The japanese Sony Music Shop has updated it's info page for the Dragon Quest VIII Original Soundtrack, by showing the front cover. It has the same design as the game.

This design copying was done with every firstly released Dragon Quest Symphonic Suite/OST bundle alongside the actual game. This time we "only" get the Playstation2 sound version + bonus effects - really really nothing to be worried about, for what we heard from trailers/previews is pointing toward an fantastic and astonishing musical opus. Still...fans of orchestrated music will have to wait some more.

The official game soundtrack for Dragon Quest VIII is going to be released on December 22, 2004 and will contain 39 tracks on 2 discs (eh, that sounds familiar). Distributed by both Aniplex and SUGIlabel. Sony of Japan now has a tracklist, and some guys at Game Music Revolution did a translation of the japanese text:

Disc 1
01 Overture
02 Intermezzo
03 Pull the Coach
04 Calm Street of Houses and Shops
05 Boogie-Woogie in the Bar
06 Calm Street of Houses and Shops (Night)
07 Into the Wide World (hiroi sekai e)
08 Raise the War Cry
09 Cool and Gloomy Road
10 In the Heart of the Gloomy Road
11 Quiet Village
12 Go Toopo
13 Hymn to Heal
14 Quiet Village (Night)
15 Mystery Tower
16 This Emotion...
17 Break Through the Barrier!
18 People say that that time is...
19 Learning a Monk's Determination
20 Hurry! It's a Pinch
21 Phantom Creeps Up Unnoticed
22 Overcome a Painful Time
23 Ancient Ship Rising to the Surface

Disc 2
01 Castle's Dignity~Royal Palace's Gavotte
02 Royal Palace's Gavotte (Night)
03 Poet's World
04 Ancient Ship
05 Tempering Metal
06 Conversation
07 Fun Casino
08 Historic Ruins of Gloom
09 Big Prairie's March
10 Big Church's Town
11 To Go Towards the End
12 Dolmageth
13 Fly to Heaven
14 Fighting at Heaven
15 Record this Emotion on a Harp
16 Big Church's Town~The Sky, the Ocean and the Earth
17 Level Up
18 Inn
19 Battle Victory
20 Footman
21 Item Discovery
22 Annihilation
23 Fanfare Small
24 Fanfare Middle
25 Fanfare Big
26 Church
27 Save
28 Curse
29 Goblin Appearance!
30 Harp 1
31 Harp 2
32 Listen to my Song
33 Recital
34 RINRIN Special Skill 1
35 RINRIN Special Skill 2
36 RINRIN Special Skill 3
37 RINRIN Special Skill 4
38 RINRIN Special Skill 5
39 Echo's Flute 1
40 Echo's Flute 2

Final Fantasy lead composer Nobuo Uematsu will leave SquareEnix at the end of october. 2 Days ago first rumors were spread from members of the "Nobiyo no shippo", his official fanclub. And now it's settled, that he will start at a new company called "Smile Please". Perhaps you ask why? Mr. Uematsu said he wants to make future music "at his own tempo". Of course this hasn't to mean that he won't compose scores for SquareEnix games as a free componist.

Below you can find the official message scan. This points once more to a non-appearence of Nobuo Uematsu at the upcoming DQ & FF Itadaki PS2 special.

As reported, the "Dragon Quest Concert for String Quartet" was held on yesterdays monday. Koichi Sugiyama used the happening to tell the audience more about DragonQuest VIII and the Soundtrack itself. According to him, the game has reached the very last stage of development. Nothing should stand in it's way, when it will hit Japan on 27th of November.

The official game soundtrack includes 38 tracks, and will be released double-disc'd on 22th of December for about ~3000 Yen. As in former soundtracks, different sound effects will be found on the 2nd CD (M.E. Sound Collection). First OST units will be shipped in a special box with a "Super Picture Label". At Dengeki-Online I found the correct album-ID of the DragonQuest VIII Official Soundtrack: It's SVWC-7228(~9)

Mr.Sugiyama announced several other DQ8 Concerts: on 12-08 at "Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space", 25-09 at the "Aichi Prefectural Art Theater" and 25-09 at "Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara". Further information will be soon on his personal website as well.

SUGIlabel presents the "Koichi Sugiyama New Year Special Concert" : On 9th January next year Koichi Sugiyama and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphonic Orchestra will perform the DragonQuest V Symphonic Suite: Tenku no Hanayome + new excerpts from the upcoming "doragonkuesuto viii" Symphonic Suite (we will remember the field map song "Hiroi Sekai E" already presented at the 18th Family Classic Concert). A young japanese violin virtuoso will join the "Father of Videogame Music" during the performance. Taking place at the t�ky� bunka kantai hall , the concert will last from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Thanks to Murasame for a big amount of information.

