This post documents my experience attending DAY 1 of the Falcom jdk Band LIVE ASIA TOUR 2024 “Kiseki no Kiseki V” Shanghai show.

The jdk Band is Falcom’s dedicated live performance band, with a history of over 30 years. Yasuhisa Takanashi — who composed music for Naruto and other anime — was once a member. The band underwent a major lineup change in 2015, with Kei Sasaka taking over as lead vocalist, who also performed at this show.

Falcom has a history spanning over 40 years — predating The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy — and is arguably the originator of the JRPG genre. Even today the company employs only around 60 people, which has kept its games’ technical presentation behind the times and limited their mainstream recognition. Nevertheless, the Trails (Kiseki) series, led by Trails in the Sky, holds an extremely high place in the hearts of dedicated fans as the only ongoing ultra-long-form narrative game series.

In contrast, Falcom’s music has consistently maintained a high standard from Trails in the Sky FC (released 2004) through Ys X (released 2023). However, it’s worth noting that Sound Team jdk, responsible for the in-game music, is a separate entity from jdk Band, which performs at live events. How jdk Band would interpret music that longtime and new fans alike know by heart — and how they would handle the non-musical aspects of the event — was something I was genuinely curious and excited about.

Arrival

There were two Shanghai shows on consecutive days, each offering VIP tickets, second-floor reserved seats, and general admission. I purchased a DAY 1 general admission ticket three days after tickets went on sale; VIP tickets had sold out on the day of release. The show started at 7:30 PM. When I arrived around 7:20, the queue already stretched about 200 meters, and it took until around 8:00 to enter the venue. VIP and second-floor ticketholders were allowed early entry. Many hardcore Falcom fans had actually arrived in the afternoon or even at noon to buy merchandise and meet up with fellow fans.

The show was completely sold out. I noticed that venues in other cities still had VIP and general tickets available, which I suppose says something about Shanghai (though by the time I’m writing this, VIP for the Guangzhou show has also sold out). The venue was smaller than I expected, and the standing area was quite densely packed — likely intentional for atmosphere. Regrettably I hadn’t brought a glow stick; most of the audience seemed to be veterans who came well prepared. The crowd was predominantly people in their 20s and 30s, with no particularly young attendees. Notably, I spotted a middle-aged man to my left, which made me think of players who first played Trails in the Sky FC when it launched in 2004 — they’d be well into their 40s by now.

The Show

Pre-show warm-up music played before the band members took the stage for brief introductions and some crowd interaction to build energy.

碧き願い (Ao no Negai / Azure Wish)

The show opened with a stunning bang: Azure Wish, the opening theme of Trails to Azure Evolution. This is an intensely rousing piece that perfectly captures the story of ordinary protagonists overcoming “the barrier” in Trails to Azure, which picks up directly from Trails from Zero. Notably, the vocalist performing it live was Kei Sasaka herself — the song’s original singer — and the recreation was remarkably faithful. With the OP visuals playing on the big screen, the crowd responded with tremendous enthusiasm.

Looking back, Trails to Azure was the last entry before the series went 3D, and a commemorative work for the series’ 10th anniversary. Opening with it was perhaps a deliberate choice to appeal to both longtime and newer fans.

明日への鼓動 (Asu e no Kodou / Pulse Toward Tomorrow)

Next came the Trails of Cold Steel I opening, Pulse Toward Tomorrow. The Cold Steel trilogy’s 3D debut marked a tonal shift from the relatively somber Zero/Azure era toward something far more upbeat — and both the game and its OP radiate that positive energy. As the entry point for many younger fans in the series, Cold Steel I’s OP was highly recognizable, and crowd engagement was strong.

Following this, Kei Sasaka addressed the audience. Unfortunately I couldn’t understand most of the Japanese, though it seemed about half the crowd could respond enthusiastically.

Inevitable Struggle

Another point for Zero/Azure. While I absolutely remembered this as one of the most electrifying battle tracks from that arc, I initially misidentified it as Cold Steel music — probably because Cold Steel’s OP had just played. Listening again afterward, it immediately brought back vivid scenes from Trails to Azure, and it went straight onto my playlist.

TO BE FREE

The field BGM from Chapter 1 of the latest Falcom release, Ys X, was immediately recognizable to me — it’s one of the tracks I remember most from playing the game. The crowd response here was notably quieter, though. Pure instrumental pieces are harder to identify, and the audience skews toward older games.

The next piece was also from Ys X, opening with the main menu theme before transitioning into a battle medley — I recognized it vaguely but couldn’t pin down specific scenes.

The next two or three pieces were from games I haven’t played, so I couldn’t identify them. One was apparently the OP for Tokyo Xanadu, which I learned later is closely tied to Kei Sasaka’s career debut. As a transitional title between Cold Steel II and III, the game itself is also well-regarded — maybe I’ll get to it someday.

There was then a segment of audience interaction and more remarks from band members.

