Tomonori Sawada

Tomonori Sawada (澤田 朋伯) is a sound designer and keyboardist who joined Sega in 1992. The first project he worked on was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Game Gear, composing a single track. Following this was his first major title (Land of Illusion) and the chance to work with Sonic Team's sound section for Mega Drive titles Golden Axe III and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Sawada has since been the sound director for both the Panzer Dragoon and Sonic Riders series. Other games he has directed include Saturn titles Victory Goal, Iron Storm, World Series Baseball, Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition and Hanagumi Taisen Columns and, most recently, Xbox 360 title Rise of Nightmares.

One year before he joined Sega, Sawada formed the techno unit Mind Design (under the Transonic Records label) with its founder Koji Sakurai in the midst of the Japanese techno movement. Renowned tracks from the group include "Phonetic," "Spiritual" and "Skywalk" (one of Sawada's compositions), the lattermost of which saw a remix by techno DJ Ken Ishii. The group disbanded in 1994, after which Sawada produced tracks for a time under the name Unreal and later was a part of the group Fantastic Explosion until 2000. He has since worked with Sakurai again on Sonic Free Riders.

Production History

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System and Game Gear Versions) (1992) — Sound (as Dawasa)
• Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1992/1993) — Sound Programer (as T.Sawada), Sound Composer (as T.Sawada)
• J.League Pro Striker (1993) — Music and Sound Effect (as T.S)
• Golden Axe III (1993) — Music and Sound Effect (as T.S)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) — SEGA Sound Team
• Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit (1994) — Special Thanks (as T.S.)
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994) — SEGA Sound Team
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994) — SEGA Sound Team
• Victory Goal (1995) — Sound Director
• Panzer Dragoon (1995) — Sound Effects/Sound Director
• Blue Seed (1995) — Sound Edit
• Iron Storm (1995) — Music Director (Japan Team) (as Houhaku Sawada)
• World Series Baseball (Saturn Version) (1995) — Sound Director
• J. League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! (Saturn Version) (1996) [NOTE: Sound Direction and Sound Effects]
• Panzer Dragoon Zwei (1996) — Sound Effects/Sound Director, Music
• Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition (1996) — Sound Director, Music & Remix
• Hanagumi Taisen Columns (Saturn Version) (1997) [NOTE: Sound Direction and BGM Arrange]
• Resident Evil (Saturn Version) (1997) — Saturn Conversion (Sound Team) (Saturn Version Staff) [NOTE: BGM Data Porting]
• Daytona USA Deluxe (1997) — Music & Remix
• Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998) — Director (Sound Part), Sound Effects and MA
• Sega Rally 2 (Dreamcast Version) (1999) — Music (Dreamcast Staff), Sound Effects (Dreamcast Staff)
• Sega Rally 2 (PC Version) (1999) — Music, Sound Effects
• Jet Set Radio (2000) [NOTE: Created Sound Effects and BGM for the game, but went uncredited]
• Phantasy Star Online (2000) — Sound Designer
• Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 (2001) — Sound Designer
• Rez (2001) — Assistant Sound Creator [NOTE: BGM Data and Sound Effects]
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (2002/2003) — Sound Designer
• Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002) — Sound Director (Wave Master) [NOTE: Sound Direction and Sound Effects]
• Onimusha: Blade Warriors (2003)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus (2003) — Sound Designer
• Nightshade (2003) — BGM (Wave Master Inc.) (Sound)
• Sonic Heroes (2003) — Sound Effects
• Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space (2004) — Sound Creator
• Sangokushi Taisen (2005)
• Sonic Gems Collection (2005) — Sound Creator
• Sega Rally 2006 (2006)
• Sonic Riders (2006) — Sound Director, Lead Music Composer, music and lyrics ("Sonic Speed Riders"), Sound Effects
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 27: Panzer Dragoon (2006) — Special Thanks
• Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007) — Sound Effects
• Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (2008) — Sound Director, Music Composer, Sound Effects
• Valkyria Chronicles (2008) — Sound (Original Development Staff)
• Blazer Drive (2008)
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii Version) (2009) — Composer
• Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (DS Version) (2010) — CS1 R&D Sound (Sega Japan)
• Yakuza 4 (2010) — Sound Effects Production ("Yakuza 4" Sound Team) (Staff)
• Sonic Free Riders (2010) — Sound Director, Music Composer, Sound Effects
• Rise of Nightmares (2011) — Sound Director
• Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure (2012) — Special Thanks (Movie Sound Department)
• Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (3DS Version) (2012) — Composer (Sound)
• Sonic Lost World (2013) — Sound Effects

