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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 Squaresoft titles. His first work as a video game composer was for the Nintendo 64 game Bomberman 64: The Second Attack.

Frequent collaborators

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.

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. Also, Hirota frequently performs bass guitar with Kishikawa's band darumaya.^[1]

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 Itō worked with Hirota on the soundtrack of Shadow Hearts II. Hirota has performed bass guitar for Ito's live performance of Culdcept music during the Extra Live Concert ^[2] and for Ito's vocal song for Lux-Pain^[3], Seinaru Itami wo Daite sung by Yoko Takahashi.

Musical style and influences

Hirota's Shadow Hearts music is notable for its fusion of cultural music with Hirota's personal Industrial style.

Instruments

Although Hirota is primarily a bass guitarist, he is capable of playing a variety of other instruments:^[4]

• Biwa
• Syami
• Alter Ego Figaro
• Saw Wo
• Son
• Khene
• Old Drum
• Madaru
• Gong
• Suzu
• Karimba

Discography

Video games

Composition

• Bomberman 64: The Second Attack (1999) – with Yasunori Mitsuda
• Faselei! (1999)
• Dive Alert: Becky's Version (2000)
• Dive Alert: Matt's Version (2000)
• Sonic Shuffle (2000) – with Hidenobu Otsuki, Ryo Fukuda, Takeo Suzuki and Kazumi Mitome.
• Shadow Hearts (2001) – with Yasunori Mitsuda, Masaharu Iwata and Ryo Fukuda
• Shadow Hearts: Covenant (2004) – with Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Itō, Ryo Fukuda and Tomoko Kobayashi
• Shadow Hearts: From the New World (2005) – with Tomoko Imoto, Ryo Fukuda and Hirotomi Imoto
• Saint Seiya: Meiou Hades Juunikyuu Hen (2007)
• Hana Saku DS Gardening Life (2007)
• DK Jungle Climber (2007)
• Yoga Tipness (2007)
• Glory of Heracles (2008)
• D.Gray-Man Sousya no Shigaku (2008)

Sound design

• Final Fantasy VI (1994)
• Live A Live (1994)
• Chrono Trigger (1995)
• Seiken Densetsu 3 (1995)
• Front Mission: Gun Hazard (1996)
• Bahamut Lagoon (1996)
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)
• Final Fantasy VII (1997)
• Front Mission 2 (1997)
• Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon (1997)
• Parasite Eve (1998)
• Racing Lagoon (1999)
• Chrono Cross (1999)
• Final Fantasy VIII (1999)
• Koudelka (1999)

Other works

• Talk While Asleep (1995) Co-remixer with Fumiya Tanaka
• We are not alone ~Mou Hitori Ja Nai~ (1998) Co-composer with Kazumi Mitome
• Biohazard 2 Drama Album: Chiisana Toubousha Sherry (1999) Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda
• Biohazard 2 Drama Album: Ikiteita Onna Spy Ada (1999) Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda
• Street Fighter Zero 3 Drama Album (1999) Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsuda
• near death experience, SHADOW HEARTS Arrangetracks (2005) Arranger of 5 Tracks
• Angelic Vale Arrange Tracks (2005) Arranger of 2 Tracks
• 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
• Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange (2006) Arranger of 1 Track
• Kinema in the Hole (Rekka Katakiri Album) (2007) Composer and arranger of all tracks
• Cotton (2007) (Noriko Mitose Album) Arranger of 1 Track
• Hareyaka naru Sora no Yukue (2007) (Rekka Katakiri Album) Composer and Arranger of 1 Track
• Struldbruggs ~Majin Kaikou~ (2007) Co-Composer
• Istoria ~Musa~ (Akiko Shikata album) (2007) Composer and Arranger of 1 Track
• Umineko no Naku Koro ni (Akiko Shikata Single) (2008) Arranger of 1 Track
• Collaboration Album "message" (2008) Composer and Arranger of 1 Track
• Griotte no Nemuri Hime (Haruka Shimotsuki Album) (2009)

References

External links

• (Japanese) Official website