In 2000, the song "starmine" was adopted in the general music recruitment of "beatmania IIDX 3rd style." That same year, Ryu☆, a music creator who has personally composed various popular songs centered around "music games" since his debut in "beatmania IIDX 4th style," completed his original album "starmine 2020: Mare Nectaris" to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his debut with "starmine."
This work includes the remastered version of "starmine," titled "starmine 2020," and DISC 1 features songs under the name Ryu☆, including new tracks. Additionally, it contains the long original version of the big boss song "Mare Nectaris" from "beatmania IIDX 24 SINOBUZ," which was personally produced under the name Kagura, as well as remixes composed by kors k, BlackY, and かめりあ. The two albums showcase the various changes in Ryu☆'s music over the past 20 years.
This interview features a conversation between Ryu☆ himself and DOLCE., known as the absolute king of "beatmania IIDX," who has been active in various aspects, including commentary as the first professional player of music games since 2017. The two discussed their 20 years with "beatmania" and the development of music games. (Sugiyama Jin)
——This "starmine 2020: Mare Nectaris" album commemorates the 20th anniversary of Ryu☆'s "starmine." Do you both remember what it was like back in 2000?
DOLCE: Around 2000, I was a hardcore player of "beatmania."
Ryu☆: Was that "beatmania IIDX"?
DOLCE: No, I think it was the 5-key series (led by the first generation of "beatmania"). Maybe "beatmania IIDX" had already come out, but I hadn't played it.
Ryu☆: In 2000, I participated in the general music recruitment for "beatmania IIDX 3rd style," where my song was adopted. I remember the prize was the game and a dedicated controller for "3rd style." However, I was just like you, DOLCE., a university student playing "beatmania" and going to clubs.
Ryu☆
——Mr. Ryu☆ discovered the public recruitment for "3rd style" the day before the deadline.
Ryu☆: I happened to check the homepage in the university computer room, and it said "music public recruitment," and I thought, "Huh?!"
DOLCE: Haha (laughs).
Ryu☆: It said "postmark valid tomorrow," so I immediately went to buy a synthesizer, thinking about how to make it in time... From that moment on, I was a player of "beatmania," so I felt a close connection to the music that users were pursuing. I wanted to know if the musical style that I found "interesting" could naturally blend into "beatmania." While considering these things, I thought about making the song into happy hardcore.
——So you wanted to add new elements to the series.
Ryu☆: Well, to be precise, there were already songs like that in the past. In "3rd style," with the theme "DANCE EXPRESS Hi-speed," songs like "TAKE ON ME" and "S.O.S" were included, and "321STARS" in 5-key beatmania was also a techno pop song with a clear, fast four-beat melody. As a player, I thought, "This is interesting." I think that was part of the reason I decided to submit "starmine."
DOLCE: When Ryu☆'s "starmine" was implemented, I hadn't yet encountered IIDX in the game center, so when I first played this song on a home console, I remember having a lot of fun because of its shining pop vibe in a game like "beatmania," which had strong underground club music elements at the time.
DOLCE.
——Ryu☆'s songs often have melodies that stick in your mind after just one listen.
Ryu☆: Especially the chorus melody, which sticks in your ears after one listen, making you think, "Please remember this song when you go back." In other words, especially in game centers, if there isn't that kind of impact, you can't attract new customers. "Just the sound coming from the shell can attract people" is very important, and I think "starmine" is also a very important song. After all, I think it's really important to be a player myself.
——So, as players, what charms do you both feel in the "beatmania" series?
DOLCE: First and foremost, the basic fun of pressing buttons and hearing the corresponding "sound."
——It is said that the songs in the "beatmania" series are submitted to the game program as data for various parts of the music, and "players pressing buttons to make 'notes' sound" is indeed one of its major features.
Ryu☆: Yes. I feel that there are very few music games that involve playing recently. Almost all sounds triggered by player input are either in the form of SE (sound effects) or silent. Moreover, the original "sound" is related to the primal excitement of humans. For example, in the SE mode of "Street Fighter II," just the combo of "Hadouken!" "Hadouken!" is already very enjoyable, or so (laughs).
DOLCE: (laughs). Even if you can't play the piano well, you can still make that sound. I think that's very appealing.
Ryu☆: In other words, I think one of the joys of "beatmania" is the "joy of performance." And if you play well, every time you hit a button, you get praised with "GREAT" or "GOOD." Plus, at the end of the song, there are evaluations like "AAA," which also praise you. It's not easy to find a game like a music game that can give you over 2000 praises in just two minutes (laughs).
——Is there a particular song by Ryu☆ that Mr. DOLCE especially likes?
DOLCE: I really like the impact of "Abyss-The Heavens Remix-." Although I started playing from the remix without knowing the original song, I thought, "What a great song!" At that time, when I listened to the original song again, I was surprised by how different the original was from this remix, and the beauty and strong imagination of the song amazed me again. The BGA was also very refreshing, and I liked watching people play from behind.
