The Esoteric Retina
| The Esoteric Retina | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Original name | 秘密の網膜 |
| Release date | 21 November 1994 |
| Format | Video CD |
| Lost? | No |
The Esoteric Retina (秘密の網膜 lit. Secret Retina/Esoteric [in the Buddhist sense] Retina) is a Video CD produced by Osamu Sato and Outside Directors Company, published by Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 1994. It contains several animated music videos, accompanied by alternative mixes of Sato's music not heard anywhere else.
Release
There are five distinct music videos; one for each distinct track. After the intro, the original mixes (tracks 2, 4, 6, and 8) will play in a randomized order on the original Video CD. In between each video, a short segue plays. After this the other mixes (tracks 3, 5, 7, and 9) will play, also in a shuffled order. Once all these videos have been watched, Frozen Frogs will play.
Tracklist
- Intro (1:29)
- The Earth is Round (VCD Edit) (5:30)
- The Earth is Round (Chrome Dome Mix) (5:30)
- Transmigration (5:22)
- Transmigration (7th Heaven Mix) (5:22)
- Face the Music (5:03)
- Face the Music (Glue-Glue Mix) (5:03)
- Xia-Che [ʃia-tʃe] (1:51)
- Xia-Che (Motormouse Mix) (1:51)
- Frozen Frogs (6:53)
Former Lost Media Status
Aside from the fact that it contained several music videos by Sato, for years little information about The Esoteric Retina was available online. In January 2018, a sample copy was auctioned on eBay, originating from an estate sale of a record executive in New York. It was sold with a winning bid of $717.00 to Swazaaa. The disc's contents were ripped and made available online in late June 2018.
Trivia
- Several elements from other Sato’s works can be seen in The Esoteric Retina: the Anonymous Animals appear in Xia-Che, the cover photo and music videos are full of the 3D Eyeball, and Transmigration was originally made for Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong-Nou.
Gallery
Osamu Sato is misspelled as Osamo Sato on the disc.
A picture showing Sato making the cover from the AXIS magazine.
External Links
| Art | |
|---|---|
| Graphic Art | Alphabetical Orgasm • Alphabetical Animals • Anonymous Animals • Face to Face • Gradation of Happiness |
| Books | Corporate Identity and Works • The Art of Computer Designing • Lovely Sweet Dream • Rhythm 'n' Face Supplementary Reader |
| Videos | Compu Movie • The Esoteric Retina |
| Other | Homosexual • Aura 20/07/01 • Maru Sankaku Shikaku • Symmetric • Magazines |