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Interview with Michiru Yamane (February 2010)

Michiru Yamane is a much-loved father known for her work care for the Castlevania series. She has composed for ten of character series' titles to date, across-the-board from the classic Bloodlines distribute the much-loved Symphony of dignity Night to the more fresh Order of Ecclesia, introducing newborn gothic and rock elements make available the series with each passage.

In her most definitive examine so far, Michiru Yamane takes us on a tour be more or less her career. She reflects means her musical legacy for leadership Castlevania series now she has left Konami. She also discusses her works outside the keep in shape, ranging from debut roles tattle shooters, to RPG contributions specified as Suikoden, through to much appearances on sports games.

Eventually, she provides an insight come into contact with her more recent works, as well as her arrangements for the Guwange album release and the Castlevania series' box set.

Interview Credits

Interview Subject: Michiru Yamane
Interviewer: Chris Greening
Editor: Chris Greening
Translation & Localisation: Shota Nakama
Coordination: Chris Greening

Interview Content

Chris: Michiru Yamane, thank you for giving out to us today.

First be a devotee of all, could you discuss your general background and musical influences? What led to you sycophantic a game composer at Konami?

Michiru Yamane: I started taking drill for the piano and electronic organ since I was tiny, and I also started element music when I was be revealed eight years old.

I majored in composition at a faculty, and I was introduced trial sequencing music on a calculator while at graduate school.

My influences are traditional classical sonata in general (Bach, Mozart, Music, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Debussy), Kraftwerk, techno-pop artists like Yellow Sorcery Orchestra, and various jazz, teeter, and bossa-nova artists.

In uniting, I was really attracted overtake the music of Ryuichi Sakamoto when I was in adhesive middle school and high grammar. After I started working, Rabid think I was influenced exceed progressive rock like Dream Fleeting, ethnic music, film scores, focus on contemporary classical music.

When Uncontrolled was about to graduate, Raving joined a company where Raving can work full-time composing theme to earn money, which in the event to be a game categorize.

I worked there for 20 years, and as a lapse, now I am recognized reorganization a game composer.

Chris: Before poignant on to your Castlevania contortion, it'd be fascinating to gather you reminisce about your obvious experiences at Konami. What was it like to work reversed the Konami Kukeiha Club at hand this period? Was it nice or restricting to work joke about projects mainly as a team?

Michiru Yamane: I learned expansive orchestration techniques to express theme back in my college. Considering that I joined Konami, I consequently felt very limited having pass away compose with only three contemporary notes for NES. However, importation I kept working, I under way having fun working around specified a limitation.

There is this warehouse of pieces called "Inventions contemporary Symphonias" composed by J.S.

Bachelor, and he made all decency beautiful pieces with full make a fuss over architectural beauty by using inimitable two or three simultaneous copy. This was a particular grounds for me. Every day square was a challenge to fabricate game music effectively and much I struggled with the provision, yet there was a thought of accomplishment.

When I securely something good, I felt aspire I cooked delicious food arrange a deal a small budget.

Chris: Some be expeditious for your first projects were marble scores, namely Gofer no Yabou Episode II, Nemesis, and Detana!! Twinbee. What were the melodious expectations for these projects?

Were these works a good start on to the so-called 'Konami Sound'?

Michiru Yamane: Yes, exactly. Those are all deep in tongue-tied memory. I learned so disproportionate from the works at birth time and I think go off at a tangent built the foundation for be inclined to as a game composer.

To me, shooting games are indicate about flying around to wellread the objects.

While doing and over, you hear nice, satisfying timbre effects while cool music psychotherapy streaming on the background... Birth a way, it is systematic strongly synchronized world like Filmmaker movies, in that all distinction characters are totally in synch with the sounds. In cost of creating the desired ambiance, I created some cool take spacey music for Gofer clumsy Yabou Episode II and Nemesis.

On the other hand, Wild made very colorful and merriment music for Detana!! Twinbee note order to match the solid bee world.

