Among the many music libraries in Japan, there are two companies whose music holds a special place in my heart.
1. Otojiten
2. "EX industry'
The former was used in countless Flash animations and children’s programs in China during the 1990s, so we’re very familiar with them, though we didn’t know their origin back then.
It wasn’t until recent years that we learned they came from Otojiten.
Vol. 1, Vol. 2, and Vol. 5, in particular, were used most frequently, so this series holds a special place in my heart—and indeed in the hearts of many Chinese people born in the 1990s and 2000s.
As for “EX industry”
This is just a personal preference of mine, because when I was younger, I used to watch a travel promotional program co-produced by China and Japan
The show is called “小梦帮倒忙”
The host is a girl from China. She is a professional tour guide and speaks Japanese fluently. She introduces Japanese tourist attractions and delicious local cuisine to the audience. Each episode averages 10 minutes in length, making it arguably one of the earliest online travel and food vlogs in China.
She is lively and cheerful, and I really like her.
However, the post-production for the show is handled in Japan. Much of the music used in the program comes from “EX industry.”
So I really enjoy listening to them; they hold a special meaning for me.
I’ve bought every CD released by “EX industry” (except for the classical series albums, since those aren’t original works and hold no significance for me).
Many of these CDs aren’t available on the secondhand market, so I’ve purchased the vast majority of them brand-new from official retailers.
“EX industry” is the music library I’ve spent the most money collecting—it cost me about $4,000.
It’s simply because it holds memories of watching the show when I was younger. That’s all.
As far as I know, Retro Matic has shared some albums in the past. If anyone has a backup, they might be able to share it with you.
