Tatsuyuki Maeda

From Sega Retro

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Tatsuyuki Maeda
Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
Date of birth: 1968-06-11 (age 56)
Employment history:
Divisions:
Divisions:
Role(s): Musician

Tatsuyuki Maeda (前田 龍之) is a Japanese composer and sound designer. He graduated from school with an electric organ player course. He is best known for composing the music for Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Dragon Force, and Sonic 3D Blast.

Alongside Masaru Setsumaru, he created the majority of the sound effects utilized in various Sega games. He was also the sound director for two handheld gaming systems: the Pico (for various titles) and the Game Boy Advance (for the Sonic the Hedgehog titles. (e.g. the Sonic Advance series)).

He played the character Johnny Maeda (ジョニー前田) on the recurring Radio DC show Johnny no Moisture Room.[3]

Career

From Mega Drive to Dreamcast

Tatsuyuki Maeda joined Sega of Japan in 1992. His earliest known soundtrack is Devi & Pii, an unreleased Mega Drive game which he created the entire soundtrack for on his own, though with sound support from Chikako Kamatani. Within the game, he is credited as Ryunosuke (龍之介), an alternate reading of some of the kanji in his name Tatsuyuki (龍之), and which would later be used in Golden Axe III and Seima Densetsu 3x3 Eyes.

After doing uncredited work on the Game Gear title Kuni Chan no Game Tengoku Part 2[4], his first work as part of a team of composers would be Golden Axe III, including Naofumi Hataya, who has several times since praised Maeda for composing the dynamic stage 1 theme "Wilderness".[5][6] In addition to other stages such as Dim Jungle and Bloody Street, Maeda composed several recurring themes (e.g. Thief Stage, Map, Boss Even Stage) and many songs and jingles which play towards the end of the game.

The discussions between sound members concerned the world of Golden Axe and how to use the Mega Drive as an instrument. These would most likely prove useful in creating music and sound effects for the games Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (another team effort) and J.League Pro Striker 2 (a solo outing). Regarding the latter, Maeda made his CD debut with an arrangement of the Main Theme to J.League Pro Striker 2, which appeared on Super Famicom Magazine Volume 21: New Game Sound Museum in August 1994[7] and would become a staple song rearranged by Jun Senoue for the Victory Goal franchise.

By this point Maeda had worked on sound for 2 home systems, but in 1994 would expand to perhaps the system he was most prevalent on, the Pico. Beginning with Soreike! Anpanman: Eigo to Nakayoshi 2 Tanoshii Carnival, he would regularly work on games for the system until at least 1998, as well as the Drive Pico peripheral[8]. As Maeda himself enjoys Disney films,[9] it seems fitting that he would work on several games based on their works such as Mickey to Ooki na Furudokei (Korean version, if this exist and is not being confused with the Taiwanese version), Nurie Daisuki! Dumbo no Waku Waku Circus! and Peter Pan Neverland e Ikou!.

He further kept spreading his work across all then-current Sega consoles targeted at the Japanese home market. For Game Gear, he worked on Super Columns and Ninku, while on Mega Drive he continued the Sonic series with Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (Diamond Dust Zone becoming one of the most reoccurring songs from the game, appearing in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood[10], Sonic Generations, Sonic Dash[11], etc.). His most famous work of this era, however, was on Sega Saturn, where he took charge of the classic games Astal and Dragon Force, both of which also saw Maeda working with vocal songs for the first and last time. Dragon Force is also notable as the first game Maeda composed music for, but had no input on regarding sound effects[12]. For its 20th anniversary, the most notable songs from Dragon Force were released in the album Selections from Dragon Force.[13] While lesser known, he was involved with sound effects for the later titles Advanced World War: Sennen Teikoku no Koubou (maybe also music?) and Sakura Taisen 2: Kimi, Shinitamou Koto Nakare.[8]

Tatsuyuki Maeda's commentary in Dragon Force Original Soundtrack, recounting development month by month.

This focus on sound effects, with the occasional music work, continued on the Dreamcast in Sonic Adventure, unclear input on Atsumare! Guru Guru Onsen, and Daytona USA 2001. His most lasting work for the console was Skies of Arcadia. While his songs in the game have not been celebrated as much as the work of Yutaka Minobe, he still contributed many notable themes to the game such as "Sky Pirate Isle", "Battle" 1 & 2 and character themes for Galcian, Drachma, Gilder and Enrique. He also composed "Dungeon of the Military Facilities", the one dungeon theme remixed in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Additionally, some of his music would be repurposed for news programs on TV.[14]