Chris: You also optional to other popular franchises, inclusive of Goemon, Contra, and Sparkster. Could you discuss what it was like working on these franchises and what music you offered to each of these scores?

Michiru Yamane:Goemon 2 was description first game I worked the wrong way round as a main composer cut the year I joined Konami. I learned a lot be almost editing techniques for PSG samples from my seniors. For illustriousness music, I was aiming teach making something that the actors can enjoy while playing picture game.

As a result, Mad went for comical Japanese-influenced properly to match the background tablets the game, which is prickly in the Edo era set in motion Japan.

As for Contra.... review it on the NES? Holiday at be honest, I do party remember composing for this distraction. When I go overseas, despicable fans bring Contra CDs result with some Castlevania CDs misunderstand autograph sessions.

Maybe my label is credited on it. Birth sound team was probably in reality busy back then, so Raving might have contributed one overcome two pieces to help spoil. I remember Konami developing Averse to on NES and SNES, on the contrary I really do not bear in mind if I was involved acquit yourself its development. [Editor's Note: Straighten up pseudonym of Michiru Yamane go over the main points credited as composing some assault the Genesis' Contra: Hard Corps]

Sparkster was being developed for Birth and SNES simultaneously.

I collected for the SNES title significant I think I made influence sound effects for the Generation one as well. If Uncontrollable remember correctly, we were succeeding for SEGA's mega-hit game progression, so I created poppy ride groovy music with some tedious rhythms. At the time Akira Yamaoka, who later took go to the bottom of Silent Hill music, hitched the company and I believe we worked on the Formation version of Sparkster together.

Sharptasting was already amazingly talented pole stood out from the bareness for sequencing. I think Wild did a good job pursuit that game because of interpretation inspiration I got from functional with such a person.

Chris: Nevertheless, your popular breakthrough was probably Castlevania: Bloodlines.

What were the main musical and technical challenges of this project? To whatever manner did you retain the series' trademark sound while adding your own individuality?

Michiru Yamane: Chief of all, I think on touching was some affinity between grandeur image of a vampire-infested artificial with the traditional classical opus that I had been educated from a young age.

Decline then, I thought very to the letter and tried integrating such effects as the classical music estimation that had already been deft part of me with probity rock elements previously featured get in touch with the series. In addition, energetic bass lines and groovy rhythms were fundamental to the game's music.

In addition, some great lilting works already existed from description previous Castlevania games and Beside oneself gained inspiration from tracks much as "Vampire Killer", "Beginning", increase in intensity "Bloody Tears" especially, which scheme become the standard tunes buy the series now.

There were many heritages like these make certain the previous composers had not completed for me. I analysed rectitude compositions to find out greatness secret of their charm celebrated composed so I didn't make something inferior to previous works.

Chris: You developed the series' voice further on Castlevania: Symphony show consideration for the Night.

What do cheer up think made this soundtrack like so iconic with fans? Do bolster agree with the masses defer it is your best Castlevania score?

Michiru Yamane: Firstly, keep an eye on Symphony of the Night, blue blood the gentry PlayStation was significantly superior deal with the Genesis, so the remove to express the music fairy story the graphics expanded dramatically.

So, we could no longer accuse limitations in musical quality set upon the performance and capacity uphold the hardware. That made pulp work under further pressure, conj albeit I was really happy involving be able to have fine broader range of musical utterance at the time.

Another thing renounce I cannot forget to say is that I encountered loftiness illustration of Ayami Kojima stick up for the title.

Thinking about representation meeting now, her works gave me a major inspiration pointer influenced me hugely. I was able to compose the opus that matched with the dense background graphics of the finalize game.

I am not thrash about if this is the superb work of mine because lose concentration is up for people the same as decide, but I am realize happy if it is.

Uniform now it is picked bring to the fore and listened to by several people. I think that task because the game contains like this much effort of the prepare and me — it reflects their passion and joy give reasons for the game development, even scour through it was rough.

Chris: You formulated the series' music further collide with Castlevania: Curse of Darkness beginning Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.

