Yoshitaka Hirota

Yoshitaka Hirota (弘田佳孝, Hirota Yoshitaka, born September 1, 1971) is a Japanese video game composer and bass guitarist. His most notable works include the soundtracks to the Shadow Hearts series. Hirota was previously a sound effects programmer having worked on various Square titles. His first work as a video game composer was for the 1999 Nintendo 64 game Bomberman 64: The Second Attack.

Yoshitaka Hirota
Born (1971-09-01) September 1, 1971
Kyoto, Japan
GenresVideo game music
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • musician
InstrumentsBass guitar
Years active1994–present
LabelsDog Ear Records

Biography

Early works

As a teenager, Hirota's older brother would play covers of The Beatles and The Carpenters. Hirota composed his first song at the age of ten.[1] At the age of 20, unsure of his career path, Hirota was invited by composer Yasunori Mitsuda to work at Square, and was hired as a sound designer.[2]

Square

Hirota has a friendship from childhood with fellow composer Yasunori Mitsuda who he has worked with on Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, Biohazard 2 Drama Albums, Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts II. Under the direction of Mitsuda, Street Fighter Alpha 3 was to have a "hard" sound, and Biohazard 2 was to have an "ominous sound".[3]

Shadow Hearts

Kyoko Kishikawa has worked with Hirota on Shadow Hearts, Shadow Hearts II (although not Shadow Hearts: From the New World) and Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange, providing eerie female scat vocals for a number of his tracks. Ryo Fukuda has been the sound manipulator for Hirota on the Shadow Hearts games as well as composing and arranging a few tracks for all three games. He also co-composed with Hirota on Sonic Shuffle. Kenji Ito worked with Hirota on the soundtrack of Shadow Hearts II.

Live performance

Hirota has performed bass guitar for Ito's live performance of Culdcept music during the Extra Live Concert.[4] and for Ito's vocal song for Lux-Pain,[5] Hirota frequently performs bass guitar with Kishikawa's band.[6] He is currently a member of Nobuo Uematsu's band, the Earthbound Papas.

Musical style and influences

Hirota's Shadow Hearts music is notable for its fusion of cultural music with Hirota's personal Industrial style. Although Hirota is primarily a bass guitarist, he is capable of playing a variety of other instruments: the Biwa, the Syami, the Alter Ego Figaro, the Saw Wo, the Son, the Khene, the Old Drum, the Madaru, the Gong, the Suzu, and the Kalimba.[7]

Works

Video games
Composition
Title Year Notes
Bomberman 64: The Second Attack 1999 With Tomohiko Kira, Yasunori Mitsuda, Hidenobu Otsuki, Tomori Kudo, Hiroyo Yamanaka, and Kenji Hiramatsu[2]
Faselei![3] 1999
Dive Alert: Becky's Version[3] 2000
Dive Alert: Matt's Version[3] 2000
Sonic Shuffle 2000 With Hidenobu Otsuki, Ryo Fukuda, Takeo Suzuki, and Kazumi Mitome[3]
Shadow Hearts 2001 With Yasunori Mitsuda, Masaharu Iwata, and Ryo Fukuda[1]
Shadow Hearts: Covenant 2004 With Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Ito, Ryo Fukuda, and Tomoko Kobayashi[8]
Shadow Hearts: From the New World 2005 With Tomoko Imoto, Ryo Fukuda, and Hirotomi Imoto[2]
Fist Groove 2 2006
Saint Seiya: Meiou Hades Juunikyuu Hen 2007
Hana Saku DS Gardening Life[2] 2007
DK Jungle Climber 2007 With Takashi Kouga and Yuichi Kanno[2]
Start Yoga with Tipness on your DS 2007
Maji de Manabu: LEC de Ukaru 2008
Glory of Heracles 2008 With Yuichi Kanno[9]
D.Gray-Man Sousya no Shigaku 2008
Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming 2011 With various others[10]
Saint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle 2011
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz 2012 With Saori Kobayashi
UnchainBlades EXXIV 2012 With Tsutomu Narita, Nobuo Uematsu, and Michio Okamiya[11]
Kakuriyo no Mon 2015 Only composed "其れでも先へ進む")[12]
Egglia: Legend of the Red Cap 2017 With Yoko Shimomura[13]
Sound design
Title Year
Final Fantasy VI 1994[1]
Live A Live 1994[14]
Chrono Trigger[2] 1995
Seiken Densetsu 3[14] 1995
Bahamut Lagoon[14] 1996
Final Fantasy VII[2] 1997
Front Mission 2[2] 1997
Parasite Eve[2] 1998
Koudelka[2] 1999

