Sadly, I think ZUN's music has been kinda getting a bit worse since Legacy Of Lunatic Kingdom. On its own merits, Hidden Star in Four Seasons is still a really solid soundtrack with some great tracks and compositions, but in the context of the series, it's probably the weakest since the PC-98 era. It also introduces the infamous crunchy-sounding Elementic drums that, when used poorly, can sound genuinely bad and drag down an otherwise good song, and they'd only begin to see even more use across the next few games.
The Sky Where Fairy Blossoms Flutter Down
At least the soundtrack gets off to a pretty good start, this is a really solid title theme! It's a pretty ominous synth-heavy track with an eerie opening, wailing melodies, heavy bass, and an intense chorus.
4/5 Stars
A Star Of Hope Rises In The Blue Sky
This is a really cute Stage 1 theme, super upbeat and happy while still being as fast-paced as you'd expect. The highlights are all in the background tracks, like that banging series of piano chords in the chorus and the lovely chiptune that you can hear throughout the song.
4/5 Stars
A Midsummer Fairy's Dream
This is the first track where you can hear the Elementic drums and, yeah, I'm remembering why I'm not a fan. They're so loud that they overshadow what should be a super muted and ominous melody (which by the way is actually pretty good in how much intrigue it generates).
3/5 Stars
The Colorless Wind On Youkai Mountain
The Colorless Wind On Youkai Mountain once again kinda suffers from poorly-placed Elementics, but unlike the last theme, the rest of the track is so good that I can mostly look past it. It's a super melancholic and atmospheric piece with bouncing synth instrumentation, a fun yet intense verse, and a calming flute chorus.
5/5 Stars
Deep-Mountain Encounter
Deep-Mountain Encounter is a balls-to-the-walls boss theme with a powerful melody and relentless pacing, so the Elementic drums do fit a bit more. I don't find this one super remarkable until that incredibly triumphant chorus.
4/5 Stars
Swim In A Sakura-Colored Sea
Swim In A Sakura-Colored Sea is such a beautifully atmospheric piece with a haunting riff, lovely flute melody, and actually good percussion? The Elementic drums work best when they're cut short and used as trap beats, so they actually sound pretty good in this track and help keep it moving along.
5/5 Stars
A Pair Of Divine Beasts
The first genuinely great boss theme of the game. It's intense, dramatic, and has an incredibly fun and fast-paced chorus. The piano, choir, and UFO saxophones coming in at the second half elevate this one even further. Definitely one of the better early game boss themes out there.
5/5 Stars
Illusionary White Traveler
That opening piano riff is phenomenal, so comfy and entrancing, especially once the UFO saxophones come in. This theme just screams winter, it fits the stage incredibly well. It's also a pretty fast-paced theme with like three different equally amazing choruses that each up the intensity over the previous one. Definitely a highlight in the game.
5/5 Stars
The Magic Straw-Hat Jizo
The Magic Straw-Hat Jizo starts off as a solid but unmemorable boss theme with a pretty eh main melody and some annoying Elementics, but the second half is genuinely fantastic with its ominous piano riff and catchy saxophone chorus.
4/5 Stars
Does The Forbidden World Lead To This World Or The World Beyond
First off, love the overly long name. Second off, this is yet another really good stage theme (I guess this is HSiFS's strong point, huh?). The first third is probably the highlight for its tense synths and ominous main melody, but the exhilirating and triumphant chorus is also pretty fantastic.
4/5 Stars
Crazy Backup Dancers
One of the funnest boss themes in the series. That piano verse with the downward scale is both insanely catchy and really menacing. The whole theme is so chaotic and all over the place, perfectly fitting such a tough and crazy boss fight, while ending on a great triumphant ZUNpet chorus.
5/5 Stars
Into Backdoor
Similarly to Stage 5's theme, Into Backdoor peaks early on with its crisp and eerie trance intro. The whole track uses a lot of trance synths actually, there's a real Ten Desires vibe to it. Like most Stage 6 themes, it's not super long, but it's menacing and tense enough to get you excited for the fight with Okina.