Sophisticated Fight

Now we’re into real veteran territory: the standard battle theme from Trails in the Sky FC. Anyone who’s played it could not possibly have forgotten this track. I felt the crowd response was fairly strong — though watching some content creators’ vlogs afterward, it seemed fewer people recognized it than I’d expected. The original version features a blend of clarinet, electric piano, trombone, and other instruments in a style representative of the old Sound Team jdk era — playing it in FC as you entered battle carried feelings of sunshine, curiosity, and eager energy.

What impressed me was that the lead melody was performed live on saxophone, pushing that energetic feeling even further. Even more surprising was when the music transitioned into the HP crisis theme from Trails in the Sky FC — the stage lighting shifted to an intense red that perfectly matched the urgency. Then it segued into the classic victory fanfare, with the lights turning triumphant blue, as if you had just fought and won a battle back in the Sky era. As a “semi-veteran” who completed Sky FC not long before this show, it was deeply satisfying.

Overdosing Heavenly Bliss

Kevin’s awakening theme from Trails in the Sky the 3rd. I could only identify it as a 3rd track from the intro. The 3rd is well-regarded for both its reputation and quality, though its protagonist has barely appeared since — a source of much affectionate fan humor. The live crowd reaction was fairly muted.

空を見上げて (Sora wo Miagete / Gazing Up at the Sky)

The ending theme from Trails in the Sky the 3rd, Gazing Up at the Sky — a sudden emotional turn, and in my view the highlight of the entire evening.

Gazing Up at the Sky has a gentle, slightly bittersweet melody that marks the close of the priest and the “glutton’s” story — the end of the Liberl Kingdom arc, the first chapter of the entire Trails series, the Sky trilogy. The image in the ED of the cube sealing the Shadow Country slowly going dark likely remains vivid in many fans’ memories. Crucially, this melody is woven into the field theme of the same name in Trails in the Sky SC, so even first-time listeners feel a sense of familiarity.

The moment the melody started, many people around me — myself possibly included — audibly gasped. The guy behind me sang along for essentially the whole song. The only accompaniment was piano and violin, creating an atmosphere that was ethereal, graceful, and tinged with sorrow. Although the original vocalist is Kanako Kodera, who has since left jdk, Kei Sasaka’s live performance was in my experience every bit its equal.

The next few pieces were from the latest entry, Trails through Daybreak — which I haven’t reached yet.

銀の意志 金の翼 (Gin no Ishi Kin no Tsubasa / Silver Will, Golden Wings)

The opening theme from Trails in the Sky SC. Probably the most widely known and beloved “hype track” in the entire series — how many players completed Trails in the Sky FC only to boot up SC immediately, then be blown away by this OP right after the prologue? Although it’s the SC opening, the main melody already appears in FC’s boss battles, so it carries a certain inexplicable familiarity when you first encounter it.

Surprisingly, the live reaction here felt less intense than Gazing Up at the Sky — though watching a content creator’s vlog later, I saw someone in the audience lose their mind at the opening notes. For my part, having listened to the original many times, this live rendition felt slightly understated by comparison.

星の在り処 (Hoshi no Arika / Where the Stars Are)

The ending theme from Trails in the Sky FC. One of the most widely-known pieces in the entire series (if not the most), and a fixture of jdk LIVE performances — likely the most anticipated moment for many audience members, including me. It absolutely lived up to its status as a classic: the crowd unanimously switched their glow sticks to blue, swayed to the melody, and sang along together.

I had seen clips of jdk LIVE audiences singing Where the Stars Are online, but the actual atmosphere far exceeded my expectations — and it confirmed that only the truly timeless earns the title of “classic.” Kei Sasaka led the singing as the audience joined in, punctuated by muffled sobs and occasional cries of joy. Only Trails in the Sky could do this.

After that came the Trails into Reverie OP — another one I haven’t reached yet.

Go Fight

The OP from Falcom Gakuen, a short-form comedy spinoff. I only found out afterward that this is a recurring closing tradition at jdk LIVE events. The concept is simple: the vocalist leads, the audience shouts “Go Fight!” to the beat. The response was enormous — even me, a newly initiated fan, was pumping my fist and shouting along. It was a perfect sendoff.

Closing Thoughts

When the show ended, the organizers announced that merchandise could be claimed by queuing up for registration, and VIP ticketholders could take photos with band members afterward. Since it was late, I headed straight to the subway.

Overall the experience was excellent. I heard that there had been some friction during the day over insufficient merchandise stock, but the band’s performance was outstanding and more than delivered on fans’ expectations. They had shows in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Beijing in the following week — a demanding schedule. Sound Team jdk has no shortage of great music, with many tracks distributed across the five shows; this show, for instance, got Azure Wish. My only slight regret was not hearing I Swear (the SC ending theme), Way of Life (the Trails from Zero OP), or Eternal Traveler (the Ys VIII theme) — pieces I had particularly hoped for. But on the whole, thoroughly satisfied.

Finally, here’s a clip I couldn’t resist recording of Where the Stars Are live. The organizers prohibited filming, so it may not survive long: