Akihiko Mori Archives - The Greatest Game Music

Gokinjo Bouken Tai Soundtrack

Gokinjo Bouken Tai Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1996

Gokinjo Bouken Tai is one of those 16-bit games that could have only come out of Japan – and of course was never released anywhere else. It’s a joyous, upbeat adventure, befitting its protagonist – young kindergartner Mana, who lives in a small Japanese town with her family. What makes Mana special is her ability to see and interact with youkai – Japanese spirits, gods and demons. Gokinjo Bouken Tai’s gameplay arguably hews closely to traditional JRPG tropes. However, its anime-inspired, unusual setting and the obvious love and care that has gone into creating its colourful world turn it into a small, largely undiscovered gem.

Approaching the end of his sadly short career – and coming off the creative triumph that was Mystic Ark – composer Akihiko Mori turns in another outstanding effort, once more expanding his stylistic palette while maintaining the strengths that had made previous works so outstanding. Given the game’s quirkiness and its kindergarten-aged protagonist, it’s no surprise that the Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack is more overtly child-friendly than a magnum opus like Mystic Ark or a whirlwind action score like Shien’s Revenge. But this is children’s music done right – with just as much care for substance and attention to detail as any great work of art, regardless of genre.

The Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack begins as you would expect. Mori had dabbled to some degree in pop-inspired, anime music-influenced styles on Wonder Project J, but Gokinjo Bouken Tai’s characters and settings see him delving deeper into this style of music here. “Title” welcomes listeners with a laid-back, jazzy opening before seguing into cheery Saturday morning cartoon theme song territory. “Let’s Go!” continues in the same vein, as a buoyant march that proudly prances along. Mori clearly takes the characters he writes for – and his audience – seriously. His symphonic sensibilities are just as much on display here as on his more ‘serious’ scores – they just shift to a different emotional register (and his melodies move towards shorter phrases and greater catchiness).

As a result, despite all the cuteness initially on display on the Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack, the music never remotely turns obnoxious. Hand clapping and bouncy rhythms mix merrily with densely layered orchestral elements and hints of carnivalesque charm on the amicable, cosy “Pioneer Kindergarden”. “Rest” introduces steel drums and reggae rhythms, while “Shopping District” and “Bravery” bring a jolt of energy and sing-a-long immediacy with their electric guitar leads.

The biggest non-orchestral influence on display here though is jazz. “Dungeon” surprises with some unusual location scoring, brewing a good-natured, zany mix of jazz and industrial clanging. Where Mori’s jazz writing truly excels is on “Battle”, which goes for full-on, swinging big band jazz. Moving constantly back and forth between saxophone soli, brass fanfares and solo piano, “Battle” is a riveting example of making the SPC chip sound like a jazz band jamming on stage – a constant flow of new ideas and one of the 16-bit era’s best jazz tracks.

On other tracks, Mori reverts to more traditionally classical styles, making them fit with the game’s sunny disposition. “Awakening” greets the day with intertwining woodwind lines atop a gentle acoustic guitar arpeggio. “Study” starts off similarly in the vein of an idyllic town theme, before the flute lead is joined by a solo cello for a downright swooning, richly lyrical duet. As stakes are raised towards the game’s finale on “Watanabe Tower” and “The Last Battle”, Mori again relies on the orchestra’s force and expressiveness to score the occasion. Interestingly enough, he reaches back to Mystic Ark and its antagonist theme here. Particularly “Watanabe Tower” feels at times like a rearrangement of Mystic Ark’s final battle track. However, it’s the sort of arrangement that changes the original material meaningfully, moving it from furious battle track to a slow march with strident, single-minded expression, fit for a final dungeon theme.

What’s most intriguing about the Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack is another facet of the score though. Remember that Mana’s special talent is being able to talk to the local spirit world. For Mori, this is a welcome excuse to create some striking, atmospheric underscoring during the soundtrack’s second half and also explore traditional Japanese music. And so the music moves from kid-friendly orchestral pop into something far more otherworldly and even uncanny than one would have initially expected.

Mori’s sure hand for mature, sophisticated orchestrations helps these compositions cast their spell without fail. Particularly his use of chromaticism – be it in the clever horn counterpoint on “Shikushiku” or the beguiling string harmonies on “Aquarium” – evokes locations that are mysterious and fascinating. Flute soli on “Enka” and “Kappa Kingdom” denote closeness to nature, once again showing Mori’s talent with long-winded, elegant melodies. “Enka”s subtle eerieness doesn’t interrupt the composition’s lushness of tone, and its outstanding writing for solo instruments is reprised on the utterly delightful “Kappa Kingdom” and its wonderfully synthesised, dreamy cello solo. “Sewer” is another throwback to Mystic Ark – this time more in mood than material, as the track feels like a purposefully disjointed take on “Mother is the Water of all Life” and its evocative ostinato writing.

The spirit realm isn’t always a place for intrigue and wonder though, and Mori skilfully amplifies the previous compositions’ undercurrent of strangeness into sometimes agitated creepiness. “Encounter”’s crisis string motif, discordant hammered piano chords and shrieking flutes are a bit of a shock after the soundtrack’s so far good-natured mood. But the surprisingly violent and edgy cue doesn’t break the soundtrack’s stylistic consistency – previous cues have established a variety of richness and tone that allows the Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack to accommodate even unexpected mood swings.