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ADDED on 16.09.2004: I recently found out, that sponsorship of this (and all other) Sugiyama-Concerts is done by "Sugiyamakobo" - a concert management company (kobo = business). Thanks to Tomoaki Nakano at Tsudahall for this valuable hint.

This is today's dairymaid calculation...
If we look back on Koichi Suigyama's release behaviour of DQ Symphonic Suites we will notice, that there is almost no gap between the actual game with it's synthesized OSV and the orchestrated counterpart:

Symphonic Suite Release / Game Release (JP)

DQ 5th October 1986 / 27th May 1986
~128 Days difference:

DQII 5th February 1987 / 26th January 1987
~9 Days difference:

DQIII 7th March 1988 / 10th February 1988
~25 Days difference:

DQIV 13th March 1990 / 11th February 1990
~30 Days difference:

DQV 21th October 1992 / 27th September 1992
~24 Days difference:

DQVI 21th December 1995 / 9th December 1995
~12 Days difference:

DQVII 6th September 2000 / 26th August 2000
~10 Days difference:

Average Difference: ~34

Huh...could it really be? If we count from 27th November...the DQVIII Orchestral Suite will come on 31th December 2004 / Sylvester. To be serious...think of something like late december.
This post will be blasted when the official release date is announced, and do not ask me when I turned into a flaming nerd...ask me for an autograph when my estimation was right ;/

Dragon Quest VIII is coming on the 27th November 2004, so beware. There is more and more stuff on the web...a hot time for DraQue fans. I would suggest you to visit the DragonQuest News Network to get your daily "EDEN"-Update.

Pendy and Endwin are both doing a great job.

As soon as DragonQuest VIII music news are out they'll be posted instantaneous. Who wants to know when the DQVIII Symphonic Suite is coming or how the ending song will sound??? ...stay tuned. (I hope to get Murasame's help for research on different japanese DQ websites)

The official website of the upcoming PS2 game, which will feature both characters from Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, gives us ensurance that Sugiyama will compose the complete musical score. Although Final Fantasy mastermind Nobuo Uematsu isn't mentioned in the liner copyright notes, it's yet unknown if Final Fantasy tunes will be attached/arranged.

Koichi Sugiyama already has experience with the Itadaki series: Itadaki Street 2 ~ Neon Sign ha Bara Iro ni alongside the two composer partners Kyohei Tsutsumi and Takane Okubo. Note: On Orchestral Game Concert 4 Mr. Sugiyama did a orchestrated version of "Sofie's Cavern" from Itadaki Street 2, which is just amazing. And there even is a album release called "Itadaki Street 2 Arrange Album" (ID = MVCD-28001), which is not made by Koichi Sugiyama himself. I havn't listened to this arranged disc yet, but for the more interested people I have upped the SuperFamicon sound rip file in the download section.

The game is scheduled for winter 2004. Album releases will be done by SugiLabel.

Splendid. I just checked my mailbox and discovered the email I have been waiting for...Besu's. Now the KSU Fanpage has tracklists for ALL three Dragon Quest IV Drama CD's. In addition Besu is currently working on some lines about the Dragon Quest Star Dancers Ballet DVD, which is one of the many treasures buried at her DQ fan basement. Let's keep waiting, drink some Earl Grey and...

here...
DQIV CD Theater Volume 1
DQIV CD Theater Volume 2
DQIV CD Theater Volume 3

Coolness for purists: How "Dragon Quest IV" and "Koichi Sugiyama" are pronounced in japanese:

Sample 1 | Sample 2 | Sample 3

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ADDED on 10.09.2004: Murasame just sent me a more detailed translation of the DQ IV CD Theater Volume 1. Feel free to check it out.

Around 4 years after the Famicon release of Dragon Quest IV: Guided People, Enix dropped the related "Theater CDs" and expanded the drama lineage.
For the first time the drama performance was splitted into three seperate volumes. Volume 1 tells the story of Ragnar and Aliena, the tomboyish princess, Volume 2 is all about the weapon merchant Toruneko (engl. Taloon) and the attractive gypsy twin sisters Nara and Mara. Volume 3 is dedicated to the Hero and his voyage finding the comrades and rescuing the world.

Due to the fact, that no english tracklists are available on the english net, Besu promised to translate them soon and even deliver some high-quality scans of the packaging. Thanks to her in advance!

Click the source link for more info.

Nora from the "Songs of Dragon Quest" website, has tons of DQ lyrics (in both Romanji & English) from albums like Loula ~ Best Song Collection, Dragon Quest III ~ Naoshi Kougami Vocal and even from the 2 DQ Animes. In order to organize interesting partner sites I will soon launch a link section.

