adamyntium

Katamari Damacy – Why is the music so hard to find?!

Updated Mar 2024 to note that album is now on streaming services!

Well, hell hath frozen over! More than 15 years after writing my lament here, the Katamari Fortissimo Damacy is now available online; enjoy!

This morning at work I was chatting with a colleague about my morning commute, and I don’t know what got into me… but for some odd reason I confided that I wished to be a big katamari ball, rolling my way to work and grabbing everything in my path.

Then, adding to the strangeness and freaking out my poor katamari-less colleague, I started singing “Na NAAAAAAAAA na na na NA na na na, na Na na na-na naaaaaaaaaaa!”

*  *  *

What… you aren’t familiar with Katamari Damacy, the psychedelically funky and happy video game in which you, Little Prince, must help out your hungover King of the Cosmos dad by rolling up everything on Earth to make stars that your daddy accidentally splatted during his previous nights’ bender?  If you have a PS2, *go out and get this game now!*  You won’t be sorry, except perhaps for the temporary loss of productivity and your embarrassment from singing jazzy goofy charming jazz/j-pop tunes to all your friends.

And, indeed, the musical score is that great.  Listening to it is just bound to cheer anyone up.

Unfortunately, trying to actually buy the soundtrack is not nearly so pleasant.  Amazon?  Nope (they’ve only got a misleadingly-labeled CD that’s inspired by the Katamari tunes… it doesn’t actually contain the songs!).  iTunes?  Nope.  Yahoo Music? Sorry.  Rhapsody?  Sadly, no.

So far, I’ve only seen it via Play Asia… >$30 for the CD + shipping :-(.  I’m actually willing to pay that much, but not very pleased about the idea.

Anyone know:
1) Other places to get this CD for less money?
2) WHY such a charming, beloved score is not available via an American label?
3) Why Amazon.com and other American retailers would carry the game, but not the soundtrack?

UPDATE on May 24, 2008

I ended up buying the CD from PlayAsia (for, indeed, $30… ouch!)… but now you can all enjoy the music, too! 😀

Posted

in

,

by

Adam Lasnik

Tags:

Comments

7 responses to “Katamari Damacy – Why is the music so hard to find?!”

  1. sparrow Avatar
    sparrow

    when I hear naaananananaaa, I always think Vanilla Ice, even though I don’t think he hever nananananaed in his song ( the one singular relevant song which also was a shameless ripoff from a popular Queen song, back when we all where young and idialistic and filled to the rim and Freddie Mercury was still alive.

    Back then.

    When wearing smileys was a fashion statement and not a clear sign that ones mental road was pointing downwards.

    I wish I could still wear smileys. Or at least my sacred Joey McIntyre

    (I needed to check Wikipedia to spell his name. I am getting old.)

    Reply
  2. James Avatar
    James

    As i found a software Limewire,
    Which i can believe the best one, and it’s free on web for downloading and playing music songs,
    Limewire always satisfied my love of music.

    Reply
  3. Mystery Avatar
    Mystery

    As for Amazon did you mean Video Game Soundtrack:
    Beautiful Katamari Damashii? I was shocked with price.

    And Katamari fortissimo Damashii is set of really great and original tracks. Loved it.

    Reply
  4. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Glad you’ve enjoyed it, Simone!

    Reply
  5. Bethany Avatar
    Bethany

    I think someone should make a katamari music-video that would be awesome!
    Who is your favorite character? mine is Miso (he’s the soup bowl)

    Reply
  6. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Bethany, now I’m hungry!  And Ryan, you’re welcome 😀

    Reply
  7. Damian Avatar
    Damian

    I ran into this issue as well. Something seems wrong about demanding money just for the convenience of listening to music normally rather than via a game or movie I’ve bought. Anyway, used a trick with Google to get the following:
    http://www.katamarionthe.net/media/music/fortissimo/

    “Que Sera Sera” is too perfect for this game… cheers! -Damian

    Reply

What do you think?