A massive Dreamcast-era soundtrack that overflows with personality, starting from the track titles alone. Marionette Company 2 Chu! is a life simulation game where you raise android companions, and the music captures every shade of that experience.
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"甘イ記憶。" (Sweet Memories) opens with tender warmth, "ときめきが加速する。" (Heartbeat Accelerating) does exactly what it promises, and then you hit "楽しくなければ食事じゃない、おいしくなければ食べられない。" (If It's Not Fun It's Not a Meal, If It's Not Delicious You Can't Eat It), which might be the most charming track title in video game history.
The character themes are the heart of the collection. Mikan, Nanami, Marine, Alessa, Yuna, Maria, each android girl gets her own musical identity with subtitle themes that read like poetry. "マリン～ココロはどこにあるの？～" (Marine: Where Is My Heart?)
and "ななみ～わたしを分かってくれた人～" (Nanami: The Person Who Understood Me) tell entire character arcs just in their names. The mood swings from "気分はバッドエンド" (Feeling Like a Bad Ending) to the inexplicable "戦場のビーフカリー" (Battlefield Beef Curry).
The track titles that reference TV drama formats, like "木曜ミステリーのように" (Like a Thursday Mystery) and "火曜サスペンス風に頼む" (Make It Tuesday Suspense Style), show a playful self-awareness that's pure year-2000 Dreamcast charm. Nearly 40 tracks of earnest, weird, deeply felt simulation game music from an era when developers poured their whole hearts into games about befriending robots.