Ryu☆: When I created this song, I was still a university student, and from that time on, various frameworks connected to the internet, so everyone knew the detailed rankings. I remember DJ TAKA sent me an email saying that "Abyss-The Heavens Remix-" had an absolute advantage in the actual play count data and won popularity.
DOLCE: Actually, the stores I often go to are also playing it!
Ryu☆: PLight also started producing because he wanted to create such a song. The previously produced "Second Heaven (PLight Remix)" used the arrangement style of "Abyss-The Heavens Remix-." It's really beautiful.
DOLCE: Also, I really like "Under the Sky (Ryu☆Remix)" included in this album. Since I love "Cyber beatnation 1st conclusion," my heart raced when I listened to this album. I'm so happy to hear "Under the Sky" remade in this era.
Ryu☆: When considering the album with the theme of "the 20th anniversary of 'starmine'," I thought a refreshing, pop, and appealing atmosphere was "very suitable." However, since there were also parts I wanted to slightly redo the sound, I adjusted that part a bit. In fact, I wanted to remake all the songs for the album, but after listening, I found that there were many "sounds that could only be produced at that time." This song was created around 2006, using equipment and instruments that are no longer in use, and I told myself, "You should keep them." So I adjusted the sound to make the rhythm closer to the old version.
DOLCE: Additionally, the remix of the ending song from "beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED," "IIDX RED Ending (Ryu☆Remix)," is also a song that tightly grips the hearts of long-time fans.
Ryu☆: I also really like the ending song of "RED," and I always wanted to include it in the album. During the project "BEMANI MUSIC FOCUS" held in "REFLEC BEAT groovin," when it was my turn to choose, I would say, "Let's pick this hidden song!" However, at that time, the length of the song wasn't enough, so it couldn't be realized... (laughs).
——In the production of music games, you must consider various things, such as how to create a good song and how to make it more enjoyable to play. How does Mr. Ryu☆ generally think about this?
Ryu☆: For me, having a good melody is very important during production, and I think, "If only there were some new inventions." I think about things that you can consider "like," even if they might be an idea beyond imagination, but I want you to feel, "I've never heard this before."
DOLCE: In fact, Ryu☆'s songs often give the impression of pioneering new music and new charts. Songs like "Go Beyond" and "3y3s" have many patterns that were quite rare at the time. The two songs mentioned have made quite an impact in terms of difficulty and the music itself.
——When you were preparing for "starmine 2020: Mare Nectaris," did you consider anything?
Ryu☆: This time, for the 20th anniversary of "starmine," I basically focused on a new version of "starmine." As an album, I incorporated the theme of "one person's 'Dancemania'," which is "a compilation of dance music produced by one person," with the idea of "what if it were made in 2020." I think the BPM range of this album is very wide, and I want each song to deliver a strong feeling. On that basis, I realized that any song would be "suitable for the present." Recently, more people have been listening to music through streaming services like Spotify, but as a trend there, the length of a song has become shorter. This aligns with what kors k often says, "The world has become like a music game" (laughs). This time, I also wanted to minimize unnecessary elements and convey substantial content to everyone. Since it's a Long Version, it's only 3 minutes long, so I wanted to make it a fulfilling 3 minutes.
——Compared to when you made "starmine," Ryu☆'s music range has indeed become much broader.
Ryu☆: Especially recently, since I first provided music for "beatmania," it has been 20 years, and KONAMI's direction has also started to expand. Recently, I've been asked to create new versions of songs called "Hiraki songs," which are not my forte in four beats. I think that's why the range of music I create has also become broader.
DOLCE: Indeed, Ryu☆'s music has given the impression of being very diverse recently.
Ryu☆: For example, during the production of the fifth song in this album, "O/D*20," I received a request saying, "I hope you can make something techno." I started listening to various techno on Beatport and began analyzing its appeal.
DOLCE: This song is inspired by "OVERDOSER," a song that brought TECHNOM to "beatmania."
Ryu☆: When I was making "O/D*20," it had already been 20 years since "beatmania" started from 5 keys. I thought about what I could do. Then, from a player's perspective, when I thought, "It's been 20 years since TECHNOM arrived..." I immediately thought, "Isn't it 'OVERDOSER'!" When I expressed this idea through music, everyone was very happy. It was a very joyful experience to incorporate various elements of "OVERDOSER (Driving DubMix)" by the person I particularly respect, Hiroshi Watanabe, into the production.
DOLCE: Also, in this album, "Beautiful Harmony" left a deep impression on me. I think this song probably draws inspiration from Ryu☆'s "Harmony and Lovely."
Ryu☆: That's indeed the case.
DOLCE: (laughs). In terms of gameplay, there are parts that remind you of "Harmony and Lovely," and the ebb and flow of the song is reflected in the gameplay. After the break section, the song's emotions rise, and the chart becomes very difficult, after which you can hit the 16th notes with ease, which is a song I really like.
Ryu☆: Also, "Mare Nectaris," which is another main song along with "starmine," what do you think, DOLCE? (laughs).
