I started to write this article a couple of months ago after I was mindlessly browsing the Lost Media Wiki. Then, the other day, I found out that lost and disappeared media is extended even to gacha games and thought about finishing it. Because even the small doujin circles have their own share of mysteries!
Here is a list of BUTAOTOME media that we know exist, but they can’t be found anywhere, no matter whatever means are used. Or maybe you can get them if you hack into Comp’s Mac (please don’t do it). Stuff from event-exclusive discs that can’t be found in shady sources is not included.
Lost Word Chronicle (original version with Ranko on vocals)
Lost Word Chronicle, the theme song for Touhou Lost Word, was originally supposed to have Ranko on vocals, like your typical BUTAOTOME song. It has been decided to use Kanako Itou instead to attract anime funz. The Ranko version of the song still exists, and the Lost Word staff is aware that people would like to hear it, but it’s unknown how, when, and even if it will be released.
[Source] ← it might get an official English translation once Lost Word Global will publish the theme song. And now excuse me, but I just imagined the song being sung by some English-speaking vocalist and with English lyrics just to attract more Western fans.
Furubokko and Trauma Recorder (instrumentals)
Instrumental versions of the title tracks of the two major albums can be partially heard in their respective off shot MVs, in the extra DVDs included with the CDs.
Radical Shoujo and Motelab. (original recordings)
These two songs were originally played live at the two Kashiramoji of songs lives in September 2015. It was 2 years before Furubokko’s release and during a time when there was no major debut and the Pig seemingly stopped making original music. Radical Shoujo was then released as a playable track on the rhythm game GITADORA in July 2016. The recording of this song is different from the one later found in Furubokko (no huge difference, the Furubokko ver is just a plain re-recording, like Sharekoube and Panorama). It also abruptly cuts off after the second refrain, leaving the final part of the song completely unheard. As Radical Shoujo is not a BEMANI original song, this recording wasn’t released in any GITADORA OST album.
As Motelab. was never released between the Kashiramoji lives and the release of Furubokko, it’s unknown if this song has its earlier recording.
Live intro
An instrumental rock piece that can be heard at the beginning of most BUTAOTOME live concerts, as the members enter the stage. It can be heard in the Jump Otome DVD [trailer] and the major debut announcement video.
I wonder how this track will be remade, now that Paprika is gone…
Untitled instrumental
A particular instrumental piece that can be heard in the Kimi no CD released in March 2015 and Beatmario and Amane’s marriage album.
It might be just a short piece made as an intro for talk stuff.
Nicovideo livestreams
Now, to actual “lost” media! Back when Nicovideo was super cool, it was used for livestreams. It had one major problem, however: livestreams were available to rewatch only if you “timeshifted” them before they started (unless you had a premium account), and they disappeared forever after one week.
There are two types of BUTAOTOME streamings I’ll talk about here, as they are by far the most interesting ones: the Utau Namahousou series and broadcasts of live concerts.
The Utau Namahousou was a long-running series of weekly livestreams where the four BUTAOTOME members chatted about the latest news with the Nicovideo commenters but also performed some acoustic versions of their songs live, in the Butagoya studio. You can read a full history of it here.
Various videos of live performances from these streams have been preserved, and most of them can be found on TC’s Youtube channel (I don’t think anyone archived and uploaded any full streamo).
Regarding the concert broadcasts, the following lives were streamed on Nico, letting people who weren’t at the live to experience it from home: Hanafuda (December 2013), Trash Box (February 2014), a special acoustic live (April 2014), Buta Hop (May 2014), the 3 Golden Step two man lives (June-July 2014), Jump Otome (October 2014), Nouzui (February 2015), Skeleton in Tokyo (April 2015), Droncho in Tokyo (July 2015), and Gohoukoku ga arimasu (December 2016). The 2015 lives were rescued by some good souls and are available on TC’s channel, while only two of the Golden Step lives have been found (I never uploaded the live with C&C because it was split into multiple parts, but most importantly because Cool&Create). I also never uploaded the Gohoukoku ga arimasu live because I didn’t get permission for it (as it had different management).
I don’t know if there is any crazy fan who saved all the Nicovideo livestreams, but I admit would have done that, if at the time I knew how to save them, and perhaps had an external hard-drive. However, I have a whole archive of audio-only recordings of all the Utau Namahousou livestreams (the pic I used for this post shows it, and yeah, I’m not creative with names) and the concert broadcasts (I may have deleted the Jump Otome one after the release of the DVD, tho).
I think this Winter I’ll tide up my BUTAOTOME folders, update the Media section, and revitalize TC’s Youtube channel so that I can recover some lost media…
Longer versions of rhythm game tracks [existence unconfirmed]
Now we enter into the field of speculations. BUTAOTOME’s original rhythm game contributions are usually short tracks (barely reaching 2 minutes), and most of them lack a proper “second part”. When those tracks get released in OST albums, they are just the same thing you can hear in the game. Some extended versions are usually included in those albums, but it never happened with BUTAOTOME tracks. The only tracks that got an extended version were most of the Groove Coaster Touhou tracks (as the OSTs include Game sizes and Full versions) and Jibun Kanpai (because NEOWIZ uploads full versions of the original songs from TAPSONIC and co. on their Soundcloud account). And the latter one made me wonder if longer versions of other tracks actually exist, and they are not released because of reasons.
But again, this is speculation and their existence is unconfirmed. Tanpopo might have been made as a 1:44 track with no extended version at all. And maybe the lack of an uncut version is the reason Comp said he can’t release those tracks in an album, because “the rights belong to the company”.
And that’s all for this little and fun post. Do you know any other kind of lost and unreleased BUTAOTOME media? Is there anything from this list that you would like to hear in the future? Did this post sparkle you any interest in lost doujin media? Feel free to comment!