Yasunori Mitsuda: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Yasunori Mitsuda 7281.jpg|frame|The man behind the music.]] |
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Yasunori Mitsuda is a Japanese video game composer who got his start doing sound programming work on games developed by Square (now [[Square Enix]]) such as [[Secret of Mana]] and [[ |
'''Yasunori Mitsuda''' is a Japanese video game composer who got his start doing sound programming work on games developed by Square (now [[Square Enix]]) such as [[Secret of Mana]] and [[Final Fantasy V]], among others. |
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Originally, despite having been hired as a composer, he didn't do much composing (aside from sound effects), mostly working as a sound engineer. Naturally, he wasn't content with not being able to do what he applied for in the first place, so he threatened to quit unless he could do some actual composing. The result? ''[[ |
Originally, despite having been hired as a composer, he didn't do much composing (aside from sound effects), mostly working as a sound engineer. Naturally, he wasn't content with not being able to do what he applied for in the first place, so he threatened to quit unless he could do some actual composing. The result? ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'''s [[Crowning Music of Awesome]]. Well, the majority of it, anyway -- Mitsuda overdid his work and due to stress he ended up with stomach ulcers that prevented him from finishing it. In his place, veteran Square composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]] (who at the time mainly composed for ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' games) filled in. |
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Eventually Mitsuda recovered and went on to compose for several other Square games such as ''[[ |
Eventually Mitsuda recovered and went on to compose for several other Square games such as ''[[Chrono Cross]]'' and ''[[Xenogears]]'', as well as broadening his work to other companies' games such as [[Hudson Soft]]'s ''[[Bomberman]] 64: The Second Attack'' and ''[[Mario Party]]'', Sacnoth's ''[[Shadow Hearts]]'' series, and Imageepoch's ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' and ''[[Sands of Destruction]]''. |
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Currently, Mitsuda has a music production company called [http://www.procyon-studio.com/ Procyon Studio] that works on various media, including his original medium, video games. |
Currently, Mitsuda has a music production company called [http://www.procyon-studio.com/ Procyon Studio] that works on various media, including his original medium, video games. |
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Mitsuda is good friends with writer Masato Kato, whom he met while working on ''[[ |
Mitsuda is good friends with writer Masato Kato, whom he met while working on ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' and who he has since collaborated with on ''[[Radical Dreamers]]'', ''[[Xenogears]]'', ''[[Chrono Cross]]'', ''[[Deep Labyrinth]]'', ''[[Sands of Destruction]]'', and an original album called ''[[Kirite]]''. |
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Yasunori Mitsuda's composition style is ''very'' distinctive, invoking potent, deep moods with lots of flavorful zest. It becomes instantly recognizable to those who have heard enough of it. It also tends to be a treat to listen to [[Ear Worm|again and again]]. |
Yasunori Mitsuda's composition style is ''very'' distinctive, invoking potent, deep moods with lots of flavorful zest. It becomes instantly recognizable to those who have heard enough of it. It also tends to be a treat to listen to [[Ear Worm|again and again]]. |
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An article in [[Nintendo Power]] once mentioned that Mitsuda waits until a game is close to being complete before composing music for it. Given what happened with Mitsuda's own music with Singing Mountain in ''[[ |
An article in [[Nintendo Power]] once mentioned that Mitsuda waits until a game is close to being complete before composing music for it. Given what happened with Mitsuda's own music with Singing Mountain in ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' and the same game's second battle theme, not to mention the sheer amount of [[Cut Song]]s in video games with soundtracks by other composers, that may be why. |
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== Video Game Music == |
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* ''[[Arc Rise Fantasia]]'' (2009, along with [[Yuki Harada]] and [[Shunsuke Tsuchiya]]) |
* ''[[Arc Rise Fantasia]]'' (2009, along with [[Yuki Harada]] and [[Shunsuke Tsuchiya]]) |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Bomberman]] 64: The Second Attack'' (1999, along with [[Yoshitaka Hirota]]) |
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** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVLEmpR-n3k Alcatraz I], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ucTidPLJs Aquanet II], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMIzzY1VT5k Starlight I]. |
** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVLEmpR-n3k Alcatraz I], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ucTidPLJs Aquanet II], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMIzzY1VT5k Starlight I]. |
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* ''[[BQLSI Star Laser]]'' (2009) - The game was developed by Mitsuda's Procyon Studio for the iPhone, and Mitsuda himself was the game's producer. Sadly, the only "music" in the game are the beginning and end-of-level jingles. |
* ''[[BQLSI Star Laser]]'' (2009) - The game was developed by Mitsuda's Procyon Studio for the iPhone, and Mitsuda himself was the game's producer. Sadly, the only "music" in the game are the beginning and end-of-level jingles. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Chrono Cross]]'' (1999): Contained arrangements of songs from both ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' and ''[[Radical Dreamers]]'' as well. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-f25gAW2Qc Ancient Dragon's Fort]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdKmT218NTc The Brink of Death]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a-4m1O7og4 Chronomantique]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ncd9bDQaHY&fmt=18 Dream of a Shore Bordering Another World]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzAE8ZuOd3I Forest of Cutting Shadows]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HogOA9lBM5U Lizard Dance]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu0dmrqzP-I&fmt=18 Magical Dreamers ~Wind, Stars and Waves~]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDnPYoGzW78 Scars of Time]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krj4LsOa3tg Termina, Another]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMntblDX0Bg Time of the Dreamwatch]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py3mLR0Fa-w Zelbess]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CKHpK93S5M&hd=1 Life ~Faraway Promise~]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-f25gAW2Qc Ancient Dragon's Fort]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdKmT218NTc The Brink of Death]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a-4m1O7og4 Chronomantique]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ncd9bDQaHY&fmt=18 Dream of a Shore Bordering Another World]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzAE8ZuOd3I Forest of Cutting Shadows]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HogOA9lBM5U Lizard Dance]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu0dmrqzP-I&fmt=18 Magical Dreamers ~Wind, Stars and Waves~]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDnPYoGzW78 Scars of Time]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krj4LsOa3tg Termina, Another]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMntblDX0Bg Time of the Dreamwatch]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py3mLR0Fa-w Zelbess]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CKHpK93S5M&hd=1 Life ~Faraway Promise~]". |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' (1995—along with [[Nobuo Uematsu]] and [[Noriko Matsueda]]): His first official music composition work, and still his favorite. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbLN_GRSNI Battle With Magus]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjjNK7xXI0 Black Omen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-s-VQBoUdc Chrono Trigger]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2urmmxYyhZI&fmt=18 Frog's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_3imPeW_IA&fmt=18 Corridors of Time]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOSLHZwKwM Robo's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIJxrAHuk7Q Schala's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r1iesThvYg Secret of the Forest]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0hOMT7IwUg A Shot of Crisis]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNlpG7WaOjo Singing Mountain]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbLN_GRSNI Battle With Magus]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjjNK7xXI0 Black Omen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-s-VQBoUdc Chrono Trigger]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2urmmxYyhZI&fmt=18 Frog's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_3imPeW_IA&fmt=18 Corridors of Time]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOSLHZwKwM Robo's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIJxrAHuk7Q Schala's Theme]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r1iesThvYg Secret of the Forest]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0hOMT7IwUg A Shot of Crisis]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNlpG7WaOjo Singing Mountain]". |
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* ''[[Deep Labyrinth]]'' (2004): A prime example of how well-done Mitsuda music can actually make an otherwise lackluster game very enjoyable, giving the game a sense of profound depth and feeling it lacked without it. |