Discography

• The Roots of Transonic (Trigger Label 1990-1993) (1994) [compilation]
• Welcome to Neo-Tokyo (1994)
• View from the Edge (1994)
• Transonic (970-1450km/h) (1994) [compilation]
• Transonic 3 (Range) (1994) [compilation] (as Unreal)
• Pop Life (1995) (as Unreal)
• Transonic 6 (The Sound of Feeling) (1996) [compilation] (as Unreal)
• Transonic 7 (1997) [compilation] (as Unreal)
• Merry Xmas & Happy New Year (1997) [compilation]
• Shogeki no UFO (1998) [compilation]
• The Sea (1998)
• Radio DC (1999)
• Fantastic Explosion 2 (1999)
• Sounds of Transonic 1994-1995 (1999) [compilation]
• Best of Fantastic Explosion (2000)
• Worst of Fantastic Explosion (2000)
• Space Channel 5 Part 2 Moji Moji ★ Can't Stop Remix (2002)
• Sonic Riders Original Soundtrack "speedbeats grand prix" (2006)

Song Credits

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System and Game Gear Versions)

• Under Ground Zone — Music & Arrangement

Sonic & Knuckles

• Sky Sanctuary Zone — Music & Arrangement

Panzer Dragoon Zwei

• The Empire's Giant Carrier — Music & Arrangement
• The Unexpected Enemy — Music & Arrangement

Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition

• Gentlemen Start Your Engines — Music & Arrangement
• Sky High (Part 1) — Arrangement
• Sky High (Goal) — Arrangement
• Sky High (Part 2) — Arrangement

Sega Rally 2 (Dreamcast Version)

• Tail Lights — Music & Arrangement
• S.L.O — Music & Arrangement

Radio DC

• Sona mi areru ec sancitu <Re-arranged> — Re-arrangement

Space Channel 5 Part 2 Moji Moji ★ Can't Stop Remix

• Yet More Strobe Action — Remixed by

Sangokushi Taisen

• In the Imperial Palace — Music & Arrangement
• Outbreak of War — Music & Arrangement
• Liao-Lai-Lai — Music & Arrangement
• Marvelous Brave — Music & Arrangement
• Take Up a Position on the Top — Music & Arrangement
• Wall of Flames — Music & Arrangement
• Single Combat — Music & Arrangement
• Heavy Fighting — Music & Arrangement
• Strained Forest — Music & Arrangement
• Remaining Snow — Music & Arrangement
• Autumn Breeze — Music & Arrangement
• Repose — Music & Arrangement
• Rivalry of Powerful Leaders — Music & Arrangement
• Main Title — Music & Arrangement

Sonic Gems Collection

• Sonic Goes UG Mix — Music & Arrangement

Sega Rally 2006

• In-Cut Overdrive — Music & Arrangement

Sonic Riders

• Sonic Speed Riders — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement
• Start-Up Your EX Gear! — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Metal City — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Splash Canyon — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Egg Factory — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Green Cave — Music & Arrangement
• Get Ready for the Big Event — Music & Arrangement
• High Flying Groove — Music & Arrangement
• Survival Step — Music & Arrangement

Sonic Riders Original Soundtrack "speedbeats grand prix"

• Sonic Speed Riders (Electro Express Mix) — Lyrics, Music & Arrangement

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

• Through Traffic — Music & Arrangement
• Spiral Madness — Music & Arrangement

Blazer Drive

• Tokyo 20XX — Music & Arrangement
• Shibuya 003 — Music & Arrangement
• Mysticker Battle #1 — Music & Arrangement
• Fenrir Instructions Room — Music & Arrangement
• Mysticker Storage — Music & Arrangement
• Guardian Sortie! — Music & Arrangement
• Blazer's Holiday — Music & Arrangement
• Mystery Creature Pettan — Music & Arrangement
• Burn the Soul! — Music & Arrangement
• Mysticker Battle #2 — Music & Arrangement
• Sky Meadows — Music & Arrangement
• Pink Paradise — Music & Arrangement
• Sun Temple — Music & Arrangement
• NEXT Four Emperors — Music & Arrangement
• Trustful Comrades — Music & Arrangement
• Volganike — Music & Arrangement
• Lonely Heart — Music & Arrangement
• Ambition of NEXT — Music & Arrangement
• Mysticker Battle #3 — Music & Arrangement
• Hello! Meg's World — Music & Arrangement
• Closed Area — Music & Arrangement
• Mysticker Battle #4 — Music & Arrangement
• 666 Floors Underground — Music & Arrangement
• Grannark — Music & Arrangement
• Heavenly Mysticker — Music & Arrangement
• Bonds — Music & Arrangement
• Blaze Out! (Opening Version) — Music & Arrangement
• Blaze Out! (Instrumental) — Music & Arrangement

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii Version)

• Dream Short Track (Egg Factory) — Music & Re-Arrangement

Sonic Free Riders

• Start-Up Your EX Gear! (Free Riders Version) — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Dolphin Resort — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Frozen Forest — Music & Arrangement
• Theme of Forgotten Tomb — Music & Arrangement

External Links

• Tomonori Sawada's 1st Wave Master profile (2002-2004) on archive.org
• Tomonori Sawada's 2nd Wave Master profile (2004) on archive.org
• Sonic Channel Creators Interview 023: Tomonori Sawada