Rambling Rican Reacts: Hollow - Ending theme Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Direct Link to Video

Published February 3, 2020

SquareEnix released 2 videos promoting the ending song for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake (Part 1).

Game trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3alSpW18SnE

Behind the scenes "Hollow": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZKR9slSECg

Japanese behind the scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8xjXZ2xdEQ

I do a brief reaction to the game trailer but I mostly focus on the lyrics and tone of the ending song "Hollow". I look forward to the release of the single as I love it and definitely want to support it.

In the absence of the full song out I relied on an awesome rearrangement of the song created by String Player Gamer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63TwY3JxKCg

Hopefully I did well enough to sync everything up so you get an idea of the music and the lyrics. Let me know what you think of the song! I'd love to read about it.

(I get a small commission for any purchases made via Amazon Affiliate links)

Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4 Game) Preorder Amazon Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2NZZN0u

Video recorded on February 3, 2020

http://www.ramblingrican.com/ 

https://twitter.com/Arsenette 

https://www.instagram.com/ramblingrican/ 

https://www.twitch.tv/Arsenette 

http://www.youtube.com/Arsenette 

Affiliate links: Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.com/r/ARSENE14?eeid=28187 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MN2L8B

Devil May Cry (Rambling Rican Mix)

Direct Link to Video

Published October 14, 2019

I decided to try something different. I do these on my own and have been for a number of years but decided to make a music video out of this one.  This is a compilation of songs I like from the Devil May Cry Series. Songs are from Devil May Cry 1-5 including HD collections and special soundtracks.  Hope it is something someone else enjoys it as well!

Devil May Cry 5 - Title Screen
Devil May Cry 5 - Inherited Intentions
Devil May Cry 5 - Dance with Cavaliere
Devil May Cry 1 - Heads Or Tails (Staff Roll)
Devil May Cry HR HM Arrange - Forza del Destino
Devil May Cry 5 - Devil Trigger (Devil Shocker Remix)
Devil May Cry 3 - Cerberus Battle "Suffer"
Devil May Cry 3 - Vergil Battle 2
Devil May Cry 5 - Feel the Shock
Devil May Cry - Dante's Selection - Ring The Noise
Devil May Cry HR HM Arrange - Devils Never Cry
Devil May Cry Mega Mix - Lock and Load
Devil May Cry X The Last Judgement - Devil Zone
Devil May Cry 3 - Nevan Appearance - Battle
Devil May Cry 4 - Swipe of Sword
Devil May Cry 3 - Sparda's Theme
Devil May Cry 5 - History of DMC

Amazon Affiliate links:
(I get a small commission for any purchases made via links)
DMC 5 Soundtrack: https://amzn.to/2oHDPVM
DMC Sound box (DMC 1-4): https://amzn.to/2nJJEBu
DMC 4 Special Soundtrack: https://amzn.to/2nN0Ciz

Video Game Links:
DMC HD Collection (PS4): https://amzn.to/2pkBv7b
DMC 5 (PS4): https://amzn.to/32hRjWD

Video recorded on October 14, 2019

http://www.ramblingrican.com/
https://twitter.com/Arsenette
https://www.instagram.com/ramblingrican/
https://www.twitch.tv/Arsenette
http://www.youtube.com/Arsenette

Affiliate links:
Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.com/r/ARSENE14?eeid=28187
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MN2L8B

Space Battleship Yamato 2199 - 1979 Starblazers Theme Cover by Arsenette

Direct Link to Video

Published August 16, 2018

In celebration of the Funimation release of "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" on Bluray/DVD in both English and Japanese for the Western audience (Amazon affiliated link: https://amzn.to/2nLSQBD ) I wanted to do something special.  Inspired by the ワンドロヤマト "One hour drawing Yamato" that goes on in Japan via Twitter #ymt60draw (Thanks to Poki for the heads up - https://twitter.com/popoki_cat/status/1030108912031158272 ) I wanted to try doing something that took me an hour to do.  I don't draw that well anymore so I figured I try singing the theme song in English.  There is no English version for the 2199 version so I reverted back to my original version from way back in 1979.  I arranged it to be a slower pace than the original (inspired by the early episodes of 2199) and a Capella since I didn't want to use the original music. These are the English Lyrics to Starblazers as it aired in Season 1 in the West when I was a kid. Hope you like it and please mind the scratchy voice as I'm suffering from cedar allergies which apparently are brand new to me.