* ''[[Deep Labyrinth]]'' (2004): A prime example of how well-done Mitsuda music can actually make an otherwise lackluster game very enjoyable, giving the game a sense of profound depth and feeling it lacked without it. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp6NjZ0cGiI Azure Cavern]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81-SoTxMmiI Brazing Breeze]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSsOG1WfsM Sword of a Lost Legend]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VuMyQZevT0 To the Labyrinth]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp6NjZ0cGiI Azure Cavern]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81-SoTxMmiI Brazing Breeze]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSsOG1WfsM Sword of a Lost Legend]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VuMyQZevT0 To the Labyrinth]". |
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* ''[[Front Mission]]: Gun Hazard'' ( |
* ''[[Front Mission]]: Gun Hazard'' (1996—along with [[Masashi Hamauzu]], [[Junya Nakano]] and [[Nobuo Uematsu]]) |
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* ''[[Graffiti Kingdom]]'' (2004) |
* ''[[Graffiti Kingdom]]'' (2004) |
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** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE9b7rYdF4w&feature=related 1] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce1QXUfxL4k&feature=related 2] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo461VDWaWo&feature=related 3] |
** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE9b7rYdF4w&feature=related 1] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce1QXUfxL4k&feature=related 2] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo461VDWaWo&feature=related 3] |
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* ''[[Inazuma Eleven]] 2: Kyoui No Shinryokusha'' (2009) |
* ''[[Inazuma Eleven]] 2: Kyoui No Shinryokusha'' (2009) |
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* ''[[Inazuma Eleven]] 3: Challenge The World'' (2010) |
* ''[[Inazuma Eleven]] 3: Challenge The World'' (2010) |
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* ''[[Kid Icarus Uprising]]'' (2012) |
* ''[[Kid Icarus: Uprising]]'' (2012) |
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* ''[[Legend of Legaia |
* ''[[Legend of Legaia|Legaia II: Duel Saga]]'' (2001, along with [[Hitoshi Sakimoto]] and [[Michiru Oshima]]) |
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* ''[[Lime Odyssey]]'' (2009) |
* ''[[Lime Odyssey]]'' (2009) |
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* ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' (2007, along with [[Shota Kageyama]], [[Akari Kaida]] and [[Kazumi Mitome]]) |
* ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' (2007, along with [[Shota Kageyama]], [[Akari Kaida]] and [[Kazumi Mitome]]) |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Mario Party]]'' (1998): Also his least favorite work. In interview, Mitsuda said that developer Hudson Soft rejected more than half the compositions he submitted. Still, he did work for ''Mario Party 2'' as well. |
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** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-4dIENnLO8 Rainbow Castle]. |
** Samples: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-4dIENnLO8 Rainbow Castle]. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Mario Party]] 2'' (1999, along with [[Syohei Bando]], [[Kazuhiko Sawaguchi]] and [[Hironao Yamamoto]]): No ''Mario Party'' work after this. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Mega Man Legends]] 2'' (2000, arrangement) |
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* ''[[Monster Kingdom]]: Jewel Summoner'' (2006, along with [[Shinji Hosoe]], [[Kenji Ito]], [[Masaharu Iwata]], [[Tsukasa Masuko]], [[Takahiro Ogata]], [[Hitoshi Sakimoto]], [[Ayako Saso]], [[Yoko Shimomura]] and [[Yasuyuki Suzuki]]) |
* ''[[Monster Kingdom]]: Jewel Summoner'' (2006, along with [[Shinji Hosoe]], [[Kenji Ito]], [[Masaharu Iwata]], [[Tsukasa Masuko]], [[Takahiro Ogata]], [[Hitoshi Sakimoto]], [[Ayako Saso]], [[Yoko Shimomura]] and [[Yasuyuki Suzuki]]) |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Radical Dreamers]]'' (1996): A very brief game with a small soundtrack, but most of the songs were really good. Many of them were also rearranged later for ''[[Chrono Cross]]''. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f72oItasNo Ending]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyAxQ0ccZw0 Epilogue]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgHrLD9pg7Q Frozen Flame]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Lv2A6G128 Chrono Cross arrangement], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fQGVlceiGY Gale]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PcTYRJo5hw C.C. arr.], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iY2Z31q9dY The Girl Who Stole the Star]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoEMaWrQBQM C.C. arr], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DvVDepsmwk Summer Day]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f72oItasNo Ending]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyAxQ0ccZw0 Epilogue]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgHrLD9pg7Q Frozen Flame]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Lv2A6G128 Chrono Cross arrangement], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fQGVlceiGY Gale]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PcTYRJo5hw C.C. arr.], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iY2Z31q9dY The Girl Who Stole the Star]", [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoEMaWrQBQM C.C. arr], "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DvVDepsmwk Summer Day]". |
