A friend sent me samples of the songs online... and I knew I had to get this 
single; any Sakura Taisen fan must.  ^_^  However, much to my surprise, I 
received the CD single in the mail today from my friend in Japan... so I can 
finally post this to the this list for information.  ^^;
---

Sakura Taisen Katsudou Shashin Gekijouban:
Kiseki no Kane / Subete wa Umi e
Avex AVCA-14248
Released 2001.11.21
1260 yen

  1.  Kiseki no Kane
       [Teikoku Kagekidan]
  2.  Subete wa Umi e
       [Yokoyama Chisa & Kuno Akiko]
  3.  Kiseki no Kane (Original Karaoke)
  4.  Subete wa Umi e (Original Karaoke)
  5.  Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan
       [Teikoku Kagekidan]

TEIKOKU KAGEKIDAN:
  Sakura :: Yokoyama Chisa
  Sumire :: Tomizawa Michie
  Maria :: Takano Urara
  Kanna :: Tanaka Mayumi
  Iris :: Nishihara Kumiko
  Kohran :: Fuchizaki Yuriko
  Orihime :: Okamoto Maya
  Reni :: Ikura Kazue

  Rachette :: Kuno Akiko
  

The cover has Sakura and Rachette back-to-back; Rachette holding her 
claw-looking weapons.  Their border are circles with the other Teikoku 
Kagekidan members' heads in them.

This is a great CD single; I highly recommend to any Sakura Taisen fan.  
These are the movie versions of the original song, and they are all rendered 
beautifully -- whether it is change in the music or change in singer.

This version of "Kiseki no Kane" is much more regal and features this grand 
orchestra within it, along with a professional choir singing along, not 
little kids who sing, like it did on the original, giving it an even more 
holiday-esque feeling (they even took out that "lalala" part).  It is missing 
that odd Iesu-sama introduction from the original, though -- but not a major 
loss.  The orchestra and choir gives it a much richer sound, if a tad slower 
than the original, and I prefer this movie version over the original.  

And yes, the seiyuu re-recorded this.  I love how Fuchizaki Yuriko [Kohran] 
sounds in this than the original... her voice sounds very husky.  ^_^  After 
the first half of this song, there is a very cool orchestra interlude that 
feels as if it is right out of a play or something.  ^^;  My only complaint 
is that Okamoto Maya sounded very... weak in her solo.  Maybe timid is a 
better word?  

Originally, "Subete wa Umi e" is from the Kaijin Bessou play and performed by 
Yokoyama Chisa [Sakura] and Takano Urara [Maria].  However, Rachette performs 
with Sakura... Kuno Akiko, as Rachette, sounds gorgeous.  ^_^  She's a 
veteran theater actress, and her skills really shine in this ong.  Her voice 
sounds a lot like Ikura Kazue's [Reni], IMHO.  It's a gorgeous orchestrated 
ballad that's very sad.  Chisa takes the harmonizing vocals in this when 
singing with Akiko, when in the original, Urara took the harmonizing vocals.

Of course, there is some unwritten law stating that on every single piece of 
Sakura Taisen music release, "Gekitei" must be on.  ^_^;  This is the same as 
the Kai version... I'm not sure if it is re-recorded or not, I haven't 
listened to the Kai version in a long time.  ^_^;  (I don't think it is.)  
Too bad that only Urara, Michie, and Chisa have solos... ^^;  

--
Emily K. (Mink) - working on comic project...
mink249@aol.com // AIM: tabrisv, mink249
http://members.aol.com/mink249/mp3s.html
Listening to: nothing...