“Ghost Cave” lives up to its name, using a solo flute to much more haunting effect than other tracks, with some unsettling glissandi effects. And “Old Mansion” surprises with a busy breakdown before the cue’s loop point, when a racing piano line creatively escalates the tension that the music has built up to this point. It’s just one more surprise on a soundtrack that defies expectations on several occasions – like the game that it accompanies, a true hidden gem.

01 - Title Akihiko Mori 2:57
02 - Awakening Akihiko Mori 1:55
03 - Let's Go! Akihiko Mori 3:01
04 - Pioneer Kindergarden Akihiko Mori 2:37
05 - Dungeon Akihiko Mori 1:52
06 - Battle Akihiko Mori 3:38
07 - Boss Battle 1 Akihiko Mori 2:35
08 - Study Akihiko Mori 2:44
09 - Shikushiku Akihiko Mori 2:44
10 - Yawara Akihiko Mori 1:22
11 - Department Store Akihiko Mori 1:35
12 - Gojirin Akihiko Mori 1:15
13 - Shopping District Akihiko Mori 2:18
14 - Sewer Akihiko Mori 2:34
15 - Encounter Akihiko Mori 2:08
16 - Masked Soccer Boy J Akihiko Mori 1:54
17 - Enka Akihiko Mori 3:02
18 - Rest Akihiko Mori 2:13
19 - Bravery Akihiko Mori 3:22
20 - Kappa Kingdom Akihiko Mori 3:34
21 - Aquarium Akihiko Mori 4:18
22 - The Dolphin Show Akihiko Mori 1:14
23 - Kokoro Akihiko Mori 2:48
24 - Ghost Cave Akihiko Mori 3:46
25 - Boss Battle 2 Akihiko Mori 2:38
26 - Nanako -Stage Ver.- Akihiko Mori 3:25
27 - Mountain Akihiko Mori 3:03
28 - Old Mansion Akihiko Mori 3:22
29 - Watanabe Tower Akihiko Mori 3:52
30 - The Last Battle Akihiko Mori 2:11
31 - Good Bye... Akihiko Mori 2:03
32 - Ending Theme -Nagisa no Pretty Angel- Akihiko Mori 2:03

Lock On Soundtrack

Lock On Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1993

Using the SNES’s famed 3D capabilities for a combat flight simulator seems like an obvious choice. However, despite the popularity of After Burner-style games in the late 80s and early 90s, not many titles of this kind were released on the SNES. One of the few SNES flight simulators was the blandly-titled Lock On (not that the Japanese release name Super Air Diver made any sense, but it sure sounds more fun). For post SNES-era gamers, the best way to view developer Copya System‘s Lock On is probably as a kind of simplified Ace Combat. Some of that simplification was inevitable, given that the SNES’ famous Mode 7 could only generate 3D graphics of limited complexity. However, in the eyes of many reviewers, the bigger issue was the monotonous mission and gameplay structure that distracted from the game’s fluid, fast graphics.

Where Lock On easily shines brightest is in the music department, thanks to some outstanding work by young composer Akihiko Mori. Mori had been working as a game composer since 1990, but mostly on smaller and less thankful projects. His biggest assignment so far had been to generate the sound effects for Copya System’s Paladin’s Quest (scored by none other than Kohei Tanaka). Lock On was easily the most high-profile project that Mori had been assigned to yet as a composer. And indeed, throughout the Lock On soundtrack, Mori displays the enthusiasm of a talented composer who senses that this project could be his big break – and that turned out to be the case indeed.

Mori scores Lock On with an invigorating mix of rock, jazz, electronic and orchestral elements, mixed to perfection. Stylistically, the Lock On soundtrack doesn’t suggest anything that’s radically different from the template of 1980s adrenaline-driven cool set by After Burner and its many genre brethren (and of course Top Gun). But what Mori presents is an unexpectedly colourful and complex take on genre stereotypes – true to the signature style that he would come to develop and of which Lock On is the first example.

“Mission 1” straightaway announces Mori’s high-flying ambitions to spectacular results. Rising synth chords and pounding rock drums lead into a galloping track with amble funk influences (listen to that beautifully agile, grooving bass). This would be sufficient to make for a winning composition. But Mori goes out of this way and varies the melodic material between triumphant brass fanfares, a free-wheeling saxophone line and a racing, jazzy piano solo. As if that wasn’t enough, purposefully distorted synth leads add some tension to a composition that is already overflowing with energy. It’s fusion rock at its finest, brimming with variety and always tons of fun.

Throughout the Lock On soundtrack, Mori makes use of his large instrumental palette to explore different facets of the genre mix that he perfects on this score. “Mission 2” emphasises the more jazzy aspects of his elaborate formula, both through its swing and the impressive number of rhythm changes and breakdowns. At the same time, there is a rocking, head-banging quality to “Mission 2” and the score in general that keeps the music racing forward at all times. There is never a dull moment on the Lock On soundtrack, as Mori keeps throwing new melodies and segments into each composition – none of the tracks here are simple A/B section affairs.

Indeed, almost every single one of Mori’s compositions here is densely orchestrated and packed with ideas. Listen to “Mission 4” and its competing melodies, performed by saxophone and trumpet, or head over to absolutely rousing “Special Mission 2”, where rising trumpet and saxophone countermelodies compete with synth motifs, while yet more synth lines race by underneath. Mori clearly knows how to write complex compositions that never stand still, but at the same time he always prioritises memorable, substantial melodies over mere musical activity and busyness.