Slimeshrine.net is a comprehensive website about Dragon Quest articles, which where released alongside the actual games. Besu, the female webmaster, even has information about the rare DQ Theater Dramas and some DQ VHS, which contain different live performances of Sugiyama's orchestral works. As a interesting summary, she wrote me her personal opinion about the drama cds she actually owns, especially from an musical point of view:

"It would be difficult to provide separate musical reviews for each of the CD Theaters. The music is nowhere near as bold and inspiring as the Symphonic Suites, but the arrangement is superior to that of the original Famicom soundtracks. The emphasis is on the voice actors, and since I understand very little Japanese, I cannot judge those performances. However, my ignorance of the language makes the existing background music cues all the more important. Without it, I would be totally lost. I know when the characters are in town, in battle, a boss battle, and I can follow along as the story progresses. The music is usually soft, a mild arrangement to accompany the voices, but it serves it's purpose well."

Many people (including me) who have listened to the dramas, which are well known for their superb voice acting, can follow his thoughts all to well. Maybe sometimes in the future, a encouraged bunch of DQ fans will start a project called "DQ CD Theater - Translation Project" and give us the opportunity to experience them once more, in their whole glory. (?)

On the 11th September 2004, a big Sugiyama Festival will be held in Tokyo. What the party exactly is about, and what music is to be played, will be covered up the next days.
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Added on 23.08
Murasame just sent me some more information regarding the festival. Taking place in the "Keyaki Hall"/Tokyo, the following program is scheduled:

16:30 - 17:15 Dragon Quest Cosplay Contest (meaning the people will be dressed as Dragon Quest characters)

17:45 - 18:30 Koichi Sugiyama will hold a speech. As we can guess new infos on the DQVIII music progress will be revealed + release date??

19:00 - 20:00 A musical selection of Dragon Quest pieces, with the interesting name "Hoshi no oujisama" (Star Prince) will be performed at the end. As ever Sugiyama will swing his conductor's baton.

When I recently contacted Shaun Pendergast via email, the head webmaster of the DQ News Network, and told him about my DragonQuest music ambitions, he suggested to unite the running of news bits on DQ music happenings. I'm looking forward to a flourishing interaction! If you have never heard of Pendy's superb site, then hurry and check out what's there.

In order to bring more interesting news I have the support of my friend and japanese correspondent Murasame, who is the webmaster of the recognized Fra-Foa English Website (a japanese alternative band). The URL to his page is listed above.

Tokyo
Besides the successful 18th "Family Classic Concert", there are 2 upcoming concerts under the conduction of Koichi Sugiyama.

First the "Natsu yasumi Family Concert ~ Dragon Quest Special", with the complete arranged music from Dragon Quest V: Tenku no Hanayome (and probably music from VIII as a bonus!!!) is being held in the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater on the 20th August 2004.

Second the "Dragon Quest Concert for String Quartet", with the Matthias Musicum Quartet. The concert takes place on 18th Oktober 2004 in the Tsuda Hall and features 4 musicians from the NHK Orchestra, which performed various Dragon Quest symphonic suites in the past.

Some songs from the tracklist: Comrades/Homeland/Wagon Wheels' March/Gypsy Medley from DQIV, In the Town ~ Happy Humming ~ Inviting Village ~ Folk Dance from DQVI,
Love Song/Endless World from DQII, Overture from DQI
& many more...

Costs are between 3000 and 5000 yen.

10.08.04 - Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space
The 18th installment of the "Family Classic Concert", founded by Koichi Sugiyama in 1987, was held yesterday's evening. Under conduction of Mr. Sugiyama, the famous Tokyo Metropolitan Symphonic Orchestra, whose website can be found here, presented excerpts from the Dragon Quest Symphonic Suites III and V. Between the various pieces, the composer himself told the well-represented audience (with no other then Nobuo Uematsu in the first row) about his memories of the time during the Dragon Quest III composition progress. Besides those interesting anecdotes Sugiyama spoke about his current works on the upcoming Dragon Quest VIII: Sky, Sea, Earth and the cursed Princess, which will probably be the generation's biggest title in japan. According to him, all tracks are composed and are only waiting to force their way into the sound chip of the PS2. This OST, will be the biggest Dragon Quest OST ever made ("Unfolded, the sheet music is 3 miles long.")

Furthermore he promised to give his best, that the so anticipated game can be released before end of 2004 (~ Dezember). "This isn't to mean that everything is finished. From here out it's going to be tough. We have to change the music into the PS2 source format and make adjustments."

The concert continued with music from Dragon Quest VIII. The new Overture & the splendid overworld-tune "Hiroi Sekai E" (~ Into the wide world), which was already heard on the DragonQuest V PS2 Bonus Disc were played completely and orchestrated. This great happening encouraged me to cut/upload some of the songs, for all people who do not own the japanese DQV Remake or do not live in Tokyo to attend such great concerts. See the download section for details.