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I’ve decided that every other Saturday I’ll post a piece of video game music that I dig and feel like sharing; in something I’m going to call Sound test Saturday. (If you can think of a better name, please…share it with me).

Today’s VGM is from Street Fighter EX+ alpha. The EX series may have slumped into suckyville with the second and third titles; but the PlayStation release of the first EX game was pretty solid and the soundtrack was awesome. The music comprised of really funky numbers which featured live instrumentations and gave the sound this really cool edge. It was a nice break from the tinny MIDI’fied numbers that many Capcom and Street Fighter related soundtracks had sported up until the point EX+ alpha came along.

There are many highlights of the EX+ alpha soundtrack, but the one I’m going to share with you this evening is Hokuto’s theme: “Sakura mankai”. This shit sounded like your life was in danger and that you were going to get stabbed underneath a cherry blossom tree at night by some crack head ninja. I loved it! Damn funky, well arranged and mood setting.

Listen: Sakura mankai

Street Fighter EX OST
© 1997 Capcom / Arika