Maybe you know Kumi Tanioka as a composer, arranger, or pianist, or maybe you don't know her at all! But considering her immense contributions to Final Fantasy XI and the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series over the years, you may have heard her work, regardless. Today our small panel convenes to discuss some of Tanioka's well-known work and lesser-known contributions to the music scene. Each of these songs feature her as a composer, performer, arranger, or even a combination. Kumi Tanioka is truly a multi-talented musician worth celebrating.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode:

• Rhythm Encounter 61 - A Very Yoko Shimomura January
• Rhythm Encounter 70 - Black and White Magic

Tracklist
0:05:00 - Gustaberg (Kumi Tanioka) - Final Fantasy XI OST
0:09:10 - Monster Ronde (Tanioka and Yui Morishita, piano duet!) - Piano Collections Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
0:33:50 - Wish... (comp. by Ryuji Iuchi, arr. and piano by Kumi Tanioka, vocals by Emi Evans) - Shenmue Piano Collection
0:39:12 - Zaurak Terminal ★ (comp. by Kumi Tanioka) - Code Age Commanders OST
0:55:27 - The Girl Who Stole the Stars (Piano Duo ver) (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Yui Morishita) - CHRONO ORCHESTRA Arrangement BOX
1:00:23 - Dungeons of Lost Time (comp. by Kumi Tanioka) - Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: EVERY BUDDY! OST
1:27:07 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Ah, Valentine's Day. That day when a little cherub works as hard as Santa Claus, flying around the world and launching volleys of heart-tipped arrows into the buttocks of potential lovers. That's how it works, right? In this episode, our panel brings eight tracks to represent several forms of love across time (seriously, we have games represented from as far back as 1991 with Final Fantasy IV, up to 2019's Hades), including people from other worlds, dreams, or even the castle next door. So grab a loved one — whether that's a person, pet, or favorite tea — and enjoy the romance.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:06:04  - Theme of Love (Final Fantasy IV) (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Shiro Hamaguchi, Arnie Roth, Sachiko Miyano, Naoshi Mizuta and Hiroyuki Nakayama) - Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY
0:11:26 - Crono & Marle -A Distant Promise- (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Aaron Manca) - EPOCH: A Tribute to Chrono Trigger
0:37:00 - Lucia's Theme (Noriyuki Iwadare and Victor Ireland, vocals by Jennifer Stigile) - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete OST
0:43:00 - Good Riddance (Darren Korb, vocals by Ashley Barrett and Darren Korb) - Hades OST
1:03:22 - For River - Piano (Sarah & Tommy's Version) (Kan Gao) - To the Moon OST
1:06:23 - English promotional version of "Ballad of the Wind Fish" (Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019)
1:25:49 - Hikari - PLANITb Remix - [Short Edit] (Utada Hikaru) - Kingdom Hearts OST
1:28:20 - 1000 Words (Orchestra Version) [Kazushige Nojima, Noriko Matsueda, and Takehito Eguchi with vocals by Jade from sweetbox] - Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission OST
2:01:50 - Audra's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Over on Random Encounter & Retro Encounter, we've talked about our favorite games of 2021, and now it's time to discuss our favorite music! Four panelists come together with an extra-large playlist today, covering a wide range of music released throughout the year.

Yes, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is here, but so is Ys IX, ENDER LILIES, Impostor Factory, and more! We hope this helps you discover some highlights that you may have missed, because there was no shortage of amazing music released during 2021. What are some of your favorites?

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Patrick Gann, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:04:50 - Endwalker (Masayoshi Soken, The PRIMALS, Sam Carter) - Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Single
0:07:40 - Battle - Da'at (Ryota Kozuka) - Shin Megami Tensei V OST
0:10:42 - Village Pride (TPR) - To The End of the World: Melancholy Music from Xenogears
0:28:04 - Besessenheit (comp. Masashi Hamauzu / arr. Noriyuki Kamikura) - DESTINY 8: SaGa Band Arrangement Album Vol.2
0:31:28 - Norse Wind (Falcom Sound Team jdk (Mitsuo Singa for this particular track)) - Ys IX Monstrum NOX OST
0:33:58 - Earth or Sky (Day Version) (Kan Gao) - Impostor Factory OST
0:51:23 - Deeplurker (Gareth Coker) - Ruined King: A League of Legends Story OST
0:54:06 - Follow Fi / The Spirit's Guidance (Takeshi Hama) - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD OST
0:57:12 - Everyday Life (Lena Raine) - Moonglow Bay OST
1:17:26 - Forest Kingdom (Keiichi Okabe, arr. ROZEN + REVEN) - NieR: Become as Gods
1:21:06 - Sky Temple (Yuzo Koshiro) - Actraiser Renaissance OST
1:28:13 - Harmonious (Yamato Kasai) - ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights OST
1:54:23 - Pat's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Whether or not you play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you may know that Nintendo's latest entry in its fighter series features more than a few characters from RPGs: 31 of its 82 characters are from our beloved genre, and that number grows if you want to bend the rules and include Mario characters because of games like Super Mario RPG and Mario & Luigi.

