On October 11th, international indie band Mili pre-released the original soundtrack LP record of “ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist”. Along with this, a release commemorative event was held at Akihabara UDX Theater on the same day. At the event, there was a talk session where public interviews were held, and I had the opportunity to publicly interview three people on stage: Mili’s vocalist Cassie Wei, composer Yamato Kasai, and Ender series game director Keisuke Okabe.
“ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist” (hereinafter referred to as Ender Magnolia) is an exploration-type 2D action RPG released by Binary Haze Interactive on January 23rd of this year. It is a spiritual sequel to “ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights” (hereinafter referred to as ENDER LILIES), and both are popular works that have received high reviews both domestically and internationally on the Steam store page and have achieved “Very Positive” status. He also received high praise for his music.
In this article, which is the second part of the interview, we will introduce the details that were put into the original soundtrack LP record and what we learned about the recording. For information on music production,First partPlease take a look.
――I would like to ask each of you about the soundtrack of “Ender Magnolia”. Are there any songs in this work that you are particularly particular about or have a strong attachment to?
Mr. Kasai:
I like them all, butfinal boss songis one of my favorite songs that was also used for promotion. Also,theme songIt’s a piece of work that I have fond memories of recording on a very large scale.
after that”DignityI like this song. This is a pretty upbeat song among all the songs in the Ender series, and I was a little confused as to whether it was good or bad in terms of the world view, but when I looked at the atmosphere in the background, I thought it would be refreshing to play a slightly lively song like this, so I decided to make it, and in the end, I really fell in love with it.
Mr. Okabe:
I was moved as each song came up, and the song that played on the title screen.L” is a memorable episode. At first, I asked them to write a new song for the title, saying it was something typical of Ender Magnolia, but at Kasai’s suggestion, they wanted an arrangement of the same song from the previous work as the title song.
It was because of this suggestion that I was able to strongly feel that “Ender Magnolia” is a spiritual sequel to “Ender Lilies.” When you hear this song in “Ender Magnolia,” those who played the previous game will feel nostalgic, and it’s a really good song for those who are hearing it for the first time, so looking back on it now, I’m glad they chose that song.
Mr. Cassie:
First of all, I’ve been a big fan of Kasai since before I played Mili. That’s why, as a fan, I’m able to enjoy each song without the vocals. Naturally, I love all of the vocal songs this time, and it’s fun to sing, but when it comes to adding vocals, I end up in work mode.
Among them, I said,ShingariI love the Japanese-style song. Maybe it’s because I’m a foreigner, but I like the sounds of Japanese drums and Japanese musical instruments, but I love the fact that they don’t have a completely Japanese sound, but that the violin is included, which makes it very interesting. When I heard that song, I thought, “This is really good!” and it was very stimulating, and I felt like I had regained the feeling I had when I was just a fan before I became a member of the band, and I was very happy.
I want to make LP records because we live in an era full of digital technology.
――What made you decide to release this soundtrack as an LP record?
Mr. Kasai:
The songs are also distributed digitally, so anyone can easily listen to them. However, Mili has traditionally been a music group that makes physical records such as records, cassettes, and CDs. In particular, records and cassette tapes are analog media that wear out, so they have a limited lifespan. Its lifespan varies depending on the owner.
For example, when it comes to records, it depends on who dropped what kind of needle, what kind of needle and player they used, and the environment such as the humidity and temperature of the room. A while ago, I feel that it was thought of as a medium that would only deteriorate, but I think we are now in an era where it has value as it changes over time and ages. We decided to make this record because we want to do our best to create something that has physical value, especially since we are living in an increasingly digital age.
――He had always wanted to create one if he could find a printing company that was suitable for his purpose.
Mr. Cassie:
As the timing was perfect, I happened to be at a local marche, where a printing company in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, was opening a store for promotion. When I saw a fashionable doujinshi called ZINE made by that company, I thought that this company could make it properly. And we actually made it there.
――That kind of chance connection was also the catalyst. When I got my hands on this LP, I realized that it is one of the collector’s goods that fans should definitely get their hands on. It’s bound to look like a large picture book or a painting, and since it’s a game soundtrack album, I feel like they’re trying not to put too much emphasis on it. Of course, I think game fans should listen to it as a soundtrack, but what other people do you want them to pick up?
Mr. Kasai:
Basically, it’s an album made by Mili, but more than that, it’s a strong album that is a collection of my personal works. Also, there are many Mili fans who like instrumental music, and I want them to enjoy Mili’s work, and by extension, my personal work. Therefore, I hope that various people will think, “This song is good,” and not just because it’s a game soundtrack. Cassie was busy overseeing the entire production, including the binding.
――LPPlease tell us about your commitment to the binding and the production process.
