© 1999, 2007 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title Akira Ifukube Melodius Complile
CD Label VAP Inc.
CD Number VPCD-81225
Music by: Akira Ifukube
Number of tracks 36
Running time 77:00
Number of discs 1
Year of release/manufacture 1997

REVIEW

This is a good companion piece to the 2 CD 50th Anniversary set. The 36 tracks here are from 1954's original Godzilla onward into the the late 60's. Until I see the title translations I can't be sure but I believe many but certainly not all of the tracks on this set are also on the bigger 2 CD set. This set seems to concentrate more on Ifukube's Godzilla and related movies that are more familiar to those of us living in the US.

This is another enjoyable best of type set and certainly worth buying if you can find it. It's also less expensive than the 2 CD set.

Title:Akira Ifukube Melodius Complile

1.	Piano Solo
         'Sono Kabe wo Kudake' (Literal Translation: 'Break Down Those Walls!')
2.	The Battle in Outer Space March 
	'Battle in Outer Space'  (Japanese title: 'Uchu Daisenso')
3.	Main Title
	'The Life and Opinion of Masseur Ichi'  (Japanese title:  'Zatoichi Monogatari' )
4.	Main Title
	'The Blind Swordsman's Revenge'  (Japanese title: 'Zatoichi Nidangiri')
5.	Haru, The Young Maiden
	'Sleepy Eyes of Death: The Mask of the Princess'  (Japanese title: 'Nemuri Kyoshiro Tajo-ken')
6.	Main Title
	'Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Villainy'  (Japanese title: 'Nemuri Kyoshiro Burai-ken')
7.	Main Title
	'Life of Matsu the Untamed'  (Japanese title:  'Muhomatsu no Issho (1965)')
8.	The Fury of the Giant Devil
	'The Return of Majin'  (Japanese title: 'Daimajin Ikaru') 
9.	The Mysterians March
	'The Mysterians'  (Japanese title: 'Chikyu Boeigun')

'Okami yo, Rakujitsu o Kire ' (Literal translation:  'Oh Wolf!, Cut the Setting Sun')

10.	Battle in the Hakone Mountains
11.	The Shogun Leaves Edo
12.	Tokyo in the 6th Year of the Meiji Era

13.	Main Title
	'The Woman in the Typhoon Belt'  (Japanese title: 'Taifu-ken no Onna')

'The Story of Tokugawa Ieyasu'  (Japanese title: 'Tokugawa Ieyasu')

14.	The Funeral Procession: Anjo's Surprise Attack
15.	Nobunaga Goes to War

16.	The Swordsman Commits Seppuku
	'Eleven Samurai'  (Japanese title:  'Ju-ichinin no Samurai')
17.	H-Steel
	'Chokoso no Akebono'  (Literal translation: 'Akebono, The Skyscraper')
18.	Main Title
	'Umi no Yarodomo'  (Literal translation: 'Scoundrels of the Sea')
19.	Leave it to the Flowers
	'Teigin Jiken - Shikei-shu' *1  
     (Literal translation:  'Teikoku Bank Incident: Prisoner(s) on Death Row') 
20.	The Scream 
	'Nihon Retto'  (Literal translation: 'The Japanese Archipelago')
21.	Main Title 
	'The Burmese Harp'  (Japanese title: 'Biruma no Tategoto')
22.	Jumbo *2 Breaks Through
	'Sakuma Damu Daiichibu'  (Literal translation: 'Sakuma Dam, Part 1')
23.	Midori no Yusui *3
	'Sakuma Damu Dainibu'  (Literal translation: 'Sakuma Dam, Part 2')
24.	The Giant Tenryu Waterfall(s)
	'Sakuma Damu Daisanbu'  (Literal translation: 'Sakuma Dam, Part 3')
25.	Beyond the Jungle 
	'Baruuchan Purojekuto'  (Possible Translation: 'The Baruuchan *2 Project')
26.	Volcano(es) [Holi-mirror *2]
	'Mitsubishi Miraikan - Nihon no Shizen to Nihonjin no Yume' 
(Literal Translation: 'The Mitsubishi Future Building - Nature in Japan and the Japanese Dream')

'Semushi no Kouma'  (Literal translation:  'The Hunchbacked Pony')

27.	The Pony Touches Down
28.	The Flying Pony
29.	The Pony Soars through the Snowy Skies

30.	Main Title
	'Mothra vs. Godzilla'  (Japanese title:  'Mosura tai Gojira')
31.	The End (Act Two at Oinosaka)
	'Orita Nobunaga - Honnoji no Hen'  
        (Literal translation: 'Nobunaga Orita - The Incident at Honnoji Temple')
32.	The Jibutsu Shrine (End of Scene One - Scene Two)
	'Conspirator'  (Japanese title:  'Hangyakuji ')
33.	Tetsugoro's Gambling Spot (Scene Five)
	'Ninkyo Kiso Kaido - Nakanori Shinzo' 
        (Possible Translation: 'Chivalry: Nakanori Shinzo on the Kiso Highway')
34.	The Room inside Chiyoda Castle (Act Two)
	'Saigo no Shogun: Tokugawa Yoshinobu'  
        (Literal translation:  'Yoshinobu Tokugawa, The Last Shogun')
35.	The Highway (at Night)
	'The Life and Opinion of Masseur Ichi'  (Japanese title:  'Zatoichi Monogatari' )
36.	Main Title
	'Godzilla' ('54)  (Japanese title: 'Gojira')

*1  	Listed in IMDB as 'Tegin jiken sikeishu' (1964)
*2  	This is a direct transliteration from the Japanese.
*3  	A literal translation would be 'Green Priming Water'.  
      Without a proper context, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this translation.