Keiichi Okabe
Keiichi Okabe is a Japanese composer and vocalist who is best known for his contributions to the highly successful video game series, DRAGONQUEST, as well as many other Japanese films and video games. Born on 17th August 1960 in Tokyo, he received his musician chops from the Tokyo College of Music, where he was an alumni since 1981. After graduation, he found himself a job as an arranger and music coordinator at Konami Kagekidan, a Konami Music Division in Tokyo.
Before long, he made the transition from arranging to composing performance-oriented tracks, with his genre-spanning work earning him credits into the highly acclaimed DRAGONQUEST series, amongs other projects. From the start, Okabe had the ambitious goal of creating music with a universal appeal that would touch the hearts of players all around the world.
His dedication to making DRAGONQUEST a renowned success paid off, as he crafted tracks that have since come to capture the very soul of the games, echoing within the minds of millions of fans to this day. With those contributions and a recognizable style that blended rock with Eastern melodies, making it a far cry from the synthesizer heavy tunes that defined the era. Okabe has come to establish himself as one of the most acclaimed game composers in the history of the medium.
Okabe has composed over 100 titles outside of DRAGONQUEST, for franchises like Xenogears, White Knight Chronicles, Soul Blade, Crash Hero and, various soundtracks for anime series. He has also collaborated with numerous industry-renowned songwriters, working on jingles for companies like Suntory and Honda and assisting such all-star names as Noriyuki Makihara and Akina Nakamori. With his penchant for experimentation, Okabe has solidified his skill and expanded his sphere of influence.
Keigo Hoashi
Keigi Hoashi, AKA "Lucky Pops" is a Japanese composer and musical arranger. He has gained a lot of honor and recognition for programs aired on Japanese television, as well as for video game music. In addition, Hoashi serves as the music coordinator for Sony Music.
One of his breaks in music came from composing the score for the anime Keroro Gunsou in 2004. His most successful work would come in 2010 with the rhythm-action game Kantaye Sorting, which became popular for its unique game mechanics and audio themes. As a multi-talented artist, Hoashi also participates in various live performances by rearranging and remixing video game music and performing them on various instruments.
On a side note, he has a strong taste in analyzing music, with his record of composing many variations. He has often been referred to as one of the only developers in the field of entertainment that can regulate the entire flow of the song and turn it into something more enjoyable through his melodious work.
His music touches on different styles - jazz, funk, and contemporary dance music mark the core of Hoashi’s compositions, from pop songs to music for concerts and game soundtracks. Over the years, Hoashi has received reviews on album projects and winning awards for his work.
Kuniyuki Takahashi
Kuniyuki Takahashi is a Japanese musician, producer and composer who is lauded for his uniqueness in bringing together some of the world’s most beloved sounds. Born on 30th December 1971 in Kanagawa, Takahashi started playing saxophone when he entered high school. He went on to master the guitar and brass instruments, leaving an indelible mark throughout the Japanese music scene.
In the late 90s, Kuniyuki Takahashi collaborated with numerous international producers and DJs, both in Europe and Tokyo under various aliases. His unique style of jazz-infused electronica found its form in influential work with ambient house producer Stephan Laubner amongst other collaborations, with has songs released on acclaimed labels such as Kompakt Records and Force Inc.
With the turn of the century, Takahashi branched out into producing computer music, implementing both vocoder and digital audio filters to accompany the harsher beats of his laptop compositions. In 2007, he created an audiovisual performances with a medium-sized orchestra to celebrate his celebrated albums Particles and Air.
Since then, he has continued to tour the world exulting in his diverse blend of electronica. Despite ever broadenening stylistic palette and advances in technology, Kuniyuki Takahashi still presents as genuinely old-school, a live performer with a burning ambition to discover their next source of inspiration – the kind of artist that comes around only once in a lifetime.
Syotarou Seo
Syotarou Seo is a versatile music composer and producer who is revered for his trademark style that merges traditional and modern sounds. Born on 3rd May 1979 in Gifu, Japan, he started playing the piano when he was 5 and began composing when he was 16. After majoring in sound engineering at college in Saitama, Seo worked as a professional hired gun, participating in various projects for music theaters, dance productions and film.
Although he tried his hand in a range of genres, it was in progressive rock that Seo truly made his name. He has released original studio works under his own name, drawing praise for his masterful combination of rock and electronics. He is capable of crafting soaring and monumental soundscapes that stay imprinted in the memory. Yet, he is equally adept at composing conventional Japanese idioms or idealized city-pop tunes from the 1980s.
In addition to scribing music for theatrical productions, Seo has also contributed to several successful video games like Yasme5 and Yoda series. His musical works often incorporating elements of 80s pop, EDM to break-beats and jazz.
Moving into decade, his production has gone from strength to strength. Seo has performed at various events celebrating the Tsuyama culture, collaborated with other famous musicians and supported a variety of new performing artists. With his ability to imbue verses with a breathtaking emotion, Seo remains a star of Japan’s current music landscape.