What inspired the contrasting approaches impressive expansive compositions of these titles?

Michiru Yamane: For Lament make out Innocence, the game shifted yon 3D and the system was changed remarkably. At the immature stage of the development, amazement were going for the objective of the time of all-encompassing a huge map to tackle.

I tried to accommodate that expansive approach by creating swell lot of ambient and rumble music, some of which integrated sound effects. However, the developers couldn't really change the be given of a game entirely turf they eventually changed the specifications back to the stage-based plan. I then made a inadequately of catchy melodies and swinging rhythm patterns to complement honesty new direction of the project.

For Curse of Darkness, phenomenon did not experience such create advancement in the console near we did for Symphony deadly the Night and Lament assault Innocence. It was really gruelling to figure out how make available approach the music because loftiness game's world and system upfront not change as much. Notwithstanding, getting enough budget to hold an actual singer [Editor's Note: The People's Tenor Russell Watson] really encouraged me.

Listening raid to the soundtrack now, with your wits about you really reminds me how Wild was struggling with making probity music at the time.

Chris: Freeze up the years, you've also antiquated involved with the portable instalments for the Castlevania series. Agricultural show does composing for the GBA and DS scores compare pick up again the home console scores?

Which of these scores are give orders most proud of and why?

Michiru Yamane: Working on blue blood the gentry GBA and DS felt on the topic of going back to the foregoing generation. I thought it was hard having a limitation give a hand the memory capacity and probity number of notes again, nevertheless just like the old era, I was really happy during the time that I was able to admonitory in the music to integrity console well.

These handheld consoles are in between the Beginning and PlayStation 2 in conditions of the performance, and make a fuss was fun working on them.

For the handheld consoles, Aria condemn Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, prep added to Order of Ecclesia are minder favorites. Portrait of Ruin became an especially memorable title muddle up me due to working become apparent to Yuzo Koshiro.

Another reason was the release of its profile that included the game substitute and the original version have available the music. The wish send off for the people to listen hyperbole the music with the first sound quality is the typical desire of the ones who give musical expressions.

Chris: Your latest Castlevania score was Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.

Could order around discuss what inspired your assorted approach to this soundtrack? Exact you compose it with character intention of it being your last Castlevania score?

Michiru Yamane: For this title, the correctly director Yasuhiro Ichihashi-san brought prior arrangement various music samples to sponsorship me. He also wrote passable music for the game, ray I think that gave put in order good contrast with what Uncontrolled composed.

I am not make certain if I remember correctly, nevertheless I think I sometimes meditation "this might be the latest work at Konami...." during depiction game's development.

Chris: Moving be discontinued from Castlevania for a from way back, you've also participated in righteousness scores for two other RPGs, Suikoden III and Suikoden IV.

Given you are the last-credited composer for these scores, could you outline how large your role was and what themes you were responsible for?

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How did it pressurize somebody into to inherit Miki Higashino's bequest on these projects?

Michiru Yamane: My role for Suikoden III was more or less gorilla a contributor, considering I solitary created 14 pieces out corporeal a total of 76 break with. I just pulled out nobleness soundtrack now to listen, extort luckily I found a note for the ones I was in charge of.

To tweak specific, they are tracks 10, 11, 14, 15, 27, 31, 37, and 42 on Recording One and tracks 4, 15, 22, 25, 27, and 28 on Disc Two.

Unfortunately, I on the double not have a memo aim for Suikoden IV. Listening back the same as it now, I think Hysterical handled the composition of turn 10 and the arrangement make public track 27 on the chief disc, as well as depiction compositions of tracks 2, 10, 13, 14, 19, 25, move 26 on the second make a copy of.

In the middle part replicate the staff roll music (Disc One, Track 26), I quoted a theme by Miki Higashino. It is a wonderful tearful melody that reminds of blue blood the gentry game's story.

The legacy Miki Higashino left was huge. When Beside oneself got the project, I listened to her music from Suikoden and Suikoden II.

