Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete Box (TOCT-26221)
 

Information regarding this nine-disc boxset has been pretty scarce, up until now, since CDJapan gives us a fresh update:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TOCT-26221



I am very impressed with these details. I am most anticipating the extended version of the KHII soundtrack and I'm happy that even the composer disliked the original commercial release. No scans yet but the price is set at $120 US.

I am definitely ordering this, since I've been a fan of KH music for quite some time now.

Comments? =o

Ah, I see. Deliberately release shortened KH2 soundtrack then do a re-release many months later. With new content! Clever. Just like KH2 Final Mix+. I'll be waiting for Kingdom Hearts II-3 Final Mix++ sometime early next year!!!

But seriously, good to see the KH2 soundtrack receiving some justice. Not looping the tracks was a bit silly. And I wonder if Shimomura will want to remaster the soundtrack. I'll be eagerly anticipating "Battle of Another Side" from Chain of Memories. Wouldn't be surprised if it's remastered for PS2 considering that the GBA game is supposed to be remade for KH2 Final Mix+.

I'm totally ordering this as well. I was going the same very thread yesterday, but decided not to. Nice piece to add to my collection :D

Already have this bad boy ordered. The extended KHII OST is a VERY welcome addition. The unreleased stuff should be neat too. I hope they throw in some sort of arrange or piano album as well. The pricetag is definitely worth it for me.

So many great box sets have been released lately and it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

I'm sold after hearing that Kingdom Hearts II will actually loop. It'd be so awesome if (like Godai + Msia said) Shimomura upgraded the synth quality of the KH(& II) soundtrack(s). That would also be a welcome addition. The unreleased tracks sound intriguing, too.

If only a KH remix album was released. I can see a jazz-fusion and/or celtic album going over quite nicely.

Edit: So...
KH OST: 2 discs
KHII OST: 2(3?) discs
KH:CoM: 2 discs
Unreleased tracks: 1/2

I'm confused. =/

What! Meddling with Kingdom Hearts 1's music synth is blasphemy. It was already a top notch performance by sequencer Ryoo Yamazaki, even though the music itself wasn't very good. Extremely good synth gone to waste. KH 2 coul use a remastered synth version from below subpar to not-ear-killing. Bring Yamazaki back for number 2!

Also since the box is 9 discs, I'm guessing the following:

KH1 OST - 3cd (come on, the 40 tracks per cd wasn't really fun)
KH2 OST - 3cd
KH CoM OST 2cd
KH 1&2 Final Mixes tracks plus some bonus tracks, orchestral arrangements, whatnot, maybe - 1cd.

Just a guess, I repeat.

No, I'm not getting this box, ju-

Perhaps we'll get the english versions of KHII, like... UNDER THE SEA XD

Bite your tongue.

I'm extremely interested in this, even though there's no way I can afford it. I'm especially curious about the CoM tracks; will they be remastered or presented in glorious 16-bit GBA sound?

Either way, official lengthier KH2 tracks would be incredible, since I've been relying on hommade versions. And the thought of additional, unreleased tracks makes the mouth water.

Is this going to be a limited release? I ask because I'll probably be able to get a digital copy somewhere (;)) but I'd like to get the box itself when fundage isn't as much of an issue.

Now that I think about it more, I remembered the first time when I listen to the KHII OST I thought to myself: "Why didn't they use the same synth quality KH had..?". In other words, I stand corrected.

And your guess about the disc spanning sounds fairly accurate.

Maybe both? It's been done before. For example, the FFTA soundtrack. It's possible, but if not then I'm sure they'll use the higher quality version (that is, if there's a discernible difference between the KH:CoM tracks and the KH/KHII tracks, 'cause I know many were dumbed down for the GBA)

Edit: How about this?: Kingdom Hearts Symphonic Sweet. Oops, I mean suite.

Bleh, I didnt like the KH music as much as I like the FF music, but I think Ill try to get my hands on it ;)

Must...get...OST box set...right...NOW!!!

Yeah that sums it up for me. :D

For your information, there is just one First Press copy left on cdjapan.co.jp.

I'm getting it through a store in Hong Kong, to save shipping fares.

