Tap Trap Love Vol. 01 - Stray Dog

 Tap Trap Love Vol. 01 - Stray Dog

Company: 5pb
Based on: Original
Released: 2012.02.22
Official Site: http://5pb.jp/ttl/index.html


Tap Trap Love is set in an semi-apocalyptic world. After World War III, Tokyo slowly transformed into a lawless district where the two largest groups -the SS and the Horde- are fighting for dominance. Dance is one of the things that still inspire the young people in these bleak days, and our heroine joins a tap dance group. The CD is a mix of story parts, and tap lessons by the other members of the group.

While I say heroine, Nico has lost her voice and memories so the other characters basically talk directly to you. When needed for the plot, Nico communicates either by tapping or by using her cellphone. The lesson parts are recorded with the dummy head mic, so those are really spoken directly to the listener.

At the beginning of the CD the mysterious stranger John Do (probably not his real name, CV: Ishida Akira) takes Nico to see the tap dance group "Euphoria". A little later you contact the group that you want to join. Opinions on whether you should be allowed to join differ though, so they agree to all give you lessons until they have decided on a final answer.

The doctor you are staying with, Dr.Ginger (CV: Itou Kentarou) as well as you friend and fellow part-time worker Lee (CV: Shimozaki Nobunaga) are surprised but encourage you to do what you want. Meanwhile you see John Do again, who seems that dancing is the way to get your memories back.

The main interest of this CD are of course the dance lessons. They are recorded with the dummy head mic, and actual tap sounds. The four members of the dance group are all supposed to give you a lesson, and the first is their leader Jackie (CV: Maeno Tomoaki), his lesson is mostly stretching though. The flirty Cap (CV: Kamiya Hiroshi) is the second to give you a lesson, and the DJ Joy (Fujiwara Yuuki) the third one.

Leo (CV: Nakai Kazuya)is supposed to give you a lesson as well, but being the only member of the group who doesn't approve he doesn't want to. His track isn't a dance lesson, but the two of you walking home after he saved you from some troublesome guys. After learning that you are the one that makes the Soy Yakisoba that he loves so much at the place where you work as a part timer, he opens up a little to you.

I was quite surprised by this CD. When the project was first announced I expected it to be a sweet romance with a dance theme, but when I then the official site was updated with the story and I discovered that it was going to be post-apocalyptic romance instead.

I think that have made a good mix of the story and the dance lessons. There is enough going on that makes you curious about the story, Nico her past, what her relation to 'John Do' is, why Leo is partly deaf on his left side, etc. Meanwhile the tap lessons are fun to listen to, and the music they use is good as well.

Because Nico can't talk anyway, she is an easy way to link the plot and the lessons together. I still really felt like they are giving the lessons to 'me' and the rest of the plot happens to the character Nico. That is exactly the point of course, Nico is just a walking puppet made for self-projection, but I'm actually curious about her story.


Conclusion:
With everyone giving you lessons and explaining things about the world around you (you do have amnesia after all) this CD feels as an introduction. Now that we know everyone and the world around us the rest of the story can break loose. Or at least that is how I feel. Speaking of the rest of the story; vol.2 goes on sale today.