This is the 3rd of 3 CD-Singles released in Japan in 1994 by Chiba Reiko (she was, at the time, the spokesidol for SNK). Prior to her couple of years with SNK, Chiba Reiko played the part of PteraRanger (aka, the "Pink Ranger") in the TV series "Kyouryuu Sentai Juuranger" (later adapted by Saban into the first season of "Power Rangers" in the U.S.). During her time with SNK, she provided the voice of Cham Cham in Shin Samurai Spirits (SamSho II), played the part of Nakoruru in a series of live-action TV commercials for Shin SamSpi, appeared in a number of TV commercials for the NEO-GEO CD console, had a cameo voice acting role in 2 scenes in THE MOTION PICTURE Garou Densetsu (Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture), and had a number of shashinshuu (idol/model photo books) published. Following her stint with SNK, she turned the popularity/celebrity her TV/idol years had earned her into a successful career as a website designer, including the publication of several books on the subject. In recent years, in addition to becoming a mother, she hosted the opening segments of the
"SNK no subete" DVD boxed set, and has published instructional books and DVDs on yoga. Her website can be found
here.
Here are the details on the aforementioned
3 CD-Singles:
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Chiba Reiko / Non Stop! One Way Love
PCDB-00005
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
04/21/1994
1000 yen
1. Non Stop! One Way Love ~Garou Densetsu SPECIAL no Theme~
2. Kachou Fuugetsu Otome Mai
3. Non Stop! One Way Love ~Garou Densetsu SPECIAL no Theme~ (Original Karaoke)
All the music on this CD-Single was composed and arranged by Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan (SNK's soundtrack team during the 1990s). Track 2 is a Vocal Arrange of Shiranui Mai's theme from Garou Densetsu SPECIAL (Fatal Fury SPECIAL). Track 2 later appeared on the vocal arrange CD-Album, "NEO-GEO Gals Vocal Collection" (see below). IIRC, the music for Track 1 is a new composition, and is not an arrangement of any music found in Garou Densetsu SPECIAL. Both Tracks 1 and 2 also appeared on the arranged soundtrack CD-Albums, "Garou Densetsu SPECIAL Image Album Part 1" and "Part 2," released around the same time as this CD-Single.
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Chiba Reiko / P-Paradise
PCDA-00674
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
11/18/1994
1000 yen
1. P-Paradise
2. Digital ni ikiyou
3. P-Paradise (Original Karaoke)
The songs on this CD-Single are not SNK- or NEO-related. Track 1 was used as the "Station Image Song" for 1994 by Nippon Broadcasting.
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CHIBA-REI with Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan / BRAND-NEW SPIRITS
PCDB-00006
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
12/22/1994
1000 yen
1. BRAND-NEW SPIRITS ~Shin Samurai Spirits Theme Song~
2. Koko ni oide ~Nakoruru no Theme~
3. Fushigi na Bananan ~Cham Cham no Theme~
All the music on this CD-Single was composed and arranged by Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan (SNK's soundtrack team during the 1990s). Tracks 2 and 3 are Vocal Arranges of the themes of Nakoruru and Cham Cham from Shin Samurai Spirits (SamSho II). Tracks 2 and 3 later appeared on the vocal arrange CD-Album, "NEO-GEO Gals Vocal Collection" (see below). IIRC, the music for Track 1 is a new composition, and is not an arrangement of any music found in Shin Samurai Spirits. CHIBA-REI was a nickname she adopted around the time of this CD-Single's publication.
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As mentioned above, some of the songs on the 1st and 3rd CD-Singles were also available on a couple of CD-Albums. Here's the info on those:
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Garou Densetsu SPECIAL Image Album Part 1
PCCB-00152
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
04/21/1994
2500 yen
This arranged soundtrack CD-Album featured arranged versions of the following Garou Densetsu SPECIAL themes: Title, Terry Bogard, Shiranui Mai, Yamada Jubei, Cheng Sinzan, Billy Kane, Axel Hawk, Lawrence Blood, Big Bear, and Wolfgang Krauser. The arrange track for Shiranui Mai was Track 2 ("Kachou Fuugetsu Otome Mai") on the first of the above-listed CD-Singles. However, this CD-Album had a different version than the one found on the CD-Single (iirc, the big difference was in the backing vocals).
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Garou Densetsu SPECIAL Image Album Part 2
PCCB-00155
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
06/17/1994
2500 yen
This arranged soundtrack CD-Album featured arranged versions of the following Garou Densetsu SPECIAL themes: Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, Shiranui Mai, Kim Kaphwan, Duck King, Tung Fu Rue, Geese Howard, Ryo Sakazaki, and Ending. The final track was Track 1 ("Non Stop! One Way Love") on the first of the above-listed CD-Singles. However, this CD-Album had a different version than the one found on the CD-Single (iirc, the big difference was in the backing vocals).
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NEO-GEO Gals Vocal Collection
PCCB-00219
Pony Canyon / Scitron Label
06/21/1996
2500 yen
This CD-Album was a collection of vocal arranged tracks taken from other SNK arranged soundtracks produced by Scitron. It included Track 2 from the first CD-Single and Tracks 2 and 3 from the second CD-Single (iirc, it used the "Album Version" of "Kachou Fuugetsu Otome Mai" found on the Garou Densetsu SPECIAL Image Album Part 1, rather than the original cut found on the CD-Single).
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As a final note, most of us Americans are only accustomed to seeing Maxi-Singles -- CD-Singles that are the same size as CD-Albums but contain fewer tracks. These days, that's how most Japanese CD-Singles are being published. However, until only several years ago, most Japanese CD-Singles were produced on smaller discs, and packaged in the tall, narrow plastic-frame-and-cardstock-flap arrangement shown in this auction's photo. If you look in your CD-ROM drive tray, you'll notice within the CD-sized depression made for your CD-ROMs, there is another circular depression. That smaller depression is meant for playing the older-sized CD-Singles.
--Chris
EDIT: Forgot to mention -- there's a photo of Chiba Reiko doing a Shiranui Mai cosplay on the back cover of the first CD-Single.