Mr. Cassie:
From the beginning, I wanted to release it in a book-like format, different from the typical LP paper package. Since this is a game soundtrack, there are many songs, and the number of records will increase accordingly. Traditional record packaging only had about two options, and neither of them were suitable for the number of records we had. Therefore, I started thinking on the premise that it would be bound like a book. The most important thing was that you could turn the pages like a book, take out records, and display them.
Mr. Cassie:
I met the printing company around November or December of last year, and since then we have had repeated meetings and made samples many times. If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s quite complicated, with small paper parts on the spine and only the middle page opening completely flat so you can clearly see the artwork. It was very difficult to get the middle page to open flat.
Also, this time it is entirely made of black paper. It is not possible to print neatly on black paper, so by using a technique called “title note pasting”, which involves layering a separate sheet of paper on top of black paper, I was able to create a cover of “black paper with a picture using white” like this time. After much trial and error, we decided to go with this.
Mr. Kasai:
The worldview of the Ender series is really nice, isn’t it? That’s why I wanted to not destroy this worldview, and Mili also didn’t want to create a so-called Geek-like soundtrack cover. As a work, I don’t want the packaging to look like an advertisement. We had close discussions with the printing company about how to make it into a record, and we really took great care in creating it, making it feel more like our own album than a soundtrack.
The medium is already expensive and heavy, so the two of us thought carefully about how to prevent it from scattering and how to package it beautifully. If you have already purchased it, try it and you will understand, but you can stand it up on a table with the pages of the book open, and you can take out the record in that state. I made it that sturdy.
Mr. Cassie:
There were many ingenuity and hardships involved in binding the book. This time, I’m using a binding method that uses thread to bind the book, similar to those found in sutra books and goshuin books. I’m satisfied that I was able to create a structure that has Japanese elements in it, while also blending Western elements in a well-balanced manner.
The Ender series itself has a Western culture-like worldview, but it was created by Japanese people, including Mr. Okabe and Mr. Kasai. I think that balance was reflected in this LP.
――CassieI feel that your presence is contributing to the way we incorporate Western elements.
Mr. Cassie:
Thank you (lol)
Mr. Kasai:
Mr. Kazu Saito, who drew the cover art this time, is a Japanese painter, so even though the game itself has a Western culture feel, the cover art for this LP is drawn in a Japanese style. This has a very mysterious and fantasy atmosphere, as well as a dignified atmosphere unique to Japanese paintings, so I think the binding perfectly matches the dignified atmosphere of the Ender series.
――It’s true that if you say “Ender Magnolia,” you’d think so, but I feel like the jacket has an exquisite flavor that you wouldn’t think of if you hadn’t been told that.
――LPI would like to ask you about the recording format. This time, both sides of four discs are used, with a total of 48 tracks recorded on eight sides. Does the recording order correspond to the order in which they are played in the game? Or is there some kind of concept for each disc or side?
Mr. Kasai:
The recording order is based on the story order.
Mr. Cassie:
However, if the tracks were recorded in the order of the story, the fourth B-side would be blank. So, by picking up only the vocal songs and putting them together there, everything was able to fit in perfectly. As a result, the fourth B-side is a vocal selection.
Recorded instantly in Karuizawa
――I was surprised to learn that they rented a hall to record live music and live singing for the recording, but I’d like to hear about your experiences and memories from that time.
Mr. Kasai:
First of all, we recorded it not in Tokyo, but at Karuizawa Ohga Hall in Karuizawa, where we currently live. It’s a splendid hall built by the chairman of Sony. Therefore, we simultaneously recorded over 20 string instruments, wind instruments, and live piano performances. This is a hall with a very unique sound. The shape was a bit interesting, I think it was a pentagon. We had everyone come from Tokyo, including engineers and performers, and recorded it. Since that was the theme song for “Ender Magnolia,” I wanted to include the atmosphere of the hall in the recording.
I was hoping that the sound and atmosphere of the hall would be transmitted to the listeners and create a sense of tension, which would lead to the atmosphere that plays during the end credits.
Mr. Cassie:
That was the first time Mr. Okabe participated in a recording.
Mr. Okabe:
yes. I was asked to come over to record, so I took the Shinkansen, arrived, got ready, recorded on an amazing stage, and it was over right away, and I was like, “Is that the end…?” (laughs)
Mr. Cassie:
Everyone was so good at it that it was over in an instant. If it were a normal game company, they might have released five songs a day, but since we only had one song, we finished it right away.
Mr. Kasai:
When there are a lot of songs on the record, there are some parts that you have to make some compromises to finish. In order not to make any compromises, we took a lot of time to write the theme song, and created a situation where we could rewrite it over and over again if we didn’t like something.
