08 May 2013

Episode 132: Motoaki Takenouchi

Motoaki Takenouchi, best known for his work with the Shining Force series, is an amazing composer.  Through very sophisticated, progressive compositions, he really takes video game music to the next level.  Episode 132 is a focus on him, though some of his best work has already been showcased on previous episodes, so check those episodes out if you want to hear more of him.  Full track listing below.



Game - Composer - Song - Company - Console - Year (North American release unless otherwise indicated)

Jewel Master - Motoaki Takenouchi - To be Over - Sega - Genesis - 1991

Jewel Master - Motoaki Takenouchi - Alone in Love - Sega - Genesis - 1991

LandStalker - Motoaki Takenouchi - A Ballad for Princess Loria - Climax Entertainment - Genesis - 1992

LandStalker - Motoaki Takenouchi - Treasure Hunter Nigel - Climax Entertainment - Genesis - 1992

Double Moon Densetsu - Motoaki Takenouchi - Registration/Final Boss Defeated - NCS - Famicom - 1992

Double Moon Densetsu - Motoaki Takenouchi - Staff Roll - NCS/Masaya - Famicom - 1992

Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei Jaishin no Kuni e - Motoaki Takenouchi - Staff Roll - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear (Japan) - 1992

Shining Force Gaiden: Ensei Jaishin no Kuni e - Motoaki Takenouchi - Great Cypress War - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear (Japan) - 1992

Aguri Suzuki F-1 Super Driving - Motoaki Takenouchi - gameplay (1) - G-Amusements/Logic - Game Boy (Japan) - 1993

Aguri Suzuki F-1 Super Driving - Motoaki Takenouchi - gameplay (2) - G-Amusements/Logic - Game Boy (Japan) - 1993

Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya - Motoaki Takenouchi - Ending 3 - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear - 1994

Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya - Motoaki Takenouchi - Ending 1 - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear - 1994

Shining Force II - Motoaki Takenouchi - Dying Wishes - Camelot Software Planning - Genesis - 1994

Shining Force II - Motoaki Takenouchi - HQ - Camelot Software Planning - Genesis - 1994

Gamera: Gyaosu Gekimetsu Sakusen - Motoaki Takenouchi - Gamera Leaves - Axes Art Amuse/Sammy Studios - Super Famicom - 1995

Gamera: Gyaosu Gekimetsu Sakusen - Motoaki Takenouchi - Unknown Song 1 - Axes Art Amuse/Sammy Studios - Super Famicom - 1995

Granhistoria: Genshi Sekaiki - Motoaki Takenouchi - Unhappiness - J-Force/Banpresto - Super Famicom - 1995

Granhistoria: Genshi Sekaiki - Motoaki Takenouchi - Ending 2 - J-Force/Banpresto - Super Famicom - 1995

Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict - Motoaki Takenouchi - Message from Ancient Times - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear (Japan) - 1995

Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict - Motoaki Takenouchi - Fall of Footsteps - Camelot Software Planning - Game Gear (Japan) - 1995

E.V.O.: Search for Eden - Koichi Sugiyama, Motoaki Takenouchi (arr.) - The Origin of Gaia - Enix/Almanic - SNES - 1993

6 comments:

  1. Love this composer, and known him forever but just as the composer for Landstalker which was my favorite games, is still really. Great game if you're looking for one to try. Action RPG with real-time Zelda like battles.

    Great graphics and the whole place feels like a real world, and a fun story. The song "A Ballad for Princess Loria" is from a scene in the game where you meet the "prince" of the island, and there is a court composer who is in love with one of the girls in the court and he plays this song at a dinner you have together and the whole game pauses and you just listen to him play this song, and it's the only place you hear it.

    The other song "Treasure Hunter Nigel" is the overworld music, and makes great journey music!

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  2. Double Moon Densetsu, "Registration/Final Boss Defeated" is my favorite of this show. I love the hollow, phasey sound of the lead, and the note choice keeps changing from a jazz feel, to an epic, orchestral vibe.

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  3. Granhistoria: Genshi Sekaiki- Ending 2 is like a song straight out of a 90s movie soundtrack. What a great song!

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  4. I've gone and listened to Granhistoria's Ending 2 quite a few times now. The game seems to be about time travel and changing the past and the track does some cool things in light of that. Some of the percussion is or sounds a lot like the noise of a clock ticking but the great thing is that once it establishes that drums = time it plays them in weird ways to represent messing with time like suddenly hitting half a beat early, or in another part, having a drum rhythm that starts half a beat after the start of each bar.

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  5. Great playlist. Every time I listen to this episode, I have to back up and listen to the Sword of Hajya ending at least once more. What I find notable about Motoaki Takenouchi is the range of systems he composed for: NES/Famicom, SNES/Super Famicom, Game Boy, Game Gear, and Genesis/Mega Drive. It seems like only Hitoshi Sakimoto has that total matched in the third and fourth generation (with Turbo Grafx 16/PC Engine replacing NES/Famicom).

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