Melon Brains: Exploring The Mind Of The Dolphin

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Melon Brains: Exploring the Mind of the Dolphin
System(s): Sega Mega LD
Publisher: Pioneer Electronic Corp.
Developer: Multimedia Creators Network
Licensor: Studio Garage
Sound driver: RSS
Peripherals supported: 3D Goggle
Genre: Electronic Publishing
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1994-09-20 ¥1300013000 PEASJ1011 US 1994-11-23 $170170 PEASU1011

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Melon Brains: Exploring The Mind Of The Dolphin is a Sega Mega LD educational software program developed by Multimedia Creators Network and published by Pioneer Electronic Corp. First released in Japan in September 1994, it was later brought to the United States the following November.

Produced with the goal of "exploring the relationship between human and dolphins", Melon Brains is a collection of dolphin-related videos, including documentary footage and interviews with dolphin experts. The name refers to the melon, a fatty mass on the front of many cetaceans' skulls which focuses sound and aids dolphins in communication.

Sides

1. Who Are the Dolphins?

2. Dolphin Odyssey

History

“	I had come up with this idea of making a title featuring Dolphins. Somehow during the time when I was working with Yoko Ono around 1989 and 1990, to produce a series of concert event and CD, Video, and TV program to commemorate 50th birthday of John Lennon at Tokyo Dome, the event was titled “Greening of the World” (Dec.1990), I came across via Yoko, some amazing stories of Dolphin’s lifestyle and their ability to communicate with each other using this organ called “Melon”, a fatty part located in frontal area of their brain, and I became totally fascinated by them. So I came up with this idea of making a program featuring top class scientists and researchers who were studying dolphins from various perspectives, and based on their findings and understanding, something intellectually intriguing, along with some beautiful video footage of Dolphins in wild, something relaxing and emotionally engaging, and combine them together, try to illustrate the dolphin as a being possibly smarter than us human. Nakano liked my idea and it became “Melon Brains”. We were privileged to have interviewed some of the top names on this subject and based on their interviews, we have created interactive scenarios and produced visuals to accompany them. We also were lucky to have Bob Talbot who provide us his gorgeous film footage which he filmed exclusively for this title. My best memory from this unique and yet exciting ordeal was my meeting with Dr. John C. Lilly who unfortunately past away already. He was one of the top scientist on human brain and mind, his life was modeled after for several movies such as “The Day of The Dolphin” directed by Mike Nicolas, and “Altered States” by Ken Russell. He was studying dolphin’s brain, which is relatively much larger and more complex than ours, and their ability to communicate using this big brain. And through his research and experiments, he came to believe that dolphin’s ability is far beyond our imaginations, and almost like extraterrestrials. When I interviewed him at his house in Maui for “Melon Brains”, I felt deeply connected to what he was saying and I really felt that I have encountered someone who vested a true wisdom. We became good friends after the shooting, and me and my wife visited him in Maui time to time.	„
— Multimedia Creators Network founder Jotaro Nonaka

Development

Alongside exclusive footage shot by filmmaker Bob Talbot, Multimedia Creators Network video producer Hiroyuki Nakano personally filmed much of the dolphin footage used in Melon Brains.

Prerelease

An early version of Melon Brains was used in a presentation on dolphin intelligence at the 4th International Dolphin & Whale Conference held in Japan in April 1994, with developer Jotaro Nonaka appearing alongside renowned cephalopod researchers Dr. John C. Lilly, Jacques Mayol, and others. Nonaka's presentation focused on the theme of multimedia modeled on dolphins, and the evolution of human consciousness.

Legacy

In September 2013, developer and executive producer Jotaro Nonaka posted Melon Brains' original dolphin footage to his YouTube channel at 720p resolution, titled PeaceBlue #01 and PeaceBlue #02.

Magazine articles

Main article: Melon Brains: Exploring The Mind Of The Dolphin/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Mega LD, JP
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Mega LD, US
Cover

External links

• PeaceBlue #01 video by Jotaro Nonaka at YouTube
• PeaceBlue #02 video by Jotaro Nonaka at YouTube

References

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