Kenji Yamamoto (composer born 1964)

Kenji Yamamoto
Native name 山本 健誌
Born (1964-04-25) April 25, 1964
Japan
Genres Video game music
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • sound director
  • musician
Instruments Piano
Years active 1987–present
Associated acts Minako Hamano

Kenji Yamamoto (山本 健誌, Yamamoto Kenji, born April 25, 1964) is a Japanese video game musician working for Nintendo, where he is notable for composing music in many titles of the Metroid series, mainly Super Metroid and the Prime trilogy. Yamamoto also plays a role as a music director at Nintendo, overseeing the audio for several of their games. He frequently collaborates with fellow composers Minako Hamano and Masaru Tajima.

In development of Super Metroid, Yamamoto came up with some of the game's themes by humming them to himself while riding his motorcycle to work. He was asked to compose the music for Metroid Prime to reinforce the series' continuity.[1] Metroid Prime's Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound was mixed by a member of Dolby Digital.[2] Developers from Retro Studios noted how the process of fitting all the sound effects for a world in Metroid Prime into 6 MB of space was crucial in producing a quality aural experience, as each sound had to be of very high quality to be included.[1] Yamamoto utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar.[2] Metroid Prime 3: Corruption took advantage of the increase in the amount of RAM that took place when the series switched from the GameCube to the Wii; this allowed for higher quality audio samples to be used and thus a better overall audio quality.[1]

The music from Metroid and other games have been played by ensembles and concerts. An orchestral arrangement of his music is included in PLAY! A Video Game Symphony that toured the United States and Europe and made its Asian debut at the 2007 Singapore Arts Festival.[3]

In an interview with Music4Games, Yamamoto detailed his experience working on the Metroid Prime trilogy. He described his thoughts on the inclusion of themes from Super Metroid as well as his composition process and sources of inspiration. He intends to continue working on the Metroid series into the future.[4]

Works

Video games
YearTitleRoleCo-worker(s)
1987Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!CompositionYukio Kaneoka and Akito Nakatsuka
1988Famicom WarsCompositionHirokazu Tanaka
Famicom Tantei Club: Kieta KōkeishaSound director/compositionHirokazu Tanaka
1989Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu ShōjoComposition/arrangement
1990Radar MissionComposition[5]
1994Super MetroidComposition/sound effectsMinako Hamano
1995Galactic PinballCompositionMasaru Tajima
1999Famicom Bunko: Hajimari no MoriCompositionKozue Ishikawa
2001Mobile GolfSupervisorKenji Miki, Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, and Koji Kondo
Mario Kart: Super CircuitSound support
2002Metroid PrimeComposition/arrangementKouichi Kyuma
Metroid FusionSound director
2004Metroid: Zero MissionComposition/arrangementMinako Hamano
Metroid Prime 2: EchoesComposition/arrangement
2005Metroid Prime PinballComposition/arrangementMasaru Tajima
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!Sound director
2006English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills!Sound director
Metroid Prime HuntersSound supervisor
Excite TruckComposition/arrangementMasaru Tajima
2007Metroid Prime 3: CorruptionComposition/arrangementMinako Hamano and Masaru Tajima
2008Super Smash Bros. BrawlArrangementVarious others
2009Excitebots: Trick RacingComposition/arrangementMasaru Tajima and Shinji Ushiroda
2010Photo DojoSound supervisor
Donkey Kong Country Returns[6]Composition/arrangementMinako Hamano, Masaru Tajima, Shinji Ushiroda, and Daisuke Matsuoka
2011Rhythm Heaven FeverSound supportShinnosuke Kobayashi, Akito Nakatsuka, and Lawrence Schwedler
Pilotwings ResortMusic supervisor
Sakura Samurai: Art of the SwordMusic director
2012Kiki TrickSound supervisor
Brain Age: Concentration TrainingSound supervisor
2013Monster ManorSound director
Mii ForceSound director
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3DSound supervisor
2014Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[7]Music supervisor
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii UArrangementVarious others
2015Mario Tennis: Ultra SmashSound supervisorRyoji Yoshitomi and Minako Hamano
2016Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FESound supportMinako Hamano and Yuichi Ozaki
2017The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSupervisorVarious others
Hey! PikminSound progress managementMinako Hamano and Yuichi Ozaki
Metroid: Samus ReturnsMusic director
2018Sushi Striker: The Way of SushidoSound supportMinako Hamano

References

  1. 1 2 3 M4G Staff (2007-10-05). "Interview with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Sound Team at Retro Studios and Composer Kenji Yamamoto". Music4Games. Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  2. 1 2 Fran Mirabella III (2002-11-11). "Metroid Prime". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  3. ↑ "GameAxis Unwired, No. 46" (Digitized online by Google Books). July 2007.
  4. ↑ A Blast From The Past: Metroid Prime 3 With Kenji Yamamoto and Retro Studios Original Sound Version
  5. ↑ Portable Music History: Radar Mission Game Credits
  6. ↑ E3 2010: Kensuke Tanabe and the Metroid Palm Tree IGN June 17, 2010
  7. ↑ Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Credit Information GameFAQs
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