Feature: 2016 - The Year in Hindsight

Coming to the end of yet another year, it's crucial for anything in life to look back at what has come in order to be set on to take what's next; that is still very true to the Taiko no Tatsujin series progression for us, so here we are again with another recap post about the 366-days cycle that has come and gone.

Join our written flashback about Taiko gaming for 2016 after the jump!

Song of the Week! 31 December 2016

In the past, we've already seen how Taiko siblings Don and Katsu have had some personal character songs, just like for other members of the Wada family... however, the lion's share for the highest name-giver songs belongs to the red-faced Don-Chan!

By popular demand, we're ending 2016 with a couple of ancient songs for the drumming sibling that Taiko players grew to love as the default 1P avatar along the years.

Requiem from Dies Irae Lyrics

Composition: Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi

Compiled with reference to the Wikipedia entry for the original Latin hymn.

Behind the Drums: Kunio Yamaguchi

One of the 3rd-Taiko generation recruits, Kunio Yamaguchi (山口邦雄) joined the Taiko Team during 2012 as the supervisor of the smartphone-related Taiko games, with his rise to notechart duties starting to peak during the later years. He was heard of this person under his Sentai Notecharter nickname first during the staff roll for the final Wii U Taiko game (Atsumete Tomodachi Daisakusen!), so it's easy to assume that his charting experience began roughly during the production of said game, with the collaboration-related song Kessen!! as his first commissioned work. As many other figures of the Taiko Team, Yamaguchi signs his notecharts with an alternative way to spell his own name (ヤマグチ).

Long compound clusters and scrolling speed changes appear frequently in Yamaguchi's charts, as he prizes the 'personal fun' aspect before submitting his works to the unnamed Music Score Leader for a final inspection. Being an average 10-star Oni clearer himself, the main philosophy behind Yamaguchi's Oni notecharts is the adoption of a "step-up" approach which integrates elements of the right-upper difficulty tier as difficulty treats for lower-rated songs.

Behind the Drums: Takeshito Sasaoka

Pictured at the leftmost side of this snapshot is Takeshito Sasaoka (笹岡武仁), currently the eldest member of the Taiko Team that is still working for the franchise to this day as the series' overall visual art director. Coming from Kyoto, Japan, he's been in charge of the games' visual aesthetics since the franchise's very beginning with the first arcade model, but as time went by he also took over other side-jobs inside the series, such as Namco Original lyrics creation and making notecharts for a bunch of tracks along the years (about 20 as of late 2013). Under the Etou management of the Taiko Team, Sasaoka also had multiple occasions to appear in public with other members of the Team, from DLC announcements for console games in official livestreams to overseas Taiko arcade version launch parties!

Just like Etou, his charting name consists in a different way to spell his own name (ササオカ), often either mistaken as Oosawa or partially self-censored for some in-joke humor among the staff. Being a not-so-skilled Taiko player himself, his chart are more weighted on cart sets that put an heavy emphasis on the progressive skill foundation that may lead beginners to gradually take on a song's harder difficulties with slightly increasing variations from Futsuu to Muzukashii and from Muzukashii to Oni; as such, he makes use of 1/24-timed charts and matsuri-sounding rhythms the most. The March 2016 set of Don Challenge trials have revealed some other curiosities about this long-standing figure of the Taiko Team, such as his preferred Sasanii (ササにい) nickname given by his colleagues and the fact that he's able to draw with the left hand while writing letters with the right one.

Sympho-Neighbours - Festive Musical Chimes

This Christmas we're celebrating quite the milestone for the Sympho-Neighbours family of features, as this is our very first sequel to a former SN article.

Last year, we've already seen that the major December celebration has been brought up several times in rhythm gaming, but for this year we're also taking a quick look to other times of the year that have been deemed good enough to be celebrated in rhythm gaming form!

Onigiri wa Doko Kashira♪ Lyrics

Composition, Arrangement, Lyrics: Yomii (よみぃ)
Vocals: Hatsune Miku, Yomii

Japanese lyrics sourced from original Creofuga submission.

Song of the Week! 24 December 2016

For this year's Christmas Eve, we're anticipating the festive mood by talking about a certain popular videogame who is celebrating its birthday today!

We're nearing Christmas too, so we won't be stingy Scrooges and have an additional song feature, too ;)

Namco Taiko Blog 2 (22 December 2016) - Cock-a-doodle-doo with Red Version's Early 2017 News

The very last Taiko Team post for the year 2016 is a taste of what's yet to come for Red Version arcades in the coming months, complete with an end-year break schedule for the winter holidays.

