Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
composer
of video game music. He has composed music for various games produced by Sega
, including Virtua Fighter 2
and Shenmue
. He was also the voice actor of Bill in Sega-AM2
's 1993 fighting
arcade game
, Burning Rival
.
Having done some work on previous Sega games, the first major project he wrote the majority of the music for was in 1994, working on the game, Virtua Fighter 2
. It was around that time that he did the music and vocals for Daytona USA
as well.
Mitsuyoshi’s work on these games propelled him even further on his musical path with Sega. In the 1999 highly acclaimed release, Shenmue
, Mitsuyoshi once again demonstrated his expertise by creating a soundtrack of over 20 songs and more than 200 other pieces to be used throughout the game. Continuing this tradition of excellence, he went on to compose for Shenmue II
, which was released in 2001.
in Leipzig
, Germany
in 2003. It was the first time that a concert featuring video game music was held outside Japan.
In 2007, his music from the World Club Champion Football series was presented at the fifth Symphonic Game Music Concert. Takenobu Mitsuyoshi joined the choir during the performance.
For Symphonic Shades - Huelsbeck in Concert performed by the WDR Radio Orchestra in Cologne
, Germany, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi arranged music from Apidya II, composed by German Chris Huelsbeck. The event marked the first live radio broadcast of a video game music concert.
Mitsuyoshi attended the world-premiere of Play! A Video Game Symphony
at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, Illinois
in May 2006. His music from the Shenmue series was performed by a full symphony orchestra. This event drew nearly four thousand attendees.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of video game music. He has composed music for various games produced by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, including Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Fighter 2
is a fighting game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by the Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released in the arcade in 1994. It was subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997...
and Shenmue
Shenmue
is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
. He was also the voice actor of Bill in Sega-AM2
Sega-AM2
Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department 2 is a research and development team for the video game company Sega. Originally known as "Sega Amusement Developing Section 8", AM2 was previously headed up by famed designer Yu Suzuki...
's 1993 fighting
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, Burning Rival
Burning Rival
is a fighting arcade game developed by Sega-AM2 and published by Sega. It was released exclusively in Japan in July 1993. It was also the first fighting game developed by Sega-AM2; however, Virtua Fighter and Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki wasn't involved in this work. It was created during the...
.
Biography
Takenobu Mitsuyoshi started out in the field of sound creation by following his dream of creating music. He held a particular interest in the genre of game music, and was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work in this field with Sega. Joining the Sega team in 1990 not only allowed him to create music in his favorite format, but it also offered him the chance to be a part of the celebrated S.S.T. Band (Sega Sound Team), a live performance band employed by Sega to perform games music of its arcade games.Having done some work on previous Sega games, the first major project he wrote the majority of the music for was in 1994, working on the game, Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Fighter 2
is a fighting game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by the Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released in the arcade in 1994. It was subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997...
. It was around that time that he did the music and vocals for Daytona USA
Daytona USA
Daytona USA may refer to:* Daytona USA , a 1993 arcade racing video game* Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition, exclusive home-based extension of the first game* Daytona USA 2, the sequel to the original game...
as well.
Mitsuyoshi’s work on these games propelled him even further on his musical path with Sega. In the 1999 highly acclaimed release, Shenmue
Shenmue
is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
, Mitsuyoshi once again demonstrated his expertise by creating a soundtrack of over 20 songs and more than 200 other pieces to be used throughout the game. Continuing this tradition of excellence, he went on to compose for Shenmue II
Shenmue II
is a adventure game for the Dreamcast and Xbox. It is the sequel to Shenmue, and was produced and directed by Yu Suzuki of Sega AM2.Due to exclusivity rights obtained by Microsoft, the North American Dreamcast version was cancelled. Because of this, no English dub was recorded for the Dreamcast...
, which was released in 2001.
Video Game Soundtracks
- Strike FighterStrike fighterIn a current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft designed to operate primarily in the air-to-surface attack role while also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers...
(1991) - R-360R-360The R-360 is an arcade cabinet produced by Sega. The arcade cabinet has two axes of movement, allowing the player to rotate freely as the cabinet mimics the in-game action, including turning the cabinet completely upside down...
/ G-LOCG-LOCG-LOC, pronounced 'GEE-lock', is the abbreviation of G-force induced Loss Of Consciousness, a term generally used in aerospace physiology to describe a loss of consciousness occurring from excessive and sustained g-forces draining blood away from the brain causing cerebral hypoxia...
