Anime Fans Should Check Out Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master

gamerant.com:

The name Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master may have seemed a little unfamiliar to gamers outside of Japan when it was released at the end of January. Within Japan, however, Taiko no Tatsujin is an established series with a rich history. In these colorful rhythm arcade games, players use bachi sticks to simulate playing a taiko drum. Entries in the series appear on just about every platform, from home consoles to iOS, and their songs range from classical numbers to the Undertale soundtrack. Its latest title, The Drum Master, may not seem like a must-play game, but its music selection will definitely resonate with anime lovers in particular.

Since the franchise is so popular in Japan, producers of the game have had tons of opportunities to collaborate with other IPs. The beauty of rhythm games is that songs from just about any other medium can be borrowed and featured in gameplay, case in point being Hatsune Miku's rhythm game. So naturally, famous songs from Japan's pop charts, video games, and anime have made appearances within Taiko no Tatsuji games. The Drum Master sees a total of sixteen songs from various animes, and their arrangements are especially exciting for those familiar with each song's respective origin.

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Taiko no Tatsujin's collaborations with iconic brands are no coincidence, though. Culturally, the game's identity is rooted within Japan's history; the eponymous taiko drum's earliest iterations date back to the 6 century CE. Many soundtracks that feel distinctly Japanese utilize the taiko drum, as well as the shamisen (Naruto's soundtrack is a great example of this). Plenty of Japanese companies are therefore eager to lend their music to the games.