――Karuizawa’shome studioI would like to ask you a little bit about your production system. What does your daily schedule look like?
Mr. Kasai:
Actually, my son was born while I was creating the BGM for Ender Magnolia, and the production environment changed completely from there. My wife Cassie and I work together in the same place, doing the same job. So no matter what we do, we work together like this. Therefore, it is not possible to leave the child with one of the parents and go to work alone.
Mr. Cassie:
So at home, I wake up early in the morning and start recording. For example, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., I lock myself in my vocal recording booth at home and record as many vocals as I can. Then, at 12:00, I have lunch with my family.
Mr. Kasai:
Until then, I will be looking after my son. From there, I ask Cassie to take care of my son, and I set aside the time until I eat dinner at around 6pm to write songs.
Mr. Cassie:
After I eat dinner, give my son a bath, and put him to bed, I may continue working, depending on how busy both of us are.
Mr. Kasai:
In terms of work time, it’s a lot less than when I would normally have a full day to work, but I have a tendency to be lazy, so when I think I don’t have time, I end up working harder. As a result, I feel that my work time has actually increased.
――This is a question I always like to ask creators, but if you’re in a slump, how do you get out of it?
Mr. Kasai:
Actually, I’ve never been in a slump, and I don’t even know how ideas and melodies come to me, so I just come up with them. I feel that if I keep inputting things, things will come out naturally. If you’re in a slump and can’t come up with any ideas or are feeling down, I want you to forget everything and go somewhere for fun. Maybe you’re just thinking about it and not having a regular routine, so it might be a good idea to forget everything and start making it without worrying about it.
Mr. Okabe:
There will be no slump in game direction, design, etc. If something doesn’t look right, it basically means something is wrong with the design or something, so you’ll have to look for the mistakes. We will investigate the cause of the problem, whether you are thinking incorrectly or whether the fundamental concept is wrong in the first place.
When it comes to screenplays, there are times when I feel like I’m in a slump, where I can’t think of anything, but at those times I look at other works, and when I find something really good, I get overwhelmed. So, on the other hand, sometimes I find myself resolving my ambivalence by watching works that make me think I can win (lol).
Mr. Cassie:
Actually, I’m the type of person who has never been in a slump, and what’s more, I’m extremely stoic. I’m the type of person who always wants to have something in every time slot on my Google Calendar, so I’m very strict with myself. I believe that there is no such thing as “I can’t do something”, just “I don’t want to do it” or “I want to slack off right now”.
Mr. Kasai:
We’re all saying unhelpful things (lol).To people who are in a slump, we may seem like the enemy.
――(lol)
Mr. Cassie:
I think of it as the same as wringing out a rag. If there is no water, no matter how much you wring the rag, no water will come out. So, when it comes to what water is, I think it’s a life experience.
That’s why I think you should try out something, no matter what. For example, you can go for a walk outside, or you can just look at the scenery and think, “This is the shape of the manhole here,” or “That insect has a strange pattern,” or “There’s some kind of plant in that garden, but what kind of plant is it? Let’s take a photo and find out.” I think it’s important to have some kind of experience.
For example, in the production of “Ender Magnolia”, since I am creating the theme song for a game, I don’t necessarily have to play the game, and there are many ideas that come from seemingly unrelated experiences. For example, if you go to a hot spring town, the experience of “I felt so good after taking a hot spring” might spark a desire to try a song with intense battles. Because we don’t know what will really trigger it, I think it’s important to do something and not maintain the status quo.
――Lastly, please give a message to those who purchase the LP.
Mr. Cassie:
It was my first time to hold an event like this, so I had no idea how many people would come, but I was really glad to be able to see everyone’s faces and talk to them. Kasai’s birthday was yesterday.
Mr. Kasai:
I’m sure everyone has already bought a lot. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t buy records. One set per person please (lol)
Mr. Okabe:
Thank you for coming today. The games I make can be played by downloading, so fewer people are buying them in packages these days, but I remember when I was a kid I would buy them in packages and grin when I looked at the instructions. I think it’s really gratifying for me to have something left behind in the form of something like this, and although game music can only be listened to in games, I think it would be great if people could remember a little bit about the games when they listen to this music in their daily lives.
Also, it was my first time to stand in a place like this and be interviewed, so I felt like I was participating in an event with the two Mili’s, but at the autograph session there were quite a few people who said, “I cleared it!”, which made me really happy. I also decided to go out more from now on. thank you very much.
『ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist” is a PC (Steam) andNintendo Switch/PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|SOn sale for. Original soundtrack LP recordMili Online StoreIt’s on sale at.
[聞き手・執筆：Kei Aiuchi]
[編集：Aki Nogishi]
[写真撮影：ATSUSHI]
