Unison
Playstation2 FAQ
December 16th 2000, Revision 0.8

Written By :  Crono
E-mail     :  crono@animeondvd.com
Real Name  :  Justin Strauss
Home Page  :  www.tows.org



This document is the intellectual property of the author. It is intended to 
provide help, to fellow gamers, on a title that is both entertaining and 
difficult at various times. Please do not copy or distribute this file in any 
format without consent of the author. This means: on other web pages, as part of 
another FAQ, in any written or electronic publication, etc. And, to be crystal 
clear, this document is legally copyrighted through two or more means. This is 
including a publishing firm clause, as well as various websites' legal setups 
(such as the one found on GameFAQs). If you have any new tips or info you want 
us to hear, just drop an e-mail. And, just in case this comes up, neither Game 
Cave nor anyone else may not distribute this to those who purchase this title or 
who are somehow bringing profit to said party.

Unison is a trademark of Tecmo, Inc.  Copyright 2000 by Tecmo.  All related 
names fall under the same applicable laws.  All rights reserved.

You can find the newest version of this FAQ only at the following sites. If you 
find it anywhere else, please let me know as soon as possible. It should not be 
posted anywhere else but at the following sites:

Game FAQs                            Videogame Strategies
http://www.gamefaqs.com/             http://vgstrategies.about.com/



Table of Contents:
--------------------------------------

0.0 Revision History

1.0 Game Mechanics

2.0 Options Menu

3.0 Story Mode

4.0 Characters

5.0 Song List and Info

6.0 Club Afro

7.0 Replay Mode

8.0 Game Secrets and Hidden Options

9.0 Contributions and Thank-You's



0.0 Revision History
--------------------------------------

V0.8 - 12/16/00 - Initial Release! Expect typos or grammar problems from it.

V1.0 - 12/??/00 - Coming Soon. See what's expected, below.

Coming Soon:

    -more detailed song info, number of steps per song.
    -hopefully more secrets to be found.
    -whatever might be left out.



1.0 Game Mechanics
--------------------------------------

    This is the first music and rhythm game of its type. For the first time in 
history, this game requires you to memorize the dance steps for the "live 
performances" which make up the core of the game. There is no display of which 
buttons to press while playing a stage. There is only a dance meter (which 
indicates how well you're doing) along with an indication of how precisely you 
hit each step. You dance as a team of three, each character having her own 
difficulty of dance steps. The difficulty for each character is as follows:

        -Normal    :  Trill
        -Hard      :  Cela
        -Very Hard :  Chilly

    -Controls. Gameplays requires you to use both of the analog sticks that are 
found on the DualShock controller. These sticks basically represent your left 
and right hands, or the two sides of your body. Dancing requires you to move the 
sticks in the right direction (or motion) for each step of the song. This system 
works very nicely, as the steps you perform move perfectly in sync with the 
movement of the analog sticks. The songs work very much like dancing in real 
life, where each "step" comes at a certain beat of the song (and must be 
memorized while listening to the beat). For the simpler steps, you only need to 
push one of the sticks in a particular direction (such as "down") at the right 
beat. You can count in your head "one, two, three, step" or such. Some steps 
require more complex movements, though, such as waving your right stick in the 
air back and forth... or rotating it in circles.

    -Lesson. This is where you learn exactly what those steps need to be. "Dance 
Sensei" is your teacher, and he instructs you on the steps in the lesson mode 
before each live performance. His assistance is very helpful, as he does many 
things to help you memorize the steps more easily. He will count out loud to the 
beat if needed, or sing along to important key phrases of the song which 
indicate when to do a step (just like a real dance teacher or music video 
choreographer would do, trust me).