Other works
Title Year Notes
Talk While Asleep 1995 Co-remixer with Fumiya Tanaka[3]
We are not alone ~Mou Hitori Ja Nai~ 1998 Co-composer with Kazumi Mitome[3]
Biohazard 2 Drama Album: Chiisana Toubousha Sherry 1999 Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda[2]
Biohazard 2 Drama Album: Ikiteita Onna Spy Ada 1999 Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda[2]
Street Fighter Zero 3 Drama Album 1999 Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda[3]
near death experience, SHADOW HEARTS 2005 Arranger of 5 Tracks[2]
Angelic Vale 2005 Arranger of 2 Tracks[3]
Tsuki no Uta 2005 Debut Single of Saki Imozuki. Arranger of all tracks
Yoruoto Hyouhon 2005 Debut Album of Noriko Mitose. Composer and arranger of 1 Track[15]
Rogue Galaxy 2006 Arranger of 1 Track[16]
Kinema in the Hall 2007 Rekka Katakiri Album. Composer and arranger of all tracks[2]
Cotton 2007 Noriko Mitose Album. Arranger of 1 Track[17]
Hareyaka naru Sora no Yukue 2007 Rekka Katakiri Album. Composer and Arranger of 1 Track[2]
Struldbruggs ~Majin Kaikou~ 2007 Co-Composer
Istoria ~Musa~ 2007 Akiko Shikata album. Composer and Arranger of 1 Track[18]
Umineko no Naku Koro ni 2008 Akiko Shikata Single, Arranger of 1 Track[19]
"message" 2008 Collaboration Album - Composer and Arranger of 1 Track[20]
Griotte no Nemuri Hime 2009 Haruka Shimotsuki Album[21]
SUZUNO=MIYA Ar tonelico III hymmnos concert side. Red 2010 Composer and Arranger of 2 Tracks[22]
Guwange 2010 Arranger of 1 Track[23]
yorlga 2010 Noriko Mitose album, Composer and Arranger of all tracks[24]

References
  1. "Interview with Yoshitaka Hirota (RocketBaby - January 2002)". Rocketbaby.net. 2002-01-01. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  2. Jeriaska (2007-01-01). "Near Death Experience: an interview with Yoshitaka Hirota". Square Haven. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  3. Chris Greening, Harry Simons (2005-11-01). "Interview with Yoshitaka Hirota (November 2005)". Square Enix Music. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  4. "Concert Information". Extra: Hyper Game Music Event 2007. Enix Music Online. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  5. "Album Information". Lux-Pain Original Soundtrack. Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  6. Jeriaska. "Interview with Darumaya". Takahiro Yamamoto (trans.). RPGFan. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  7. "Instruments" (in French). Deep in Coma. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  8. "SHADOW HEARTS II Original Soundtracks". Video Game Music Database. June 18, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  9. Gann, Patrick (June 10, 2009). "E3 2009: New Game and Composer Announcement Highlights". Original Sound Version. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  10. "Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming - Original Soundtrack". Video Game Music Database. May 28, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  11. "Unchainblades EXXIV Original Soundtrack". Video Game Music Database. September 27, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  12. "かくりよの門 Original Soundtrack". iTunes. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  13. Yoko Shimomura [@midiplex] (April 13, 2017). "というわけで、本日、私と弘田佳孝氏（@kulko_yh）で音楽を担当している『エグリア』リリースされました！是非是非遊んで頂けると嬉しいです〜(*´◡`*)" (Tweet) (in Japanese) – via Twitter.
  14. "Yoshitaka Hirota". Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  15. "Yoruotohyouhon". Video Game Music Database. April 14, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  16. "ROGUE GALAXY Premium Arrange". Video Game Music Database. August 31, 2006. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  17. "cotton". Video Game Music Database. December 24, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  18. "Istoria ~Musa~". Video Game Music Database. January 13, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  19. "Umineko no Naku Koro ni / Akiko Shikata". Video Game Music Database. August 15, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  20. "コラボレーションアルバム　メッセージ Collaboration Album "Message"". Video Game Music Database. November 6, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  21. "Griotte no Nemuri Hime ~Fel Ary Lu En Tindharia~". Video Game Music Database. August 7, 2009. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  22. "SUZUNO=MIYA Ar tonelico III hymmnos concert side. Red". Video Game Music Database. October 19, 2009. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  23. "GUWANGE Arrange Album + Original Sound Track". Video Game Music Database. January 12, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  24. "yorlga". Video Game Music Database. March 2, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
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