3DS3 Update: Peace and Drums for the New Year: 3DS3 January DLC

3DS3 DLC for your New Year needs coming soon beginning January 5 2017! Happy holidays!

DLC: January Free Download
テイルズ オブ ゼスティリア メドレー Tales of Zestiria Medley (~2017/02/01)
Outfit: へいあんびじん Heian Period Beauty

DLC: Popular Song Pack 4 (500 yen +tax)
前前前世 Zen Zen Zense
　　　映画「君の名は。」より Your Name
友よ ～この先もずっと… Tomo Yo~Kono Saki mo Zutto Console debut
　　　「映画クレヨンしんちゃん 爆睡！ユメミーワールド大突撃」より Crayon Shin-chan: Fast Asleep! Dreaming World Big Assault!
ヒカリアレ Hikari Are Console debut
　　　「ハイキュー!! 烏野高校 VS 白鳥沢学園高校」より Haikyuu!! Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy
ゴーストマスク Ghost Mask Console debut
　　　はるなば feat.結月ゆかり＆石黒千尋 Harunaba feat. Yukari Yuzuki & Chihiro Ishiguro
君のプラネット Kimi no Planet

Remember that the free Christmas-wreath wallpaper is available until December 25 for only 3 more days left!

Namco Taiko Blog (22 December 2016) - Want to hear more? Notecharter Interview 9

One last notecharter feature to wrap up the year! This time around, we're greeted with the working portfolio of Yamaguchi (ヤマグチ), who was first heard of for the announcement of the Notecharter Sentai Collaboration back in September (link).

Taiko Plus/STH: Pre-Xmas New Content

To put a nicer close-up to the Taiko portable scene for the year 2016, today is being released a slew of new features that for one make up from us a post big enough to warrant its own jump cut!

First Video: Red Ver. V6.08 New Songs

*Today's First Video post is brought you by what the Christmas Rare Egg Machine has brought to me with the Rank 50 free roll*

Behind the Drums: Hisui

The nicknamed Hisui (翡翠) is a ProductionGIW-affiliated freelance composer from Kanto, born September 26. While his musical contribution to the Taiko no Tatsujin series are mainly full-instrumental songs with Japan-inspired experimental rhythms, he's also provided his talent for StudioGIW's project as a counter-tenor singer as well. Founder of the independent TSUKUYOMI Records label, his music in Taiko no Tatsujin often tends to debut as an unlockable treat, with Yuji Masubuchi from the Taiko Team being in charge of his songs's notecharts for the most part.

Behind the Drums: Kaori Aihara

Born on September 26th, Kaori Aihara (愛原圭織) is a voice actress from Kanto who is affiliated to ProductionGIW, StudioGIW's music-making branch. Alongside some voice acting roles for videogames and other kinds of media from StudioGIW itself like KILLZWALD and GIEEVAL, she's had several commissioned singing roles for other external media as well, most notably being the Taiko no Tatsujin series. Other credits of her works include singing roles in selected Touhou Project arrangements composed by indie doujin SYNC.ART'S and Kaori herself being one of the two members of the PraimMary (ぷらいむまり) duet with StudioGIW affiliate Aya Sinno (真野綾).

Kaori Aihara happens to be one of the Taiko artists to be Taiko no Tatsujin fans themselves, as she often shared her song preferences (with her favorite Namco Original being mint tears) and gaming progress on different corners of the Internet from time to time. Even the Taiko Team grew fond of Aihara's recurring contributions, up to friendly attribute the Yojou (幼女, 'little girl') nickname to the young artist! After her last credited role for Don to Katsu no Jikuu Daibouken, she went on an hiatus period which ended on September 2016 (link).

Sonority Scouts - 3rd Tenkaichi Otogesai, Transplants Round

Halfaway through the last month of the year, we're finally here to delve into Phase 2 of the most recent iteration for the returning cross-rhythm games tournament series.

You'll get the reason behind such a feature delay in a whim, but before that sit back and watch how the other songs from the Year 2 Tenkaichi Otogesai edition are faring outside of their native home!

Song of the Week! 17 December 2016

So it appears we haven't had any song features on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of, if not the single, most well-known classical composer of his time. So what about we have a Song of the Week about a Mozart work for today?

[SITE] - December 2016's Housekeeping Plans

The current year is drawing to a close, but there's still enough time for us to do a new round of blog content maintenance! With little happening in the Taiko side of news and staff members (like me) having little time for the bulk of fixes, we're still in with the intention to check and add new features and operation, including these below for this housekeeping session:

• First and foremost, we'll be undergoing a session of trivia update for some of the eldest, not-Namco Original Song Series Showcases alongside the usual revision of SotW/Showcase/Corner examination for content accuracy and other fixing means.
• Going towards the end of December, we'll also crank in some new Feature and Sympho-Neighbours/Sonority Scouts articles to keep the festive mood up. Also look forward to the addition of some new Behind The Drums pages for both composers and notecharters!
• Last but not least, we're looking forward to implement in a more official way a selection of revamped subsections for modern arcade Taiko titles, more specifically being the Don Challenge list and the Dojo Ranking/Gaiden pages.