Beyond Sega hardware

As Sega exited the console market in 2001 and began working as a third-party developer, Tatsuyuki Maeda (now working at subsidiary Wave Master) became heavily involved with the company's Nintendo Game Boy Advance output, primarily through the Sonic series again, the only sound designer to work on every major GBA title in the series. Later on in the system's lifespan, he would also contribute to Yoshi Topsy-Turvy[15] for developer Artoon, as well as the developer's Sony PlayStation 2 game Swords of Destiny.[16]

Regarding PS2, but for Sega, Maeda was one of the lead sound creators behind Shinobi with Teruhiko Nakagawa. The two would also work together on Gunvalkyrie for the Xbox, with Maeda dealing mainly in sound effects, voices and music for cutscenes and menus. Sound effects are also what he is credited for in Drakengard (developed for Square Enix) and Sonic Heroes, and can be assumed to have only created sound effects for Astro Boy due to not having any music credited to him on the game's respective soundtrack.

Following Wave Master's shift in 2004 to being a publishing label for Sega Sammy, Tatsuyuki Maeda and his colleagues were assimilated back into Sega, though Maeda seems to have had several contracts with non-Sega developers to fulfill, including the previously-mentioned Artoon and Marvelous/Tose with Bokujou Monogatari: Shiawase no Uta[17]/Harvest Moon: Magical Melody[18] for Nintendo GameCube, where he is still credited as belonging to Wave Master. However, within Phantasy Star Universe, which he contributed acoustic effects for alongside Masaru Setsumaru, he and the others are listed as part of the Sega Creative Center sound section.

Tatsuyuki Maeda's commentary in Golden Axe The Music.

His further credits after 2006 would continue to note sound effects production, such as for Sonic and the Secret Rings (which is also the first time he is referred to with the name Tatsuya Maeda, later seen in several Mario & Sonic games), but NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams would introduce a new credit commonly seen in the future: Sound Editor. It would also, until Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax in 2013, be the last time he was known to have created music, specifically 3 cutscene themes. This would a month after release be followed by a commentary role in Golden Axe The Music, where he recounted some memories related to Golden Axe III, and is listed as a member of New Entertainment R&D Dept..

With no music made for several years, Maeda's name can only be found within game credits for further Sonic games and the Yakuza franchise, starting with Yakuza 3. He also made one-off sound contributions to Valkyria Chronicles and Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure. Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax is notable not only for featuring 2 songs by Tatsuyuki Maeda, but also for being his first arcade game since Dragon Treasure II nearly 10 years prior.

Besides a song made for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life in 2016, little is known to have changed for Tatsuyuki Maeda while employed by Sega Games, as he continued to work on Dennou Senki Virtual-On x Toaru Majutsu no Index: Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On, Shining Resonance Refrain and the Olympic Games-based games. In 2019, he provided another lookback on his past work in Skies of Arcadia Eternal Soundtrack. Following Sega Games and Sega Interactive merging to once again form Sega, he is known to have continued his long-running work on the sound effects in Phantasy Star Online 2 with its update New Genesis.

Interests

The music which typically comes out of Tatsuyuki Maeda's CD players are film and musical soundtracks, with his favourite composer being John Williams.[9]. By the early 2000's however, his taste had expanded to include Hawaiian, folk music and Gamelan.[9] As previously mentioned, Maeda enjoys Disney films, but other personal details noted in an interview with RocketBaby include:

  • Favorite Drink: Tea
  • Favorite Food: Fish
  • Favorite Book: Norwegian Wood
  • Favorite TV: Ninzaburo Furuhata
  • Favorite Games: Sangokushi
  • Hobbies: Driving and Traveling

Equipment

When working on Mega Drive games, Tatsuyuki Maeda used a piece of development equipment named Target, which could be used to directly manipulate PCM, FM and PSG sounds with numbers. As a fresh employee, he struggled with this unfamiliar process and would frequently check the manual and notes taken during new employee training, or ask his seniors for corrections.[19]

Beyond this, in 2002 Maeda's confirmed roster of equipment included the tools Logic Audio, Sound Designer and Sound Forge, and the instruments Roland JV-2080, Roland Juno-106 and Korg 01/W.[9]

Production history

Games

Music

Song credits

Main article: Tatsuyuki Maeda/Song credits.