Please support the original releases as they are near and dear to my heart.  The original 2199 crew that remade a FANTASTIC series and made it better, Crunchyroll for license rescuing it and bring the original to the West and Funimation for an amazing English dub.  Now with a great Bluray release it is a perfect time to jump into the series as a new fan while honoring the nostalgia for the original.  I'm still holding out hope that some day Funimation dubs the song in English for us old geezers that still sing these English lyrics every time the opening to this show starts. LOL

If you haven't seen it yet, the series is available for legal streaming as of this recording.

https://www.funimation.com/shows/star-blazers/
http://www.crunchyroll.com/star-blazers-space-battleship-yamato
https://vrv.co/series/GYNQWQN2Y/Star-Blazers

Sung by me: Arsenette Reiter
Lyrics: Ginny Reddington
http://ourstarblazers.com/vault/249/

http://www.ramblingrican.com/
https://twitter.com/Arsenette
https://www.instagram.com/ramblingrican/
https://www.twitch.tv/Arsenette

Affiliate links:
Ebates: https://www.ebates.com/r/ARSENE14?eeid=28187
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KD0wRK

Makoto Nagano Sings!

Cover of the Yujou To Tatakaino Kiseki CD
友情と闘いの軌跡 CD

Edit: 3/13/11 - I updated below the English Lyrics to the song.

Edit: 4/6/11 - Youtube video was removed as was indicated previously (was a preview video announcing the song). Information about actual release is being sifted through and as I get them I will update this page (all the way at the bottom of the post).
Edit: 5/25/11 - Forgot... but added the full English Lyrics and Romanji so people can sing along if they like.
Edit: 7/1/11 - Readded video from new official Facebook page.

Music・ Pr・Video＿NetSizeVer
長野誠が初のCDをオリジナルの詩から完成させました。タカスイ　http://www.takasui.co.jp/index2.html
長野誠サイト　http://www.takasui.co.jp/main/sasuke/
伝説のエレック　http://elecrecords.com/mail.php

全国のアスリートへ送る、共に心のメッセージを金子裕則がまとめミュー音楽出版を通じ­て発表しました。
CDは来期ミュー音楽出版より発表されます。
是非お聞き下さい。

It's finally happened! All-Star Makoto Nagano 長野誠 has released (April, 2011 release is expected) his first music CD where he sings and plays guitar. He did pretty good on his first venture! We wish him success! Lyrics below.

Edit: 3/13/11 - I updated below the English Lyrics to the song. Makoto Nagano wrote the lyrics for the song and has been arranged and music was composed by Hironori Kaneko 金子裕則.

Lyrics: Makoto Nagano 長野誠
Music: Hironori Kaneko 金子裕則.
English Translatio: Carol Hui Akiyama

VIDEO LINK

(An Ode to) The Fighting Spirit of Men

I am starting to run, to leave behind evidence I existed
To a place where there is the tears and sweat of men, but also strong bonds

No matter how tough things got, we were all there together
To encourage each other, to compete and to take on challenges

And the times when I got afraid, my buddies, you lifted my spirit and kept praying
So all I had to do was believe, to believe in myself and go


(CHORUS)
Keep on going, towards tomorrow
No matter how broken down you get, always pick yourself up
Don’t get defeated by your greatest opponent – yourself
So one day, you can turn these tears of defeat into tears of joy

You are also starting to run, to fulfill your dreams
To that place where you can shine, where your lives have meaning

With the sun setting on your backs, you still dream and challenge yourselves
No matter how deep you fall, you always crawl back up

So one day I will see you shine, and shed tears from my heart
Because your happiness is my happiness

(Chorus)

We are starting to run, to find some meaning in our lives
It is a place of defeat, hopelessness, pain, sadness and tears
But… (Chorus)

It’s my life, is the stage.

* * * * * *

Romanji version: Carol Hui Akiyama

Ore wa ima hashiri dashita ikita akashi o nokosu tame ni
Soko ni wa otoko dachi no ase ya namida ga ari, kizuna ga atta

Donna ni kurushii toki mo, kimidachi wa soba ni ite kureta
Hagemashi ai, kisoi ai, idomi tsu tsuketa

Osoreru ore ni kiai o ire, inori tsu tsukeru nakama dachi
Ato wa jibun o shinjite, shinjite susumu dake

Chorus
Sa a yuke! Ashita ni mukatte
Don na ni uchi kuda kare temo
Akira mezu ni tachi mukae
Makeru na! Jibun to iu saidai no teki ni
Itsuka no hi ka kuyashi namida o yorokobi no namida ni kae yo

Kimi dachi mo ashiri dashita idai ita yume o kana eru tame ni
So ko ni wa onore o kagayaka seru basho ga ari, jinsei ga atta

Senaka ni yuuhi o abite, yume o oi, idomi tsu tsuke
Don zoku ni oto sare temo, hai agatte kita kimi tachi
Itsuka no hi ka kimi dachi no kagayaku sugata o mite,
kokoro no namida o nagashitai
Kimi dachi no yorokobi wa, ore no yorokobi dakara
(Chorus)

Otoko dachi wa hashiri dashita
Ikiru imi o sagasu tame ni
Soko ni wa zasetsu ya zetsubo, kuya shimi ya kana shimi ga ari, namida ga atta
(Chorus)

It’s my life, is the stage

Cover of the Yujou To Tatakaino Kiseki CD
友情と闘いの軌跡 CD

American Release Information:

USA Amazon Information: Release date is May 11, 2011
Title of CD: Yujou To Tatakaino Kiseki

• This is the MP3 worldwide release of the songs. There are 2 songs (each with their own karaoke (or instrumental) versions. First song is the single I was writing about and the second song is a Takasui company song.
• The CD is $3.96 USA
• Songs individually are $0.99 USA

Itunes information: Release date is May 11, 2011
Title of CD: Yujou To Tatakaino Kiseki

• The CD is $5.16 USA
• Songs individually are $1.29 USA

****************************************

Japanese information:
Japanese Amazon information: Release date is May 11, 2011 (thanks Tiger for finding it!)
Title of CD: 友情と闘いの軌跡

• The CD is ￥ 800 (approximately $9.50 with the conversion rates)
• Songs individually are ￥ 200 ($2.37 USA)

Music JP Ringtones:

• Release date 5/11/11

Mora Information:

• Release date 5/11/11

Mora Win Information:

• Release date seems to be today 4/6/11.

My Sasuke Tribute Video

I had a bunch of requests to blog about this. I put it up on YouTube last week and am surprised at the comments. Grateful but surprised. Some can't find it unless I send them the direct link. Dunno why.. but here it is..

My Sasuke Tribute Video - Created August 4-5, 2008

I've been meaning to do this for a while but I've been frustrated with the Windows Movie Maker. I was a film major in college back in the 1990's and adored their video editing station. Jog wheels.. two video screens to see source and final footage... insert editing.. yeah.. I missed all that. I'm stuck with assembly editing and scrolling bars instead of timed out frame by frame editing.. still.. it's "okay".. The quality of the videos were "eh" to begin with but I had fun doing it. I still get the "why didn't you put so and so in Sasuke such and such on this part" and where's such and such. Short answer.. I either didn't have the footage, footage sucked or.. I didn't want that clip in that spot.. or my favorite.. I didn't agree.. do your own :)

First off .. the music. I have a bunch of Anime and Video game music I bought from Japan. I usually rip them to MP3 since I don't have a working MP3 player anymore so I use the Windows Media Player to shuffle all of them and play them while I'm on the computer. This song always had me thinking of Sasuke. Dunno why.. but I picture things like this when I hear music. I guess once an Editor.. always an Editor.. So.. I finally just put it on the timeline and Frankensteined this together. Music is from the official Guilty Gear X Soundtrack and the song is called "Burly Heart".