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* ''[[Sands of Destruction]]'' (2008, along with [[Kazumi Mitome]] and [[Shunsuke Tsuchiya]]) |
* ''[[Sands of Destruction]]'' (2008, along with [[Kazumi Mitome]] and [[Shunsuke Tsuchiya]]) |
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* ''[[Soma Bringer]]'' (2008) |
* ''[[Soma Bringer]]'' (2008) |
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* ''[[Soukou Kihei Armodyne]]'' (2007) |
* ''[[Soukou Kihei Armodyne]]'' (2007) |
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* ''[[Super Smash Bros |
* ''[[Super Smash Bros.]] Brawl'' (2008, arrangement) |
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* ''[[Tantei Kibukawa Ryosuke Jiken Dan]]: The Masquerade Lullaby'' (2005, along with [[Takanari Ishiyama]] and [[Kazumi Mitome]]) |
* ''[[Tantei Kibukawa Ryosuke Jiken Dan]]: The Masquerade Lullaby'' (2005, along with [[Takanari Ishiyama]] and [[Kazumi Mitome]]) |
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* ''[[Tobal]] No. 1'' ( |
* ''[[Tobal]] No. 1'' (1996—musical director, and composer along with [[Masashi Hamauzu]], [[Kenji Ito]], [[Yasuhiro Kawami]], [[Noriko Matsueda]], [[Junya Nakano]], [[Ryuji Sasai]] and [[Yoko Shimomura]]) |
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* ''[[Tsugunai]]: Atonement'' (2001): Also familiar to ''[[ |
* ''[[Tsugunai]]: Atonement'' (2001): Also familiar to ''[[Crimson Echoes]]'' fans, as the project reused a few songs from ''an cinniùint'', Mitsuda's soundtrack for ''Tsugunai''. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAeuco4Qki4 Battle with the Devil]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSLNXi3DlEc Early Afternoon in the Village]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvjhySLkRDg The Test]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAeuco4Qki4 Battle with the Devil]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSLNXi3DlEc Early Afternoon in the Village]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvjhySLkRDg The Test]". |
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* ''[[Tsukiyo Ni Saraba]]'' (2005, along with [[Miki Higashino]]) |
* ''[[Tsukiyo Ni Saraba]]'' (2005, along with [[Miki Higashino]]) |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Xenoblade]]'' (2010, along with [[ACE]], [[Manami Kiyota]] and [[Yoko Shimomura]]): The first time Mitsuda worked on an individual ''Xeno'' game where he did not compose the entire soundtrack. In fact, he only composed ''one'' song—the ending. The other three composers composed most of the soundtrack, but adopting heavy Mitsuda influences -- ''Xeno'' just isn't ''Xeno'' without it. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Xenogears]]'' (1998): ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' was mostly light-hearted, but ''Xenogears'' was very much not. This was the soundtrack that really showed how deep and moody Mitsuda's music could get. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoDzt5GlANg&fmt=18 Flight], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NON8oGbwInQ Bonds of Sea and Flame]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF2crvBSDU June Mermaid]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGEElC7aQAQ Omen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebRPCcwYPU One Who Is Torn Apart]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXmqo6XvRLE Remnants of the Dreams of the Strong]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=256pIFbJvhI Shattering Egg of Dreams]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZKYVlH8A3s The Soft Wind Sings]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRRvMPHQDl4 Stars of Tears]" (vocals by [[Joanne Hogg]]), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW0S-4pF54Y Steel Giants]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP62ooQPDYQ&fmt=18 Thames, Men of the Sea]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMzBEv12ExY The Treasure Which Cannot Be Stolen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loh0SQ_SF2s Shevat of the Blue Skies, The Wind Is Calling]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoDzt5GlANg&fmt=18 Flight], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NON8oGbwInQ Bonds of Sea and Flame]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF2crvBSDU June Mermaid]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGEElC7aQAQ Omen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebRPCcwYPU One Who Is Torn Apart]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXmqo6XvRLE Remnants of the Dreams of the Strong]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=256pIFbJvhI Shattering Egg of Dreams]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZKYVlH8A3s The Soft Wind Sings]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRRvMPHQDl4 Stars of Tears]" (vocals by [[Joanne Hogg]]), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW0S-4pF54Y Steel Giants]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP62ooQPDYQ&fmt=18 Thames, Men of the Sea]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMzBEv12ExY The Treasure Which Cannot Be Stolen]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loh0SQ_SF2s Shevat of the Blue Skies, The Wind Is Calling]". |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Xenosaga]] Episode I: Der Wille Zur Macht'' (2002): He did not return for the rest of the series though. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_NKJNo7nx8 Battle]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rRZn29FuLU Green Sleeves]" (arranged folk song), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkPdDvhOEaE Kokoro]" (vocals by [[Joanne Hogg]]), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5o19Vn6Cy4 Life or Death]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqjCT2yB3i8 Song of Nephilim]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPu66DUjWH8 U.M.N.MODE]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_NKJNo7nx8 Battle]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rRZn29FuLU Green Sleeves]" (arranged folk song), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkPdDvhOEaE Kokoro]" (vocals by [[Joanne Hogg]]), "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5o19Vn6Cy4 Life or Death]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqjCT2yB3i8 Song of Nephilim]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPu66DUjWH8 U.M.N.MODE]". |
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Yasunori Mitsuda has also composed a few original and arrangement albums, independent of video game releases. |
Yasunori Mitsuda has also composed a few original and arrangement albums, independent of video game releases. |
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== Albums == |
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* ''Creid'' is an album of Celtic-themed arrangements of music from ''[[ |
* ''Creid'' is an album of Celtic-themed arrangements of music from ''[[Xenogears]]''. Its [[Engrish]] track names could not distract from the quality of the music. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEsqL5zs4R0 BALTO]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_3U1D7CCmM LAHAN]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckbJkjiff9M MELKABA]". |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEsqL5zs4R0 BALTO]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_3U1D7CCmM LAHAN]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckbJkjiff9M MELKABA]". |
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* ''[[Ki Rite]]'' is an album Yasunori Mitsuda made in cooperation with story writer [[Masato Kato]] (who had worked with Mitsuda on ''[[ |
* ''[[Ki Rite]]'' is an album Yasunori Mitsuda made in cooperation with story writer [[Masato Kato]] (who had worked with Mitsuda on ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'', ''[[Xenogears]]'', ''[[Chrono Cross]]'' and ''[[Deep Labyrinth]]''). Kato wrote a story, and Mitsuda composed 15 songs to give it feeling. An artist provided [[Scenery Porn]] with the album's printed material. All this made ''kiRite'' more like a concept game story, without ever being a game. |
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** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvps2rk62-A Blue Sky]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkntdUmc5P8 City of Volfino]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9KHlHzNJmQ Encounter ~ Circle of Darkness]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jri1wgKetQA Dying Autumn]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHCRYF22Gt4 Is kiRite Burning?]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXcIJAIMsHI The Name of Hope]. |
** Samples: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvps2rk62-A Blue Sky]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkntdUmc5P8 City of Volfino]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9KHlHzNJmQ Encounter ~ Circle of Darkness]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jri1wgKetQA Dying Autumn]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHCRYF22Gt4 Is kiRite Burning?]", "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXcIJAIMsHI The Name of Hope]. |
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* ''Myth'' is another album of remixed ''[[ |
* ''Myth'' is another album of remixed ''[[Xenogears]]'' tunes, this time with orchestral arrangements. It is available for purchase from iTunes. |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Composers]] |
[[Category:Composers]] |
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[[Category:Yasunori Mitsuda]] |
[[Category:Yasunori Mitsuda]] |
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[[Category:Trope]] |
Latest revision as of 20:05, 5 October 2014
![](http://static.miraheze.org/allthetropeswiki/6/69/Yasunori_Mitsuda_7281.jpg)
Yasunori Mitsuda is a Japanese video game composer who got his start doing sound programming work on games developed by Square (now Square Enix) such as Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy V, among others.
