Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 78! feat. the Birds and the BEES SO MANY BEES

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 19, an annual celebration of the best of the best video game music according to the voters!

Important Links:
Bracket: https://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=479594
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HqEzmlfEUsm6BWJbBxDm6ZUnQQ_2d1ezDlVBN2sYepY
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80981071
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0zm7Svx4DXDy1XjUejSBazd
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HBxgL9woiCMFKNOPuN_qdxmzjStJXSpC3Ocalfsavdk
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
VGMC info site (thank you p0!!): https://p0p0p0p.github.io/
Discord: https://discord.gg/7FVXqWj

Rules:
- Listen to both songs in a given match, at least through the loop time provided (to make sure you don't skip before you've heard the whole thing!)
- Please consider the loop point listed when judging the song; if a video loops one minute 5 times, don't treat it as if it's a repetitive 5 minute song
- If it's a match between your favorite song ever and a song you despise, still LISTEN TO BOTH! Votes can and will be disqualified if there is suspicion songs are not being listened to, and you may be discounted for the rest of the contest for repeat offenses.
- No alt accounts, no rallying or begging, etc., etc.... You only get one vote! Swapping votes is alright, just make clear that you've already made a vote and are swapping.
- Make clear what your voting options are! Please keep votes separate from any comments, and use the titles given in the topic post.
- Voting in all matches is not mandatory, feel free to skip matches you do not wish to vote in.
- Vote based on the links provided, and not other sources of audio. Links are specifically chosen for best quality and the like.
- Don't discuss vote tallies in this thread, or in other threads, as they may influence votes. Likewise, please refrain from looking at the running tally before voting.

Voting Period:
- Today's matches will last 24 hours from the time of posting, or 24 hours from 10pm Eastern, whichever is the later time.
- Please note this may mean that two topics will be active at the same time!
- If you anticipate being unable to vote in a given day, please send an absentee vote to @banshiryuu, or post your absentee vote in the discussion thread!

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Match 1

DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Composer: Manabu Namiki arr. Hommarju
Loop Point: 4:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqyGf8Lb1LM

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak - Resonance of Ray
Composer: Yukihiro Jindo, Mitsuo Singa *(Suspected: Yukihiro Jindo)
Loop Point: 4:06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZwSyNydhr8

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Match 2

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
Composer: Kumi Tanioka
Loop Point: 3:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQkixyZH68

Shinju no Yakata - Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Composer: Yoh Ohyama
Loop Point: 5:40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DSmcq68bW0

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Match 3

Alice Gear Aegis - Forlorn Last Stand
Composer: Yoshimi Kudo
Loop Point: 2:46
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cta8XpLwFpw

DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)
Composer: Manabu Namiki arr. Kenichiro Fukui
Loop Point: 5:07
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5gsRX70Jlw

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Easy vote form:
Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix) / Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne / Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand / Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak - Resonance of Ray
Shinju no Yakata - Loneliness of the Caged Bird
DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

bee sandwich

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

I think Takmi is much better than Taido.

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Takmi
Caged
Last

takmi
loneliness
taido

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

what Mac said

Takmi (Hommarju Remix) (DDP DOJ Re:Incar)
Kaze no Ne (Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles)
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix) (DDP DOJ Re:Incar)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

I find Taido better than Takmi myself, soooo

Takmi
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Loneliness of the Caged Bird is a cool song and I'm glad it's had a bit of a cinderella run.

Kaze no Ne

I only have a clear preference in one match today (and even then, I still like caged bird quite a bit). Ill listen to matches 1 and 3 later and see if I change my mind on not having a strong preference.

Reray
Bird
Taido

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

Resignation of Ray
Loneliness
Forlorn

Takmi
Kaze
Forlorn

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

I wonder if I would like Caged Bird better if there weren't a more than normal amount of Japanese vocals this contest because every time it starts I'm like "bruh who tf are you" and I end up liking more than I expected to.

Still didn't vote for it lol.

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Caged Bird is a very good opponent, but I need Kaze no Ne or Forlorn to make it very far, so best wishes for this!

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

This retirement round, I feel more ideologically motivated than in the past. Like, its not just about the songs themselves, its about what they represent. Take Kaze no Ne here. Still a beautiful song, one that if anything Ive underrated so far this year. On this listen I more appreciated how it makes use of both the rhythmic drumbeats and the freeform wind instruments to feel both ceremonial and natural. But outside of that, its also a song thats vying for a comeback. Yes, I like my comeback stories, and this one began from a humble R1 loss in VGMC9, raised the stakes with a single-vote R4 loss in VGMC16, and could now see its payoff. Contrast that with Caged Bird, a song that reminds me of last years Spring Wind Skylark in that its by a composer who already has multiple, and much better, retired songs to their name.

And speaking of stories, poor kursed Kudo. His 13 Sentinels songs went on killer runs in VGMC14, and hes been paying for them ever since with near miss after near miss. As I said, Hexed Faith is a more well-made song and was my preferred pick from him this year, but Last Stand is just as emblematic of what I like about his music. When it comes to what I like about the music of Manabu Namiki, though, Taido (and Takmi) aint it. I like them even less than last years Interception remix, and can make a similar complaint that theyre too noisy. I much prefer the squeaky-clean futuristic sound of, for example, last years Deserted.

People are throwing around some very confident-sounding champion predictions. Precipice, Sanctuary, Shiva are names that have come up a lot. If theres one thing Im confident in its that I have no confidence in any prediction for whats going to happen in this contest. So it is from within the refuge of contrarianism that I ask, anyone looking at A-Right? I mean Waterworld, Aka, Sentinels, Forest? Are those words VGMC likes to hear or what? Well, maybe its too expected that they would do well, so not worth remarking on. But I will have more to say on them tomorrow.

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Morning Sky
Forlorn Last Stand

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix) > Forlorn Last Stand > Resonance of Ray > Morning Sky > Taido (Kenichiru Fukui Extend Remix) > Loneliness of the Caged Bird

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix) - 8
doesn't fully click with me even though it feels like it should

Resonance of Ray - 8
typical good Falcom, think it's trying to be emotional but doesn't hit the mark. context probably helps tho

Morning Sky - 8
nice song no idea why past me gave this a 9

Loneliness of the Caged Bird - 6.5
how did a weeb song this uninteresting get this far

Forlorn Last Stand - 8
better Deoxyribose, I wish Assault of Hexed Faith was still in instead of this

Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Extend Remix) - 7.5
I think I liked this more previously, kinda goes on for too long. like the vibe tho

Resonance of Ray
Kaze no Ne
Forlorn Last Stand

Resonance of Ray

ok never mind I have a preference in match 1. Still no strong preference in match 3

Resonance of Ray
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Taido (Kenichiro Fukui Remix)

takmi is awesome but resonance of ray is too aaa
not really one to say songs r overhyped by forlorn last stand feels like that to me. and if it beats my beloved knockoff guardian angel i WILL cry

Takmi (Hommarju Extend Remix)
Loneliness of the Caged Bird
Forlorn Last Stand