I didn't have all the footage I wanted but it was a first try. Maybe once I get better footage that doesn't totally screw up when I convert it to YouTube I'll try again. For now this is it. I fully expect someone to get pissed off I'm using their footage so don't be surprised if it's ripped down. I wish more people saw the show as it was intended to air but alas we are stuck with G4 (notice I didn't use any of their footage .. yes.. it was on purpose :p). So for as long as it stays up.. hope it inspires you to watch the show.

Favorites song of now... Kuchizuke

In a vain effort to .. well.. ATTEMPT to divert my attention away from Sasuke.. yeah.. lol ehem.. I've been making an effort to learn about new music. Thanks to Mr.Mike's Blog and other blogs from the SasukeFans site I've been seeing new things and expanding my horizons. As a few from the board will know I think a LOT of songs when I see pictures.. so for example I see a picture of...

Uhm.. Damn... Makoto Nagano ©Muscle Park 2007

You've got to be kidding.. Oh come on.. you'd think for a second... okay alright.. sorry.. he's hot.. Which reminds me.. My darling husband has been fighting back.. he decides to.. a couple days ago.. delay playing a game with me by watching TV in the other room. I'm wondering what is taking him so long.. (he did say he was coming to play.. "Soon™") so finally he comes in with a grin on his face... logs into the game I'm playing (an online Role Playing Game) and announces to his male friends that he got his Jeri Ryan fix for the day..

Jeri Ryan as "Seven of Nine" ©Memory Alpha

...to which I decided to remind him I got my Makoto Nagano fix earlier in the afternoon. He sticks out his tongue and we continue to play the game :p

ANYWAY.. where was I .. okay.. I was staring at the Nagano picture.. and immediately thought of a new song I found.

Kuchizuke by L'Arc~En~Ciel

Now this song is hooooooooooooooot. Adore the beat.. especially the middle section of the song. In the link provided above is a Youtube.com link to the song that's embedded in the site (which has the lyrics on the screen) but couldn't figure out how to link it here.. so there you go :p

This particular song I found by complete accident. Earlier in the year I actually found the the song..

Ready Steady Go! by L'Arc~En~Ciel

.. and no... I haven't seen the anime Full Metal Alchemist of which this is the Season Two opening theme... yes yes.. I know.. Sacrilege.. Anyway.. I fell in love with the song and bought the SMILE album since it had both the Full version of the Ready Steady Go! Song and the Karaoke version (which they called "Hyde-less" version). One day I pop in the CD in my player and start it from the beginning and BAM I run into Kuchizuke from the start.. It's the first song on the album. I was very surprised to hear this song. I don't know much at all about the band and frankly hearing the rest of the album was okay.. I got my money's worth by getting 3 songs from one album I like listening to. The others are a bit too JPoppy for me.

Back to Nagano (Sorry Holly and Tricia.. LOL).. One of the rare times you see him GOOD in jeans.. I mean wtf.. does this man not own a good pair of jeans? Apparently in 2007 he did as witnessed in this Muscle Park Blog dated May 4, 2007.

Yeeeeeeeeeehaw.. Nagano doing the arm-bike ©Muscle Park 2007

P.S. This was probably the last time you see Nagano not announce his "visit" since apparently from the pictures.. he was instantly recognized and caused quite a stir.. I think it was the jeans.. Why was I staring at the old picture anyway? Because he's going to be in Muscle Park on Saturday, July 19th! Here's to hoping Monster 9 decides to tape this sucker so I can see it in Sasuke Maniac!

Tribute to Puerto Rico

Last night a few of us in the Sasuke Fans Site were up and talking about.. oh.. just about everything :) We ended up talking about tree frogs and I got all nostalgic about Puerto Rico. It's a love hate relationship considering my involvement with Figure Skating (long story.. and I don't have the heart to talk about it right now...) but last night I was nostalgic.