What’s most impressive about the Lock On soundtrack is how much it feels like a session of instrumental virtuosos jamming in full flight – not afraid to show off their chops during lengthy soli, but also able to hold these multi-faceted tracks together when the instruments lock into supremely tight grooves or work hand in hand during rushing call and response patterns. One of the credits in Lock On’s staff roll reads “Music Player: MORImori Rock’ n BAND”. Far from being just a cute insert, that credit needs to be taken seriously – hardly any other SNES soundtrack sounds as much like the product of a great live band as Lock On does.

Mori puts all of the above – the music’s boundless energy, its equally sprawling and focused instrumentations – to good use when he takes things higher and higher towards Lock On’s conclusion. The score’s hard rock tendencies begin to make themselves more and more felt in the soundtrack’s second half. While more straightforward, “Mission 5”’s driving rhythms carry stirring urgency and power, even when the melody lead lies with a solo harp. “Mission 6” is heavier and more intense still, making up for any lack of adventurousness with the determination and catchiness of its shortened melodic motifs. And “Ending” turns out to be a harbinger of the amazing orchestral works Mori would deliver soon. He effortlessly writes a pop ballad with cinematic sweep and a tender, one-minute long flute solo. There’s no doubt that the Lock On soundtrack announced the arrival of a major talent.

01 - Briefing Akihiko Mori 1:26
02 - Mission 1 Akihiko Mori 3:19
03 - Boss Battle Akihiko Mori 2:26
04 - Mission 2 Akihiko Mori 1:43
05 - Special Mission 1 Akihiko Mori 2:42
06 - Mission 3 Akihiko Mori 2:25
07 - Mission 4 Akihiko Mori 3:07
08 - Special Mission 2 Akihiko Mori 2:52
09 - Mission 5 Akihiko Mori 2:45
10 - Mission 6 Akihiko Mori 3:09
11 - Mission 7 Akihiko Mori 2:58
12 - Final Mission Akihiko Mori 3:28
13 - Ending Akihiko Mori 3:28
14 - Unknown Song 1 Akihiko Mori 2:45

Mystic Ark Soundtrack

Mystic Ark Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1995

Scarcity and nostalgia can have a powerful effect when working hand in hand – just take Mystic Ark. A representative of a particularly popular genre amongst retro game fans – the 16-bit RPG – Mystic Ark’s status was elevated further by the dual facts that it was released towards the end of the SNES’ lifespan and only in Japan. Was this one of the great untranslated SNES gems like Star Ocean and Tales of Phantasia that pushed the hardware and its beloved pixel art to its limits?

As a ROM translation released years later showed, not so much. Mystic Ark’s gameplay turned out to be solid, but not particularly inspired either, settling for second-tier status in the SNES’ busy RPG library. The one thing that set the game apart from the pack was the inspired weirdness of the various worlds its heroes traverse. Pick your favourite: a desert whose only inhabitants are pirate cats and a witch named Matoya; worlds where colour and sound disappear depending on your location or where all adults have disappeared – or maybe cities made of fruit and vegetables?

Well, and then there’s the Mystic Ark soundtrack. No, it’s not as joyfully bizarre as the game’s setting – in fact, its orchestra/rock mix is fairly typical for a JRPG of its era, far more so than say its predecessor The 7^th Saga’s idiosyncratic, stylistically more coherent take on the genre. No, what makes this score so remarkable is its sheer quality, the way it executes genre conventions to absolute perfection – so much so that this might rank as one of the best RPG soundtracks ever composed.

In a way, the outstanding level of artistry on display here is no surprise. Composer Akihiko Mori had established himself as one of the 16-bit era’s most gifted orchestral composers with Shien’s Revenge and Wonder Project J. Mystic Ark finally gave him the opportunity to work on the broad emotional canvas of an RPG, and its manifold settings and moods. Clearly, Mori relished the opportunity, writing over 100 compositions for the score between the winter of 1994 and spring of 1995 (while also working on the game’s sound effects). Ultimately, 51 tracks found their way into the game and it’s remarkable how consistent they are in their excellence.

This is easily Mori’s most ambitious score – a fact that’s reflected on several levels. Take the soundtrack’s thematic components. With the game’s wildly varying locations and bland characters, it’s no surprise Mori focuses on other aspects of the narrative to develop them through musical themes, leading to a unique solution.

Two main themes run through the Mystic Ark soundtrack. The first melody is presented initially as a dramatically rising and falling flute melody on “Mystic Ark”, returning periodically in colourful disguises throughout the soundtrack. More interesting still is the second theme, at first an invincibly majestic melody with an irrepressibly on-the-beat, hymn-like progression on the choir-only “The Mother Goddess”. Here, Mori takes the – within game music – unprecedented step to develop the theme in three-way counterpoint, somehow keeping the choral lines discernible despite the SNES samples’ watery nature. Mori had layered three melodies on top of each other on Wonder Project J, but here he does so to develop one single melody and constantly change it. Game music has produced few examples of contrapuntal mastery like “The Mother Goddess”.

Mori’s true thematic masterstroke takes place on a more granular level though. Throughout the game, he reprises not just the two main themes, but also smaller motifs, for example a cello run that appears on several dungeon tracks. The purpose of these recurrences becomes obvious once the monumental final boss track “Are You the True Form of Darkness?” kicks off, spearheaded by the Mother Goddess theme. An absolute beast of a battle track, “Are You the True Form of Darkness?” combines a dozen motifs and melodies that have been floating through the Mystic Ark soundtrack into one seamless orchestral epic – organically and truly bringing the entire soundtrack to its climax by tying together its many threads.