DOLCE: First of all, this song didn't strike me as a Ryu☆ song at first.
——"Mare Nectaris" is a song created under the name Kagura, and as the album information was unveiled, its true identity was also revealed, leading to various predictions about "who could it be?"
DOLCE: So, when I received the album notification, I thought, "Is it Mr. Ryu☆?!" It surprised me. However, there were elements that made it feel "possible," so I understood this hidden approach for the first time, including the way it was announced, and I thought, "This can really heat up the atmosphere of the game."
Ryu☆: I think one of the elements of popular boss songs is "mystery." This song is a big boss song, and historically, many big boss songs have used pseudonyms. While this song has that kind of atmosphere, I wanted to add an unprecedented freshness. Therefore, I decided to hide the name and set the BPM to 256 with 32nd notes. I wanted to say as much as possible, "Surprise me," and that formed the music. In the case of "IIDX," "Mikado" has always ruled as a big boss song, and since it is in a situation that is difficult to surpass, I thought it would be good to open a precedent. Although I don't want to surpass "Mikado," I want to give people a feeling of "What is this?!" from another perspective. I want to create a high-difficulty song for both players and music creators.
DOLCE: Indeed, there may have been very few sharp songs like this until now. When I heard "Mare Nectaris" appear, it gave me the impression of a very difficult chart, one that I couldn't score on... (laughs). However, with this song being remade, I feel it has a charm that changes the atmosphere and vibe, and in reality, many people are playing it.
Ryu☆: I think the big boss songs up to now have been like that; no matter how difficult the song is, super players like DOLCE will definitely conquer it. Moreover, I also think, "People are really interesting." As long as one person breaks through that barrier, there will be successors who continue to move in that direction. In that sense, "Mare Nectaris" also brings a sense of reassurance. At first, even I was thinking, "What is this thing?!" Even thinking that, within a day or two, someone would help me clear it, and I think everyone will continue to move in that direction.
——The composers also believe in the players, right? There seems to be a trust relationship between the two, which feels like it has lasted for 20 years in this numbered title (game name).
Ryu☆: Indeed, that might be the case. Over the past 20 years, a sense of trust has been established.
DOLCE: From a player's perspective, I feel that many creators of the songs also had the thought of "As long as it's this person, I can trust it" before they started playing.
——In this sense, do you both have any memorable impressions or memories?
Ryu☆: Although I am now a professional player and have more opportunities to comment, seeing DOLCE as a player giving his all in official competitions is truly astonishing. It was really enjoyable to see him achieve his best score in that tense situation, thinking, "DOLCE is so strong; everyone is attacking DOLCE, and everyone is practicing songs that DOLCE is not good at." That situation has continued.
DOLCE: Thank you. I have also been persistently competitive, and even after becoming a professional player, I think I can maintain that competitive spirit. I feel that "beatmania" itself has reached a very good state, and the atmosphere of eSports is also very high. Now I can practice my skills with everyone, and I feel very happy.
——For both of you, how do you feel about these 20 years?
DOLCE: I have been playing "IIDX" for about 17 years, and when I first started playing, I couldn't imagine that I could make a living from this work. I even think about telling my past self that. At that time, the idea that "games are bad" was still very strong in society, but I wanted to "keep playing games." I think it's great that I didn't give up and kept going, which led to where I am now. I'm very happy to have walked alongside "beatmania."
——DOLCE. has also played many of Ryu☆'s songs during this time.
DOLCE: Yes. Although Mr. Ryu☆ is a very great person, there are very few people who have had a long-lasting connection with "IIDX" like this. I might sound a bit arrogant, but in that sense, I feel a sense of closeness. I think he is someone who has spent an era with me. Seeing Ryu☆ now releasing new songs, starting new projects, and being active in the music game and music industry has also become one of my motivations to "keep going."
Ryu☆: Wow, I'm so happy. Thank you very much! As kors k often says, the songs of "beatmania" initially had a "false feeling." At first, I often went to clubs, and for the people in those clubs, there was an impression that "beatmania" was a "false thing," but I maintained the belief of "I know, but it doesn't matter." Since then, over these 20 years, music games have independently developed as a genre, which really gives me a profound feeling.
——Now, more DJs and composers are starting their activities thanks to music games.
Ryu☆: Yes. For example, it is said that Mr. Porter Robinson (a famous American DJ and producer) also started his music activities from liking "DanceDanceRevolution," and now many creators want to create songs like music games. In Japan, Masayoshi Iimori is also like that. In this way, there has been a significant change between the past and present, and through everyone's continued efforts, including players and creators, I believe everyone can create new things that didn't exist 20 years ago. Now, I have also become a central figure, and in the future, I will cherish the beautiful melodies I am best at while welcoming these newcomers with open arms. In that way, I can also become an entry point for everyone into this "new genre." Even types of music that you usually don't have the opportunity to listen to can be happily approached through music games, and if I can provide experiences in a broader form as one of everyone's ideas and joys, I think everyone will become happier.