  Persona 1 has Twin Peaks written all over it.  Velvet Room pretty much = Black/White Lodge.  I wonder if Peaks ever made it over to Japan?  If it did I'm sure it was probably serialized around 96, the year that MIP came out over there I believe.  I seem to also recall a kind of X-Filesish show centered around the first Persona as well... Maybe I saw the opening credits on youtube or something?  My memory isn't what it used to be apparently.

FWWM was a smash hit in Japan, especially amongst women. You should know that, as the usual financial synopsis is... it was canned/rejected everywhere, but ran forever in Japan and to capacity audiences.

I can definitely understand why critics take to slings and arrows at the mention of KB, and I respect an artist's ability to do what they want under studio/label pressure. Again, she is more like David Lynch in that respect than any other artist. Thematicly she is not at all dissimilar either, though more European perhaps.

You're really too quick to die by the critics sword this time.

Erm....

Wow, so you really like Kate Bush, eh?  The British press hasn't been particularly kind to her though and my comment was really more of an aside.  To me Kate Bush is like the pre-Tori Amos, Tori Amos... Nothing I've heard seems to particularly stand out (except of course Running Up That Hill) except for the terrible tracks, which I am more apt to pay attention to and cast judgment on for some reason..

I wish I had more time to get into this, but I have to go to work.  I don't really see the similarity to p1/Kate Bush though.  It does have some vintage synth work in it (my guess is a Jupiter 8 or something similar) but I'd say it has more in common with Kraftwerk or Neu!.  Both bands Bowie and maybe Bush have been accused to stealing from (aesthetic/sound, etc.)

Mostly I'm broadly offended by your insensitive attitude.

So you are taken to reading/living by old press clippings now? I don't think KB has done anything much in almost decades now. Tori Amos has always semed pretty disposable to me... I've never had a friend insist I take her seriously.

I respect Kate cause I think she is a real artist, where as most of even the best pop/commercial musicians in history really amount to hacks/get rich quick/label stooges. I can't remember anything really synthy in Kate Bush's lineup. What I  was refering to is the moody noire/witchy/eclectic/surreal-cum-modern trappings feel that underlies the whole P1 esthetic. You said you were into the moody vibe right? Well the other half of the P1 soundtrack is the upbeat New Order like synth aspect. Bush is more like the Velvet Room / opening setup / etcetera. Its a weird niche I can't think of any successful pop artist filling in broad terms. So imagine Bush/NO fusion if you can stretch your imagination taht far.

As for listening to Kate Bush, it is complicated, so it takes a while to sink in. I dunno, there is a mood I get into from time to time that no other act can quite placate. It is an aquired/sophisticated taste. But definitely not "unlistenible." I've never heard a KB song with a definite hook, so it is really alien territory for most pop oriented people. On the other hand I can't think of a single Bush piece that gets under my skin, so there must not be one.




Now that is more Megaten than Megaten :)

From the 1980s onward it has became almost standard for individualistic female singer-songwriters to be compared to Bush by the media. She has been noted as an influence on artists as diverse as Tori Amos, Alexz Johnson, [77] Antony and the Johnsons, [78] Lily Allen,[79] Björk,[80] Coldplay,[81] Goldfrapp,[82] PJ Harvey,[83] Darren Hayes,[84] Sarah McLachlan,[85] Sinéad O'Connor[85] Bloc Party,[86] OutKast,[83] KT Tunstall,[87] Katie Melua[26],Muse.[26] and Amy Studt[88]

editted: Wow, her albums did a whole lot better in the UK than the singles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Bush_discography

I like the singles, but they are generally less interesting and more catchy (aka: not-terrible in Ry's eye)

Running Up That Hill is really only her first major financial success cause it broke into the massive US profit share (the usual formula: even a little recognition in the states trumps a smash success in the UK -- saying "God" a lot might've got her toe in that door)

I think maybe what people don't get about her compositions, is they are really more like mini-plays rather than traditional songs. You're supposed to pretend you're watching a play with your eyes closed more or less, which is really what aloy of classical music is about (only with the added trick of having no lyrics to fly by!)

I'm told this klan finally has an emblem :) <(Congratulation!)

It seems to be stuck on the default emblem until I pickup a replacement graphics card in the morning and login to customize it.

Even those of you who never play helped out ;)

It is an interesting statistic that about only 1 out of 10 or less of English speakers playing Imagine have ever heard of Megaten/are enthusiasts. Everyone thinks its the best MMORPG going and will even wade through Japanese to play it. But Megaten players won't touch it. WTF guys? WTF indeed?

Did you seriously just recommend Kate Bush???

Be running up that road, running up that heeel, be running up that building...

You know she's pretty much famous for making some of the most unlistenable records in music history.

I just realized you haven't a clue what your mouthing / how embarrassed you'll be when this blows over. I'm about to head off on a bent, this forum needs some serious shaking up...

First off, I can't believe we've never had this conversation before. To begin with Running Up That Hill was probably Bush's biggest single commercial success, and by no stretch is it unlistenible, nor does it go anything like your rendition there.