In all other aspects, the Mystic Ark soundtrack succeeds just as triumphantly. Mori is at the height of his melodic powers here – sample the gorgeous waltz pastiche of “Shall We Dance?”, the way “Alone” tugs at the heartstrings with its delicately intertwining melodies, or the beguilingly idyllic “Composers Are Always Quiet on Their Days Off” and “The Summer of Youth”, with their sunny seaside town feel. While not as hyperactive as Shien’s Revenge, Mystic Ark’s compositions are jam-packed with constantly evolving melodies and orchestral colours – an embarrassment of musical riches and ideas. Mori has always had an ear for lush orchestrations and rarely has his music sound more intoxicating than on “Water is the Mother of all Life”. The composition’s clever use of ostinato figures brilliantly and to poignant effect mimics the constant motion of water. Solemn brass and cello interjections inspire hushed awe as the music takes listeners into the centre of this temple of nature.

Not surprisingly, Mori’s battle themes are equally maximalist, pulling out all the stops in their combination of orchestral forces and driving hard rock and metal. Lock On had given Mori an opportunity to dabble in metal-laced jazz rock, and now he gets an opportunity to indulge in heavier stylings. On turbulent tracks like “So the Fingers of the Dark Have Reached Even Here” and “I Am a Powerful Ally”, orchestra and rock band merge flawlessly, constantly trading places in some of the soundtrack’s most densely scored moments. “Hey! Don’t Attack Me!” features some of the heaviest riffage performed by the SNES’ SPC chip, moving from thrash to power metal, with a downright catchy choral hook topping off the track’s development.

At the same time, Mori knows fully well when to scale things back a bit and provide some breathing space. The results are as convincing as when he goes in all guns blazing. Take “In the Darkness”, which only needs double-tracked, echoing harp arpeggios, interspersed with hammering piano chords, to evoke its vast subterranean location. “The Haunted Mansion” and “Look Behind You” are downright creepy, taking this RPG score unusually far into horror territory, while maintaining a degree of playfulness – witness how “The Haunted Mansion” simulates the sound of a grand piano suddenly slamming shut. The best example of Mori playing outside of genre stereotypes is “Techno House”, a mutant take on jazz with electronic elements, choral vocals and cheerily industrial percussion.

It all leads into closing track “Birth”, one of the best orchestral compositions ever to grace a video game. This truly is concert hall-quality music written for the SNES and the peak of Mori’s career. Taking the score’s first main theme on a roller coaster ride, “Birth” delivers one melodic highlight after the next, relishing the opportunity to develop its material and moods over such an extended period of time. Constantly joyful and surging forward (particularly during a brief fugal section), “Birth” closes with the most triumphant, life-affirming rendition of the main theme imaginable, a colossal, soaring string melody that delivers the truly epic conclusion that this master piece of a soundtrack deserves.

01 - Mystic Ark (Title) Mori, Akihiro 1:45
02 - The Mother Goddess (Shrine) Mori, Akihiro 3:42
03 - Let's Go On An Adventure!! (World 1 & 4) Mori, Akihiro 2:39
04 - In The Darkness (Dungeon 1) Mori, Akihiro 3:11
05 - Your Fighting Eyes Are Always Beautiful (Battle 1) Mori, Akihiro 2:48
06 - The Rogues Who Await Us In The Depths Of The Dungeon Are Strong Indeed! (Boss Battle 1) Mori, Akihiro 2:27
07 - The Shepherd People (World 2) Mori, Akihiro 2:57
08 - Without You, This Village Holds Nothing For Me (Town 2) Mori, Akihiro 2:10
09 - Where Are We... I'm A Forest! (Dungeon 2) Mori, Akihiro 2:34
10 - So The Fingers Of The Dark Have Reached Even Here (Battle 2) Mori, Akihiro 2:44
11 - The Rise And Fall Of The Waves (World 3) Mori, Akihiro 1:52
12 - Composers Are Always Too Quiet On Their Days Off (Town 3) Mori, Akihiro 2:30
13 - On The Holiday, Let's Bask In The Light Of The Sun (Battle 3) Mori, Akihiro 2:40
14 - The Summer Of Youth (Town 4) Mori, Akihiro 2:12
15 - Water Is The Mother Of All Life (Dungeon 4) Mori, Akihiro 3:29
16 - I Am A Powerful Ally (Battle 4) Mori, Akihiro 2:27
17 - Alone (World 5) Mori, Akihiro 3:26
18 - In The Depths Of The Labyrinth (Dungeon 5) Mori, Akihiro 2:14
19 - Hey! Don't Attack Me! (Boss Battle 2) Mori, Akihiro 3:28
20 - The Haunted Mansion (World 6) Mori, Akihiro 2:52
21 - Look Behind You! (Dungeon 6) Mori, Akihiro 2:27
22 - Theme Of Sir Ganbos (Gunboss) Mori, Akihiro 2:33
23 - Threads Of Memories (Secil) Mori, Akihiro 2:13
24 - Shall We Dance? (Rondo) Mori, Akihiro 1:07
25 - Only A Music Box Remains (Music Box) Mori, Akihiro 1:48
26 - Pathetique (Sadness) Mori, Akihiro 2:55
27 - A Tale Of A Faery Land (Castle) Mori, Akihiro
28 - How Are You? Things Are Pretty Much The Same Here (Revival) Mori, Akihiro 3:13
29 - Techno House (Factory) Mori, Akihiro 2:33
30 - A Decisive Time (Boss Battle 3) Mori, Akihiro 5:45
31 - This Will Become Your Grave (Dark) Mori, Akihiro 2:14
32 - The Truth Hidden Within The Temple (Last World) Mori, Akihiro 2:42
33 - Are You The True Form Of Darkness? (Last Battle) Mori, Akihiro 6:11
34 - Birth (End Title) Mori, Akihiro 7:54

Shien’s Revenge Soundtrack

Shien’s Revenge Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1994

In retrospect, the Super Scope seems like one of the more bizarre peripherals designed for the SNES – particularly considering how hard Nintendo tried to cultivate a family-friendly image during the era of the 16-bit console wars. Exactly how many parents would have been pleased to see their offspring in front of the TV with a bazooka-like contraption is anyone’s guess. Arguably though, if there was a genre that benefited from the Super Scope’s controls, it was rail shooters, with their static field of view and necessity to quickly and precisely move the cursor around the screen.

