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Touhou 18 OST Rankdown

Another new Touhou game, another ranking of the OSTs.

Lower Tier

15. Stage 2 - The Cliff Hidden in Deep Green

Not very memorable, in my opinion. Probably because the stage is so short.

14. Stage 2 Boss Takane - Banditry Technology

Not very memorable, but not bad either.

13. Title - A Rainbow Spanning Gensokyo

Very long phrases in this one. I don’t like it as much as Touhou 17’s title theme, though.

12. Stage 4 Boss Misumaru - Ore from the Age of the Gods

The chorus is quite good in this one, but the rest is just okay.

11. Stage 6 - Lunar Rainbow

Everyone seems to be raving about the piano intro to this one, but I’m more excited by the PC98-like synth melody at 0:40.

10. Stage 6 Boss Chimata - Where is that Bustling Marketplace Now ~ Immemorial Marketeers

A much more reserved final boss track than the previous game. There’s also not much flow to it, which usually I dislike, but it’s not bad here.

9. Stage 3 Boss Sannyo - Smoking Dragon

Amusing name aside, this theme represents Sannyo’s no-BS attitude really well.

Upper Tier

8. Stage 4 - The Obsolescent Industrial Remains

This could be a CD track for all I knew, with all the new instruments and styling. The percussion perfectly projects an atmosphere of a steam engine rushing (almost peacefully) down the minecart tracks of some rural mine.

7. Extra Boss Momoyo - The Princess Who Slays Dragon Kings

A very arcade-y and fun theme for a character that’s just having some fun.

6. Stage 5 Boss Megumu - Starry Mountain of Tenma

A very mischievous sounding theme. Sounds like you’re having a secret battle at midnight (which you kind of are).

5. Stage 1 - A Shower of Strange Occurrences

Very strong melody and flow in this one. Shame it’s so short.

4. Stage 1 Boss Mi’ke - Kitten of Great Fortune

A very “meow-y” theme. I love the guitar double of the melody at 01:10 after the climax. Fun fact: there’s a faint meow in the left ear in the two beats of rests before the climax.

Top 3

3. Stage 5 - The Long-Awaited Oumagatoki

Another 5/4 stage theme! This theme goes along with the stage background so well, as you scale the Youkai Mountain and the sun slowly falls in the background. Then, night falls and all the bullets become star bullets.

2. Extra Stage - The Great Fantastic Underground Railway Network

The extra stage theme is so, so good this time around. The guitars go all out, but aren’t grating on the ears, and the synth melody is an earworm. I almost put this one in first.

1. Stage 3 - The Perpetual Snow of Komakusa Blossoms

ZUN’s first track where a significant chunk of it is in a major key. It oozes nostalgia and love, and will probably get a metric ton of vocal arranges.