Though I do request that someone take snapshots or scan the extra goods the first press comes with, in case I don't get one. And I'm sure fans and fansites will wanna see it.

I wonder if there will be any more orchestra performances? One can only hope...

Kairi Li,

I love your avatar. Brings back memories...

Click on the banner sig so you can post about it on the right topic, like to see your post on this!

Anyhoo, I personally doubt there will be anymore orchestral performances, since it cost alot more money...

Although, since they are extending the secret ending, that idea may not be as far fetched as I thought...

http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?Ca...r=TOCT-26221~9

A track list has been added thanks to "KujaFFman". I'm very excited about this box now; the Kingdom Hearts II Original Soundtrack increased to 4 discs?! And some new tracks?! Forget all my biases regarding the music.

No change to the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack is visible. Also, disc 9 intrigues me with some completely new tracks. Overall this update has just given me a much needed enthusiasm boost.

Shimomura FTW.

Shimomura FTW indeed!

The tracklist is very exciting; I can finally discard my homemade extended versions of KH2 tracks and get decent versions of the CoM ones. I hope that CoM is arranged, but given the number of repeated tracks, that seems unlikely.

Best of all, it looks like the last disc has not only all the tracks from the rare Final Mix disc, but some brand new ones as well. *drool*

Oh man, that tracklist looks lovely. I figured KHII would end up being 3 discs but 4 discs is a very pleasant suprise. The Unreleased Tracks disc looks great too. After years of trying to get ahold of the Final Mix album, I won't have to search any longer.

This is going to be one hell of a box set.

Guys, don't forget this release conicides with KH 2 Final Mix, and there are alot of new stuff, like areas and boss fights in it, and a new secret ending. Naturally that would mean new tracks.

Disk 9 has all the tracks including in KH1 FM and KH2 FM.

05 What A Surprise?!
06 Happy Holidays!
07 The 13th Reflection
08 Cavern of Remembrance
09 Deep Anxiety
10 The Alter Existence
11 Awaken Rage
12 Fate of Not Known

Meaning those above are the new tracks from KH2 FM, and one of them should be playing on the official KH2 FM site. God knows which track though.

And if Happy Holidays means we get a Xmas theme for Xmas town, I would be SO happy. The Halloween theme was wrong for Xmas town.

Oh yeah, this annoyed me so much in Kingdom Hearts II. I really hope you're correct, it seems quite plausible. Why didn't she compose a tune for Christmas Town? I'm not a fan of seeing Shimomura's lazy side. =P

I'm surprised they didn't try to get the Xmas song from Nightmare before Xmas and play it there, the one where Jack goes "What's this? What's this?"

I guess they wanted to make things smoother by just having one town theme in each world, saves programmers the trouble. Same thing with the Santa outfit.

EDIT: God, The Graceful Assassin from KHU forums pointed out something that I didn't notice.

http://www.khforums.com/index.php?s=...dpost&p=863398

This means all the world have some new extension to them, ROCK ON!

Forgive the double post please, but images of the CD set was released by HMV Japan.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/kairi_li/cd.jpg

Nice. I guess the CD case is the bonus for the First Press Edition :)

That is so beautiful and awesome =O

I wish I had enough money to buy it :(

Whoa, that's some awesome packaging. This is shaping up to be one hell of a box set; I think it'll obliterate the FFXI Premium Box.

Yeah, the packaging looks pretty darn good. I can't wait to get an up-close look at Nomura's designs.

Hmm... it seems this pretty good release will lack the english variations... :( Well, it is a Japanese release after all...

*sigh* If that rumored "Complete Final Mix" comes out here (since we didn't get the 1st game's, some internal people are saying that there are talks about releasing all 3 games for the Playstation 2 in a set), I hope that we can get the album in English as a deal.

The official site for this set is up now here.

I'm glad to see that the Chain of Memories section will be Re: Chain of Memories. I'm chomping at the bit for this now.

*sigh of relief* I'm glad that the CoM section is Re: CoM too...hopefully the tracks which are repeated on the KHII OST will be remixed in some innovative ways.