Kate Bush was signed by EMI at the behest of David Gilmore presumably on the back of her impossible vocal talent/training. Like David Bowie, her background was vocals/theatre/dance/pantomime (well scratch dance for Bowie)  

She followed in the foot steps of Pink Floyd and the likes subject matter wise, but as an ardent feminist she manages to be way headier than the Floyd's best pre-sans-Syd flare. Off stage and lyrically it seems almost unavoidable she could've skirted the Thelemite/OTD periphery scene. I don't recall reading about coccaine/heroin addiction plaguing her career, but its always thinly veiled here or there amidst her generally ecstatic compositions / she's payed her Rock'n'roll dues.

editted: Hell here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Bush

I really don't know why more people are unfamiliar with Kate's body of work, other than her low profile lifestyle and it would be very difficult to shoe horn any of her work into a television commercial, or generally dance to. Its really theatre music. She has a cult following whose devotion is virtually unprecedented really.

editted: Wikipedia says she just recorded an end credits theme for The Golden Compass.

Finally I'm totally shocked you are unfamiliar with Bush, because stylistically she is probably more akin to David Lynch than any other popular artist. To bo honest, I really wasn't even addressing you when I suggested Bush. As for Lynch, I'd be shocked were he not a real fan/admirer -- Bowie as I recall listed her amongst his top favorite/respected artists. She is so much like Lynch in her uncompromising artistic bravery, and technically I'm sure she is far Lynch's superior when it comes to the raw stuff of artistry. Not even to mention, thematically you can find all of Lynch's favorite's throughout her catologue of work. But the point I'm working on her is only that calling Bush unlistenible is about as cool as falling into that crowd who would decree Lynch unwatchible.  

Furthermore if I had to guess -- I would say the unique direction of Persona (the original) was more inspired by Lynch's work beyond anything else. If nothing else the similarities should be undenidable.

I dunno, the links I saw on the P page all seemed English name oriented. I wasn't exactly on a mission atm.

The only cool thing for me in the OST was it had printing's of the final Persona cards in it. All except Kali and maybe one other.

Did you seriously just recommend Kate Bush???
You know she's pretty much famous for making some of the most unlistenable records in music history.

Compared to what is playing on your myspace page atm?

Unlistenable? Her work is admirably brave -- people's minds come in all shapes and sizes I guess :rollers:

editted: Friendly abuse aside, I've never witnessed negative critique of Bush's work anywhere. There are always people that will say... omg, this looks too much like fine art. But yeah, Bush is like Bowie's twin sister to the last detail. So if you like Bowie, I'm recommending her to anyone, and if you like the Persona theme, you're gonna like Bush's repertoire.

Someone's blind; look again.

http://gh.ffshrine.org/soundtracks/1642

Yeah, but where did you link to there from? There was a section with every P2 game ever released OSTs, so I looked for Revelations and found nothing there then gave up.

Some game soundtracks fare better as a stand-alone than others. I don't personally see much resemblance between MIP's soundtrack and Kate Bush, sure you aren't just shamelessly plugging a favorite artist~? ;)

I dunno about favorite artists, but I can't imagine another corpus of work that comes closer to vibe P1 is giving off. If you took Kate Bush and New Order mixed it altogether that would sound a lot like P1 does/feels. Of course you probably won't see the resemblence if all you are only familiar with these acts Mtv singles.

double posted

Here http://gh.ffshrine.org/soundtracks/6590

there all the soundtracks of persona 3....
If yo go to the mainpage you can find all persona soundtracks

I checked just out of fascination and MIP isn't in the lineup (just to save anyone the hassle)

I really can't comprehend thosee who listen to video game soundtracks -- or movie scores for that matter. If you go for the moody feel of Persona's soundtrack, or ever wondered what David Bowie on estrogen would be like -- I'd recommend Kate Bush's work.

I added the soundtrack to a ticket once for five dollars. It was really bad (on its own/not what I vaguely remembered) so I think I trashed it.

We were/are finally successful in compelling Jose to host an Imagine wiki for everyone here:

http://dbdb.digitaldevildb.com/wiki/index.php/DBDB:Megami_Tensei_IMAGINE_inter-klan_mainframe

The present look and feel is very preliminary, nevertheless by all means feel free to join us as we bring the wiki fully online.

When registering with the wiki, please be conscious Devil names are reserved for privileged and dedicated contributors. Otherwise your account will be approved for editting just a soon as one of our gatekeepers can get around to it.

If you would like a Devil title, feel free to make your case in this thread in the meantime.


Also please spread the word to other Imagine players. I haven't personally had the opertunity to do so just yet because my graphics card bit the dust just a few days ago -- on the other hand the downtime has allowed just enough free time to get the wiki where it needed to be a little sooner than planned

PS: Incase you missed it, there is a cool game clock at http://dbdb.digitaldevildb.com/tokei.html which we haven't began to think about intigrating into the wiki proper.

Well Jose has played his part for the Imagine wiki now... we should be able to take care of the rest without him. In fact I just installed the wiki last night:

http://dbdb.digitaldevildb.com/wiki/index.php/DBDB:Megami_Tensei_IMAGINE_inter-klan_mainframe

Not much to look at for now, but feel free to watch this space! (btw, if anyone registers, you will need to wait for your account to be approved, and we don't really have someone filling that role at this very moment, but we should shortly -- so please be patient)

PS: Word of advice, never build a computer without a spare on hand :)

We finally have a host:

http://dbdb.digitaldevildb.com/

Not much of use just yet, but there is a fairly sophisticated clock you might find handy. Don't go linking it however, as we haven't exactly contacted the original author regarding sharing/hacking atm :)

PS: Also if you would, please let us know if the Tokyo time is incorrect on your system. We have a report of the Javascript timezone offset subroutine returning negative values for some user(s).

editted: Oh and for Internet Explorer users! We apologize for the momentary IE incompatibility of the temporary clock page :(