    You do not have to learn the full song right away, either. In lesson mode, 
you perform short segments in order before moving on to the full song. There is 
an average of four segments to each song (sections: intro, A, B, C, and Final). 
In each segment, the teacher will show the steps for you on the "stick displays" 
at the bottom of the screen. These show you when and how to move the analog 
sticks during the song. The lesson segments are then freely switched (at any 
time) between the following two choices, by pressing "square" or "circle":

        -View: Watch sensei, constantly looping the segment.
            -Constantly loops.
            -Sensei & Player stick displays on.
            -L1: Rewind
            -R1: Fast Forward
            -R2: Slow motion (hold)
        -Play: Perform the steps properly.
            -Max dance bar to proceed.
            -Sensei stick display on.
            -L: Zoom Change
            -R: Angle Change

    When you complete the segments of the dance, you will then be given the 
"full lesson" display. In this, Dance Sensei will perform the entire dance while 
showing you how to move the sticks for each step. When you switch to "play" mode 
at this point, however, the stick displays at the bottom will be gone and you 
must play from memory (just like in the live performances). You will also not be 
able to hear his counting and singing like you could previously in play mode. 
However, it will still show a small window of sensei in the lower corner, 
performing the steps themselves (in case you need a little reminder). Once you 
feel confident enough, you can press the "X" button to move on to the live 
performance (in story mode) where memorization is the key.

        -View: Watch sensei, full dance.
            -Constantly loops.
            -Sensei & Player stick displays on.
            -L1: Rewind
            -R1: Fast Forward
            -R2: Slow motion (hold)
        -Play: Perform full song.
            -Graded at end of song.
            -Current letter grade shown throughout.
            -No stick displays on.
            -Dance view in lower corner.
        -On-Air: Select to end lesson.
            -Live performance is next.
            -Failing live performance gets game over.

    -Grading. For each step you perform in a song, a word will appear telling 
you how well you performed the step (on time and for the right duration). These 
range from "perfect" to "miss." After a stage is completed, you will receive a 
letter grade for your performance. You will also get a score, as well as a list 
of how many steps fell into each rank. In story mode, this determines if you 
will pass on to the next stage, and what the "viewing audience" percentage will 
be in that area. In Club Afro, the top grades and scores will be kept as 
records. You will get a "max combo" as well, and combos are formed by getting a 
certain amount in a row without missing or hitting them badly. The combo does 
not effect progress, though, it just helps toward a good score. The ranks that a 
step can receive are as follows:

        -Perfect  :  Yellow
        -Cool     :  Blue
        -Good     :  Red
        -Bad      :  Purple
        -Miss     :  Violet

    -Live Performance. These are the stages of the game, and the main play mode. 
The song begins, and you must them go and perform the steps from memory. There 
is a small dance meter which fills up as you perform well. This lets you know 
whether or not you are passing the level and will proceed onward. Each time a 
step comes up, a small circle in the lower left corner tells you which rank you 
received for that step (with a "P" for perfect, "C" for cool, "M" for miss, 
etc). Along with the dance meter, this small corner display is all you will see 
aside from the dancers and the setting around them. (unless you play 
multiplayer, of course, in which case there will be three meters along the 
bottom). Good luck in the world of Unison.



2.0 Options Menu
--------------------------------------

    The Options Menu in Unison is mostly in English, and therefore it should be 
self-explanatory in most any case. However, some option choices are in Japanese; 
and these have been fully translated (such as the names of the levels' "arrange" 
songs and sound effects). The full translated set of menu options is as follows:

    -Sound Mode
        -Sound: Stereo/Monaural

    -Sound Test
        -BGM Test: 1-19
          01. M.T.F.U. (Ultimate Unity Mix)
          02. Theme From Unison
          03. Unison Living Stereo
          04. Unison Orchestrated
          05. Love Is the Message
          06. Theme For Ducker
          07. Civilian Y: Level 1
          08. Civilian Y: Level 2
          09. Civilian Y: Level 3
          10. Civilian Y: Level 4
          11. Potti and Guno
          12. Enter the Drogue
          13. Shopping Train 2173
          14. "T" Stands For Title
          15. Guno Plays It Cool
          16. On Air Good
          17. On Air Bad
          18. Fire Fire
          19. M.T.F.U. (Voltage Unlimited Mix)
        -SE Test: 1-21
          01. Dance Sensei 1
          02. Dance Sensei 2
          03. Dance Sensei 3
          04. Trill 1
          05. Trill 2
          06. Trill 3
          07. Cela 1
          08. Cela 2
          09. Cela 3
          10. Chilly 1
          11. Chilly 2
          12. Chilly 3
          13. Ducker 1
          14. Ducker 2
          15. Ducker 3
          16. Potti and Guno 1
          17. Potti and Guno 2
          18. Potti and Guno 3
          19. Manajun 1
          20. Manajun 2
          21. Manajun 3
        -Arrange: 1-12
          01. Y.M.C.A.
          02. Neraiuchi
          03. First Love
          04. Love Machine
          05. Seeraa fuku o nu ga sanaide
          06. Yosa
          07. UFO
          08. Boys & Girls
          09. Night of Fire
          10. Jingisukan
          11. Hajimete no chuu
          12. Synchronized Millenium



