The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Composer Appreciation: Michiru Yamane

   Episode #439 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth have a long overdue one. We're finally highlighting the career of Michiru Yamane, a composer whose name has become inseparable from gothic grandeur even as her catalog stretches far beyond the castle walls she's best known for. After studying composition at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, where she built her thesis around Bach, Yamane joined Konami in 1988 and spent over two decades there, composing for more than forty games. From tiny handheld chips and loud arcade cabinets to the orchestral heights of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, she proved again and again that a classical foundation could bend to almost any hardware, genre, or mood. We're tracing the full arc of Yamane's journey, from one of her earliest credited jobs in 1990 all the way to the Castlevania theme that launched her legend. Along the way, we stop in on lush RPG worldbuilding, a beat-'em-up that never left Japan, a jazz-soaked fighting game, an indie love letter to the exact genre she helped define, and the freelance era that saw her wandering happily outside her comfort zone. From haunted halls to lounge-jazz curtain calls, this Composer Appreciation episode is dedicated to an artist whose fingerprints are all over the medium, whether you realized it or not. Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. Feedspot's Top 39 Best Video Game Music Podcasts Discussed on the Show: https://podcast.feedspot.com/video_game_music_podcasts/ EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Stage 1-2 Traffic Jam Sewers, Stage 4-2 Waste Dump Caves from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan [Michiru Yamane, 1990] Power in The Darkness from Vendetta [Michiru Yamane, 1991] Vinay Del Zexay from Suikoden III [Michiru Yamane, 2002] The Three of Us as One! Battle Start from The Sword of Etheria [Michiru Yamane, 2005] Ending Theme from Ganbare Goemon 2 [Michiru Yamane, 1989] Wood Carving Partita from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Michiru Yamane, 1997] A Toccata into Blood Soaked Darkness from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [Michiru Yamane, 2005] Beyond the Fog and the Tears -Stage 5- from Mushihime-sama Bug Panic [Michiru Yamane, 2010] The Sewers from Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom [Michiru Yamane, 2018] Ark of Promise -Instrumental- from Arcalast [Michiru Yamane, 2019] Symphonic Poem -Planet Orbit- from Otomedius Excellent [Michiru Yamane, 2011] In a Moment's Time from Skullgirls [Michiru Yamane feat. Geila Zilkha, 2012] Ritual Of The Night from Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night [Michiru Yamane, 2019] Calling From Heaven -Stage 6- from Castlevania: Bloodlines [Michiru Yamane, 1994] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

   September 03, 2026·2h 20min
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   Number 2: Exploring the Solar System

   Episode #437 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth board a spacecraft and blast off on a grand tour of the solar system. From the scorched rock of Mercury baking next to the Sun, out through the ruins of Venus and the god of chaos himself, past the red dust of Mars and the doomed little moon circling it, all the way to the frozen edge of everything and back again. Strap in for a journey that runs the whole emotional spectrum, from full-throttle rock and pulse-pounding chaos to sparse, lonely, gorgeous atmospheres drifting somewhere far past Neptune. So grab your headphones, mind the artificial gravity, and come explore the solar system with us. Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Plan of Action from Blast Corps [Graeme Norgate, 1997] Nirvana from Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 [Shoji Meguro, 2005] The Ruin from Destiny [Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, 2014] Segmentation Fault from Deadzone: Rogue [Justin Goren, 2025] Calm Storm from Red Faction [Dan Wentz, 2001] Hiding the Secrets from Doom [Robert Prince, 1993] Ceres from Resogun [Ari Pulkkinen, 2013] Main Theme from Universe for Sale [Guglielmo Diana, 2023] Golden Plains from Europa [Matthew Thomason, 2024] Exhaust Velocity from Delta V: Rings of Saturn [Evader, 2023] Grineer Heavy Blades from Warframe [Keith Power & George Spanos, 2013] The Sol System from Starfield [Inon Zur, 2023] Nirgal from TerraGenesis [Alexander Winn, 2020] The Won-Stoppable Wonderful 101 -English Version- from The Wonderful 101 [Hiroshi Yamaguchi feat. Jimmy Wilcox, Rob McElroy & Bruce Blanchard, 2013] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

   August 20, 2026·2h 44min
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   Number 3: Rainforests & Amazon