This is a Coquí - Video from YouTube

For those of us born outside the island (I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).. THIS is the sound we crave when going "home". I was born in the United States (first Generation) while my parents were born on the Island of Puerto Rico. I remember when I moved to the Island, when I was 15 years old to live with my Aunt, that after a couple months.. I no longer "heard" them as they started to sing (usually starting around 5 pm'ish and going on all night). For the first month or so I was sitting at home and I would hear the first Coquí start to sing while my Aunt and her kids would look at me strange... only when they stopped everything they were doing and strained to listen would they hear the first calls. Around 7pm all bets are off as they start singing by the millions. If it's raining.. they can start singing early in the morning! I was so depressed when I didn't hear them start singing.... It was after I returned to the US and got used to the deafening silence of the evening that I can hear the Coquí's again start singing when I return to the Island.

Slideshow of Puerto Rico created by arevir99rivera - Video from YouTube

I found this link on YouTube. I adore it for many reasons. I love the song "Preciosa" (which means "Precious" or in this instance "Beautiful" - relating to the sheer beauty of Puerto Rico) as resung by Marc Anthony (it's a remake of a oooooooooooold song that my parents grew up with sung by famous composer Rafael Hernandez). The Marc Anthony remake really takes it's own flavor around 3 minutes in and was done quite well! When I heard he was going to remake the song I threw my hands up in the air in dismay... I was pleasantly surprised how close he kept the first part of the song close to the flavor of the original. The Ricans born outside of the Island sing the second part of the song usually so loud that we go horse (is that the way I spell that word?). The second part of the song is a tribute to Rafael Hernandez and poses how those born out of the Island inherited their love for the Island because we carry it in our blood and will always love the Island of Puerto Rico.

Favorite Anime Opening and Closing Songs...

Because I felt like doing 2 posts in one day :p So sue me! I picked different styles of music for each.. though this list is quite short considering the amount of music I like in Anime :D


Anime: Witch Hunter Robin - Song: "Shell" - Artist: Bana


Anime: R.O.D. (Read or Die) OVA (or movie) - Song: "R.O.D. - Opening Version" - Artist: Taku Iwasaki


Anime: R.O.D. (Read or Die) T.V. Series - Song: "R.O.D. - Opening Version" - Artist: remixed from the long versions by Taku Iwasaki


Anime: Cowboy Beepop - Song: "Tank" - Artist: Yoko Kanno


Anime: Fruits Basket - Song: "Fruits Basket Theme" (Let's stay together always?(not sure about title.. no ones ever gives out a title for this one) - Artist: Laura Bailey (English voice Actress for the main character of Tohru Honda)


Anime: Trigun - Song: "H.T." - Artist: Tsuneo Imahori


Anime: Ghost in the Shell - Song: "Inner Universe" - Artist: Origa


Anime: Ghost in the Shell - Song: "Rise" - Artist: Origa

So you think you can dance?

I'm never really into reality TV.. I hate Survivor.. hate Fear Factor.. hate American Idol.. so.. why was it a couple years ago when I went to my best friend's house and saw something on TV.. I LIKED? Because you can't FAKE dancing.. you either can.. or you can't.. no amount of musical masturbation is going to save you if you can't dance.. you can fake singing, you can fake being "real" in a reality show but you can't fake dancing.. So.. I started watching in the middle/end of Season 2. First I loved the parting song of whenever they booted one of the girls..


(Music - "Suddenly I See" - KT Tunstall)

I actually came in to see Dmitry booted off.. but before he was.. he treated me to this...


(Music - "Pump it" - Black Eyed Peas)

Then.. I saw Travis and Heidi do THIS dance...


(Music - "Calling you" - Celine Dion)

Oh I was hooked.. then another Heidi and Travis routine..


(Music - "Plaza of Execution" from the soundtrack of The Mask of Zorro)

And then the clincher..


(Music - "Black Mambo" - Angel and the Mambokats)

All in all I much prefered season 2 over season 1 and 3 so far.. not a clue what season 4 is going to turn up..