One of the better received rail shooters on the SNES was Shien’s Revenge (despite what must rank as possibly the most boring cover art in the console’s history). Sending players through various locations and time zones, Shien’s Revenge’s colourful visuals managed to stave off some the monotony caused by the repetitive gameplay. For the game’s score, developer Almanic approached game sound company MINT. And this is where things become a bit confusing when we try to identify who composed the music for Shien’s Revenge.

The game’s credits list Michiya Hirasawa (founder of MINT), Tsukushi Sasaki and Akihiko Mori for “Music & Sound Effects”. Looking at Michiya Hirasawa’s resume, it’s obvious that his area of expertise was sound programming rather than music composition. Tsukushi Sasaki’s portfolio is rather slim and again includes more work on sound programming than on music. That – and the musical style of Shien’s Revenge soundtrack – suggests that this score was actually written by Akihiko Mori. Mori had delivered his breakthrough work with Lock On the year before and it might have well been on the strength of this soundtrack that he joined MINT. After several years of relatively infrequent output, this move to MINT heralded the beginning of an immensely productive period for Mori.

His enthusiasm about this change of circumstances – joining MINT likely meant more steady work – is audible throughout the entire Shien’s Revenge soundtrack. On Lock On, Mori had displayed his penchant for dense, elaborate instrumentations, applied to a jazz/rock/orchestra genre mix. On most of Shien’s Revenge, Mori applies the same talent to orchestral action music, with thrilling results. Very few SNES composers match Mori’s talent to write astoundingly rich orchestral music, hyper-charged here through the game’s frantically-paced gameplay.

Listening to many of Mori’s compositions, it’s remarkable just how many ideas he crams into a single piece, even if it’s shorter than one minute (unlooped). New melodies, rhythms and instrumental colours whizz by at breakneck speed, and yet Mori is able to control his cues’ consistency and flow. This is a composer who doesn’t just write orchestrally-styled SNES music, but knows how to handle the (synth) ensemble at hand like an actual orchestra.

Try out “Burning Fortress”, an orchestral powerhouse that changes its lead instrument every few seconds, but maintains constant forward propulsion. Never sticking with one melody or rhythm for very long, “Burning Fortress” is game music that’s closer to film soundtracks or classical music than the vast majority of SNES orchestral scores. “With Cap and Baton” is equally possessed of indomitable energy, but also maintains nervous tension through its jittery rhythms and several stops and starts. The most breathless example of Mori’s anything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach is “Military Castle”, which perfectly balances repetition (heavy rhythms and hammering piano chords) with an immensely varied structure.

The sheer amount of orchestral busyness and details doesn’t mean that Mori entirely foregoes slower material and mood-building exercises. “Misty Landside Street” remains within the soundtrack’s action-packed template, but its fluttering woodwind calls, quivering strings and sustained, cleverly implemented background chords paint a potent image of the cue’s hazy location. Other breathers arrive in the shape of “Fear Factory” and “Hallucination”. It’s particularly on the game’s excursions into future time zones that Mori drops the frenzy of his other pieces, but still maintains the soundtrack’s intensity. “Fear Factory”’s fairly static material is still captivating, thanks to how unpredictably its elements – a 4/4 bass pulse, uneasy flute and brass chords – interact with each other. “Hallucination” almost ventures into horror score territory, when an oppressive string melody and harp arpeggios are followed by nothing but dissonant, creepily echoing piano chords.

Indeed, while Mori’s handling of traditional orchestral forces is nearly perfect on the Shien’s Revenge soundtrack, he is absolutely capable of infusing his palette with less classical elements. Not that Shien’s Revenge is as much of a genre mix as Lock On, but the game’s time-travelling element gives Mori a welcome excuse to add yet more colours to his music. The game’s Japan levels receive the expected pentatonic string progressions and local woodwind colours, integrated seamlessly into the turbulent orchestrations.

The difference between these tracks and those set in Manchuria and Mongolia is subtle, but very much present, as Mori manages to give each location its own signature sound. No doubt the biggest challenge would have been to find the right sound for the game’s ancient Greece stages. Mori’s solution – monolithic rhythms, declamatory ostinati and crashing melodies – isn’t entirely surprising, but once more integrated perfectly. And the focus on wooden xylophones on “Zombie Taurus” is an inspired and effective choice.

Towards the end of the Shien’s Revenge soundtrack, once the game’s sci-fi trappings come through more clearly, electronic elements make their presence felt more strongly – but so do rock guitars and drums. “Masked Ninja Robot” is an intriguing change of style after the orchestral rush that preceded it – a mid-tempo rock track with electronic backing that is both terse and melodic through its unpredictable guitar soli. Final boss track “Bad Dream” picks up the same rock/electro/orchestra combination and turns it into something more conventionally powerful and spectacular. Its heroic trumpet lead spearheads a composition whose hard rock sounds only make the music denser and more dramatic still. No wonder than that “Ending” closes with enthusiastic, impressive dual guitar heroics that close the Shien’s Revenge soundtrack on the most exuberant note – the perfect summation of this joyfully bustling score.

