Topic: A Message from Michiru Yamane

[Rictrunks]

The composer of Castlevania series Michiru Yamane has replied my e-mail last month.

She wrote to me:

"Im study to about many things. I hope that will be good value for my compose music from now. Someday Im going to update my new music on my website."

Also she said that she watched my Tribute video on Youtube. And she thinks the video is "great and excellent".

That tribute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGv4Ws2DTdM
Her website: http://www.yamanemichiru.com

By the way, she isn't making the music of Lord of Shadows. I think she'll make music for new "IGA Castlevania" which is going to announcing at Tokyo Game Show on September 24 – 27. Also her birthday is September 23. One day before Tokyo Game Show.

[Rugal]

The song that plays on her website is awesome.

[shelverton.]

Looking at her website you get the impression she's done making video game music. As much as I'd like someone new to compose music for the series, there's no denying I'm gonna miss her.. I sometimes feel she lost her touch after Curse of Darkness which was AMAZING, almost as good as Symhony of the Night. There were some great tracks in PoR too, but OoE was kinda meh IMO.

[The Silverlord]

It does look like she's moving into new areas, which I think is a good thing for her personally.

[Clara E. Leet]

I find it very hard to believe that people are saying her works from Lament and Curse and all the games after Symphony are better than Symphony and Bloodlines.

Bloodlines has to be my favorite soundtrack, and Symphony the peak of her CV Career.

[Profbeanburrito]

In Reply To #5

I don't see why that's so hard to believe. Its matter of opinion. I love Symphony's soundtrack, and Bloodlines has some great music, but I just think Lament has the best music in the series.

[Clara E. Leet]

In Reply To #6

I'm not saying they're downright terrible, I'm just saying that in terms of progression, they haven't gotten better over the years. She's gotten better equipment which produces better sounding instruments, sure, but whereas Symphony and Bloodlines' soundtracks were almost completely memorable and enjoyable with each song having its own distinct flavor that separated it from the next, the soundtracks of Curse and Lament and the Sorrows, etc I found were very bland. The tracks were often too similar or not dynamic enough in their own rights to be picked out, and the entire memorable soundtrack whittled down to a small handful of songs in the entire soundtrack.

Sorry for the wall of text

[DragonSlayr81]

Michiru's talent reminds me of Uematsu's, who was, IMO, in his peak around FFVI, then during the PS1 FFs, he got overwhelmed by the hundreds of tracks Square wanted him to compose, and many would be lackluster arrangements of other songs(which he didn't do as much in the earlier games). He even admits that during that time, Square was pushing him to compose songs as fast as he could. He says that one of the perks about freelancing is that he's now able to take it at stride, and I think it was for the best. His Lost Odyssey OST is probably one of my favorites.

You can tell that Michiru did a lot of her creative stuff for Bloodlines and SotN, but what I think is that they(be it IGA or Konami altogether) got an idea of what they wanted from her and asked to "just make CV-ish music, nothing more, nothing less! Something classical with a modern beat.", which kinda limited her. There's more variety in her Bloodlines and SotN songs than in those following those two. 

[The Silverlord]

Symphony and Bloodlines have some great BGM tracks, no dispute from me.

I did find Curse, Portrait and Dawn to have bland soundtracks.

But Lament's soundtrack can't really have that criticism aimed at it, that tracks sound the same (as came before).

[Giz]

I find it very hard to believe that people are saying her works from Lament and Curse and all the games after Symphony are better than Symphony and Bloodlines.

Bloodlines has to be my favorite soundtrack, and Symphony the peak of her CV Career.

Honestly; the only track that I liked from Bloodlines was Iron Blue Intention. Sinking Old Sancutary was alright, but Circle of the Moon just completely killed the song for me.

Symphony is obviously excellent, but quite simply Lament I would have to say is her best work. House of Sacred Remains, Lament of Innocence, Ghostly Theatre, Melancholy Joachim, Anti-soul Mysteries lab, Dark Palace of Waterfalls, Garden forgotten by time, Stone King Golem, Pagoda of the Misty Moon, Dracula appears... all excellent tracks. And this is ignoring all the extra stuff on the soundtrack, like most of the second CD.

[justin312]

I think she'll make music for new "IGA Castlevania" which is going to announcing at Tokyo Game Show on September 24

[Rictrunks]

It's just a speculation. But, a strong speculation because IGA always loves Tokyo Game Show and shows good material.

[Gunlord]

That is the cutest email ever ;_; I love Michiru-chan *_*

[cecil-kain]

In Reply To #1  Thank-you for sharing.  I love Michiru Yamane; it's great to see she has a website now.

[X]

I personally have favorite tunes lurking all throughout Yamane's CV musical career. But given the fact that she's been composing music for CV games since bloodlines she's probably feeling somewhat burned out. It would be a good idea for her to take a break and do other projects.