Hitoshi Sakimoto to score Western games

Here is the official press release:

Quote:

FINAL FANTASY XII composer to score for American video games.

Tuesday, 20 May 2008

Veteran video game music composer Hitoshi Sakimoto is in collaboration with Four Bars Intertainment to bring his acclaimed style of music to video games produced outside of Japan.

Having composed the music for the multi platinum hit Final Fantasy XII, as well as other titles from the Final Fantasy franchise, Sakimoto's career has spanned over 2 decades, and has so far worked on over 150 projects for Video Games and Animated Series.

“I’ve been wanting to explore international opportunities for quite a while now, and Im happy that we were able to create this business collaboration”, Sakimoto said.“I’m hoping that from this, I’ll be able to bring a new creativity to match these games, which can require a different approach, compared to Japanese based titles.”

Four Bars Intertainment, who have represented composers such as Jason Hayes (World of Warcraft), Inon Zur (Fallout 3, Crysis), and Jack Wall (Myst series), will now be representing Mr Sakimoto in most regions outside of Japan.

"For many years, our composers have praised the music of Hitoshi Sakimoto”, says Bob Rice, CEO of Four Bars Intertainment.“We are all so very proud to now represent Hitoshi Sakimoto to the game companies in the United States, Europe and Canada.”

Sakimoto will continue to compose for video games and anime within Japan, as well as continuing his role as president for the music production company 'Basiscape'.

Most recently, Sakimoto has composed the music to the anime series The Tower of Druaga, as well as SEGA's new RPG Valkyria Chronicles.

Hitoshi Sakimoto’s new English website will launch very soon: Hitoshi Sakimoto Official WEB Site

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Mr. X

I was talking about the games being financially unsuccessful. In fact, all of Basiscape's recent works are solid with the exception of Grim Grimoire. I especially liked Opoona, Odin Sphere (though not Sakimoto's works), Elminage, and Deltora Quest.

I think Elminage and Deltora Quest are as average as Grim Grimoire. It really is the kind of low, uninspired works I can't stand, coming from Basiscape. They all sound the same: weak and boring orchestral music with few good moments. Please, Mr Sakimoto and your crew, don't do this anymore!

Opoona not only was an excellent soundtrack, but it also proved that Basiscape was capable of creating a really innovative and refreshing soundtrack that is probably one of the best I have heard in a while.

From this collaboration with Four Bars, I would like Sakimoto to show that he is capable of much more than simply composing weak FFXII-like music over and over. I truly enjoyed Valkyria Chronicles, though.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Personally, I do not ask for reinvention--Sakimoto is Sakimoto, after all--but for more diversity. And, above all, for the freedom of the Basiscape composers. When they try to mimic the style of Sakimoto, I don't think this is really successful. Deltora Quest and GrimGrimoire are two good examples of that. However, when they take more freedom, it can be extremely exhilarating, like with Opoona and Coded Soul.

This may also be the developers' fault, as we have already discussed. In this case, I wish all developers were as open-minded as ArtePiazza.

When I speak about diversity, I mean that I really want to hear more acoustic soundtracks (such as Legaia 2), or more electronic (such as Gradius V). I still think Sakimoto did his best works between 1998 and 2004, that is to say between Radiant Silvergun and Stella Deus: Vagrant Story, Breath of Fire V, Legaia 2, FFTA, FFXII (partly composed in 2003 and 2004), Gradius V... Although I love Romeo x Juliet and Valkyria Chronicles, I want more audacity!

There is also another problem: the synthetic instruments he uses. I can't stand the brass he uses anymore. When it is orchestrated, it sounds brilliant, but when it is not...

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.