3.0 Story Mode
--------------------------------------

    This is the primary mode of the game, and is chosen at the title screen by 
selecting "new game." You will begin by choosing your character, to determine 
the difficulty of the dance steps (and also some minor plot points). This mode 
is filled with real-time three-dimensional graphics which are composed in the 
anime style. Each stage is composed of the song section, as well as story and 
dialogue before and after each stage:

        -Prologue
        -Stage Title
        -Story
        -Lesson
        -Story
        -Live Performance
        -Save Replay?
        -Story
        -Save Data?

    Also, you will be required to undergo the "lesson" for each stage before you 
can pass to the "On-Air" performance. You must complete the full lesson with 
competence before moving on. Before you switch from the lesson to the live 
performance, you will be presented with the following option and warning:

        -Wish to Proceed: Yes/No
            ~If you fail in live performance, you will get
             "game over" and have to load last data.

    After each live performance, you will be asked if you wish to save the 
"dance replay." Then, after the story section finishes, you will be asked if you 
wish to "save data." You must be sure to do this before each new stage starts, 
because failing in the live performances will end the game (and you must load 
from that last saved point, or start over).

        -Save Dance Replay: Yes/No
            -Memory Card: Slot1/Slot2
            -Select Data: 1-12

        -Save Data: Yes/No
            -Memory Card: Slot1/Slot2
            -Select Data: 1-6



4.0 Characters
--------------------------------------

    Unison is placed in the future, in the space age. The towns are ruled by the 
evil "Ducker" who is the undisputed tyrant of the land. Along with his disciple 
named "Manajun," he brainwashes the citizens with the power of singing voice, 
and throws them under his strict command. Citizens must join his "Garrison" of 
soldiers, and they will be banished from town if they decide to freely indulge 
in the lost style of "dance." The game's heroines, and the ones which you play 
as, are the trio of ladies which forms the dance team called "Unison." They are 
assembled together by the mysterious "Dance Sensei" to start a pirated televison 
show. Through their television show, they fight to gain a substantial viewing 
audience in this game's bleak future setting... and to bring back dancing and 
soul to this world. However, they can't do it without the help of their master, 
or without the antagony of the villains that exist in this game. And, in thus, 
we meet the cast of Unison:


  -Trill
     -Role: Team Unison, Lead Vocals
     -Favorite Color: Blue
      What would a trio of anime heroines be, without an overly-adorable and 
loving member keep them sane? Trill is the first part of team Unison; with blond 
hair, a high-pitched voice, and a love for blue outfits. One can not help but 
adore her, and you can bet that she will be the first to scream "kawaii!"(quite 
loudly) at the site of something that she finds to be as adorable as she is. She 
may be childish, and overly optimistic, but that only helps to be a nice 
contrast to the other two dancers. Despite her innocent and sometimes overly-
exhaustive personality, her team mates never doubt her ability to pull off a 
great show. In fact, it turns out that Trill's body is really just a "housing" 
for the angelic voice of another soul who did not fit such a perfect physique.

  -Cela
     -Role: Team Unison, Background Vocals
     -Favorite Color: Green
      Every team needs a middleman (or middle-woman, in this case). Cela is the 
intelligent, level-headed, and more sensical member of team Unison. She has a 
short green haircut, a mature and calmer voice, and adores wearing green. She 
also has a love for plants and gardening. Just as Trill can keep things warm and 
happy, Cela can be the voice of reason when they need it. She is always 
reliable, and ready to think deeply about a situation if need be. There is a lot 
of negativity hidden within her soul, from past encounters with Ducker. However, 
she is a perfect mediator for the other two, as she always keeps her cool.

