This is one of the more impressive Doujin CDs I have come across. Judging from the samples, it's not as polished as some audiophiles may prefer but I love how the story is being told through music and lyrics. Check it out if you have the money to spare.
I'm really looking forward to getting this if only just to have the lovely cover on display.
This is the kind of stuff I could never in a billion years tolerate in English, but for some reason in Japanese it just seems fun. I'm digging on the samples.
Someone really needs to explain doujin CDs to me. I mean, I'm sort of vaguely aware of the concept of doujinshi in general, but I've never picked up one of these CDs, and they're usually only available for large quantities of cash for the English-speaking audience. And I never really understood who exactly makes them and how they go about it, not to mention how they sell something based on something else without legal snaffus.
I stress that I'm not an expert, but here is what I think.
Generally doujin CDs will contain remixed/arranged music of a game/show, something like this is a little more rare. As for who makes them, anybody with the capability can make them, professional or amateur. When it comes to selling it, there are websites that will sell a product for an author like Toranoana (and many more) and there are events like comiket where doujinshi authors will gather to sell what they've made. And of course authors can sell them directly once they have been produced.
When it comes to the legality of non-100% original doujinshi, I wouldn't say it's a purely gray area, more toward white. So despite using the names and images of pre established characters the work is still original for the large part. The author goes through the trouble of writing, drawing, and producing the work from scratch... It's not like they're ripping pages out of a published manga and crazy gluing them together to make a new book. So unless there's some obvious theft going on I think companies are content to let fans continue to make and sell them since it can only really be beneficial in maintaining interest in their products.
As an aside, I really can't wait for C76. New doujinshi heaven coming up.
Finally got this today, the art inside is wonderful, even the cd itself is great to look at. Since it's the last SD3 item I'll be getting for a while, it's nice to end on a high note. I'll look forward to listening to this later on as well.
As you say, it's not necessarily the most polished album out there, and as far as J-Pop mixed with Speed Metal goes it's actually pretty good. Some rather obvious vocal tone correction going on.
Live guitars, underlaid by VG-quality bass, and some rather decent sound samples for the rest, with pretty good vocals (not the best, but pretty good). Now I'd just love to know what on earth is being said...
Yes, getting the lyrics translated would go a long way to helping me further appreciate this. The most I was able to do was babelfish the track titles.
01. Question
02. Contract
03. Wizard and Swordsman
04. Recollection and Forgetfulness
05. Feelings I want to Destroy
06. Sleep with the Mana
07. To you who doesn't exist
So I've been using those to try and guess what each track is about.
Track one is a monologue from Guren, he mentions something about dying/being dead at the very end.
Track two is sung by Guren, and is more than likely about the contract he forms with the Dragon Emperor.
Track three is about the first meeting between Guren and Duran in Forcena's castle, and is littered with snippets of the VA for Guren saying things which sound like he's talking down to Duran.
Track four is sung by Angela and I believe it is about her homelife and her feelings about her mother since mother is mentioned frequently.
Track five, I'm not sure if this is meant to be sung by Guren or not, and I can't really glean much from the title as it probably hasn't translated well. My best guess is that he's having problems coming to terms with the things he has to do in the name of the Dragon Emperor and wants to erase them completely from his heart. (Guess work at best, and is more than likely my inner romantic at work.)
Track six... no idea other than it's short.
Track seven, another one I'm not sure about. It could be Angela singing again or it might not. From the title I can only guess it's being sung to/about someone that has died/no longer exists, probably Guren again.
