Chihiro Aoki

From Sega Retro

Chihiro Aoki.png
Chihiro Aoki
Employment history:
Sega (2007-04[1] – )
Divisions:
Role(s): Composer, Musicians, Developers
Education: Senzoku Gakuen College of Music (Sound Design)[3]

Chihiro Aoki (青木 千紘) is a Sega sound composer and a former member of [H.]. Joining in April 2007[1], she has become a leading composer for the Yakuza series, including being the music director for Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin!, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Early life

Chihiro Aoki grew up in a household exposed to a variety of music. Her parents were of the generation from when The Beatles were big, while her brother was interested in 80's and 90's rock music, including metal[4]. She was also exposed to classical and jazz music through her electric organ lessons, and her general environment meant she was also exposed to Japanese pop[4].

She started playing video games in elementary school, mainly on Super Famicom. She also mostly played RPGs developed by Square (e.g. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger) and Enix (e.g. Dragon Quest V), and would transcribe the music so she could play them on the organ[4]. Her teacher supported her interests and did not force her to write just classical music, which allowed her to believe that "all music is wonderful, regardless of genre"[4],.

Aoki went on the study sound design at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, and knew beforehand that she wanted a career as a video game music composer[4]. She has also said that she entered the industry to create music for children[5].

Career

In 2007, Chihiro Aoki joined Sega, and was assigned to one of the arcade departments. She primarily made classical music using orchestra and funk/soul music[4], and frequently created arrangements exclusive to albums beginning with Musica e WCCF Secondo Movimento. She was later invited to contribute to the Yakuza series by Hidenori Shoji[4] and officially joined the series sound team with Yakuza 5[4], thereby also transferring to the consumer team. She became one of the series' music directors with the next game Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin!. Aoki has since directed the music for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World: Lost in Memories and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

On October 18, 2014, Chihiro Aoki gave birth to a daughter. She thus took maternity leave, so couldn't do as much work on the next couple Yakuza games as before.

In 2022, Hidenori Shoji and Chihiro Aoki were awarded with the Dramatic Sound Award by PlayStation Game Music, for their work on Judgment[5].

Production history

Games

Music

Song credits

Main article: Chihiro Aoki/Song credits.

Musica e WCCF Secondo Movimento

Yakuza 3

  • D 2 A — Chorus

Let's Go Away: The Video Game Daytona USA Anniversary Box

  • Let's Go Away - Piano Ver. - — Arrangement
  • Pounding Pavement - Unplugged Ver. - — Arrangement, Backup Singer Female (w/Lindie P.E. Achacoso)

From Loud 2 Low Too: Takenobu Mitsuyoshi Works

  • From Ben — Arrangement

Bayonetta

  • Splash Wave (∞ Climax Mix)[8] — Chorus

Lola to Carla no Mijou Mensetsu

  • We are bijo-men!! — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement (as ディーバ青木)

Yakuza 4

  • Infinite Handcuff — Music & Arrangement
  • Teufel mit Liebe — Music & Arrangement
  • Casino — Music & Arrangement

Yakuza: Dead Souls

  • Gary's Boot Camp — Music & Arrangement
  • Ramble in Kamurocho — Music & Arrangement

maimai

  • ばっきゅん☆BAD GIRL — Music & Arrangement

Phantasy Star Online 2

  • Spiral Tracker - Val Rodos - — Music & Arrangement

Yakuza 5

  • What a Funkastic hit — Music & Arrangement
  • The Opening of Princess League — Music & Arrangement
  • La Seine — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement
  • Prime ‐Love Game‐ — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement
  • Be the Star!! — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement
  • Bar Crest - Rainy - — Music & Arrangement
  • Quiet Mode — Music & Arrangement
  • Silky Night — Music & Arrangement
  • Sleepy Eyes — Music & Arrangement
  • highway — Music & Arrangement
  • Rouge of Love ~feat. Kaguya~ — Music & Arrangement
  • Rouge of Love ~feat. Shion~ — Music & Arrangement

Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin!

  • 夜明け前 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜激動の時代〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜我を何とも言わば言え〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜京の街〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • As a man, As a brave — Music (with Hidenori Shoji), Arrangement
  • 〜千錯万綜〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜志と共に〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜憂・憎・悲・悔〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • 〜肝胆相照らす〜 — Music (with ZENTA), Arrangement
  • 〜天は人の上に人を造らず〜
  • 〜夜明け〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • With You — Music & Arrangement, Lyrics (with Asami Takeo, Aimee Blackschleger)
  • 〜時を越えて〜 — Music & Arrangement
  • Lost Lewisite — Arrangement
  • 吹雪小唄 — Music & Arrangement
  • さむらい演舞 — Music & Arrangement
  • 鼓動 — Music & Arrangement
  • さむらい音頭 — Music & Arrangement
  • 故郷に錦を飾るべし — Arrangement (with Tsuyoshi Kaneko)
  • はらぺこ日和 — Arrangement (with Tsuyoshi Kaneko)
  • 阿修羅小町 — Music & Arrangement

Yakuza Kiwami

  • TAKUMI 2016 — Arrangement
  • Moment de la Petite Sirene -Heartbreak Mermaid- — Arrangement

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

  • 応龍の嘶き — Music & Arrangement
  • found! — Music & Arrangement
  • The Vulgar Ceremony — Music & Arrangement
  • flames of determination — Music & Arrangement
  • Qui garde un secret — Music & Arrangement
  • what for — Music & Arrangement
  • The Way of Life — Music & Arrangement
  • Dirty Boy — Music & Arrangement
  • The Man was Reborn — Music & Arrangement
  • Love of Binaural — Music & Arrangement
  • Baby Sign — Music & Arrangement (with Fumiyoshi Shimohara)
  • 不器用ラブステップ — Music, Arrangement, Lyrics & Vocals
  • #モノクロシティシンドローム — Vocals

Judgment

  • Conflict — Music & Arrangement
  • RTF — Music & Arrangement

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD

  • Landing On A New Island! — Music & Arrangement
  • Khafre's Trials — Music & Arrangement
  • Swamps Of Side Chain — Music & Arrangement

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.facebook.com/chihiro.aoki.54379/timeline/story?ut=32&wstart=-2051193600&wend=2147483647&hash=833717483386531&pagefilter=3&ustart=1
  2. ↑ https://www.cri-mw.co.jp/product/interview/2014/ryu_ishin2/page1.html
  3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/chihiro.aoki.54379/about?section=edu_work
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 https://realsound.jp/2023/12/post-1513785.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-12-09 15:00)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://blog.ja.playstation.com/2022/03/10/20220310-psmusic/ (Wayback Machine: 2022-03-10 08:41)
  6. ↑ File:RgG3OST CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 3
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://media.vgm.io/albums/41/69014/69014-1525915682.jpg
  8. ↑ https://media.vgm.io/albums/99/15299/15299-1257601337.jpg
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