Here’s an update regarding the hidden track of YoRHa’s song “Normandy” on the DOD3 game disc among some of its data.
I contacted MONACA wing-man Okabe Keiichi via Twitter [1] to ask if perhaps he and the others at MONACA had a hand in composing the song for YoRHa.
He replied, stating that they had indeed composed the song for them!
So, now our question is: Why did the song that MONACA collaborated on with YoRHa for their own album find its way into the data of the game, especially when it’s not used within the game itself?
The Hidden Track: A Look Back
During my research of the group “YoRHa”, the Indies group accredited for performing the vocals of the boss battle themes on Disc 2 of the DOD3 soundtrack, I discovered their Official Web site [2] and a few other pages, including one on SoundCloud that had a longer version of their song “Normandy” [3]. Since there was very little information known about the group YoRHa or their music, it was unclear how this song–if at all–was connected to MONACA or DOD3.
I eventually forgot where I originally heard this theme but was reminded about it once a shorter clip of the song appeared around various blogs and social media labeled as “Accord’s Battle Theme” [4]. [Possible Spoiler (labeled as SP below], highlight to view: Since I had finished the first 3 endings of the game in the first 4 days it was released and the final ending within another week, I knew that there was no such story element in the game that allowed for Accord to even have a battle theme. She is not a playable character nor did the theme play at anytime during the game.]
That’s when the confusion hit. But, wasn’t that…from YoRHa’s album? How could it be Accord’s theme? I was very confused. Then with a little more digging and following some links from people on the Facebook community, I discovered where the clip came from: veenomaly on tumblr [5]. Apparently, she managed to rip files from the game and found the clip among some of the data. Since the song was located near some of Accord’s character files, she only assumed that the theme belonged to her. A logical conclusion, although I was still very confused.
According to the story background on YoRHa’s Web site which I translated in my last post [6], it seemed like the “YoRHa” characters take place in the distant future when the human race has nearly been wiped out by mechanical lifeforms. Their only hope for survival and last attempt to combat the machines lie in creating a small tactical force of androids called “YoRHa”, each individual unit taking a number for a name, such as No12.
Machines.
Also, during the middle portion of the song “Normandy”, there is a voiceover that says the following:
一つ、機械は破壊されない
hitotsu, kikai wa hakaisarenai
☆ Machines cannot be destroyed
一つ、機械は複製する
hitotsu, kikai wa fukusei suru
☆ Machines will replicate
一つ、機械は有限である
hitotsu, kikai wa yuugen de aru
☆ Machines are finite
一つ、機械は恐れを知らない
hitotsu, kikai wa osore o shiranai
☆ Machines know not anger
一つ、機械は記憶を持たない
hitotsu, kikai wa kioku o motanai
☆ Machines have no memories
一つ、機械は歌を歌わない
hitotsu, kikai wa uta o utawanai
☆ Machines do not sing songs
More machines!!
Perhaps this was why the song seemed to fit with Accord, [SP: given the fact that she, and her copies, are androids]. The next step involved asking MONACA and members of YoRHa about their involvement on the track, which has been conveniently posted at the top of this entry (since it is the important update!).
I have ordered YoRHa’s album and will update with any further information I may get from that when it arrives! Stay tuned! 😀
NEW EDIT: I’ve come to believe that the list in this song is actually trying to prove that the YoRHa androids are *different* from typical machines. Let’s take a closer look:
- machines cannot be destroyed
The YoRHa androids indeed can be destroyed, their unique consciousness will be gone forever when it happens. - machines will replicate
The YoRHa androids cannot “reproduce”. There are a finite number of them. - machines are finite
The YoRHa androids may be physically finite, but even after “death”, their memory live on in others. - machines know not anger
The YoRHa androids are full of human emotion: love, hate, fear, anger, joy, sorrow… They can feel everything a normal human might. - machines have no memories
The YoRHa androids, upon construction, were given a past, memories of a life that never existed. They are fake memories and yet… it gives their unique personality shape. - machines do not sing songs
The YoRHa androids do in fact sing when they are moved by emotion.
Links and Sources
[1] See my post to Okabe Keiichi on Twitter;
https://twitter.com/RekkaAlexiel/status/428525168743288833
[2] See YoRHa’s album “Normandy / Guadalcanal”;
(official site) http://yorha.moejapan.jp/
(e-store) http://shop.dearstage.com/?pid=61434197
[3] See Sho Yamashita’s post on SoundCloud;
(full clip of YoRHa’s song “Normandy”)
https://soundcloud.com/syouyamashita/extend-overdub-rmx
[4] Listen to the clip ripped from the game;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js9Uz4bv_Sk
[5] See veenomoly’s tumblr (private);
http://veenomaly.tumblr.com
[6] See the last blog post including extensive information on YoRHa, their English translated background story, and more;
https://firesanctuary.com/blog/2014/01/29/possible-connections-between-yorha-dodnier/