(1992) - OutrunnersOutRunnersOutRunners is a racing video game developed by AM1 and released by Sega in 1992. It constitutes the third release in the arcade Out Run series and was ported to the Mega Drive by Data East in 1994.-Description:thumb|OutRunners two-player cabinet...
(1993) - Daytona USADaytona USADaytona USA may refer to:* Daytona USA , a 1993 arcade racing video game* Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition, exclusive home-based extension of the first game* Daytona USA 2, the sequel to the original game...
(1993 Japan/1994 U.S.) - Virtua Fighter 2Virtua Fighter 2is a fighting game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by the Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released in the arcade in 1994. It was subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997...
(1994) - Sega Rally ChampionshipSega Rally ChampionshipSega Rally Championship is a 1994 arcade racing game developed by AM5 on the Sega Model 2 board. It was a year later in 1995 ported over to the Sega Saturn and PC....
(1995) - Manx TT SuperbikeManx TT SuperbikeManx TT Superbike is a 1995 arcade racing game developed jointly by Sega-AM3 and Sega-AM4. It was later brought to the Sega Saturn by Psygnosis and Tantalus Interactive and then ported to Windows by Perfect Entertainment. It was the first motorcycle racing game built for the Sega Model 2 arcade...
(1995) - Virtua Fighter 3Virtua Fighter 3is the third game in the Virtua Fighter series. Two new Japanese characters were added to the roster of fighters: Aoi Umenokoji, a beautiful Japanese woman and a childhood friend of Akira Yuki who used a nimble form of Aiki-jujutsu as her fighting style of choice, and Taka-Arashi, a Sumo wrestler...
(1996) - Virtua Fighter KidsVirtua Fighter KidsVirtua Fighter Kids is an installment in the Sega-AM2 Virtua Fighter fighting game series. It was released in the arcade and on the Sega Saturn in 1996....
(1996) - Daytona USA 2Daytona USA 2Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge is an arcade racing game released by Sega in 1998 as a follow up to the extremely successful Daytona USA. The game featured vastly superior graphics, utilizing the Sega Model 3 hardware. The majority of Daytona USA 2 cabinets were released as deluxe models , which...
(1998) - Sega Rally 2Sega Rally 2is a sequel to Sega Rally and is an arcade game developed and released by Sega in 1998 for the Sega Model 3 arcade board. It was ported in the following year to the Dreamcast console and later to PC systems.-Gameplay:...
(1998) - ShenmueShenmueis a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
(1999) - Shenmue IIShenmue IIis a adventure game for the Dreamcast and Xbox. It is the sequel to Shenmue, and was produced and directed by Yu Suzuki of Sega AM2.Due to exclusivity rights obtained by Microsoft, the North American Dreamcast version was cancelled. Because of this, no English dub was recorded for the Dreamcast...
(2001) - World Club Champion Football Serie A (2003)
- World Club Champion Football 2006-2007 (2008)
- Derby Owners ClubDerby Owners ClubDerby Owners Club is a horse racing simulation arcade game made by Sega-AM3. The format of the game is a player uses one of several consoles at the arcade to train horses, and then races them against 11 other computer AI horses or any number of other players on tracks and G-1...
(2008)
Concerts
Takenobu Mitsuyoshi's music from Shenmue was performed live at the first Symphonic Game Music ConcertSymphonic Game Music Concert
The Symphonic Game Music Concerts are a series of award-winning, annual German video game music concerts initiated in 2003, notable for being the longest running and the first of their kind outside of Japan...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 2003. It was the first time that a concert featuring video game music was held outside Japan.
In 2007, his music from the World Club Champion Football series was presented at the fifth Symphonic Game Music Concert. Takenobu Mitsuyoshi joined the choir during the performance.
For Symphonic Shades - Huelsbeck in Concert performed by the WDR Radio Orchestra in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi arranged music from Apidya II, composed by German Chris Huelsbeck. The event marked the first live radio broadcast of a video game music concert.
Mitsuyoshi attended the world-premiere of Play! A Video Game Symphony
Play! A Video Game Symphony
PLAY! A Video Game Symphony is a concert series that features music from video games performed by a live orchestra. The concerts from 2006 to 2010 were conducted by Arnie Roth...
at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
in May 2006. His music from the Shenmue series was performed by a full symphony orchestra. This event drew nearly four thousand attendees.
External links
- GameSetWatch Takenobu Mitsuyoshi composer interview
- Composer profile at OverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...