   Episode #433 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth put on their explorer hats and take a trip down to the Amazon. Grab your machete and bug spray! From lost cities and hidden gold to survival horror where the jungle waits you out, the rainforest has never been one single thing. We'll go from a dinosaur-infested Amazon speedway to a Sierra cue that nobody heard for thirty years, through helicopter raids, a Rio street party, and one goodbye that tends to leave people misty-eyed. Don't get lost! Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Ceiba Jungle from Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure [Soundelux Media Labs, 1994] Rio Rider from Cruis'n Exotica [Vince Pontarelli, 2000] River Raid from Jungle Strike [Brian Schmidt, 1993] Eagle Song - Original Version -Unused- from Lost Secret of the Rainforest [Dan Kehler, 1993] Jungle Base -Mission 01- from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero [Nobuyuki Shioda & Yūsuke Takahama, 1991] Amazon Rider Koko ni Ari from Kamen Rider: Climax Heroes Fourze [Shunsuke Kikuchi/Akihiko Ishikawa, 2011] Amazon Women From Space -RB2 Mix- from Rocketbirds 2: Evolution [New World Revolution, 2017] The Search for El Dorado from Uncharted: Drake's Fortune [Greg Edmonson, 2007] Sad But True from Green Hell [Adam Skorupa, 2019] Noctilum -Night- from Xenoblade Chronicles X [Hiroyuki Sawano, 2015] Banquest Rainforest from Chicory: A Colorful Tale [Lena Raine, 2021] Jungle from Terraria [Scott Lloyd Shelly, 2011] Hillside Plaza Alternative -Brazil Stage- from Street Fighter V [Hideyuki Fukasawa, 2016] Goodbye Paititi from Shadow of the Tomb Raider [Brian D'Oliveira, 2018] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

   July 23, 2026·2h 32min
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   Number 4: Mummies

   Episode #394 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth unwrap the bandaged mysteries of mummy-themed music from across gaming history. From tragic cursed souls seeking companionship to ancient guardians protecting their tombs, this episode explores how composers balance Middle Eastern instrumentation, horror atmospheres, and adventure energy to bring these undead creatures to musical life. This spooky October episode showcases the incredible versatility of mummy representation in video game music, featuring everything from playful puzzle themes and gothic platformer soundtracks to emotionally devastating character ballads and epic orchestral arrangements. Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Cursed Mummy Battle from Grabbed by the Ghoulies [Grant Kirkhope, 2003] Loading Screen / Main Menu from Mummy Maze Deluxe [Hannu Salonen, 2002] Chapters 8 & 12 from The Mummy [Junko Karashima, 2000] Transylvania Theme from DuckTales [Hiroshige Tonomura, 1989] Bat Mummy from Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy [Steve Duckworth, 2003] Jack Theme from Power Stone [Tetsuya Shibata, 1999] Sandstorm -Kan-Ra's Theme- from Killer Instinct, Season 2 [Mick Gordon, 2014] Mummyfucker from Catacomb Snatch [anosou, 2012] Mausoleum -Master Mummy's Stage- from ARMS [Atsuko Asahi & Yasuaki Iwata, 2017] Cryptometrics from The Mummy Demastered [Gavin Allen, 2017] Level 2 from Decap Attack [Fumito Tamayama, 1991] The Curse of the Sad Mummy -Amumu- from League of Legends [Christian Linke, 2009] The Mummy from Pumpkin Jack [Yohan Jager, 2020] Pyramid -Marahna- from ActRaiser Renaissance [Yuzo Koshiro, 2021] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

   October 22, 2025·2h 43min
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   Number 5: Mad Scientists

   Episode #392 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth continue the spooky month with one of gaming's most iconic archetypes, Mad Scientists! From whimsical inventors tinkering with impossible contraptions to sinister masterminds conducting horrific experiments, video game music has captured the full spectrum of scientific obsession gone too far. We'll journey through laboratories both benign and terrifying, examining how composers balance intelligence with insanity, precision with chaos, and brilliance with moral bankruptcy. Prepare for bubbling potions, sparking machinery, and the cold, sterile atmosphere of corporate experimentation! Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike. EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS Gyro's Hidden Stage from DuckTales Remastered [Jake Kaufman, 2013] The Mad Scientist -Cranky’s Theme- from Donkey Kong 64 [Grant Kirkhope, 1999] Battle VS Mad Scientist from LunarLux [Vanilluxe Pavilion, 2023] Mad Scientist's Lab from Toxic Grind [Peter Reardon, 2002] Dr. Neo Cortex from Crash Bandicoot [Josh Mancell, 1996] Wily Machine from Mega Man 9 [Yu Shimoda, 2008] E.G.G.M.A.N. from Sonic Adventure 2 [Jun Senoue feat. Paul Shortino, 2001] Science vs Madness from Tesla Force [Sotiris Kremmydas, 2020] Dr. Finkelstein's Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge [Kengo Hagiwara & Masaya Tsunemoto feat. Jess Harnell & Chris Sarandon, 2004] Mylon - Launch Site from Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal [David Bergeaud, 2004] Dr. Doofenshmirtz Battle from Phineas and Ferb [Tomoyoshi Sato, 2009] Edison Family / Tentacle Theme from Maniac Mansion [George Sanger, 1988] E. Gadd's Theme from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon [Chad York, Darren Radtke & Mike Peacock, 2013] Mad Scientist Dr. Cranken from Viewtiful Joe 2 [Sayaka Morita & Masami Ueda, 2004] LINKS Patreon: https://patreon.com/bgmania Website: https://bgmania.podbean.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/cC73Heu Facebook: BGManiaPodcast X: BGManiaPodcast Instagram: BGManiaPodcast TikTok: BGManiaPodcast YouTube: BGManiaPodcast Twitch: BGManiaPodcast PODCAST NETWORK Very Good Music: A VGM Podcast Listening Religiously

   October 08, 2025·2h 27min
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