Masaharu Iwata
Masaharu Iwata was born in Tokyo on the 26th of October 1966. His earliest attempts at music were poor experiments during his school years. He found inspiration while listening to the Japanese electropop group Yellow Magic Orchestra. This specific band motivated him to purchase a synthesizer for personal use. He then joined a cover band with other students from his high school. Other influences included Arabesque, John Foxx, China Crisis and Bill Nelson. Video games began gaining popularity around this time. Iwata shared that interest with many of his friends.
Iwata joined Bothtec as a composer after graduating from high school. His first piece appeared in 1987 as the ending theme to Bakusou Buggy Ippatsu Yarou. He soon scored his first full game titled Relics: Ankoku Yousai. During his tenure there he met Hitoshi Sakimoto who worked as a freelance composer. They collaborated on the 1988 shooter game Revolter published by ASCGroup. The NEC PC-8801 platform hosted their work together. Bothtec merged into Quest Corporation shortly before 1990. Iwata left the company about one year after the merger occurred. He chose not to join another firm but became a freelance composer instead.
Mainstream success arrived for Iwata in Japan during 1993. He composed Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen alongside Hitoshi Sakimoto. The soundtrack featured a wide variety of instrumentation within its orchestral score. The composers selected some instruments from a musical instrument description book found by Iwata. This approach was new to both creators at that time. Their collaboration led to co-composing several titles over the following years. Final Fantasy Tactics brought them international recognition in 1997. They typically divided up the work and created their own tracks separately. Other artists like Toshiaki Sakoda and Masanobu Tsukamoto joined these projects.
Iwata became a founding member of Basiscape in 2002. Hitoshi Sakimoto heads the company while Manabu Namiki also serves as a founder. It stands today as the largest independent video game music production company. Sakimoto left Square because he lacked sufficient freedom as an employee. That freedom came with difficulty staying close to development teams. Composers can procure individual work while maintaining steady employment through the group. Basiscape hires out projects to the company rather than specific individuals. Iwata has composed much of his work since joining as part of this structure.
The 1997 strategy game score remains among the most recognized in its genre. Critics cite compositions for Ogre Battle and Final Fantasy Tactics as standout achievements. The tactical RPG format allowed for complex orchestral arrangements. These works defined the sound of the era for many players. Their enduring popularity continues to influence modern composers. The collaboration between Iwata and Sakimoto set a high standard for the field. Fans still discuss the musical themes decades after release.
Over fifty titles feature music by Iwata since joining Basiscape. Big-name works include Final Fantasy XII released in 2006. He contributed to Odin Sphere which arrived in 2007. Soulcalibur IV received his composition efforts in 2008. Many projects involve collaboration with other Basiscape artists. Some tracks appear as lead composer credits while others show group effort. The company handles various types of interactive media including video games. Sound effects also form part of their production portfolio. This output demonstrates the scale of their ongoing operations.
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Common questions
When and where was Masaharu Iwata born?
Masaharu Iwata was born in Tokyo on the 26th of October 1966. His earliest attempts at music were poor experiments during his school years.
What inspired Masaharu Iwata to start composing music?
Masaharu Iwata found inspiration while listening to the Japanese electropop group Yellow Magic Orchestra. This specific band motivated him to purchase a synthesizer for personal use.
Which game gave Masaharu Iwata mainstream success in Japan?
Mainstream success arrived for Masaharu Iwata in Japan during 1993 when he composed Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen alongside Hitoshi Sakimoto. The soundtrack featured a wide variety of instrumentation within its orchestral score.
Who founded Basiscape with Masaharu Iwata?
Hitoshi Sakimoto heads the company while Manabu Namiki also serves as a founder. It stands today as the largest independent video game music production company.
What major titles did Masaharu Iwata compose after joining Basiscape?
Big-name works include Final Fantasy XII released in 2006 and Odin Sphere which arrived in 2007. Soulcalibur IV received his composition efforts in 2008.