  -Chilly
     -Role: Team Unison, Lead Dancer
     -Favorite Color: Red
      The final member of a good trio would have to be someone like Chilly. 
She's tough, proud, and not afraid to get into a fight if she needs to. She has 
red hair, a tomboyish voice, and a love for the color red in her clothing. 
However, despite her sometimes tough exterior, she holds a heart of gold deep 
inside. In fact, one of her ambitions in this quest is to carry on the lost 
legacy of her late father... who was a famous dancer. If she is lucky, she might 
one day find his secret and brilliant dance steps that were confescated by 
Ducker. Chilly is the most intense dancer of the trio, with the toughest steps 
of all.

  -Dance Sensei
     -Role: Dance Teacher
     -Favorite Color: Purple
      The girls of Unison could never get to where they are without the 
masterful help of a dance instructor. Dance Sensei is their saving grace in this 
game. His look is quite similar to that of a 1970's Disco Dancer; with the afro, 
sideburns, and funky style. However, his abilities as a dance teacher are far 
more than just disco techniques. He also has a strange and cautious love for his 
Afro itself (which puzzles everyone else). He performs each of the team's songs 
with style and grace, and is an invaluable aid to learning the proper 
techniques. In fact, he is so weird and yet perfect in his dance skills... that 
you would think he's from another planet or something ^_~

  -Ducker
     -Role: Evil Leader
     -Favorite Color: Orange
      Every good anime adventure needs a crazed and yet likeable villain. Ducker 
is just this. He can't be found without wearing his blue glasses and orange 
suit; and his love for ducks is quite obvious from the decor of his palace. His 
goal is to stop the team Unison from saving the future world from his evil 
reign. Through the power of singing voice, he keeps his citizens under control 
and away from free dancing. He watches over their dance performances, and 
constantly tries to cease their efforts. Because, if they succeed in uniting the 
world as one happy and strong audience, Ducker's reign would end.

  -Potti and Guno
     -Role: Ducker's Henchmen
     -Favorite Color: Yellow
      These two bafflers are Ducker's prime henchmen, and the leaders of his 
Garrison of soldiers. He assigns them with the duty of helping him stop the 
Unison girls in their quest. Potti is the slim and crafty looking one, and the 
Captin of the Garrison. He is unhappy because of Ducker's fearful ways, because 
of the selfishness of Manajun, and because he has to follow with Guno's actions 
all the time. Guno is the large and tough Vice-Captain of the Garrison. He's 
always happy to do evil, he says. But despite their collective efforts, it is 
hard to have much faith in their success. Still, though, ruthless villainy and 
brute strength are always essential tools when you want to be a successful 
henchman.

  -Manajun
     -Role: Ducker's Disciple; Singer
     -Favorite Color: Pink
      She is the stunning and beautiful female who rules under Ducker's command. 
With her long pink hair and sexy strut, it is hard for most guys not to fall for 
her. She is an up-and-coming singer, as well as Ducker's disciple. Her dream is 
to become the top Idol Singer in all the land. She might get yelled at now and 
then, but her wild temper and strong will can sometimes prove to make her the 
true leader. And despite her association with evil, she's really more of a 
simple and loving person at heart. It is only her selfishness and temper that 
drive her to work with Ducker. In fact, one of the other prime characters in 
this game holds a strong connection to her, one that trancends time. But you'll 
have to play to find out why. ^_^;

  -Ducker's Garrison
     -Role: Soldiers of Ducker
     -Favorite Color: White, None
      The Garrison is made up of citizens from the cities. They are the soldiers 
who serve Ducker's evil needs, and who enforce his strict outlaw on dancing. 
They wear orange suits with a helmet in the basic shape of an underwater shell. 
Through their brainwashing, they are forced into their boring lifestyle. 
However, deep inside, they crave individuality and soulful dancing as much as 
all humans do. All they need is a chance to shine, or for someone to remind them 
of what the world used to be. This is what Unison must do. 