For our purposes here on Rhythm Encounter, it's also important that the Smash Bros. games contain an epic amount of music and arrangements of these RPG songs, specifically created for Smash. There's so many songs — Ultimate contains 1,068 tracks — we asked our panelists to pick arrangements from any Smash Bros. game that comes from a game we cover. The result is sure to be, well, a smashing good time.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:10:51 - Hyrule Temple (Akito Nakatsuka, arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Melee & Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
0:13:45 - Snowman (Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka, arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl & Mother Series
0:33:55 - Unfounded Revenge/Smashing Song of Praise (comp. and arr. Shogo Sakai) - Super Smash Bros. Brawl & Mother 3
0:37:47 - Route 10 - Pokémon Black / Pokémon White (GAME FREAK, arr. Yoko Shimomura) - Super Smash Bros. 3DS / Wii U & Pokémon Black & White
0:54:18 - Lament of Innocence (Michiru Yamane, arr. ACE) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
0:57:03 - Lost in Thoughts All Alone (Hiroki Morishita, arr. by Masato Coda) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Fire Emblem Fates
1:13:43 - Cosmo Canyon (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Yoko Shimomura) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Final Fantasy VII
1:16:00 - Aerith's Theme (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Keiichi Okabe) - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Final Fantasy VII
1:40:14 - Mike's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Once upon a time, an RPGFan editor remarked that Chrono Cross (where’s that remaster?) smelled like a piña colada. This little side comment sparked an idea with our own Michael Sollosi about what other RPG and drink pairings might sound and taste like. Over a year later, four panelists have chosen some RPG music and drink pairings that are sure to delight.

Of course, you don’t have to drink to enjoy this music, and we obviously recommend NOT trying all 8 of these pairings in one (or even three) sittings, so if you drink at all, please drink your sidecars and warm milk responsibly.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi, Quinon O’Connor; Edited by Jono Logan

Tracklist
0:06:54 - Grandport, City of Commerce (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler OST (pairing: Sangria Ala Felicia)
0:10:35 - Zelda's Lullaby (Milk Bar) & Hilda's Theme (Milk Bar) (Koji Kondo, Ryo Nagamatsu) - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Sound Selection (pairing: Warm Milk)
0:29:32 - Gothic Neclord (Miki Higashino) - Suikoden II OST (pairing: Bloody Mary)
0:33:46 - Draw! (Ryan Ike) - West of Loathing Original Soundtrack (pairing: A shot of bourbon)
0:53:21 - 04:42 Still Free (Danger) - Haven Original Soundtrack (pairing: Stormalong's "Red Skies at Night" cider)
0:56:30 - Crossroads (Atsushi Kitajoh) - Persona 5 OST (pairing: Sidecar)
1:17:16 - Chrysanthemum In Winter (Motoi Sakuraba) - Star Ocean: Till the End of Time OST (pairing: Bailey's Sundae)
1:20:00 - Lonely Space (Andrew Jeremy) - Coffee Talk OST (pairing: Espresso Martini)
1:47:45 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Long ago, the two podcasts of RPGFan lived in harmony. But then, everything changed when the Rhythm Nation attacked. Actually, that's not true. Rhythm Encounter was actually around before Retro Encounter, but Janet Jackson didn't record a song called Retro Nation, did she? (Did she?)

Today we are getting elemental. Any RPG fan knows how important the elements often are in our games, whether they're core to the plot like in the Mana series, or important in battle like in the MegaTen games. We have chosen four songs for some of the classical elements — with mild influence from Avatar: The Last Airbender — then things get interesting in the second half. What elements resonate with you? Let us know.

