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 the 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) — Sound Effect (as T.S) [NOTE: Music and Sound Effects]
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
Roommania #203 (2000) — Sound Creator
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) — Wavemaster inc. (Sound Production)
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)
Phantasy Star Online 2 (2012/2013) — Sound Effects (Sound)
Sonic Lost World (2013) — Sound Effects