Originally, despite having been hired as a composer, he didn't do much composing (aside from sound effects), mostly working as a sound engineer. Naturally, he wasn't content with not being able to do what he applied for in the first place, so he threatened to quit unless he could do some actual composing. The result? Chrono Trigger's Crowning Music of Awesome. Well, the majority of it, anyway -- Mitsuda overdid his work and due to stress he ended up with stomach ulcers that prevented him from finishing it. In his place, veteran Square composer Nobuo Uematsu (who at the time mainly composed for Final Fantasy games) filled in.
Eventually Mitsuda recovered and went on to compose for several other Square games such as Chrono Cross and Xenogears, as well as broadening his work to other companies' games such as Hudson Soft's Bomberman 64: The Second Attack and Mario Party, Sacnoth's Shadow Hearts series, and Imageepoch's Luminous Arc and Sands of Destruction.
Currently, Mitsuda has a music production company called Procyon Studio that works on various media, including his original medium, video games.
Mitsuda is good friends with writer Masato Kato, whom he met while working on Chrono Trigger and who he has since collaborated with on Radical Dreamers, Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Deep Labyrinth, Sands of Destruction, and an original album called Kirite.
Yasunori Mitsuda's composition style is very distinctive, invoking potent, deep moods with lots of flavorful zest. It becomes instantly recognizable to those who have heard enough of it. It also tends to be a treat to listen to again and again.
An article in Nintendo Power once mentioned that Mitsuda waits until a game is close to being complete before composing music for it. Given what happened with Mitsuda's own music with Singing Mountain in Chrono Trigger and the same game's second battle theme, not to mention the sheer amount of Cut Songs in video games with soundtracks by other composers, that may be why.
Video Game Music
- Arc Rise Fantasia (2009, along with Yuki Harada and Shunsuke Tsuchiya)
- Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (1999, along with Yoshitaka Hirota)
- Samples: Alcatraz I, Aquanet II, Starlight I.
- BQLSI Star Laser (2009) - The game was developed by Mitsuda's Procyon Studio for the iPhone, and Mitsuda himself was the game's producer. Sadly, the only "music" in the game are the beginning and end-of-level jingles.
- Chrono Cross (1999): Contained arrangements of songs from both Chrono Trigger and Radical Dreamers as well.
- Samples: "Ancient Dragon's Fort", "The Brink of Death", "Chronomantique", "Dream of a Shore Bordering Another World", "Forest of Cutting Shadows", "Lizard Dance", "Magical Dreamers ~Wind, Stars and Waves~", "Scars of Time", "Termina, Another", "Time of the Dreamwatch", "Zelbess", "Life ~Faraway Promise~".
- Chrono Trigger (1995—along with Nobuo Uematsu and Noriko Matsueda): His first official music composition work, and still his favorite.
- Samples: "Battle With Magus", "Black Omen", "Chrono Trigger", "Frog's Theme", "Corridors of Time", "Robo's Theme", "Schala's Theme", "Secret of the Forest", "A Shot of Crisis", "Singing Mountain".
- Deep Labyrinth (2004): A prime example of how well-done Mitsuda music can actually make an otherwise lackluster game very enjoyable, giving the game a sense of profound depth and feeling it lacked without it.
- Samples: "Azure Cavern", "Brazing Breeze", "Sword of a Lost Legend", "To the Labyrinth".
- Front Mission: Gun Hazard (1996—along with Masashi Hamauzu, Junya Nakano and Nobuo Uematsu)
- Graffiti Kingdom (2004)
- Inazuma Eleven (2008)
- Inazuma Eleven 2: Kyoui No Shinryokusha (2009)
- Inazuma Eleven 3: Challenge The World (2010)
- Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012)
- Legaia II: Duel Saga (2001, along with Hitoshi Sakimoto and Michiru Oshima)
- Lime Odyssey (2009)
- Luminous Arc (2007, along with Shota Kageyama, Akari Kaida and Kazumi Mitome)
- Mario Party (1998): Also his least favorite work. In interview, Mitsuda said that developer Hudson Soft rejected more than half the compositions he submitted. Still, he did work for Mario Party 2 as well.
- Samples: Rainbow Castle.