Golden Axe III

  • Wilderness — Music & Arrangement[44]
  • Thife Stage — Music & Arrangement
  • Map — Music & Arrangement
  • Boss Even Stage — Music & Arrangement
  • Dim Jungle — Music & Arrangement
  • Bloody Street — Music & Arrangement
  • A Voyage Of Castle — Music & Arrangement
  • In The Castle — Music & Arrangement
  • Last Boss — Music & Arrangement
  • Last Boss Clear — Music & Arrangement
  • Ending — Music & Arrangement
  • Game Over — Music & Arrangement
  • Congratulations — Music & Arrangement

J. League Pro Striker 2

  • Main Theme — Music & Arrangement [NOTE: Used for "Theme of S-League" in Victory Goal]
  • Team Select — Music & Arrangement

Astal

  • Title — Music & Arrangement
  • Let me try again! — Music & Arrangement
  • Shining World — Music & Arrangement
  • Let me try again! (Instrumental) — Music & Arrangement
  • Shining World (Instrumental) — Music & Arrangement

Dragon Force

  • Dragon Force -Main Theme- — Music & Arrangement
  • Legend of Legendra "Legendra ~ Wicked God Madruk ~ Star Dragon Hasgard" — Music & Arrangement
  • Courage — Music & Arrangement
  • 8 Warriors of the Dragon Star — Music & Arrangement
  • Land of the Sleeping Dragon — Music & Arrangement
  • Astea's Voice — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Wein — Music & Arrangement
  • Warning — Music & Arrangement
  • Battle Start — Music & Arrangement
  • Win — Music & Arrangement
  • Field Start — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Teiris — Music & Arrangement
  • Enemy — Music & Arrangement
  • Cheerfulness — Music & Arrangement
  • Nice to See You — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Leon — Music & Arrangement
  • Ally — Music & Arrangement
  • To Search — Music & Arrangement
  • Desert Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Reluctance — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Junon — Music & Arrangement
  • Grassland Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Reinhardt — Music & Arrangement
  • Alarm — Music & Arrangement
  • Snowfield Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Gongos — Music & Arrangement
  • Castle Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Draw — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Mikhal — Music & Arrangement
  • Duel — Music & Arrangement
  • Friends — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Goldark — Music & Arrangement
  • Field End — Music & Arrangement
  • At Rest — Music & Arrangement
  • Discovery — Music & Arrangement
  • Calling — Music & Arrangement
  • Rebellion — Music & Arrangement
  • Level Up — Music & Arrangement
  • Envoy of the Wicked God — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 3 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Madruk — Music & Arrangement
  • Wicked God Madruk — Music & Arrangement
  • A New History — Music & Arrangement
  • The Future — Music & Arrangement

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (Mega Drive Version)

  • Rusty Ruin Zone Act 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Rusty Ruin Zone Act 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Diamond Dust Zone Act 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Diamond Dust Zone Act 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Volcano Valley Zone Act 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Volcano Valley Zone Act 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Gene Gadget Zone Act 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Gene Gadget Zone Act 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Panic Puppet Zone Act 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Boss 1 — Music & Arrangement

Radio DC

Skies of Arcadia

  • Sky Pirate Island — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Galcian — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of "Reflection" — Music & Arrangement
  • Sky Pirate Hideout — Music & Arrangement
  • Scorching Heat Dungeon — Music & Arrangement
  • Battle 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Cave Dungeon — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of the Black Sky Pirates — Music & Arrangement
  • Bombardment 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Drachma — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of the Empire — Music & Arrangement
  • Valua City — Music & Arrangement
  • Military Facility Dungeon — Music & Arrangement
  • Battle Victory — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Gilder — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of "Hatred" — Music & Arrangement
  • Yafutoma Dawn — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of "Nervous / Pinch" 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Battle 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of "Rejoice" — Music & Arrangement
  • Ice Town — Music & Arrangement
  • Bombardment Victory — Music & Arrangement
  • The Great Silver Temple — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Enrique — Music & Arrangement
  • Last Dungeon — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of "Delight" — Music & Arrangement
  • Kingdom of Nasrid 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Military Facility Dungeon 2 — Music & Arrangement

Daytona USA 2001

  • Winning Run — Music & Arrangement

Gunvalkyrie

  • Halley's Comet — Music & Arrangement
  • Power, glory and tragedy — Music & Arrangement
  • Valkyrie's launch — Music & Arrangement
  • Banquet, before, hereafter — Music & Arrangement
  • Valkyrie's launch II — Music & Arrangement
  • The bloom — Music & Arrangement
  • The pandemonium — Music & Arrangement
  • <inner voices> - Trick or treat - — Music & Arrangement

Shinobi

  • Transfiguration — Music & Arrangement
  • Moritsune — Music & Arrangement
  • Shinobi Boss — Music & Arrangement
  • Yatsurao — Music & Arrangement
  • Azure Dragon — Music & Arrangement

Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 18: Dragon Force

  • Dragon Force -Main Theme- — Music & Arrangement
  • Legend of Legendra "Legendra ~ Wicked God Madruk ~ Star Dragon Hasgard" — Music & Arrangement
  • 8 Warriors of the Dragon Star — Music & Arrangement
  • Land of the Sleeping Dragon — Music & Arrangement
  • Astea's Voice — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Wein — Music & Arrangement
  • Warning — Music & Arrangement
  • Battle Start — Music & Arrangement
  • Win — Music & Arrangement
  • Field Start — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Teiris — Music & Arrangement
  • Enemy — Music & Arrangement
  • Cheerfulness — Music & Arrangement
  • Nice to See You — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Leon — Music & Arrangement
  • Ally — Music & Arrangement
  • To Search — Music & Arrangement
  • Desert Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Reluctance — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Junon — Music & Arrangement
  • Grassland Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Reinhardt — Music & Arrangement
  • Alarm — Music & Arrangement
  • Snowfield Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 1 — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 2 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Gongos — Music & Arrangement
  • Castle Battle — Music & Arrangement
  • Draw — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Mikhal — Music & Arrangement
  • Duel — Music & Arrangement
  • Friends — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Goldark — Music & Arrangement
  • Field End — Music & Arrangement
  • At Rest — Music & Arrangement
  • Discovery — Music & Arrangement
  • Calling — Music & Arrangement
  • Rebellion — Music & Arrangement
  • Level Up — Music & Arrangement
  • Envoy of the Wicked God — Music & Arrangement
  • Lose 3 — Music & Arrangement
  • Theme of Madruk — Music & Arrangement
  • Wicked God Madruk — Music & Arrangement
  • A New History — Music & Arrangement

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

  • <Event> Reala Returns — Music & Arrangement
  • <Event> Captive — Music & Arrangement
  • <Event> Suspicion — Music & Arrangement

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

  • Despair — Music & Arrangement, Programming
  • Login:Next Dream — Music & Arrangement, Programming

External links

References

  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di0DpYXHMKA&t=89s
  2. ↑ File:GoldenAxeTheMusic CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 9
  3. ↑ @hatayatoday on Twitter (Wayback Machine: 2022-12-14 17:27)
  4. ↑ htt (Wayback Machine: 2001-01-26 20:17)
  5. ↑ http://www.wave-master.com/promo/sega/segakon1.html (Wayback Machine: 2002-06-15 21:42)
  6. ↑ https://sst.sega.jp/news/201505.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-04-22 17:18)
  7. ↑ https://vgmdb.net/album/4332 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 09:10)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 htt (Wayback Machine: 2004-03-26 16:31)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 htt (Wayback Machine: 2002-11-05 16:25)
  10. ↑ https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/941521-sonic-chronicles-the-dark-brotherhood/45661264 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:27)
  11. ↑ https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Diamond_Dust_Zone (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:25)
  12. ↑ htt (Wayback Machine: 2001-07-14 19:09)
  13. ↑ https://sst.sega.jp/news/201603.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:14)
  14. ↑ https://sst.sega.jp/news/201411.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-04-22 17:18)
  15. ↑ https://vgmdb.net/release/11433 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:02)
  16. ↑ https://vgmdb.net/release/16936 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:35)
  17. ↑ https://vgmdb.net/release/15658 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:55)
  18. ↑ [fhttps://web.archive.org/web/20230723115513/https://vgmdb.net/release/15658 https://vgmdb.net/release/15658] (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-23 11:55)
  19. ↑ File:GoldenAxeTheMusic CD JP Booklet.pdf
  20. ↑ File:Golden Axe III MD credits.pdf
  21. ↑ File:Seima Densetsu MCD credits.pdf
  22. ↑ File:Sonic the Hedgehog 3 MD credits.pdf
  23. ↑ File:Pro Striker 2 MD credits.pdf
  24. ↑ File:Sonic & Knuckles MD credits.pdf
  25. ↑ File:Space Harrier 32X credits.pdf
  26. ↑ File:After Burner 32X credits.pdf
  27. ↑ File:Victory Goal Saturn credits.pdf
  28. ↑ File:Panzer Dragoon JP Saturn credits.pdf
  29. ↑ File:Panzer Dragoon US Saturn credits.pdf
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 File:Kisuishou Densetsu Astal Saturn credits.pdf
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 File:Astal Saturn US credits.pdf
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 File:Dragon Force JP Saturn credits.pdf
  33. ↑ File:BakuBaku PC US Manual.pdf, page 18
  34. ↑ File:Sonic 3D Blast MD credits.pdf
  35. ↑ File:Sonic Advance GBA credits.pdf
  36. ↑ File:Sonic Advance 2 GBA credits.pdf
  37. ↑ File:Sonic Battle GBA credits.pdf
  38. ↑ File:Sonic Advance 3 GBA credits.pdf
  39. ↑ File:DragonForceOST Music JP Booklet.pdf, page 14
  40. ↑ File:SADLCOST CD JP booklet1.pdf, page 2
  41. ↑ File:EternalArcadiaOST CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 7
  42. ↑ File:VBoS CD US back.jpg
  43. ↑ File:PSP2OSTWoU CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 11
  44. ↑ http://sst.sega.jp/news/201505.html
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