Difference between revisions of "Masayuki Nagao"

Revision as of 17:03, 2 September 2023

Masayuki Nagao

Employment history: Sega of Japan Divisions: Sega CS3 Sound
Role(s): Musician

Masayuki "N.Gee" Nagao (長尾優進) is a music composer, sound designer, keyboardist and lyricist born in 1964. He was previously employed by Santos and Sega. Notable games include Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master, the Sonic Drift duology and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. He is also well-known for his sound programming and music arrangements in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

While working at Sega, Masayuki Nagao married 章子 on April 24, 1993.^[1] Pianist Hiroshi Kubota and bassist Kazuhi Oosumi (大角一飛) played at the wedding.^[2]

Career

Santos to Sega

Masayuki Nagao's earliest known work is at Santos, where he created the ending music for Battle Golfer Yui.^[3] He joined Sega in December 1991 when Santos was acquired by Sega and renamed Megasoft,^[4] shortly before the release of Toki: Going Ape Spit, which saw him collaborating with Hirofumi Murasaki and Morihiko Akiyama, who continued to work with him following the acquisition, Nagao serving as the team's producer. Megasoft's earliest known assignment was to arrange music, through Nagao, and create sound effects, through Akiyama, for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, though this did not pan out as expected.^[5]

As Megasoft ceased development and trickled out releases such as Shinobi III and Aa Harimanada, Nagao found a voice distinct from the others working on Game Gear, originally with Megasoft's Doraemon Noranosuke no Yabou and Aa Harimanada, but afterwards with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and several licensed games. During this period, he was a producer at Sega CS3 Sound,^[1] the department responsible for all internally-developed Mega Drive and Game Gear soundtracks.^[6] Frequent co-workers now included Haruyo Oguro and Saori Kobayashi.

Post-Sega

Nagao was later employed by Opus Corp. following his work on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and other titles. While at Opus, his most noteworthy title was the 2000 PlayStation game Utauta-uh: Seirei Songs. He also met Opus sound designer and guitarist Tomoo Yamaguchi, who became one of his best friends for decades,^[7] He has since worked with Nagao on some of his major video games after Sega, the Taito Evolution game series published by Marvelous Interactive for the PSP handheld game system, which sees Nagao credited not just for music, such as the song "Tears of the Planet", but also game design and story.^[8]^[9]^[10] Another of Nagao's best friends, Hiroya Someno, was a fellow game designer, manager and musician on these projects.^[11] Nagao also collaborated with developer Vanilla on the game Zoo Mania 3D for the 3DS.^[12]^[13]

Masayuki Nagao has also written music and performed outside of video games, including writing the English lyrics for the song "RAIN" by 4ROCKAMBOS^[14] and co-producing the album Saeri Home Made, which featured both Tomoo Yamaguchi and Hidya Someno in some fashion.^[15]

Production history

Toki: Going Ape Spit (Mega Drive; 1991) — Sound^[16] (as Nagao)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive; 1992) — Sound Assistants^[17] (as N.Gee)
Doraemon Noranosuke no Yabou (Game Gear; 1993) — サウンド (as ナガオ)
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Mega Drive; 1993) — Music and sound^[18]
Jurassic Park (Game Gear; 1993) — Sound Management^[19] (as N.Gee)
Aa Harimanada (Mega Drive; 1993) — Sound^[20] (as Nagao (N·Gee))
Jurassic Park (Master System; 1993) — Sound Management^[19] (as N.Gee)
Sonic Chaos (Game Gear; 1993) — Sound^[21] (as Nagao N.Gee)
Sonic Chaos (Master System; 1993) — Sound^[21] (as Nagao N.Gee)
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Mega Drive; 1993) — Music and FX^[22]
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Game Gear; 1993) — Sound Programmers^[23] (as Nagao'N'Gee)
Taisen Mahjong HaoPai 2 (Game Gear; 1993) — Sound (as M.Nagao)
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Master System; 1994) — Sound Programmers^[23] (as Nagao'N'Gee)
Sonic Drift (Game Gear; 1994) — Sound Creator^[24] (as N.Gee)
Torarete Tamaruka!? (Game Gear; 1994) — Sound (as Nagao NG Masayuki)
Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba (Game Gear; 1994) — Sound Driver (as N.Gee)
Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive; 1994) — SEGA Sound Team^[25]
Sonic Drift 2 (Game Gear; 1995) — Sound^[26] (as M.Nagao)

Song credits

Main article: Masayuki Nagao/Song credits.

