Joe Hishasi (Studio Ghibli, features) - Laputa, Spirited Away and especially Mononokehime are his greatest works. For each feature he creates one unique theme, which he then turns into sadness and happiness or despair and hope. Favors the usage of tradional instruments, doesn't mix or otherwise use computerish sounds, when actually composing.

Motoi Sakuraba (???, game music) - Composed music to such games as Star Ocean-saga and Baten Kaitos. His musical style is extremely comprehensive, just like Nobuo Uematsu's. His music concentrates on creating vivic atmospheres, just by hearing his music makes you standing in the bitter coldness or somewhere out of this world.

Nobuo Uematsu (Ex-Square-Enix, game music) - Two words: Final Fantasy.. any bells ringing? His style is very close to Sakuraba's, perhaps investing a bit more on the melody side, thus making the tunes easier to be remembered. Recently left Square-Enix, but promised to help the company when needed.

Yasunori Mitsuda (???, game music) - Another game music composer pioneer. Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece of its own, and has numerous legendary tunes (main theme, epoch and Magus). His composations are always custom-made ones, as they fit almost too well to any kind of scene. Mitsuda's musical style is somewhere between Sakuraba's and Uematsu's.

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隠された楽園

From what I have heard Joe Hishasi is one of my favourite modern composers. Judging from Spirited Away and Mononokehime he is a master of emotive music.

Ive played some Final Fantasy, 7,8 and 10. I found 10 very moving, especially because of the music which gave the game more depth and meaning. Im sad that he has left :-(


Sorry to stray off Japanese composers but I think Tan Dun deserves as much praise as the masters above. He composed the music for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (one of my favourite live action movies ;-p). Again hes very good with portraying emotions and his music is just beautiful.

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This is my favourites:

not sorted.....

Joe Hisaishi, Nobuo Uematsu, Yuki Kajiura, and Toshihiko Sahashi... maybe there's many other that is great but I forget or I don't know yet

Btw my criteria of greatness are emotional expression of the music, the cultural side of the music, its fantasy, and eventhough it's common, it's music technique...

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私のスペシャルブレンドだ。その都度味が変わるので、
保証はできないね。 F(^^)

I like Joe Hisaishi, Kenji Kawai, and Yuki Kaijura.

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I am a flight risk (literally).