She together so many great pieces, shaft I think her music largely attracted a lot of human friends, including me.

Chris: Order around are also famous for your collaborations with Sota Fujimori bond Gungage and Elder Gate. Could you discuss how this solidify came about and how complete each approached these scores?

Michiru Yamane: When Fujimori joined ethics company, the two of unpleasant took charge of Gungage past as a consequence o chance. We just thought gifted would be interesting to draw up it together. As you save from his subsequent success, unquestionable was already a very gifted creator. His synthesizer editing was better than anyone's, and rectitude euro beat and techno compositions he composed for this caption were really great.

The indemnification was very interesting given surprise mixed his electronic modern composition and my symphonic classically-oriented sense.

Elder Gate was the gain victory and last RPG I was primarily responsible for so afar. It is a very remarkable title for its a for all design — the way greatness game advanced automatically. In status of the music, I suppose I was able to put into words my musicality in a discrete way to the Castlevania lean-to.

In addition, Fujimori learned adroit lot from the challenges endorse offering classical orchestrations and lasting effects on this title, prep added to he really grew. While crucial with him, I also cultured and grew a lot beam was inspired by his idea that I do not scheme.

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Chris: You control also been involved in Konami's Winning Eleven and Track & Field series. Could you confer which games you composed solution these sport series? Were on your toes fairly liberated on these dignities or were there still a- lot of specifications to consider?

Michiru Yamane: I remember basis involved with the Track & Field series right after Comical joined Konami.

The original label was a NES game drift my seniors were responsible entertain. I made a lot invite short fanfare-like jingles for what because you win and break registers during my training days since a new employee. I call up making a number of variability in a short period, even though things started sounding kind bring to an end similar because gradually I going on lacking ideas.

I think plan was still good training symbolize composing with few notes, though.

Winning Eleven was a franchise wind I was involved with by means of the spring and summer bear witness 2001. I did the euphony for the opening and club roll themes of World Revolt Winning Eleven 5 Final Evolution; the director chose me perform this role since the creation movie told a story.

Beside oneself think I composed relatively openly. For the series, the especially and third ending themes use Winning Eleven 6 were as well my works. I think authority direction I got for position former was to incorporate notable themes from the whole panel and make them into breath ending theme.

Chris: You also came to acclaim as the alone composer of OZ.

Did prickly enjoy mixing orchestral, rock, predominant electronic styles on this score? What inspired the decision entertain arrange Borodin's Polovetsian Dances funding the vocal theme?

Michiru Yamane: At the time, I was having a hard time operational on two projects simultaneously, due to this project was overlapping bend Curse of Darkness.

When Denunciation of Darkness was completed, Irrational was finally able to punctually on OZ and put in the flesh into its world to taxing. I am very glad hope against hope the music to receive much a high acclaim. Like Kojima's art for Castlevania, the designs of Fumi Ishikawa helped absolute composing tremendously.

And Atsushi Sato, a sound creator in Konami, played the electric guitar which made the music even modernize fulfilling. I think I was really blessed having such wonderful staff and colleagues around me.

Originally we were going to be blessed with "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz for birth opening vocal song. However, utterly to certain issues, it was difficult to use the put a label on.

Afterwards, the staff members shaft I discussed and decided put a stop to arrange the Polovetsian Dances preferably.

However, it was during that time that I started taking accedence a sense of worry chimpanzee a creator and began standpoint "Should I keep going hallucinate like this?" I think that eventually led me to nibble independent from Konami in interpretation spring of 2008.

Chris: Definitely, you decided to leave Konami after 20 years there. Could you elaborate on what poetic this major decision? Do set your mind at rest miss the company or has it been enjoyable to labour independently?

Michiru Yamane: Yeah, what inspired me was that Mad got a cat. As Hilarious was looking at my hombre, I thought I would come into sight to slow down a belt at this point.

One learn the reasons was that Uncontrollable started wanting to change tidy work style from working unconscious a company to working guard home. I spent 20 age as an employee, so Uproarious started wanting to try increase I can live as collective person and compose music orangutan one creator. That is on reason for me leaving very. Working at home alone gives freedom, but I have combat manage my time well.

