We kind of made a big deal about FINAL FANTASY XIII-2's soundtrack. Dale drew our attention to the weird rap talk featured in "Invisible Invader" which accompanies the Lake Bresha area as well as the crazy metal remix of the chocobo theme titled "Crazy Chocobo." We're currently working on an artist profile feature that should be live by the end of the week, but as we were preparing it, we noticed a rather interesting response from music coordinator Keiji Kawamori about these two tracks in particular.
Kawamori notes, "... 'Invisible Invader' was the first song that [Naoshi Mizuta] wrote for FINAL FANTASY XIII-2. The fact that it’s a vocal song (rap) makes it a piece that strongly reflects [director Motomu Toriyama's] desire to have a sound that’s unlike the typical FINAL FANTASY title." But most interesting of all? The international version of the game apparently axes the rap portion all together, leaving behind only the musical accompaniment heard above (check Dale's original post to hear the rap version). In terms of "Crazy Chocobo," Kawamori comments, "I was asked by Toriyama to make it have a fierce song style and for the arrangement to be like death metal... it's a Chocobo arrangement that no one has ever heard before, and I think it’s a good hook within the game."
Do you think cutting the rap vocals from "Invisible Invader" for the international release was for the best? Is "Crazy Chocobo" in fact the most interesting version of the chocobo theme you've heard in years?
Thank you based god. I got the Japanese version before paying for the American version that's coming out in a few days. So at least I get both........^_^
Needed to see if there would be any differences, and look at that.
Anyone know if this will be in the soundtrack in the FFXIII-2 CE? What a horrible music this is. I tolerated My Hands (is that what it was called? I forget), but I won't tolerate this. Just horrible... Just horrible. I'm just going to keep the catchy beats instead. I love them non-lyric music.
@Oishidesu: Good point. I'm guess the soundtrack will be the Japanese version with the rap lyrics and the Japanese vocal themes, but it's entirely possible they've reprinted it for the international release. Let me check on that for you!
@Jayson Napolitano
Some of the soundtrack will have RAP LYRICS??!! Ok, I loved TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE (was that rap? Probably not. It was catchy as hell though), but RAP in Final Fantasy's somewhat classical music? Please god, let me have the option to turn off the Rap Lyrics (but I'll accept the Japanese vocals). I'm not the biggest rap fan, and when my friends let me hear their music, and I hear rap, I just groan.
If at least half of the soundtrack is left untouched and is like the original Japanese version, I would be fine with it, but anything less than that is just unacceptable and annoying to me.
Wow, you guys are harsh! For the record, I don't care much for the "Invisible Invader" rap either, but "Crazy Chocobo" is amazing, and there are tons of great tracks in this game.
Invisible Invaders is one of the best songs on the OST. People are so judgmental and closed minded that they had to delete it though. This should be seen as a sad development for everyone interested in artistic integrity.
You never saw anyone losing their minds complaining about the shitty j-rap in Persona and Catherine, almost all of which is far worse than Invisible Invaders. Invisible Invaders was specifically trying to be 80s retro, like Blondie's rap in Rapture. Most people probably have never even heard Rapture though.
In the end, it's just another sad development because of closed-minded people. Another shitty chapter in the "idiots bash SQEX" narrative that has become so popular these days. Fucking fuck.
And here's the Aggressive Mix for Invisible Invaders if you never heard it. It blows away any of the rap in Shin Megami Tensei. I hope you hypocrites boycott all those games from now on.
This is awesome. Totally dumb that their cutting it from the international version. Do they think that they're audience doesn't like weird, mainstream unfriendly stuff? That are they crazy? These are Final Fantasy fans we're talking about!
As played in the demo, this song proved to be way better ambient stage noise without the rap. Though I really hope they keep the rap in 'Colliding Worlds,' the song for the first atlus fight.
Won't lie, I kind of tuned out the lyrics in the original. I appreciate what they were going for but something about the delivery made it wash out, meaning the lyrics would turn into additional noise when gameplay interface is added for the player.
For straight listening, the original is better though your mileage may vary. For gameplay, the International instrumental is nice. However, Crazy Chocobo staying intact is always a positive. Greatest chocobo song ever for how silly it is.
It's funny how the FF series is somewhat responsible for the modern trends of Japan, and yet now they are a laughing stock for being so out of touch on everything!
Wait, can we go back a bit? Is Square still doing this "International" Bullshit? Which means that this version of the game will not be released outside of Japan, right? So what does it matter with songs they switch in or out? Yes, one could argue that it's "IMPORT-able." True, but one would have to really like FF13-2 in order to do that. When the game is only....tolerable. Better then the last one, but no where it should be or older titles that were better.
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Contest:
11:00 PM on 01.25.2012 | 
Needed to see if there would be any differences, and look at that.
Oh dear... Yeah, definitely prefer rapless version...
Some of the soundtrack will have RAP LYRICS??!! Ok, I loved TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE (was that rap? Probably not. It was catchy as hell though), but RAP in Final Fantasy's somewhat classical music? Please god, let me have the option to turn off the Rap Lyrics (but I'll accept the Japanese vocals). I'm not the biggest rap fan, and when my friends let me hear their music, and I hear rap, I just groan.
If at least half of the soundtrack is left untouched and is like the original Japanese version, I would be fine with it, but anything less than that is just unacceptable and annoying to me.
agreed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53UYNX0-fw
Watching people sperg out is pretty hilarious, though.
I don't have autism, so, like, I'm perfectly fine with Final Fantasy being less Final Fantasy.****
That shit is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard.
still can't wait for my FFXII-2 CE along with Strategy Guide CE :)
You never saw anyone losing their minds complaining about the shitty j-rap in Persona and Catherine, almost all of which is far worse than Invisible Invaders. Invisible Invaders was specifically trying to be 80s retro, like Blondie's rap in Rapture. Most people probably have never even heard Rapture though.
In the end, it's just another sad development because of closed-minded people. Another shitty chapter in the "idiots bash SQEX" narrative that has become so popular these days. Fucking fuck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6FLsBjP5M
Higher being- I am feeling rhyme is amazing!
Did he ever mention why they took the lyrics out?
For straight listening, the original is better though your mileage may vary. For gameplay, the International instrumental is nice. However, Crazy Chocobo staying intact is always a positive. Greatest chocobo song ever for how silly it is.
Sum: There's no reason for "International Version"/"Original Version". Globalization is a thing.
Now that I've heard the original I realize what that was :( I'm kinda disappointed they're removing the vocals, I thought they were great!