As usual, we'll warn you about any changes being made through our Changelog section. Feel free to contact us for any other clarification or suggestions about our blog and its content!

-Lokamp

Across Japan: Less Better Than Late: Red ver. Asia Update (V4.02)

An adequately puntual same-day update with Japan, Asian Donder can also try out an abridged list of new songs and the new Ranking Dojo Gaiden trials starting December 20.

New Songs: December 20 (Red ver. Asia V4.02)
「ポケットモンスター サン・ムーン」メドレー Pokemon Sun & Moon Medley Same day as Japan
No Gravity Same day as Japan

Ranking Dojo Gaiden: December 20 (Red ver. Asia V4.02)
+) 挑戦！ナムコオリジナル②
　　　Challenge! Namco Original (2)
+) 太鼓チームからの挑戦！④
　　　Challenge from the Taiko Team! (4)
+) 太鼓チームからの挑戦！⑤
　　　Challenge from the Taiko Team! (5)
-) 太鼓チームからの挑戦！③
　　　Challenge from the Taiko Team! (3)
-) 復活！カツドン大将
　　　Revived! Katsu-don Taishou

See the official Taiko Team blog post for details of the new trials: they are the same as Japan by and large. Alternately also check our translated coverage.

Link to original post

Namco Taiko Blog (December 15 2016): Nostalgia Nexus Novelty: More on Red ver. Version Update (V6.08)

After a surprise post two days back, we fill up the scoop with the rest of the Red ver. version update coming December 20, including the above fine, mustachioed gentleman.

New Songs: December 20 (Red ver. V6.08)

 ワタリドリ Watari-dori NEW!
          [Alexandros]
 花丸◎日和！ Hanamaru-biyori! NEW!
          「刀剣乱舞-花丸-」より Touken Ranbu -Hanamaru-
 ヒカリアレ Hikari Are NEW!
          「ハイキュー!! 烏野高校 ＶＳ 白鳥沢学園高校」より Haikyuu!! Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy
 ペンパイナッポーアッポーペン(PPAP) Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen (PPAP) NEW!
          ピコ太郎 Pikotaro
 「ポケットモンスター サン・ムーン」メドレー Pokemon Sun & Moon Medley NEW!
 ファミコンメドレー Famicom Medley NEW!
          バルーンファイト・ドクターマリオ・エキサイトバイク
          Balloon Fight / Dr. Mario / Excitebike
 No Gravity NEW!

New Collab Outfits: December 20 (Red ver. V6.08)
Full Body: ハイキュー!! Haikyuu!!
          Get by playing Hikari Are
Full Body: 仮面ライダーエグゼイド Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
          Get by playing EXCITE

 

Link to original post

Namco Taiko Blog 2 (13 December 2016) - Nostalgia Without Gravity: Red ver. Version Update (V6.08)

The promised collaboration talk is not the only hot topic to talk about today, as Etou is here to talk about Red Version's very last update of 2016! Let's take a look at what's inside.

Namco Taiko Blog (13 December 2016) - 3rd Taiko x iM@S Cinderella Girls Collaboration, 1st Update

As promised from last week, Taiko Team's younger sister Anne is in charge of delivering some preview details about next February's iDOLM@STER-related collaboration.

Song of the Week! 10 December 2016

Today's feature was requested by Kathy from the chatroom, for a relatively rare J-Pop song. Familiars with the Taiko 12 generation would have probably seen it before!

Namco Taiko Blog (8 December 2016) - Taiko 3DS3 Christmas Promo and a Day with the Taiko Team

It's another double blog entry day, so we're showcasing the more commercial-y one before the usual jump! From today until the end of the year, every physical copy of Dokodon! Mystery Adventure that is purchased in Game TSUTAYA/WonderGoo/Joshin stores will come with a calendar/schedule book for the year that is yet to come, with a calendar that goes from this month to March 2018.

Across Japan (December 7 2016): Jingle through Asia and Facebook Tournament

 

Same as Japan, the greater Asia will get Jingle Bells No. 765 for December 10~31. So now that we have two limited picks on the list, you know what theming the monthly Facebook Tournament is going to take?