Battle Golfer Yui

Ending — Music & Arrangement

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

Shinobi (Opening) — Music & Arrangement

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Hydrocity Zone Act 2 — Music (with SEGA) & Arrangement
Lava Reef Zone Act 2 — Arrangement

Sonic Drift

Title — Arrangement
Mode — Music & Arrangement
Select — Music & Arrangement
Round Start — Music & Arrangement
Green Hill — Music & Arrangement
Marble — Music & Arrangement
Spring Yard — Music & Arrangement
Labyrinth — Music & Arrangement
Star Light — Music & Arrangement
Scrap Brain — Music & Arrangement
Invincible — Arrangement
Round Clear — Music & Arrangement
GP Clear — Music & Arrangement
Staff Roll — Music & Arrangement

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Harmony, "1993 9-10" (JP; 1993-10-01), page 27
↑ http://jimita.com/profile/history1993.html#0000 (Wayback Machine: 2023-08-31 11:24)
↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E5%B0%BE%E5%84%AA%E9%80%B2
↑ Interview: Hirofumi Murasaki (2002-04-17) by Sega.jp
↑ @MasaNagao on Twitter (Wayback Machine: 2023-09-01 13:51)
↑ @MasaNagao on Twitter
↑ @MasaNagao on Twitter
↑ http://raido.moe/staff/psp/psp_space_invaders_galaxy_beat.html
↑ https://www.mobygames.com/game/25929/bubble-bobble-evolution/credits/psp/?autoplatform=true
↑ http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=62953&tab=credits (Wayback Machine: 2014-08-05 19:05)
↑ @MasaNagao on Twitter
↑ https://www.mobygames.com/game/99284/zoo-mania-3d/credits/3ds/?autoplatform=true
↑ @MasaNagao on Twitter
↑ https://www.hmv.co.jp/news/article/605290027// (Wayback Machine: 2023-09-02 14:28)
↑ http://saeri.club/2022/05/10/new%e3%82%a2%e3%83%ab%e3%83%90%e3%83%a0%e3%80%8esaeri-home-made%e3%80%8f%e7%b5%b6%e8%b3%9b%e7%99%ba%e5%a3%b2%e4%b8%ad%e3%81%a7%e3%81%99%e3%81%a3%e2%9c%a8/
↑ File:Toki MD credits.png
↑ File:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 MD credits.pdf
↑ File:Shinobi III MD credits.pdf
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 File:Jurassic Park SMS credits.pdf
↑ File:Aa Harimanada MD credits.pdf
↑ ^21.0 ^21.1 File:Sonic Chaos SMS credits.pdf
↑ File:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine MD credits.pdf
↑ ^23.0 ^23.1 File:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine SMS credits.pdf
↑ File:Sonic Drift GG credits.pdf
↑ File:Sonic & Knuckles MD credits.pdf
↑ File:Sonic Drift 2 GG credits.pdf

[:File:Harmony_JP_122.pdf_p27-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Harmony, "1993 9-10" (JP; 1993-10-01), page 27

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20230831112422.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fjimita.com.2Fprofile.2Fhistory1993.html.230000-2] ttp://jimita.com/profile/history1993.html#0000 (Wayback Machine: 2023-08-31 11:24)

[https:.2F.2Fja.wikipedia.org.2Fwiki.2F.25E9.2595.25B7.25E5.25B0.25BE.25E5.2584.25AA.25E9.2580.25B2-3] ttps://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E5%B0%BE%E5%84%AA%E9%80%B2

[Interview:_Hirofumi_Murasaki_.282002-04-17.29_by_Sega.jp-4] Interview: Hirofumi Murasaki (2002-04-17) by Sega.jp

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20230901135159.2Fhttps:.2F.2Ftwitter.com.2FMasaNagao.2Fstatus.2F1697607972283904124-5] @MasaNagao on Twitter (Wayback Machine: 2023-09-01 13:51)

[https:.2F.2Ftwitter.com.2FMasaNagao.2Fstatus.2F1697956673963634733-6] @MasaNagao on Twitter

[https:.2F.2Ftwitter.com.2FMasaNagao.2Fstatus.2F1697953565279686882-7] @MasaNagao on Twitter

[http:.2F.2Fraido.moe.2Fstaff.2Fpsp.2Fpsp_space_invaders_galaxy_beat.html-8] ttp://raido.moe/staff/psp/psp_space_invaders_galaxy_beat.html

[https:.2F.2Fwww.mobygames.com.2Fgame.2F25929.2Fbubble-bobble-evolution.2Fcredits.2Fpsp.2F.3Fautoplatform.3Dtrue-9] ttps://www.mobygames.com/game/25929/bubble-bobble-evolution/credits/psp/?autoplatform=true

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20140805190533.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fwww.allgame.com.2Fgame.php.3Fid.3D62953.26tab.3Dcredits-10] ttp://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=62953&tab=credits (Wayback Machine: 2014-08-05 19:05)

[https:.2F.2Ftwitter.com.2FMasaNagao.2Fstatus.2F1697954773079933151-11] @MasaNagao on Twitter

[https:.2F.2Fwww.mobygames.com.2Fgame.2F99284.2Fzoo-mania-3d.2Fcredits.2F3ds.2F.3Fautoplatform.3Dtrue-12] ttps://www.mobygames.com/game/99284/zoo-mania-3d/credits/3ds/?autoplatform=true

[https:.2F.2Ftwitter.com.2FMasaNagao.2Fstatus.2F1697955835761340807-13] @MasaNagao on Twitter