01 - Prologue Akihiko Mori 2:21
02 - Training Akihiko Mori 1:05
03 - Burning Fortress (Stage 1-1: 16th Century Japan) Akihiko Mori 1:39
04 - Misty Landside Street (Stage 1-2: 16th Century Japan) Akihiko Mori 1:22
05 - With Cap And Baton (Boss 1: Sawtooth) Akihiko Mori 2:13
06 - Riverside Rumble (Stage 2-1: 300 B.C. Manchuria) Akihiko Mori 1:50
07 - Swimming Firedragon (Boss 2) Akihiko Mori 2:05
08 - Occupied Metropolis (Stage 3-1: 20th Century France) Akihiko Mori 1:30
09 - Military Castle (Stage 3-2: 20th Century France) Akihiko Mori 1:48
10 - Mongolian Ride (Stage 4-1: 13th Century Mongolia) Akihiko Mori 1:18
11 - Wild Wrestling (Boss 4: Bangol, Commander of Genghis Khan's Troops) Akihiko Mori 2:15
12 - Fear Factory (Stage 5-2: 21th Century South America) Akihiko Mori 1:36
13 - Masked Ninja Robot (Boss 5: The Undertaker, Most Powerful Mercenary in the Empire of Eldorado) Akihiko Mori 3:04
14 - Greece Temples (Stage 6-1: 500 B.C. Greece) Akihiko Mori 1:56
15 - Zombie Taurus (Boss 6: Argos) Akihiko Mori 2:14
16 - Bad Dream (Boss Final: Tempor) Akihiko Mori 2:27
17 - Rescued? Akihiko Mori 1:44
18 - Epilogue Akihiko Mori 3:17
19 - Ending Akihiko Mori 3:27

Wonder Project J Soundtrack

Wonder Project J Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1994

The SNES isn’t necessarily known for its abundance of adventure games – a genre that flourished far more on PCs than on consoles during the mid-1990s. However, there are some adventure gems to be unearthed in the SNES’ library of games and the Japan-only Wonder Project J is undoubtedly one of them. Not only that, but it might well be one of the most unique and creative SNES games (and has rightfully amassed somewhat of a cult following since its release). Taking inspiration from Adventures of Pinoccio, Astro Boy and some of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies, Wonder Project J sees the player indirectly controlling a young android boy, Pino. While there is a storyline to complete, the player’s main task is to teach and train the naive boy, praising and scolding him for his actions (his default reaction to seeing any new object is to eat it).

Wonder Project J really comes to life through its gorgeous pixel art and lavish animations. This visual delight is matched by the game’s beautiful soundtrack, written by Akihiko Mori. Mori had created the score for developer Almanic’s previous game Shien’s Revenge, leaving his mark with one of the most densely orchestrated, opulent SNES soundtracks written up to that point. The young composer brings the same sensibilities to the Wonder Project J soundtrack. This time though, he gets a chance to apply his style to a more varied narrative that teases out his melodic talents.

As one would expect looking at almost any screenshot from Wonder Project J, most of the game has a sunny, optimistic outlook, underscored by Mori with a mix of bright orchestral colours and some pop elements. The latter are heard particularly through the music’s catchy rhythms and some of the melody progressions. The addition of these pop stylings to the orchestral palette highlights the game’s obvious anime sensibilities and inspirations.

Pop music is a genre that Mori hadn’t explored in much depth previously, but he executes this stylistic influence to perfection. “Piece” is a showcase of how to seamlessly merge rich orchestral strains with pop influences, including a hooky string melody and upbeat drum kit accompaniment. “Treasure” isn’t as elaborate, but its transition from tender piano solo to rushing, enthusiastic pop song is just as irresistible. The same pop appeal is found on “Theme”, which presents what would become the Wonder Project J franchise’s main theme – a tune clearly mimicking a vocal melody.

Not surprisingly, parts of the Wonder Project J soundtrack can feel like a (very, very classy) score for a children’s cartoon. However, as on his later Gokinjo Bouken Tai soundtrack, Mori never talks down to his audience, treating the soundtrack’s kid-friendly tendencies with just as much care as its near-symphonic splendour. A track like “March” is comical rather than remotely imposing. Equally entertaining is “Sport”, a xylophone-led sprint with oohmpa double bass rhythms whose humour might initially feel a bit on the nose in their mickey-mousing. But then the piece turns into an opportunity for Mori to deliver a full-bodied orchestral scherzo full of frenzied activity. And even though “Circus” ticks all the boxes for the sort of zany music one would expect for this sort of location, Mori shapes the piece into a varied, fully-fledged composition that exceeds genre stereotypes.

The game’s broader emotional range – compared to Lock On and Shien’s Revenge – gives Mori the opportunity to let his skills as a master melodicist shine more brightly than ever before. That he is able to combine his music’s new-found lyricism with the trademark complexity of his orchestrations is remarkable. Take “House”, which realises its rustic atmosphere through recorder and cello soli over string pizzicati. But these melodies are as carefree as they are intricately arranged, as Mori layers up to three melodies on top of each other, achieving a sound that is both intimate and lush. “Messala” repeats a similar feat, scoring the game’s antagonist with Baroque-inspired music (and a melody that has more than a passing resemblance to that of a more famous bad guy – Final Fantasy VI‘s Kefka). The motoric, focused drive of “Messala”‘s string lines suitably underscores a cold, powerful character – potential musical clichés that Mori bypasses through his sheer compositional skills, as he once more combines three string melodies playing in counterpoint.