  -Yamashita Family
     -Role: Ducker's Garrison; Citizens
     -Favorite Color: White, All
      This family consists of your average father, mother, and daughter. 
However, all three of them are employed in the Garrison that Ducker has 
assembled from the populace. They are not bad or evil people, though. In fact, 
they don't even like wearing their silly masks all day, or owing loyalty to 
someone for no reason. Their father was banished because he was foolish enough 
to freely dance one day. They are also big fans of the dance team Unison, and 
their daughter never misses their performances on television (from the start). 
And through their time with the team, they eventually all grow to all become big 
Unison fans... as well as lending valuable assistance to their cause.

  -Friday
     -Pet Robot of Team Unison
     -Favorite Color: Brown???
      Friday is the robotic pet that lives with Team Unison. He is yellow 
colored and has floppy ears. Everyone who sees him comments on how cute he is. 
Dance Sensei also likes him deep down, though he can't help but get mad when 
Friday is always messing with his perfect Afro. And worse yet, Friday likes to 
creep up in his hair when he's not looking. But after all this, he should be 
proud of his pets, as they will one day prove to help the team in a way that can 
never be fully repayed.



5.0 Song List and Info
--------------------------------------


      Japanese Title               English Title

  01. Young Man                    Y.M.C.A.
  02. Neraiuchi                    Take Aim and Shoot
  03. First Love                   First Love
  04. Love Mashin                  Love Machine
  05. Seeraa fuku o nu ga sanaide  Don't Make It Take Off Sailors
  06. Yosa                         Honor and Respect
  07. Boys & Girls                 Boys & Girls
  08. Night of Fire                Night of Fire
  09. Jingisukan                   Ghengis Khan
  10. Hajimete no chuu             First Kiss
  11. UFO                          UFO
  12. Synchronized Millenium       Synchronized Millenium



6.0 Club Afro
--------------------------------------

    Club Afro is the place to sharpen your skills on any level that you have 
accessed, at any time you wish. You can practice any of the game's songs in 
here, and you can choose either the "lesson" or the normal "play" mode. This is 
also the only way to access the game's five secret songs. You can set up to five 
high scores for each level as well. One to three human players can go at one 
time, on any of the game's twelve stages (which means that it can be seen as a 
"versus" mode or "free" mode as well). Even better, all three players can be any 
character they wish (rather than requiring the full trio to be present). And, 
after each level you play, you get a choice of: "replay save," "data save," 
"retry," or "exit." After the stage has ended, it will show your scores for each 
dancer. When you begin Club Afro, the choices are as follows:

    -Play
        -Choose Song
        -Player 1: Human/CPU
        -Player 2: Human/CPU
        -Player 3: Human/CPU
        -1P Character: Trill/Cela/Chilly
        -2P Character: Trill/Cela/Chilly
        -3P Character: Trill/Cela/Chilly
    -Lesson
        -Choose Song
        -Choose Character: Trill/Cela/Chilly



7.0 Replay Mode
--------------------------------------

    This mode lets you view replays of performances from the arcade mode or from 
Club Afro. In either of those modes, you are given a choice of "replay save" 
after a stage ends. These replays get saved to your memory card, and you can 
save up to twelve of them on the data file. Once you have saved a replay of some 
sort, you can view them in this mode on the title screen. When you select this 
choice, you are presented with the following options:

    -Replay: Yes/No
    -Memory Card: Slot1/Slot2
    -Data Select: 1-12



8.0 Game Secrets and Hidden Options
--------------------------------------

    -Club Afro. When you begin the game, you will not have access to any songs 
in Club Afro. Once you have completed any of the seven songs "on air" in story 
mode, they will then appear in the club mode. The seventh song "UFO" is listed 
as a secret song in some ways, but it actually becomes available as the ninth 
and final stage of story mode (once the first ending credits roll by, in the 
epilogue).