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20230902142823.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fwww.hmv.co.jp.2Fnews.2Farticle.2F605290027.2F.2F-14] ttps://www.hmv.co.jp/news/article/605290027// (Wayback Machine: 2023-09-02 14:28)

[http:.2F.2Fsaeri.club.2F2022.2F05.2F10.2Fnew.25e3.2582.25a2.25e3.2583.25ab.25e3.2583.2590.25e3.2583.25a0.25e3.2580.258esaeri-home-made.25e3.2580.258f.25e7.25b5.25b6.25e8.25b3.259b.25e7.2599.25ba.25e5.25a3.25b2.25e4.25b8.25ad.25e3.2581.25a7.25e3.2581.2599.25e3.2581.25a3.25e2.259c.25a8.2F-15] ttp://saeri.club/2022/05/10/new%e3%82%a2%e3%83%ab%e3%83%90%e3%83%a0%e3%80%8esaeri-home-made%e3%80%8f%e7%b5%b6%e8%b3%9b%e7%99%ba%e5%a3%b2%e4%b8%ad%e3%81%a7%e3%81%99%e3%81%a3%e2%9c%a8/

[:File:Toki_MD_credits.png_p-16] File:Toki MD credits.png

[:File:Sonic_the_Hedgehog_2_MD_credits.pdf_p-17] File:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 MD credits.pdf

[:File:Shinobi_III_MD_credits.pdf_p-18] File:Shinobi III MD credits.pdf

[:File:Jurassic_Park_SMS_credits.pdf_p-19] 19.0 ^19.1 File:Jurassic Park SMS credits.pdf

[:File:Aa_Harimanada_MD_credits.pdf_p-20] File:Aa Harimanada MD credits.pdf

[:File:Sonic_Chaos_SMS_credits.pdf_p-21] 21.0 ^21.1 File:Sonic Chaos SMS credits.pdf

[:File:Dr._Robotnik.27s_Mean_Bean_Machine_MD_credits.pdf_p-22] File:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine MD credits.pdf

[:File:Dr._Robotnik.27s_Mean_Bean_Machine_SMS_credits.pdf_p-23] 23.0 ^23.1 File:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine SMS credits.pdf

[:File:Sonic_Drift_GG_credits.pdf_p-24] File:Sonic Drift GG credits.pdf

[:File:Sonic_.26amp.3B_Knuckles_MD_credits.pdf_p-25] File:Sonic & Knuckles MD credits.pdf

[:File:Sonic_Drift_2_GG_credits.pdf_p-26] File:Sonic Drift 2 GG credits.pdf

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ==Career==
 ===Santos to Sega===
-{{PAGENAME}} began work at [[Santos]], creating the ending music for ''[[Battle Golfer Yui]]''.{{ref|https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E5%B0%BE%E5%84%AA%E9%80%B2}} He joined [[Sega]] in December 1991 when Santos was acquired by [[Sega]] and renamed [[Megasoft]],{{intref|Interview: Hirofumi Murasaki (2002-04-17) by Sega.jp}} shortly before the release of ''[[Toki: Going Ape Spit]]'', which saw him collaborating with [[Hirofumi Murasaki]] and [[Morihiko Akiyama]], who continued to work with him following the acquisition, Nagao serving as the team's producer. Megasoft's earliest known assignment was to arrange music, through Nagao, and create sound effects, through Akiyama, for ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'', though this did not pan out as expected.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230901135159/https://twitter.com/MasaNagao/status/1697607972283904124}}
+{{PAGENAME}}'s earliest known work is at [[Santos]], where he created the ending music for ''[[Battle Golfer Yui]]''.{{ref|https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E5%B0%BE%E5%84%AA%E9%80%B2}} He joined [[Sega]] in December 1991 when Santos was acquired by [[Sega]] and renamed [[Megasoft]],{{intref|Interview: Hirofumi Murasaki (2002-04-17) by Sega.jp}} shortly before the release of ''[[Toki: Going Ape Spit]]'', which saw him collaborating with [[Hirofumi Murasaki]] and [[Morihiko Akiyama]], who continued to work with him following the acquisition, Nagao serving as the team's producer. Megasoft's earliest known assignment was to arrange music, through Nagao, and create sound effects, through Akiyama, for ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'', though this did not pan out as expected.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230901135159/https://twitter.com/MasaNagao/status/1697607972283904124}}
 As Megasoft ceased development and trickled out releases such as ''[[Shinobi III]]'' and ''[[Aa Harimanada]]'', Nagao found a voice distinct from the others working on [[Game Gear]], originally with Megasoft's ''[[Doraemon Noranosuke no Yabou]]'' and ''Aa Harimanada'', but afterwards with the ''[[:category:Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' franchise and several licensed games. During this period, he was a producer at [[Sega CS3 Sound]],{{magref|harmony|122|27}} the department responsible for all internally-developed [[Mega Drive]] and Game Gear soundtracks.{{ref|https://twitter.com/MasaNagao/status/1697956673963634733}} Frequent co-workers now included [[Haruyo Oguro]] and [[Saori Kobayashi]].