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Alana Hagues, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

• YouTube: Konami's E3 2010 Press Conference ("Director's Cut" version)

Tracklist
0:03:29 - WATER - The Floating Imperial City (Motoi Sakuraba) - Tales of the Abyss OST
0:06:53 - EARTH - Few Paths Forbidden (Hiroki Kikuta) - Trials of Mana / Seiken Densetsu 3 OST
0:28:57 - FIRE - 96-:rip, or Cauldros' Day Theme (Hiroyuki Sawano) - Xenoblade Chronicles X OST
0:31:53 - AIR - Eternal Wind (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Rei Yamashita, YUTAKA) - FINAL FANTASY III -Four Souls-
0:56:04 - MOON - V. Moon (Norihiko Yamanuki arr. Sebastian Freij) - Seven Songs for Seventh Saga
0:58:35 - LIGHT - Flowers Blooming in the Church (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy VII Remake OST
1:31:17 - DRAGON - (Reo Uratani) - Monster Hunter Generations: Ultimate OST
1:35:31 - TIME - The Tragic Prince (Michiru Yamane) - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night OST
2:10:46 - Alana's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Marty, we've got to go back! Back to the... past. That didn't work. But on this episode of Rhythm Encounter, we're doing a console-specific episode, for the first time since Episode 1 (which debuted way back in February 2013). The Nintendo Entertainment System wasn't the first game platform, but its impact on the gaming landscape can't be understated. Plus, for many of us of a certain age, it was likely the console that really got us into gaming — if not RPGs specifically — thanks to the debut of both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, among others. And that's why the NES was the perfect place to visit next for a console episode.

We hope you enjoy listening, and if you have thoughts on a console you'd like us to cover in the future, please drop us a line!

Featuring: Mike Salbato, Michael Sollosi, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

• YouTube: Theme of Xemn - MSX Version
• YouTube: Dave's Theme (Maniac Mansion) by Descendants of Erdrick
• Wired: The Untold Story of Maniac Mansion

Tracklist
0:11:29 - Overworld (Akito Nakatsuka) - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
0:13:09 - Snowy Fields (Masatomo Miyamoto) - The Guardian Legend
0:33:08 - Warriors of Sorrow (Akio Dobashi) - Lagrange Point
0:35:11 - The Boys are Still Back (Dave's Theme) (David Hayes) - Maniac Mansion (NES Version)
0:56:40 - Theme of Xemn (Yuzo Koshiro) - Legacy of the Wizard, NES Version [Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family (JP)]
0:58:38 - Priestess Aria (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy III (Pixel Remaster)
1:33:48 - Sollosi's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Once upon a time, the idea of going to a theater or other venue to see video game music performed live was unheard of. But as gaming grew in popularity, live performances have become more frequent, and fans have had the opportunities to hear the likes of The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy performed in various forms over the years. Add in music cons like MAGFest, and the proliferation of online concerts in the last couple years (such as last fall's Undertale Live), and there's no shortage of options to hear some of our favorite music in a new way. Today on Rhythm Encounter, our three panelists celebrate just some of these live renditions, to show the breadth of performances that are out there, waiting to be heard.

Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Mike Salbato, Jono Logan; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

• YouTube: The Black Mages 2nd Live Above The Sky - "Matoya's Cave"
• YouTube: Jun'ai Juuji Houka (Love in the Crossfire) (Comp. Revo) - Bravely Default - Linked Horizon
• Game Buffet on YouTube: Video Games Live 2018 4K: Jason Paige sings “Pokémon!” (Full Song)
• YouTube: Poem for Everyone's Souls - Persona 20th Anniversary Concert
• Game Music by Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà - iTunes/Apple Music, Spotify
• YouTube: BABYMETAL: Karate