Such complexity and ambition reaches its breathtaking apex on “Staff Roll”. Using the game’s main theme as its basis, “Staff Roll” is a flawlessly structured orchestral extravaganza of the highest order, encompassing the Wonder Project J soundtrack’s entire world within a whirlwind five minutes that couldn’t be more packed with musical ideas and colours. This is concert hall-quality orchestral music written for the SNES – very, very few other compositions for the system reach the same elevated level of excellence.

Despite what one might believe looking at Wonder Project J’s whimsical aesthetic, conflict is very much present in the game’s world, with a simmering conflict between humans and androids about to erupt. However, little of that conflict is felt in Mori’s music – there are a couple of battle tracks, but little else to suggest escalating tension. Instead, what gently provides some counterpoint to the Wonder Project J soundtrack’s buoyancy is the music’s underlying current of nostalgia. Heard throughout the score – sample the harpsichord accompaniment on “Piece” or the fiddle lead on “Mimi’s House” – this sense of longing is most keenly felt on “Song”. The cue presents the game’s main theme as a wistful melody, performed by a (synthesised) boy soprano. It’s a striking piece of characterisation, as the piece effortlessly communicates Pino’s innocence and innate warmth, as well as his wish to become human.

Just before “Staff Roll”, “Memories” reprises the theme in a similar vein and expands upon its treatment through delicate woodwind leads against soft strings. The mood is dreamy, tinged with just a bit of sadness at the thought that the adventure is over, drifting into the distance. That feeling of loss while saying farewell is a sentiment that Wonder Project J2 would explore more fully.

01 - Opening Akihiko Mori 2:12
02 - Theme Akihiko Mori 1:55
03 - Menu Akihiko Mori 1:00
04 - March Akihiko Mori 1:20
05 - House Akihiko Mori 1:58
06 - Field Akihiko Mori 2:28
07 - Piece Akihiko Mori 3:01
08 - Farm Akihiko Mori 2:28
09 - Sports Akihiko Mori 1:53
10 - Treasure Akihiko Mori 2:22
11 - Messala Akihiko Mori 3:16
12 - Palace Akihiko Mori 1:36
13 - Battle Akihiko Mori 1:23
14 - Mimi's House Akihiko Mori 1:22
15 - Song Akihiko Mori 1:41
16 - Circus Akihiko Mori 1:40
17 - Chorus Akihiko Mori 1:32
18 - Yamaneko Akihiko Mori 1:42
19 - Last Battle Akihiko Mori 2:18
20 - Tiffany Akihiko Mori 3:13
21 - Memories Akihiko Mori 4:09
22 - Staff Roll Akihiko Mori 5:29

Wonder Project J2 Soundtrack

Wonder Project J2 Soundtrack, Akihiko Mori, 1996

Wonder Project J was an entirely delightful SNES adventure game, but its relatively unusual storyline and gameplay mechanics – teaching a robot boy to behave like a proper human being – meant it would never be released in the West. However, the game was successful enough in Japan to warrant an N64 sequel – one of developer Almanic’s final titles (they had renamed to Givro in 1995). Interestingly enough, this time Western gaming publications took note – mainly because they had to somehow fill their pages during the continuous drought of new N64 games. Wonder Project J2 maintained its predecessor’s gameplay, gorgeous 2D graphics and main story idea – the robot that wants to become human, requiring tuition from the player, be it about small daily tasks or philosophical questions like the meaning and permanence of death.

After scoring Wonder Project J like the world’s most lavish children’s movie, Akihiko Mori returned for Wonder Project J2 – writing his last major score before he would pass away in 1998, at the age of 31, from stomach cancer. Drawing parallels between a composer’s life circumstances and the music they produce is often a fraught undertaking, but it’s hard not to take note of the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack’s wistful mood without thinking of what was ahead for Mori.

Up to this point, Mori had made a name for himself with orchestral SNES soundtracks of rare sophistication, density and melodic beauty. With the N64’s more powerful sound capacities at his fingertips, where would Mori take his music – would it become more elaborate and lush yet? Actually, Wonder Project J2 sees Mori moving in the opposite direction, both responding to and shaping the game’s more reflective mood.

Rather than with the sunny boisterousness that made Wonder Project J such a pleasure, the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack opens in a distinctly pastoral mood, with the first game’s main theme returning on solo ocarina. The game’s initial, idyllic forest setting comes to life vividly through the intertwining flute leads and harp arpeggios of “Island of Meetings and Partings”, reminiscent of Star Ocean’s similar orchestrations two years later. Compared to any of his major SNES soundtracks, Mori relies less on contrapuntal structures here – on many occasions, he is happy to have one melody, backed by unobtrusive orchestrations, carry a composition.

Of course, for a gifted melodicist like Mori, that’s not a problem – “Goodbye Dr. Gepetto”’s solo piano says farewell without any theatrics and is all the more moving for it. Whereas Wonder Project J was all about the excitement of embarking on an adventure, its successor is generally more concerned with establishing and preserving a sense of home and belonging – reassuring stasis instead of reaching out for new horizons.