- Mario Party 2 (1999, along with Syohei Bando, Kazuhiko Sawaguchi and Hironao Yamamoto): No Mario Party work after this.
- Mega Man Legends 2 (2000, arrangement)
- Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner (2006, along with Shinji Hosoe, Kenji Ito, Masaharu Iwata, Tsukasa Masuko, Takahiro Ogata, Hitoshi Sakimoto, Ayako Saso, Yoko Shimomura and Yasuyuki Suzuki)
- Radical Dreamers (1996): A very brief game with a small soundtrack, but most of the songs were really good. Many of them were also rearranged later for Chrono Cross.
- Samples: "Ending", "Epilogue", "Frozen Flame", Chrono Cross arrangement, "Gale", C.C. arr., "The Girl Who Stole the Star", C.C. arr, "Summer Day".
- Sands of Destruction (2008, along with Kazumi Mitome and Shunsuke Tsuchiya)
- Shadow Hearts (2001, along with Yoshitaka Hirota)
- Samples: "Blade", "Dalian ~ Ocean -Highnoon Fish-".
- Shadow Hearts: Covenant (2003, along with Yoshitaka Hirota, Kenji Ito and Tomoko Kobayashi)
- Soma Bringer (2008)
- Soukou Kihei Armodyne (2007)
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, arrangement)
- Tantei Kibukawa Ryosuke Jiken Dan: The Masquerade Lullaby (2005, along with Takanari Ishiyama and Kazumi Mitome)
- Tobal No. 1 (1996—musical director, and composer along with Masashi Hamauzu, Kenji Ito, Yasuhiro Kawami, Noriko Matsueda, Junya Nakano, Ryuji Sasai and Yoko Shimomura)
- Tsugunai: Atonement (2001): Also familiar to Crimson Echoes fans, as the project reused a few songs from an cinniùint, Mitsuda's soundtrack for Tsugunai.
- Samples: "Battle with the Devil", "Early Afternoon in the Village", "The Test".
- Tsukiyo Ni Saraba (2005, along with Miki Higashino)
- Xenoblade (2010, along with ACE, Manami Kiyota and Yoko Shimomura): The first time Mitsuda worked on an individual Xeno game where he did not compose the entire soundtrack. In fact, he only composed one song—the ending. The other three composers composed most of the soundtrack, but adopting heavy Mitsuda influences -- Xeno just isn't Xeno without it.
- Xenogears (1998): Chrono Trigger was mostly light-hearted, but Xenogears was very much not. This was the soundtrack that really showed how deep and moody Mitsuda's music could get.
- Samples: "Flight, Bonds of Sea and Flame", "June Mermaid", "Omen", "One Who Is Torn Apart", "Remnants of the Dreams of the Strong", "Shattering Egg of Dreams", "The Soft Wind Sings", "Stars of Tears" (vocals by Joanne Hogg), "Steel Giants", "Thames, Men of the Sea", "The Treasure Which Cannot Be Stolen", "Shevat of the Blue Skies, The Wind Is Calling".
- Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille Zur Macht (2002): He did not return for the rest of the series though.
- Samples: "Battle", "Green Sleeves" (arranged folk song), "Kokoro" (vocals by Joanne Hogg), "Life or Death", "Song of Nephilim", "U.M.N.MODE".
Yasunori Mitsuda has also composed a few original and arrangement albums, independent of video game releases.
Albums
- Creid is an album of Celtic-themed arrangements of music from Xenogears. Its Engrish track names could not distract from the quality of the music.
- Ki Rite is an album Yasunori Mitsuda made in cooperation with story writer Masato Kato (who had worked with Mitsuda on Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, Chrono Cross and Deep Labyrinth). Kato wrote a story, and Mitsuda composed 15 songs to give it feeling. An artist provided Scenery Porn with the album's printed material. All this made kiRite more like a concept game story, without ever being a game.
- Samples: "Blue Sky", "City of Volfino", "Encounter ~ Circle of Darkness", "Dying Autumn", "Is kiRite Burning?", "The Name of Hope.
- Myth is another album of remixed Xenogears tunes, this time with orchestral arrangements. It is available for purchase from iTunes.