Last Message VS. Final Call: Which is worth YOUR big bucks?
A Japan Hero Music Special Article
By Kage

Introduction

Since avex mode has taken over the Rider franchise when it comes to audio releases, very little good has come out of it. Their CDs appear to have less content and there seems to be more discs to buy than your average Nippon Columbia releases. Despite the nightmare for collectors, there has been one redeeming factor in the avex mode switchover. At the
end of each avex-rider series so far, there has been special CD boxed sets. They include (almost) everything! Granted you might need to get a single or two, but it's so nice to have so much material in one place.

So far, two sets have been released. Kamen Rider Ryuki's Last Message and Kamen Rider 555's Final Call. Some may say it is silly to compare the two since one always is clearly better, but no...I think different. Each set has it's redeeming qualities. If it doesn't lie in say...the artwork, it might lie in the music or case layout. Here I will try to break the two sets down as best as I can and judge them accordingly.

The Specs

Kamen Rider Ryuki: Last Message AVCA-14581-5
¥9450 (¥9000 tax excluded)

Disc 1: Song Collection (4 Bonus)
Disc 2: TV Music (4 Bonus)
Disc 3: Movie Music (3 Bonus)
Disc 4: Karaoke Collection (13 Bonus)
Disc 5: Last Message (Cast Commentary)

Set Extras: Special Advent Cards (I can't tell you how many there are since my set is still sealed)

Artwork Comments: The layout is very bland, but good in a simple way. The Disc case and booklet slip into a cardboard sleeve. The colour scheme is dark with basically Red, Black, Gold, and Purple everywhere. The case itself is injury prone since it is made of cardboard. I bought a used copy of this set, yet I was pretty lucky since mine is in perfect condition minus a little dent in a corner of the case. I'm sure there were some owners of brand new copies out there that weren't as lucky. Beyond the fact that the case is accident prone and rather boring, there isn't much to say about it.

Kamen Rider 555: Final Call AVCA-14870-4
¥9555 (¥9100 tax excluded)

Disc 1: Song Collection
Disc 2: TV Music
Disc 3: Movie Music
Disc 4: Karaoke Collection
Disc 5: Photo Book CD Commentary (36 Bonus)

Set Extras: Cards (many more than Ryuki), Paradise Lost Special Hologram, Sheet Music for "Yume no kakera~Romantico", and special plastic sleeve.

Artwork Comments: The artwork here is great. It is very sterile to go along with the Smart Brain theme. The disc layout this time has a folding CD case that unfolds into a plus sign. When folded the case and booklet slide into a cardboard sleeve, then the cardboard sleeve and hologram slide into a very nice plastic sleeve. The artwork on this disc is visually pleasing and would definitely convince the undecideds the pick up a copy of this set based on how good it looks.

The Battle

Disc 1 Song Collections

While I think both series have some good songs, nothing can beat the songs of Rider's past. Sadly, they don't have boxed sets for me to add into this little article. I honestly enjoy the songs from 555 a bit more than the songs from Ryuki. While there are a few good songs from Ryuki, they seems almost bland at times. The 555 song collection
however is vivid and more bored, while at the same time doesn't have much in the way of big name artist (just Shinichi Ishihara). So this is a close one, but my mind is made up.

Winner: 555

Disc 2 TV Music

I like them both alot. Both series have some nice little beats to move along with. This battle is personal. I am going to have to go with Ryuki on this one. The music is much more deeper and darker than the TV music from 555. So this is an entire personal taste battle for me.

Winner: Ryuki

Disc 3 Movie Music

Episode Final vs. Paradise Lost... music edition. This is again a hard one to call. Once again, Ryuki takes the trophy for this one. It might seem fairly obvious since Ryuki won the previous...but Paradise Lost has some pretty great music.

Winner: Ryuki

Disc 4 Karaoke Collection

Now this one is seemingly obvious since I like the 555 songs better than the Ryuki songs. Some of the Ryuki songs sound much better as Karaokes (Kienai Niji namely), but 555 wins again.

Winner: 555

Disc 5 Cast Commentary

The deciding disc. So far it's been a tie. Ryuki has some cool commentary tracks here. I especially liked the song commentary. How often do you hear song commentaries??? Definitely something I enjoyed. The 555 set has a trick up it's sleeve. It only has eight commentary tracks on it. To make up for that, it has thirty-six bonus tracks! It has additional music and songs and even some TV sized Instrumentals and Karaokes for some of the themes! Definitely something that only a few collectors would even care about! So to the victor goes the spoils. To the collector goes the more complete set.

Winner: 555

Kamen Rider 555 Final Call is the winner!

Final Comment: Though the obvious winner when it comes to physical appearance and extras is the 555 set, the winner of content is really a tough call. If you have around $200 laying around, I suggest picking up both sets sometime. I do think it is safe to say that your first choice should be the Final Call set. It is almost surefire to please, while it may take a bit more liking to get into the Last Message set. Either way, all ten discs from both sets would make a mighty improvement on your existing, or even just started collection.

One wonders what Kamen Rider Blade will hold. Will there be a box? Will it be as cool as the previous? We'll just have to wait until January 2005 to see...

Kage