Route 2 – Pokémon Black/White

About game/music

This is “Route 2” from RPG “Pokémon Black/White”(2010)(Official website), developed by Game Freak, published by The Pokémon Company.
This is composed by Hitomi Sato(Twitter).

Hitomi Sato has been participating in composing music for the Pokémon series since “Pokémon Diamond/Pearl”(2007).

“Pokémon Black/White” was the second release on the Nintendo DS after “Pokémon Diamond/Pearl”.
The Unova region, where the adventure takes place, is based on New York City.
Compared to last title, changes include; improved animations in battles, TMs become no longer one-time-only, and the introduction of the four seasons …etc.

Route 2 is west of Accumula Town, the first town player visit after setting out on the adventure.
Here the first trainer battle will occur, including a fight with one of player’s rivals.
It can also be visited at the end of the game in the sequel, “Pokémon Black2/White2”(2012).

There are differences depending on the season in the game (spring, summer, fall, winter), and I refer to the summer version.

Analyzing

bar 7~9

• IV-V-iii-vi, or variants (other TABs include this)
  • Very popular chord progression in Japan, called “王道進行”. It means “popular” or “typical”.
  • other examples are the following songs.
    • Re-Tail – Animal Crossing: New Leaf
    • Dogcheck – DELTARUNE Chapter 1
    • Melodies Of Life～Final Fantasy – FINAL FANTASY IX
    • Phoenix Highway – Freedom Planet 2
    • Rainbow Resort – Kirby’s Adventure
    • Ripple Field 1 – Kirby’s Dream Land 3
    • Grass Land – Kirby’s Epic Yarn
    • Apt.102 – Kirby’s Epic Yarn
    • Abandoned Beach – Kirby and the Forgotten Land
    • Snowfield – La Tale
    • Pass On – Limbus Company
    • A Home For Flowers (Empty) – OMORI
    • Challenge Go Go! – Pocket Card Jockey
    • Jazz Racing Jam – Pocket Card Jockey
    • Slateport City – Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire
    • Route 104 – Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire
    • Rustboro City – Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire
    • Hearthome City – Pokémon Diamond/Pearl
    • Route 203 – Pokémon Diamond/Pearl
    • National Park – Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
    • Cianwood City – Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
    • Route 26 – Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
    • Accumula Town – Pokémon Black/White
    • Route 2 – Pokémon Black/White
    • Lacunosa Town – Pokémon Black/White
    • Floccesy Town – Pokémon Black2/White2
    • Castelia City – Pokémon Black2/White2
    • Professor Kukui’s Theme – Pokémon Sun/Moon
    • Thrifty Megamart – Pokémon Sun/Moon
    • Battle! (Island Kahuna) – Pokémon Sun/Moon
    • Route 10 on Ula’ula Island – Pokémon Sun/Moon
    • Battle! (Hop) – Pokémon Sword/Shield
    • Wyndon – Pokémon Sword/Shield
    • Cobalt Coastlands 1 – Pokémon Legends: Arceus
    • Purity of your smile – Ragnarok Online
    • Seaside Hill – Sonic Heroes
    • Dear My Friend – Sonic Unleashed
    • End Of The Summer – Sonic Runners
    • Guest Book – Tomodachi Life
    • Shop – UNDERTALE
    • Oh! One True Love – UNDERTALE
  • other examples in minor key are the following songs. (in this case, bVI-bVII-v-i)
    • Battle! (Rival) – Pokémon Black2/White2
    • The Battle at the Summit! – Pokémon Sun/Moon
    • Battle! (Ultra Necrozma) – Pokémon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
    • Battle! (Bede) – Pokémon Sword/Shield
    • Battle! (Arven) – Pokémon Scarlet/Violet
    • Battle! (*spoilerAI Professor) – Pokémon Scarlet/Violet
    • Magical Snow Day – Sonic Runners
      • It appears as a modulation from C major to C minor, a parallel key.
    • Desire Drive – 東方神霊廟 ~ Ten Desires.
    • Illusionary White Traveler – 東方天空璋 ~ Hidden Star in Four Seasons.
    • The Great Fantastic Underground Railway Network – 東方虹龍洞 ~ Unconnected Marketeers.

bar 13, 16

• Dominant chord of the relative key, III = B, is used, temporarily modulated to the relative key = E minor.

bar 15

• The d# in the melody is the major 7th degree of the relative key, the leading tone.