Facebook Tournament: December 10~18 2016

月下美人 Gekkabijin (Oni ★8) (Hint: Score route is Master Route)

ジングルベル第765番 Jingle Bells No. 765 (Muzukashii ★4)

Link to original post

Twitter Snippets (7 December 2016) - Jingle All The Way Again

【告知】メリークリスマスだドン！という事で、今週末の12月10日から年内いっぱい12月31日まで、レッドVer.にて楽曲「ジングルベル第765番」を期間限定解放いたします。
今月のきせかえ「サンタクロース」と一緒にお楽しみくださいだドン♪ pic.twitter.com/Cly1dRov6Q

— 太鼓チーム (@taiko_team) 7 dicembre 2016

Sharing the same time frame as the last year, Jingle Bells No. 765 comes back as a limited-play song on Red Version arcades nationwide from December 10th to the end of this year.

And yes, the track will also be playable in General Asia Taiko arcades as well! But we'll have more on that in an upcoming Across Japan post.

More Haikyuu!! for Taiko no Tatsujin

Did you enjoy Imagination from around a year back? Now in the third season sub-titled Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy, Haikyuu!! returns anew to Taiko no Tatsujin Red ver. with the new opening theme Hikari Are (lit. let there be light) by BURNOUT SYNDROME. Making this a full-on collab is the outfit featuring baby crows of Hinata and Kageyama.

Source

Time Traveler Lyrics

Composition, Lyrics, Vocals: Itou Kashitarou (伊東歌詞太郎)

Taiko no Tatsujin version Japanese lyrics sourced from official full version PV on Itou Kashitarou's YouTube Channel.

Taiko no Tatsujin Yellow ver. (AC0Y)

Source

We are once again at the point where the crossroads of Taiko no Tatsujin arcade version being in sight, as arcade operators may start to pre-order conversion kits for the upcoming Yellow ver. Though they apparently still have to remind operators that no, this thing does not work with your old AC1~14 cabinets.

Song of the Week! 3 December 2016

Gangnam Style is one of the most recent and prolific Internet-viral songs ever made, with the related Youtube video counter registering over 2.6 billion views as of today.

Anyway, moving on to today's song, ...

Taiko Plus/STH: Early December GTH Additions

Another slew of new songs for mobile Taiko games's Gakkyoku Tori Houdai mode just came out and we're here reporting this news during the same announcement day... What kind of sorcery is this?

Gakkyoku Tori Houdai Adds: December 1

 CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA
 PERFECT HUMAN
 Ninth Symphony (第九交響曲)
 Max Fusion (マキシフュージョン)
 Fuun! Bachi o Sensei (風雲！バチお先生)

Namco Taiko Blog (December 1 2016): A Rare Lunar Gorgeousness on Red ver.

 

December appears to not be content of calling on blasts from the past and decides to have an addition go in for limited time.

AC0R Limited Songs: December 1 2016
月下美人 Gekkabijin (~2016/12/31)

That is also the second song to make a scene on AC0R this month from the series of Garyoutensei songs, officially known as the Butou Series (ぶとうシリーズ). Butou as in dancing (舞踏 butou) or fighting (武闘 butou)? You decide, because only Taiko God knows.

While the series has ended with Hyakkiyakou, the traditional Japanese vibe + instrumental + idiomic titles + forked path formula have been taken well by fans. So perhaps now is a good timing to hint that an upcoming series may be trying to take similar concepts, but will be completely different nonetheless. Stay tuned to when this become reality!

Link to original post

Mini Across Japan feature: All three songs that should have appeared today on Asia ver. (Taiko Ranbu Kaiden / Fuun! Bachio Sensei / Gekkabijin) are duly added. [post 1] [post 2]

Taiko PSVita1 Under BNEI Welcome Price!!

Well yes, Namco did this before with 3DS1 in Nintendo's Happy Price Celetion Selection Promotion. On the PlayStation Vita, V Version follows other Bandai Namco titles to go on a for-good price cut to only 3800 yen before tax (i.e. over 35% off) starting today. Look out for the additional blue band on the box art to make well with the deal. Plus there is a further early purchase deal to take 400 further yen off (before tax) if you buy the the download version before January 5 2017.

I am saving this in case they fix the misspelling lol (Live version link)

First Video: Odoru Pompokorin (Ura)

  Odoru Ponpokorin (おどるポンポコリン) (9*; 504 notes)
Fresh from the latest song pack, this new Oni mode for the Chibi Maruko-chan opening theme scores a 9-star extra Oni challenge with a barrage of old-school 1/16 clusters with no modern gimmicks spliced in, for a brief yet intense stamina challenge not very much dissimilar to No Way Back's regular Oni.