Kenji Yamamoto (composer, born 1964)

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.

Kenji Yamamoto
山本 健誌
Born (1964-04-25) April 25, 1964
Japan
GenresVideo game music
Occupation(s)Composer, sound director, musician
InstrumentsPiano, guitar
Years active1987–present
Associated actsMinako Hamano

Yamamoto utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar.[1] In development of Super Metroid, Yamamoto came up with some of the game's themes by humming them to himself while riding his motorcycle home from work.[2][3][4] He was asked to compose the music for Metroid Prime to reinforce the series' continuity.[4] The game's Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound was mixed by a member of Dolby Digital.[1] 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. 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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[2]

Works
YearTitleRoleCo-worker(s)
1987Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!![3]MusicYukio Kaneoka and Akito Nakatsuka
1988Famicom Wars[3]Hirokazu Tanaka
1989Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo[3]
1994Super MetroidMinako Hamano[6]
1995Galactic PinballDirector/music[7]Masaru Tajima
1999Famicom Bunko: Hajimari no MoriMusicKozue Ishikawa
2001Mobile GolfSupervisorKenji Miki, Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, and Koji Kondo
Mario Kart: Super CircuitSound support
2002Metroid FusionSound director
Metroid PrimeMusicKouichi Kyuma
2004Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid: Zero Mission[8]Minako Hamano[8]
2005Metroid Prime PinballMasaru Tajima
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!Sound director
2006English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills!
Metroid Prime HuntersSound supervisor
Excite Truck[2]MusicMasaru Tajima
2007Metroid Prime 3: CorruptionMinako Hamano and Masaru Tajima
2008Super Smash Bros. BrawlArrangementVarious others
2009Excitebots: Trick RacingMusicMasaru Tajima and Shinji Ushiroda
2010Photo DojoSound supervisor
Donkey Kong Country ReturnsMusic[9][10]Minako 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
StreetPass Mii PlazaSound supervisor
2012Kiki Trick
Brain Age: Concentration Training
2013Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Tomodachi Life
StreetPass Mii PlazaSound director
NintendojiMusic director
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii UArrangementVarious others
2014Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeMusic[11]David Wise[11]
Pokémon Art AcademySound supervisor
2015Style Savvy: Fashion ForwardSound supervisor
Mario Tennis: Ultra SmashRyoji Yoshitomi and Minako Hamano
Real Dasshutsu Game x Nintendo 3DSSound director
Rhythm Heaven MegamixSound support staffShinnosuke Kobayashi and Masato Onishi
2016Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo ChallengeMusic supervisor
Disney Art AcademySound supervisor
Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FESound supportMinako Hamano and Yuichi Ozaki
2017Hey! PikminSound progress management
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSupervisorVarious others
Metroid: Samus ReturnsMusic director[12]
2018Sushi Striker: The Way of SushidoSound supportMinako Hamano

References
  1. Fran Mirabella III (2002-11-11). "Metroid Prime". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  2. A Blast From The Past: Metroid Prime 3 With Kenji Yamamoto and Retro Studios Archived 2018-08-14 at the Wayback Machine Original Sound Version
  3. Yamamoto, Kenji; Sakamoto, Yoshio (n.d.). "Developer Interview, Volume 3" (Interview). Interviewed by Akinori Sao. Kyoto, Japan: Nintendo. Archived from the original on 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  4. Retro Studios; Yamamoto, Kenji (2007-10-05). "Interview with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Sound Team at Retro Studios and Composer Kenji Yamamoto". Music4Games (Interview). Interviewed by M4G staff. Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  5. "PLAY! A Video Game Symphony". GameAxis Unwired. No. 46. July 2007 – via Google Books.
  6. Aversa, Jillian (2010-10-23). "Game music of the day: Super Metroid". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2020-07-04. Composers: Kenji Yamamoto, Minako Hamano
  7. "Galactic Pinball". Planet Virtual Boy. Archived from the original on 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  8. Nintendo R&D1 (2004-02-09). Metroid: Zero Mission. Nintendo. Scene: Staff credits.
  9. Kensuke Tanabe and the Metroid Palm Tree Archived 2012-05-21 at the Wayback Machine IGN 2010-06-17
  10. Pearson, Kynan; Wikan, Mike; Ivey, Tom; Tanabe, Kensuke; Tabata, Risa (2010). "Iwata Asks: Donkey Kong Country Returns" (Interview). Interviewed by Iwata, Satoru. Nintendo. p. White-knuckled Action. Archived from the original on 2011-02-17.
  11. Goergen, Andy (2014-02-12). "Donkey Kong Country, Through the Years". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2020-04-15. Original series composer David Wise has confirmed his return to work with Kenji Yamamoto to compose music for the game[...]
  12. MercurySteam; Nintendo EPD (2017-09-15). Metroid: Samus Returns. Nintendo. Scene: Staff Credits.
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