Tracklist
0:11:12 - Guldove (Yasunori Mitsuda) - CHRONO CROSS 20th Anniversary Live Tour 2019
0:14:48 - Matoya's Cave (Nobuo Uematsu) - THE BLACK MAGES LIVE "Above the Sky"
0:39:20 - Myst Medley (Robyn Miller, Jack Wall, performed by Video Games Live) - Video Games Live Level 1
0:45:24 - Poem For Everyone's Souls (Shoji Meguro) - Persona 20th Anniversary Concert
1:11:30 - Jun'ai Juuji Houka (Love in the Crossfire) (Revo) - Bravely Default - Linked Horizon - Luxendarc Rukusendaruku Kiko -
1:16:50 - Pokémon - "Gotta Catch 'Em All" (John Siegler and John Loeffler) - Video Games Live Level 6 (Audio credit: Game Buffet on YouTube)
1:43:35 - Hilary's Bonus Track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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Title screens are among the first things we see when we turn on our favourite RPGs, and they're incredibly unique to the medium of video games. So it seems criminal that we haven't had an episode devoted exclusively to them! From setting the tone to weaving a story, a title screen (and its accompanying music) can say a thousand things about the video game it precedes. On today's show, we leave the start button alone to soak in our favourite title screen songs, marrying images, nostalgia, and themes from the games to each piece. From modern classics to childhood favourites and fan favourites, there's an eclectic mix of music on offer!

Featuring: Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson, Greg Delmage, Wes Iliff; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

• Bit Brigade Live at PAX Prime 2014 (YouTube)
• Grandia II Title Screen [Unofficial] (YouTube)
• A Deus - Grandia II Original Soundtrack (YouTube)

Tracklist
0:05:00 - Title (Koji Kondo, arr. Bit Brigade) - The Legend of Zelda
0:06:32 - Octopath Traveler -Main Theme- (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler
0:27:22 - Brat Overflow (Hitoshi Sakimoto [Basiscape]) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
0:29:17 - Into Free ~Dangan~ (Takahiro Matsumoto, performed by B'z) - Dragon's Dogma
0:54:37 - Beginnings (Hidenori Iwasaki) - Front Mission 4
0:56:33 - Title Screen [Unreleased] (Noriyuki Iwadare) - Grandia II
1:16:10 - Main Theme (Yutaka Minobe) - Skies of Arcadia
1:17:47 - Main Theme (Yoko Shimomura) - Xenoblade Chronicles
1:45:54 - Wes' bonus track!

Album links for places to buy, stream, and more are available in our post on RPGFan.

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When it comes to instrumentation, it doesn’t get more fundamental than the piano. Not only is it often the first instrument that musicians learn, but its 88-note range and ability to play both melody and accompaniment give it unmatched versatility. Piano albums of RPG soundtracks have been popular for decades, and in today’s episode, our panel is going to take a deep dive into some of our favorite songs! From the soundtracks of indie darlings to the best arrangements that Square Enix has to offer, join us in a piano lesson you’ll never forget!

Featuring Jono Logan, Kaleb Curry, Patrick Gann, Pete Leavitt: Names; Edited by Jono Logan

Links for this episode

• Radiant Historia - Mechanical Kingdom - Piano Arrangement by Mark Andrews

Tracklist
0:06:30 - To Zanarkand (Nobuo Uematsu) - Final Fantasy X
0:09:35 - Mechanical Kingdom (Yoko Shimomura, arr. Mark Andrews) - Radiant Historia
0:32:22 - Ripples of Daydream (Yu-Peng Cheng) - Genshin Impact
0:33:43 - Field (Night) (Manaka Kataoka) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
0:57:46 - H'aanit, the Hunter (Yasunori Nishiki) - Octopath Traveler
1:00:40 - Snowy (Toby Fox, arr. David Peacock) - Undertale
1:23:40 - Crystal Cave (Nobuo Uematsu, arr. Hiroyuki Nakayama) - Final Fantasy III
1:27:00 - Chrono Trigger (Piano Duo Ver) (Yasunori Mitsuda, arr. Takuro Iga) - Chrono Trigger
2:01:34 - Patrick’s Bonus Track!

Album Links

Chrono Orchestra Arrangement Box

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• CDJapan

Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• Amazon
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

Genshin Impact – The Shimmering Voyage

• VGMdb
• Amazon
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• CDJapan
• Amazon

Octopath Traveler Original Soundtrack

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• CDJapan
• Amazon
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

Piano Collection Final Fantasy X-2

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• Play-Asia
• Amazon

Piano Opera Final Fantasy I/II/III

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• CDJapan
• iTunes Store / Apple Music

Undertale Piano Collections

• Our Review
• VGMdb
• Amazon
• iTunes Store / Apple Music
• Spotify

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