For nearly 15 years, Masashi Hamauzu had worked at Square Enix as a composer. Video game soundtracks such as Front Mission: Gun Hazard, SaGa Frontier 2, Unlimited Saga, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X belong to his discography. Hamauzu now exclusively talked with Beauty of Games about his work on Final Fantasy XIII, why he left Square Enix and what he is doing now.
Masashi Hamauzu: Since my parents and I moved back to Japan when I was about a year old, I can’t remember the time back then. However, my parents told me many impressive things about that period. My birth house still exists and I had the chance to visit that place four and seven years ago. There, I discovered my origin and I believe that Germany means very much to me as a home country. Some day, I would like to live in Germany.
How about your German language skills?
Sadly, I can hardly speak a word in German.
You discovered your passion for music in Kindergarten and you were supported by your parents, who are both professional musicians. Was there ever the possibility to not work with music?
Apart from music, I enjoy painting. At junior high school, I took part in an art club and I couldn’t think of doing something with music until that time. Back then, I believed being a musician is a very demanding and job, which requires a lot of talent.
What makes music so special to you, since you spend your life with it? What are the other things, you enjoy in your life or your free time?
I can’t define what music is, but in my opinion it is very geometric and mathematic. The more I analyze it, the more I believe that the relation between humans and sound is the same as between atom and atom. Despite that, music is born by our emotions. You can get excited or emotionally moved. It’s very mysterious that humans can freely evoke these emotions. I am very happy when I experience that and I can hardly let this happiness go.
I spent my free time with a book about indigenous peoples in north Japan like the Ainu or Uilta. I like to take a look into an atlas from my bookshelf, too.
How about your children? Do they follow the footprints of their parents and grandparents? Have you introduced them to music?
I have got two daughters and both play piano as a hobby. I tried to introduce the violin to them, but they haven't played since a while. Not a long time ago, I suggested my oldest daughter to play the song “Blinded By Light” from the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack on her violin. I accompanied her on the piano and she did a great job. Her ear for music is far better than mine. It’s a pity that she rarely makes use of it.
Please tell us something about your musical education and the instruments, you play.
As a child, I visited a choir from time to time, my father led a teacher. I also learned some piano, too but not on a professional level. Sometimes I wonder if I could have learned more.
In 1996 you started at Square Enix. For many years, Nobuo Uematsu was famous for his music in the Final Fantasy series. In terms of Final Fantasy XIII, you were announced as the composer of the full game project. How did you experience taking over this role?
When I was at high school, I had the strong wish to become a composer for rpg music. One the one hand there was this big excitement that I was able to work on an extraordinary RPG game, but on the other hand the video game composing scene is more different than I expected and the pressure was a lot higher.
When did you start with the composition for Final Fantasy XIII and how long did it take?
For events or gameshows in 2006 and 2007, I did one each, but rest began in autumn 2008. Without any breaks the main work took me about year, I guess.
Parts of the soundtrack have been recorded with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. They have been orchestrated by Yoshihisa Hirano. Did you have the chance to oversee the recordings in Warsaw?
I put a lot of confidence in Yoshihisa Hirano. Because I previously worked with him, I knew it would go well. I believe the East European orchestra greatly fits to such an complex composition. We recorded the session in the concert hall and I listened to it from the balcony. It was so sad that there was no bigger audience, since it was so beautiful.
The first Square Enix game you scored was Front Mission: Gun Hazard. Projects such as Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon , SaGa Frontier 2, Final Fantasy X, Unlimited SaGa and Dirge of Cerberus - Final Fantasy VII followed. Recently, you finished your work on the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack. How has your way of composing changed during these 14 years?
As a composer I am finally able to make conclusions about how to react on the expectations. It’s important to show ways, no one else could go. But this could mean to break up with traditions and while doing so it’s harder to convince directors as well as the listeners.
Please describe to us, how you actually worked on Final Fantasy XIII. For example: What did you start with?
The promotion video in 2006 started it all. For about two years then, my work rested. Before I really started to work, I tried to collect some motifs.
How did you interact with the rest of the Final Fantasy XIII development team?
Usually, I worked with director Toriyama. He gets an overview about a game very well, gives directions very precisely and has a good knowledge of music. So I was able to continue my work with him very well.
How did you experience your work with Sayuri Sugawara for the game’s theme song Kimi ga iru kara?
