Long-lost Sega Saturn RPG classic Panzer Dragoon Saga, known primarily for the exorbitant price it fetches on the secondhand market, returns today in musical form with the release of Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement.
The all-new arrangement album comes courtesy of Brave Wave Music, a “record label dedicated to exploring the interplay between video games, music and nostalgia.” Featuring twenty tracks arranged by original series composer Saori Kobayashi, Resurrection revisits the unique sound of the Panzer Dragoon series exactly twenty years after Saga’s original Japanese release.
“Joining Kobayashi is Eri Ito, one of the original vocalists for the game. She lends her powerful and dramatic vocals to two songs,” Brave Wave explains. “Five tracks are backed by the Washington D.C.-based video game music band, Triforce Quartet, with three songs featuring the backing of Boston-based flutist Maho Azuma.”
The label has teamed up with popular game merchandise company Fangamer to produce a physical release of the album on CD and vinyl. According to Fangamer, “Each edition features dual covers with the English title on one side and the Japanese on the other, each designed by Cory Schmitz. The booklet contains archival artwork, staff photography, and reflective essays by James Mielke of Tigertron, as well as liner notes by Eri Ito, Panzer Dragoon Saga Director Yukio Futatsugi, Panzer Dragoon Orta Director Akihiro Mukaiyama, and others.”
Brave Wave also announced that Saori Kobayashi will be performing at Universal FanCon in Baltimore, Maryland later this year. The concert will feature music from Panzer Dragoon Saga.
Readers can look forward to an exclusive interview with Brave Wave and Saori Kobayashi in the March print issue of CGMagazine.
Brave Wave’s previous productions include Three Movements, the debut solo album by Mega Man series composer Manami Matsumae, and JOURNEY, a collaboration between Saori Kobayashi and Yumiko Takahashi (Suikoden).
Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement is available now for purchase digitally on Bandcamp and physically through Fangamer.