Not to mention the KHI tracks--I'm hoping for some creative bits of remixery. But the tracks that are from niether KHI nor KHII are the really exciting things about that disc.

Hell, I want the entire set so bad it hurts. The first person to post any sort of sound clip from the set gets an Eternal Cookie.

EDIT:
;_; YesAsia wants $134.75 for the set. So much for getting a legitimate copy...

http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.asp...id-1004625506/

Only $134? That's pritty cheap concidering what your geting, I meen that's like £65 in real money and that just about translates to what they're asking for in Nihon-go land if the power of XE.com is anything to go by.

Yeah, i'm kinda waiting to see what of this set.

134.75 USD = 15,811.72 JPY and it includes shipping (since it qualifies for free worldwide shipping). Even minus frequent shopping points I had, my copy from CDJapan still costs me over 17,000yen. But at least I'm sure to get the first press bonus [cd case], which isn't guaranteed on yesasia. Plus, when I preordered my biohazard Sound Complete Box from that website, I waited a month to get it delivered.

Is gamemp3s going to have this CD set on torrent? I mean, this IS the definite KH soundtrack release, new tracks with Re:COM and the KH2 tracks actually LOOPING.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFoFPb7zSZo

Well one thing we can be sure of from that video is the Re:COM intro is practically orchestrated, those strings have to be real.

Well I've listened to most of the box, and it's a mixed bag for me. I'm a bit disappointed with a majority of the tracks from Re: CoM; I feel in many cases Shimomura could've done so much more with arrangement, 'cause some sound oh-so similar to their original versions. The quality is nice, though; I do sense a slight improvement over some originals.

The KHII tracks are even better than before, now :D. It's just a much more enjoyable listen now that they're all looped. The various new tracks hidden among the OST are decent...they didn't blow me away nor did they stick out like a throbbing sore thumb, they blended in nicely with the rest of the music.

As for the new unreleased tracks (from KHII), one word: awesome. They're all great, and there's not a sour one in the bunch. Out of all of them, I'm particularly fond of "Deep Anxiety" and "Happy Holidays!". The latter more-so because of it's extremely infectious melody which always brings a smile on my face, and it paints a cheerful yet rowdy Christmassy scene really well...having said that, it sort of reminds me of "Pirate's Gigue" regarding the structure of the track. I'm glad Shimomura got her head around why she didn't compose this track and "What a Surprise!" for Christmas Town in the first place.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Overall, a really great box set with only a few disappointments. Shimomura matching her best, IMO.

Roxas's boss battle music and the music for the new secret ending rocks.

And it SO nice to hear KH2's Dearly Beloved looped like the way it should.

This was a very pricey set but I don't regret buying it one bit. I'm very satisfied with it. The beefed up KHII OST, Re: CoM arrangements and the Final Mix bonus disc all make me feel better about putting down so much money for it.

I'm preparing a full-length review of the set, but my opinions pretty much gel with what others have said.

KHI is identical to the five-star original, so there's no need to discuss it.

KHII still has significant weaknesses, but looping the tracks has allowed its considerable strengths to shine. The Gummi Ship and Organizaion XII tracks benefit from this the most, as they were the most shortchanged on album. The new tracks aren't anything that special, but are a nice inclusion.

Re:CoM is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the new material is excellent, and it's a joy to finally hear it in decent sound quality. The incidental cutscene tracks and new battle music benefit the most from this. On the other hand, there's an incredible amout of regurgitation--only about 50 mins of material is original or arranged enough to differentiate it from the original tracks. Add to that the fact that many of the best CoM tracks were arranged for KHII, and you get an album with an awful lot of filler.

The bonus Final Mix disc is uniformly terrific. In addition to the great KHI tracks, the new KHII selections are to die for. The Christmas Town music is almost enogh to make me forget the regurgitation of music in Halloween Town, and the new battle music and bonus areas/movies can stand up with the best of Shimomura's dark music for the series.

Nay... I'll pass since it's too expensive!

This set is great, I got it off gamemp3s.net a while ago and disc9 is my favorite. The final mix songs are all excellent, especially the song "Fate of the Unknown" which plays during the secret movie in KH2 FM+.