We only met once. Her wonderful voice caught my attention, because I specialized in singing at university. I believed that Sin (Hashimoto Shin) as her producer and arranger can make her voice shine better than I could do.
Please share some thoughts about Final Fantasy XIII, the game.
Graphics, the battle system and several other elements made a giant leap forward compared to other RPGs. It’s a great achievement that so many new challenges were mastered and it all harmonized so well, although tradition is so important for the Final Fantasy series.
The vinyl release of eight selected Final Fantasy XIII songs was a bit surprising. Can you tell us more?
It was the idea by one Square Enix employee and I was very convinced of this project. You can’t skip a track or start from the middle with a press of a button on an LP. If you scratch its surface, the result is a noise. I suppose it’s relevant to produce such a fragile format, so you can enjoy the very special sound of an LP. In contrast, you can manipulate digital music files without any problems.
In 2007, Square Enix released your solo album „Vielen Dank“. What were the motivations behind this album?
Back then, I was asked by an employee of Square Enix, if I like to do a solo album. I intensively asked myself how this album should look like. My musicality, my roots, my emotions during that time, my gratitude for my fans and everything around me, I put it all into this album. It’s like my alter ego.
Read the second part of this interview on the next page
The development of Final Fantasy XII finally came to an end and your soundtrack was praised by critics. What made you leave Square Enix?
There was no certain reason for me to leave Square Enix, but when I thought about several situations, I believed it was the time to go. It was difficult for me to quit at Square Enix, because I have a strong emotional attachment to this company. I hesitated to leave, but in my opinion, I could improve my relationship with Square Enix if I have more possibilities. As a matter of fact, I had great luck as a freelancer with the project, which is currently in development at Square Enix.
So what is Masashi Hamauzu doing right now?
Currently, I am quite tentative and collect some piano arrangements.
You also work as the producer of the artist called Mina. How did you get to know each other?
We got to know each other about three years ago. It began when I took over the role as a musical guide of a performance group called Ainu Rebels, which was led by Mina. After that I contributed some songs, too.
Mina also contributed to five songs in the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack. Can you tell us more about it?
My musical concepts and her voice fit together perfectly. At first, it was planned to do one or two songs together, but then I asked Mina to sing a bit more. I realized that it sounded great, so we made a demo tape and in the end I used all of her recordings.
Please tell us something about your future plans with Mina.
Until now, I supported her with music for singing, for traditional Ainu instruments and for dance performances at live shows and such. But from now on, I want to invest more time into improvements and composition. I feel like the music I do with her might appeal to European listeners and it would be great if Mina can debut her music in Germany, too.
Mina was a member of the band Ainu Rebels before. Are there any differences between her music during that time and now?
There is no real big difference. It turned out that we don’t use the traditional Ainu elements as the main aspect of Mina’s music. I want to continue with what we did for Final Fantasy 13.
Since you left Square Enix, do you still keep in touch with some of your old colleagues?
It’s not just contact, we often meet each other. I still have a lot of work, which deals with Final Fantasy 13. I am still visiting Square Enix frequently. Recently, I have been to a launch party for Final Fantasy 13 and I talked to several Square Enix employees.
What are your plans for the next years?
I don’t know yet, I am still looking. I have got little work to do, but it’s something I could not fulfill without being a freelancer.
Do you plan to return to composing for video games? Are there any chances for e.g. Final Fantasy XV?
I don’t even think of stopping with video game composition. If someone needs me, I would love to work together again.
Please name five of your all time favourite songs. They do not need to be related to games or classic music.
I can’t decide, there are some many. Can I mention the first that come to my mind?
J. S. Bach - St. Matthew Passion
Koichi Sakata - Onna Taikoki + Inochi
Zoltán Kodály - Háry János Suite
Mathieu Boogaerts - Super
What kind of artists do you appreciate at the moment?
There are no modern artists, who I like. It’s more the case that if I listen again to older artists or composers, I know less, sometimes I discover a lot of fresh things and it’s a big surprise for me.
You are also a gamer. What games do you play at the moment?
Right now, I really have no time. I just play with my mobile phone or older games. I played Final Fantasy 13 quite intensively, though.
Are there currently games developed by Western studios, which you enjoy?
Sadly, there are nearly no European games that I play.
What are your opinions about motion controllers for consoles like Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360?
I don’t know anything about in terms of technical aspects, but I can imagine that it whets the customers' appetite.
Check the offical websites of Masashi Hamauzu, Mina and Sayuri Sugawara.