Soon enough though, the panache of Mori’s earlier works returns as the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack discovers – for a while – its sense of optimism and adventure. At the centre of the score’s rising spirits are “Bon Voyage!” and “Now, Then! To the Skies!” Another one of Mori’s seamless orchestra/pop mixes and clocking in at more than five minutes when looped, “Bon Voyage!”’s melodies find the perfect middle ground between catchiness and expansive lyricism. “Now, Then! To the Skies!” is more exuberant still and proves that Mori hasn’t lost his knack for complex, colourful orchestrations.

Soon after these relative outbursts, tracks like “Loneliness” or “Theme of Colro Forest (Ocarina)” pull back the exuberance though and showcase how the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack builds upon its predecessor by taking its undercurrent of melancholia and yearning, and bringing it to the fore. There’s no doubt that Wonder Project J was an emotionally rich score, but this soundtrack – aided by a longer running time – arguably has the more complex arch. Whereas the first score was a colourful tapestry, Wonder Project J2 has a narrative drive that underscores not just the characters and their world, but also the transformation that they undergo.

This approach befits the game’s greater focus on its storyline, which actually sees the player relinquishing control for the game’s final, 45-minute cut scene. In tune with the larger scope of the game’s narrative, the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack turns significantly more tense and militaristic in its second half, evoking a level of conflict that was all but absent from its predecessor. It’s hard to deny that the score’s terser tracks are not always as melodically interesting as the mellifluous compositions that have come before, and the soundtrack’s quality is spottier than Mori’s other major works, requiring some curating to make for a smooth listening experience.

However, the narrative’s rising stakes also allow Mori to write rousing orchestral tracks like “Emergency” and “Escape”. The latter is a beautiful example of how to write an effective crisis cue that doesn’t grow stale, moving back and forth between staccato episodes and more melodically flowing sections. “Messala’s Scheme” leaves aside the Baroque sensibilities of the antagonist’s theme from Wonder Project J and trades them in for something more sinister and aggressive – happy to spell out danger rather than hinting at it while hiding behind a pompous facade. Another new addition to the score’s emotional palette is the use of choir on several tracks, again befitting the game’s larger scope and adding haunting musical colours.

The Wonder Project J2 soundtrack’s RPG-like narrative arc is completed when – after the mood turns downright desolate on “Vanished Greenery” – hope returns on the final handful of tracks. Mori returns to his large-scale orchestral sounds to bring back the score’s main theme – which shapes the soundtrack far more than on Wonder Project J – in sufficiently forceful and triumphant fashion. Ultimately though, the Wonder Project J2 soundtrack ends as it confidently yet cautiously looks towards the future (rather than rushing forth with buoyancy like Wonder Project J did). Closing the soundtrack with the same wistfulness that opens it – but mixing in more optimism – “I Believe in Tomorrow….” is a calm orchestral ballad and one final showcase of Mori’s orchestral prowess, as he carries the four-minute piece almost solely through moving woodwind variations of the main theme. It’s farewell towards an unknown future, but hope persists.

01 - Theme of Colro Forest (Opening - Josette in Colro Forest) Akihiko Mori 1:11
02 - Goodbye Dr. Gepetto (Dr. Gepetto Dies) Akihiko Mori 1:11
03 - Josette of Colro Forest (Main Theme) Akihiko Mori 2:26
04 - Island of Meetings and Partings (Blueland Island) Akihiko Mori 3:38
05 - "Let's Have a Chat!" (Inside Dolphin) Akihiko Mori 1:52
06 - Friendly Folks (Meeting People) Akihiko Mori 2:16
07 - Karen's Pub Akihiko Mori 2:43
08 - Master Chef Gourmet (Gourmet's Theme) Akihiko Mori 2:40
09 - Pleasant Days Akihiko Mori 1:20
10 - The Serious Worker (Proton Mines) Akihiko Mori 1:32
11 - Bon Voyage! (Submarine Mode) Akihiko Mori 5:35
12 - Now, Then! To the Skies! (Seaba Mode) Akihiko Mori 2:52
13 - Racing Pokko Akihiko Mori 2:05
14 - Affection (Josette with Arnold at Nighttime) Akihiko Mori 3:12
15 - Loneliness (Sapphire at the Docks) Akihiko Mori 3:32
16 - Theme of Colro Forest (Ocarina) (Memories Of Gepetto And Colro) Akihiko Mori 2:20
17 - Love (Josette's Audition at the Movie Studio) Akihiko Mori 2:07
18 - Oh Forest, Answer Me... (Blueland Forest) Akihiko Mori 1:26
19 - My Little Friend (Josette Meets Klara) Akihiko Mori 2:04
20 - Emergency (Battle Scene) Akihiko Mori 2:38
21 - Messala's Scheme (Sea Battle) Akihiko Mori 2:58
22 - Lost Memories (Lost Memory Maze) Akihiko Mori 4:10
23 - Escape! (Escape from Siliconian Empire Stage) Akihiko Mori 3:15
24 - Welcome, People of Blueland! Akihiko Mori 2:28
25 - Medusa Siliconian (Siliconian Empress Reveals Herself) Akihiko Mori 3:16
26 - Strike!! (Siliconian Empress Attacks / Josette's Ocarina Responds) Akihiko Mori 1:10
27 - Into the Blue Sky (Ending) (Outtake) Akihiko Mori 1:29
28 - Island of Vanished Greenery (Desolate Colro Island) Akihiko Mori 3:01
29 - An Entreaty to "J"... (Josette Makes Her Wish to "J") Akihiko Mori 2:21
30 - Meet Again (Part 1) Akihiko Mori 3:40
31 - Meet Again (Part 2) Akihiko Mori 0:29
32 - I Believe in Tomorrow... (Staff Roll) Akihiko Mori 4:29