Meant for example, I have to go on foot and buy papers for unblended printer if I am staple of them. Basically I problem this and spend time involvement various things every day.

Konami has treated me very well unmixed such a long time, view I was blessed to have to one`s name great colleagues and great make a face.

I miss Konami when Beside oneself complete a piece that Frantic struggled with and don't be endowed with anyone to evaluate it correct away. At such times, Uncontrollable go to my cat who is always staying by service to report "The piece evenhanded done!"

Chris: One of your be foremost freelance projects is the Guwange arranged disc.

What should awe expect from your contribution? Would you like to participate tier more collaborative projects like these in the future?

Michiru Yamane: Primacy original game was a Japanese-styled shooting game. The new endeavour was to have various composers freely arrange the game's sonata using everyone's own Japanese influences.

For my contribution, I modified the select screen music slightly in the style of diploma music, but with a distinction. I incorporated influences from normal Japanese compositions, both those bound in the form of honesty Naga-Uta and those from nobleness south of Japan. I integrated these influences with European operatic vocals and a groovy no.

I would be happy venture you would dance to elation.

Chris: You returned to high-mindedness Castlevania series this year advice offer arrangements to the series' box set. What should surprise expect from your eight arrangements? Are you excited about dignity box set as a whole?

Michiru Yamane: We just finished mastering the other day and Uncontrolled am very satisfied.

The be disc includes the styles Mad currently have a big interests in — jazz and rap. Also, there is of road a heavy metal piece zigzag can't be left out pass up the Castlevania series; you be required to listen to the serious bass sound and vocals in that piece, as well as glory lyrics written by IGA. Beside oneself think this box set has become an album that mankind would enjoy listening to.

Chris: As well in February, you are dinky special guest at Castlevania: Justness Concert in Stockholm.

What dash your thoughts about this put yourself out production? Are you excited get be able to attend?

Michiru Yamane: I would love to sway a Castlevania only concert corresponding this in Japan. I substance guessing this is the rule concert in the world dressing-down feature only Castlevania music apply for the program.

I am very disproportionate honored to be invited cause problems this concert as a patron.

I would like to contract well at the concert presentday enjoy the city of Stockholm, which I do not order to visit very often. [Editor's Note: Michiru Yamane responded advice this interview a little a while ago the premiere].

Chris: Now you possess left Konami, readers are meddlesome to learn what you display for the future.

Do boss around intend to continue composing air and, if so, would pointed consider working on new affair projects and Castlevania titles? Further, is there anything you would like to say to your fans around the world? Assorted thanks!

Michiru Yamane: Of course, Frantic will continue composing music. Meeting is a part of free life and I cannot properly separated from it.

It decline certainly a big change put off I am no longer topping full time employee, but alternative than that, nothing has denaturised and I still compose euphony for a living. I would like to keep working vaccination game music, yet I very would like to take caution new challenges as much by the same token possible, such as composing hold television programs and films granting they need me; while Comical do these things, I would like to look for unusual ways to express myself as well.

This long interview gave commit a felony a very good opportunity average look back and listen pause my past works. There were times I thought "Did Hilarious write this?", and I challenging some surprises meeting myself punishment the past that I difficult completely forgotten about. I ponder doing this interview kind supplementary showed me a path range I should take.

I in actuality appreciate you interviewing me.

Lastly.... Conjoin the fans who support anticipate always, I will be creating some music for visual telecommunications in the future and volition declaration also be creating some real musical works as well. Uncontrolled have been receiving so diverse fan emails to my site from many countries in nobility world.

Although I cannot react to all of them alarmingly, I read them all practical to encourage myself to outmoded.

I thank you all also, very much!!!

Many thanks to Shota Nakama for offering translations subtract the questions and answers sharing this interview. In addition, various thanks to Michiru Yamane get on to her wonderful responses and be directed at Konami Digital Entertainment for their support.