    -Secret Stages. When you first play the game, you will not have access to 
the secret songs. Each of these must be earned by fulfilling a certain 
requirement while in story mode. Some requirements are as simple as completing 
stages, while some require you to play perfectly or something tougher. Also, 
these songs can only be played in Club Afro, and do not appear in the story 
mode. The secret songs, along with requirements, are as follows:

        -Boys & Girls
            -complete stage 1 of story mode

        -Night of Fire
            -complete stage 1 of story mode

        -Jingisukan
            -complete stage 4 of story mode

        -Hajimete no chuu
            -complete any song with all perfects

        -Synchronized Millenium
            -complete stage 8 of story mode



9.0 Contributions and Thank-You's
--------------------------------------

    I've worked hard as hell on this file, so please please do not steal any of 
the information from it. I know that FAQ writers are always willing to help each 
other out, and that part is always true. However, I have spent countless hours 
with the game powered on, running between rooms to type up all of the specific 
info straight from the game. I would be mortified if anyone were to simply cut 
and paste my information (or even "slightly paraphrase it") instead of working 
hard to find their own info. I know we all agree on this. However, if you have 
anything to contribute or such, please send me an Email, and i will give you 
credit in this FAQ. Note, however, if it is just a small change or new option in 
the game... i have likely discovered it by the next update. Corrections to wrong 
information are even more appreciated ^_^; Anyhow, on with the thanks...

    GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) for hosting this FAQ, along with more great 
gaming info than most any site out there. Keep up the good work, man. Without 
GameFAQs... where would we all go for detailed game help? Sure, lotsa places 
have great code archives, and some TRY to keep all the best FAQs. But who 
succeeds? Only one, my friend ^_^ Jeff "CJayC" Veasey does an astounding, daily 
job of organizing these entries (and he writes his own wonderful FAQs). I must 
also give a hearty thanks to Al Amaloo, the maintainer of Videogame Strategies 
(vgstrategies.about.com). He has completed perhaps the best and most extensive 
archive of codes and tricks (www.gamewinners.com) and written extensive guides 
for games that would go otherwise un-covered. And what makes these two men (Jeff 
Veasey and Al Amaloo) so special... is that they provide an invaluable service 
to the gaming community out of the goodness of their heart. They work hard, 
every day, without the help of any major affiliate. Bravo to both of you!

    The patrons of my own message board, the OtherWorlds Shrine (www.tows.org) 
which is sometimes the only refuge for the true gamer. Along with my friend 
SineSwiper, we keep the shrine alive as a place for gamers to respectfully speak 
and get together while online. The friends that I have made there have meant the 
world to me, despite how my "real life" sometimes drags me offline for days at a 
time. Either way, here's to ya'll... and I won't mention any names (as there are 
too many of you to possibly remember them all now. And you'll kill me if I miss 
any, hehe). The place has been around for years, and I guarantee that it will 
always exist as long as there is an Internet.

    The select few of my OFF-line friends who love gaming almost as much as 
myself, and keep me inspired to keep on playing. Tacchi, you're as obsessed over 
games as me. We've been gaming for well near two decades. We're getting old, 
dude. And Crystal, well you can kick most of our sorry arses ^_^ Steffannee... 
you introduced me to Will in Rival Schools! Scott, you've been a pal through it 
all, despite how you suck at games ^_^ Kathryn, your love and understanding will 
always be cherished (yes, call me sappy). And Alex, you've been there since we 
were infants, when the NES was only a dream in the semi-near future. Chris, 
you're one of my dearest friends (as well as one of the most eerily unique). 
Your love for the Butterfly song and the goofy dance you do... will always bring 
a smile to my face.

    And of course, thanks go out to Lynn and Donna! You two are a few of the 
only people who love Pop 'n Music (and Bust a Move of course) as much as I do. 
Every time we meet is a cherished moment. And, speaking of music games, I owe a 
world of thanks to Malcolm. His friendship has meant a ton to me, and he's one 
of those few folks who plays and works hard at ALL the music game series just 
like I do (Beatmania, Dance Dance Revolution, Pop 'n Music, Bust a Move, and the 
countless other Bemani titles as well). And to the fans of music games, 
worldwide, i offer the greatest thanks of all. Our demand is what keeps this 
amazing genre of games coming back to us every month.

    Konami, Sony, Sega, and all the great companies and people who made the game 
possible. Without them, we'd never have been introduced to this wonderous world, 
beautiful characters, and a style of gaming that changed our lives. These 
musical rhythm games, like Unison, are perhaps my favorite genre out there right 
now. It gives those folks with a "rhythmical sense" a way to convey that sense 
through gaming. And besides, it beats having another cookie-cutter RPG or 
fighter to deal with.



~End of File~
