Dancemania EX × Trance Paradise

Disko Warp presents Anime Love Hardcore 2
Artist: Initial P
Release Date: 4/10/12
Price: ???

The upcoming sequel to 2010′s Anime Love Hardcore features 10 more anime themes redone in happy hardcore style. The track list looks to be a mix of anime standards as well as lesser-known songs. “Discotheque” has always been a favorite of mine, and I love the Engrish goodness of “Red Fraction,” but the Ouendan fan in me is most looking forward to “Ready Steady Go!”

It’s still unknown how the album will be distributed, though it’s been mentioned that it will be available digitally. Pete is also trying to get a Kickstarter campaign started in order to fund a physical CD release. As with the first release, I imagine licensing agreements may prevent it from being available outside of the US regardless of how it’s released, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, the first Anime Love Hardcore is still available on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/disko-warp-presents-anime/id366681411

Update: As mentioned by Pete in the comments, the album will be released digitally on iTunes. Again, due to licensing restrictions it will only be available in the US.

Also make sure to check out the Kickstarter campaign if you want to help fund a physical CD release. The $30 level is a pretty good deal, with CD copies of Anime Love Hardcore 1+2 plus a bunch of Disko Warp-branded goods.

A few samples are up on the official website, and more will be added in the coming weeks. I’m a bit disappointed that Ani-Rock’s English pronunciation is so good; I loved the sheer randomness of mint’s Hime Trance version.

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Exit Trance presents Speed Anime Trance Best 15
Release Date: 4/4/12
Price: 1905 yen

A few songs have been announced, including themes from “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai” and “Mawaru Penguin Drum.”

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Robot Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

Unlike the Drama Euro releases, so far the Anime Euro songs are limited to the core Akiba Koubou producers. The scant new tracks here are from DJ Command, Sumijun, valle blanco, and Tks (Rayto).

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Gakuen Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

Looks like Rayto (Tsukasa Baba) is being credited as “Tks” now. What’s odd is that some of the tracks credited to Sumijun were previously done by 2bad. Perhaps Sumijun = 2bad? Anyway, the new tracks are by DJ Command, Tks, and valle blanco. I was holding out hope that some of the repeats might be new arrangements, but the samples sound like the originals

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Robot Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

In contrast the mostly new School Edition, the Robot Edition is a fiery cesspool of repeats. All of the usual repeat offenders are here, including the worst offenders, Sousei, Zankoku, and Shangri-La. Gekitei gets a pass because it’s full of awesome. Oddly, “Hikari to Kage o Dakishimeta Mama” is being credited to Kohana instead of Hanatan, even though they’re supposedly the same person and it’s been credited to Hanatan in the past.

Anyway, it’s not all gloom and doom. There are 4 new tracks from Usa, Anima and Kei. 4/15 is a pretty lousy ratio of new tracks though. Excessive repeats killed the Anime Euro Best series. Let’s hope Tokuma don’t follow the same path.

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Gakuen Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

Well, the School Edition of the Geki Atsu! Anime Euro series isn’t quite as horrific as I had imagined. There are 7 new tracks + one resing, so at least we can say it’s over 50% new material. The new tracks are sung by the likes of Kei, Ayumi, Kou-Hey, Usa, Koko on Boku, and Twin Stars. I’m still not sure who the last two are, but I’m assuming Ayumi is frequent AKBK collaborator, Ayumi Nomiya.

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Utatte Mita Anison
Release Date: 3/7/12
Price: 1905 yen

I suppose this should be a bit surprising since they abandoned the Wa Euro Best series, but it seems even EMI can’t escape the Utatte Mita craze. It’s actually not yet confirmed that Akiba Koubou will be handling this release, but the description promises House, Euro, Techno and Trance remixes so it sounds right up AKBK’s alley. Announced utaite include Kouhey, Yuge, Yamadan and Usa. This release’s theme is anime song covers, so don’t be alarmed if “Sousei” and “Zankoku” appear. So far it’s scheduled to be an 18-song non-stop mix.

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Exit Trance presents Speed Anime Trance Best 15
Release Date: 4/4/12
Price: 1905 yen

15th release in the SATB series arrives on schedule this April. Let’s hope MK makes a glorious return to the series.

Pre-order at CDJapan.

Geki Atsu! Pachi Best
Release Date: 1/25/12
Price: 2000 yen

HOLD IT! You didn’t think that was it for Geki Atsu! releases, did you? Coming out this January, on the same day as the first two Drama euro releases, is Geki Atsu! Pachi Best. I’m not sure what the point is, considering that they released Geki Atsu! J-Euro Dai Ren Chan Senryoubako Version! last year, and that already served as a best-of album. But hey, never doubt Akiba Koubou’s ability to reuse “Zankoku” or “Sousei.”

I’m not entirely sure what’s up with this release, though. It was announced only very recently, despite the fact that it’s coming out later this month. Many retailers, including CDJapan, don’t even have it up for pre-order yet. It’s most definitely from Tokuma Japan, but I suspect it might be a limited release.

Pre-order at CDJapan.

Nihon Omoshiro Mukashi Banashi (Single)
Artist: Mukashi-Band starrting Korosuke & Ayumi Nomiya & Kouhey & Yamadan
Release Date: 12/21/11
Price: 952 yen

OP and ED themes from the Nico Nico folk tale anime, Nihon Omoshiro Mukashi Banashi. Features vocals from Korosuke and Ayumi Nomiya, with Kouhey and Yamadan on the guitar and drums, respectively. Produced by Akiba Koubou.

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Robot Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

A second Geki Atsu! Anime Euro CD to be released on the same day as the “gakuen” edition. This particular CD focuses on robot-themed anime, so get ready for your favorites, “Sousei no Aquarion” and “Zankoku na Tenshi no These.” Why do they insist on the same repeats? There have been plenty of great songs in their back catalogue that have only appeared once or twice. For instance, there’s “Discotheque” and, uh…. Okay, everything else has been driven into the ground. Just, please, do a Ghibli edition and all will be forgiven.

Thus far the only new songs revealed have been “Aoi Shiori” and “Yuukyou Seishunka.”

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Geki Atsu! Anime Euro Gakuen Hen
Release Date: 2/8/12
Price: 2000 yen

Oh dear. I was hoping for more Geki Atsu! releases, but not like this. Not like this. Hot off the heels of two J-Drama-inspired releases early next year will come two new Anime releases, and you know what that means: repeats. This edition will focus on gakuen, or school, anime themes. So, basically, it’ll be Anime Euro Best ~School Edition~ all over again, but 300 yen cheaper. The only new song revealed so far is the OP theme to “To Aru Majutsu no Index II”.

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Akiba Koubou presents Utatte Mita Collection Hanatan
Artist: Hanatan
Release Date: 12/7/11
Price: 952 yen

Third wave of Utatte Mita singles from Akiba Koubou. This ninth single features songs from Hanatan. Mostly resings on this one.

Available at Animate.

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Akiba Koubou presents Utatte Mita Collection Ayumi Nomiya
Artist: Ayumi Nomiya
Release Date: 12/7/11
Price: 952 yen

Third wave of Utatte Mita singles from Akiba Koubou. This eight single features songs from Ayumi Nomiya. All of the songs are either repeats or resings.

Available at Animate.

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Akiba Koubou presents Utatte Mita Collection Usa
Artist: Usa
Release Date: 12/7/11
Price: 952 yen

Third wave of Utatte Mita singles from Akiba Koubou, this time featuring female utaite. This seventh single features songs from Usa. Mostly repeats, with only one new song.

Available at Animate.

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