The Concealed Four Seasons
While I do love this boss fight, Okina's first theme isn't super amazing by final boss standards. It starts off pretty boring but keeps getting better, with a fun piano pre-chorus and a stellar and dramatic almost-Necrofantasia-esque chorus that sadly only shows over two minutes in. The Elementics aren't the best here either.
4/5 Stars
No More Going Through Doors
I love this theme. Not even the Elementics can change that. It's so ominous and tense, single-handedly doing so much of the heavy lifting for the extra stage emotion-wise. It's so ominous, intense, and urgent, perfect for what is essentially the player getting revenge on Okina. Even the name fits so damn well! I love the tense intro riff, the way the background piano almost sounds like a more exciting Extend Ash, the dramatic piano pre-chorus complete with haunting choirs, the way the ZUNpets kick in for the second verse, and the upbeat saxophone finale. It's a mix of all the best aspects of all the extra stage themes before it, and even with Last Remote existing, this is my favorite of its kind.
5/5 Stars
Secret God Matara
Funny how Okina's extra fight is worse than her normal fight but her extra theme is way better! It's intense, fast-paced, exciting, and just plain fun. From the catchy sax melody to the frantic piano to the absolute banger that is the chorus, Secret God Matara might just the most Touhou song to ever Touhou, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
5/5 Stars
Unnatural Nature
Look, I get that ZUN wanted to make a more ominous ending theme since you technically lose at the end of HSiFS, but this is just a really short loop. It's creepy for sure, but not something you'd want to listen to for super long.
2/5 Stars
White Traveler
As per the usual by now, White Traveler is a calm remix of the Stage 4 theme, but only the chorus, without any of the buildup, and with worse drums. It's still a fine melody and the opening few seconds are really atmospheric, but this is for all accounts a downgrade.
3/5 Stars
As far as the characters go, HSiFS's lineup is alright but unremarkable. None of these characters rank up among my favorites but I don't actively dislike many of them either. They're just fine.
Eternity Larva
New fairies are always welcome, but while Eternity Larva is most definitely pretty, there isn't much to her outside of being a butterfly. Her cameo in Visionary Fairies In Shrine was really fun, but otherwise, she's not one of the more memorable characters.
3/5 Stars
Nemuno Sakata
I don't know what it is about Nemuno that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's the muted colors of her design, or her secluded nature, or the fact that she's barefoot and likely super dirty, either way, not a fan.
1/5 Stars
Aunn Komano
Aunn is probably the standout fan favorite of the HSiFS cast and I can see why. The way her design uses a curl motif is pretty neat, her boss fight and music are great, and she's adorable. However, my problem with that the cute factor is all she has. Aunn is too simple, especially compared to fellow green haired pup guardian Kyouko.
3/5 Stars
Narumi Yatadera
Like with Aunn, Narumi is a statue (this time a Jizo) turned human. It's a neat design but we still don't know much about her. I'd say it's the consequences of being such a recent game but it's been seven years since HSiFS came out by now.
2/5 Stars
Mai & Satono Teireida
Mai and Satono don't have much of a personality since they're mostly just devoted to Okina, but I don't really care because of how fun these two are. They're so smug for the entirety of HSiFS, and they way they waltz in and single-handedly ratchet up the difficulty will always be one of the most memorable parts of the game for me. It's also nice to see a creepy duo pairing where said duo are actually on equal footing this time. These are two that I hope reappear at same point, even if in it's the manga, because they could totally be two of my favs with a bit more screentime.
4/5 Stars
Okina Matara
Design-wise, Okina isn't anything super special. She's basically just Junko but disabled. But unlike Junko, I actually really like Okina. Her first fight is one of my favorites in the series and the way she actually wins at the end of the main story is unprecedented for the series. Not to mention her smug, intimidating, and prideful personality make for one of the few genuinely evil antagonists in the series. As shown in Visionaries, Okina is an honest to goodness force of nature who should always be faired.
5/5 Stars
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