[News] Hiroki Kikuta - New Projects

Post-Koudelka, most thought that Hiroki Kikuta had fallen off the edge of the earth until he turned up... composing hentai games of all things. Well, since then, it's gradually emerged that he's done quite a bit more than just this. His known non-hentai projects:

1) Kikuta started work on an ambitious three year project, the Chinese MMORPG Bukyo, in 2001, where he was the concept designer, game planner, and composer. Developed by Square Enix, the game's development was abandoned after a closed beta testing period in Taiwan during 2004, meaning neither Kikuta's concept nor score was ever released to the world.

2) Kikuta published the much-publicised original album Lost Files in 2006. His first commercial release in seven years, it was principally a scattered collection of tracks from various projects that haven't been heard before, including the original versions of the demo tracks he submitted to Square to be recruited by them. This album is sold on his personal website and at VGM World.

3) Kikuta is writing a novel and its accompanying CD. In Tennin-so Story, Kikuta's expression of inspiration is anticipated to reach new levels and, by working alone, he will not be compromise by others. Prior to the novel's release, a CD will be released in August 2006's Comic Market 70 event, based on the same world. At last, Kikuta will create a brand new major work that will actually be published!

How ya doing, buddy?

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I'm not so sure what your point is.

1) To announce a major new project of Hiroki Kikuta's to an English-speaking audience (unless someone else has and I've been blind)
2) To emphasise that Kikuta has done more than just compose for H-games and compile an album of lost files since Koudelka, contrary to popular belief
3) To make some clarifications about the Bukyo projects

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Just an aside: I don't think that composing for H-game soundtracks is considered such a step down in Japan. The releases from the most prestigious companies do seem to get some good-quality musical talent.

I agree here to a large extent. The genre of the games Kikuta composed for post-Koudelka didn't bother me and I know there's plenty of musicians (e.g. Shinji Hosoe and Yasuhisa Watanabe) have made respectable soundtracks to H-games while evolving their styles. Still, I still considered a step-down from the perspective that, for Koudelka, he was involved in practically all sides of production for a major RPG, whereas his role was much more limited and for a smaller audience in the H-games. So, to me, it's more of an issue of audience and role than genre.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by niki

Yeah Sakura Relaxation was awesome.

Any info on Bukyo? I mean, despite the fact it was a close beta, surely some chinese boy shared the music somewhere...

Sounds like a new holy search ~

There's quite a lot of info about it here. It's all in Chinese, but I know there's a few Chinese dudes in this forum.

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Oh yeah worst thread title ever

That made me cry! ;_; But, yeah, the truth hurts.

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

As much as I hate to revive an old and horribly titled thread, it's been announced that Hiroki Kikuta has a new project at Square Enix. This is the MMORPG Concerto Gate, to be hosted by NHN Japan in April 2007. He has been hired as a co-composer, whereas Kenji Ito will lead. Some more info here for the interested.

I expected Kikuta to return to SE after the abandoned Bukyo project, but I'm surprised he'll be working on another MMORPG and even more shocked he'll be collaborating with Kenji Ito (a dubious collaboration, perhaps). I just hope the game and soundtrack don't fade into obscurity like Fantasy Earth, Cross Gate, Front Mission Online, and the various Chinese MMORPGs I know nothing about... or worse still, go down the root of Bakusou Yankee Damashii, Bukyo, and Ambrosia Odyssey...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by niki

Great news! Much can be expected from a collaboration of those two. =)

I find the collaboration strange, to be honest. I appreciate Kikuta and Ito for very different reasons. I find Kikuta's style much more original and subtle. Still, I felt Ito did well referencing Kikuta's Seiken Densetsu style in Dawn of Mana.

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Oh, and I'm not too sure why are you naming all those MMORPGs in this context, except for Bukyo ...

Well, for the sake of saying that the music for most of SE's MMORPGs has been shrouded in mystery and some MMORPGs just failed outright or were cancelled. So I'm dubious about an OST release...

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Want me to change the title? Can I? Can I? ;_;

Feel free to!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Thanks for the info and cover, Carl. The track sounds interesting, even if I thought this project would be more ambitious in terms of length. Great you think it's a good one.

Anybody know if Kikuta composed Puzzlebox's latest entry, Shukubo no Shinshitsu, and whether a soundtrack was released?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

All the latest posts here have been very interesting and helpful to me. Good to know about those H-games suspected to be composed by him. Also, I find it promising that MP3 samples are included on the main site; maybe, just maybe, we will get a soundtrack release.

Thanks so much for the rip, Seanne. It brings back memories of Secret of Mana + for me. Love the track.

FELIPE NO

Anyone found Tennin So Kitan Rainy Remix yet? News article about the CD here:

Square Enix Music Online :: Video Game Music News

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I really appreciate this information. When you say 'scored titles such as', does this mean he may have scored other titles too? I don't follow eroge games at all so I'm totally reliant on others for information of these Kikuta projects.

Kikuta is currently listing several CDs for his eroge projects on his official website. They're entitled 'In the Sky on the Water' (for Sora no Iro Mizu no Iro), 'Love Relaxation' (for Sakura Relaxation), and 'Nice Life as Wife' (possibly for Ni~dzuma wa Sailor Fuku), but he hasn't released any further info. Maybe he intends to publish this soundtrack personally as well.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Those looking for insight on all those Kikuta visual novels and original albums can now hear what the man himself has to say. He discusses the underlying themes of the visual novels and the concept behind the original albums plus more:

Square Enix Music Online :: Interview with Hiroki Kikuta (November 2009)

I hope everyone enjoys it. And hope it satisfies for you, Marcel, and thanks again for all your question suggestions.

There's nowhere I can't reach.