Kenji Yamamoto (composer)

Kenji Yamamoto is a prolific composer working for Nintendo, known for providing the soundtrack for several titles in the Metroid franchise among other games. He is not to be confused with a namesake composer who has worked on the soundtrack of Dragon Ball games and anime.

History
After graduating with a Degree in Music in the Osaka University of Arts (the same university Koji Kondo attended), he joined Nintendo in 1987. While he started in the R&D2 department composing the soundtrack to the NES Punch-Out!!, he would later switch to the R&D1 department, where he would work on games such as Famicom Tantei Club Part II and Super Metroid.

Years later, he would become the Group Manager of the Sound Department of Nintendo SPD, where he would serve as supervisor for other composers working on that department. He would still compose for various games, including most developed by Retro Studios.

Production History

 * Punch-Out!! (NES Version) (1987) - Music Composer
 * Famicom Tantei Club: Kieta Kōkeisha (1988) - Sound Director (as Kenji Tanaka)
 * Famicom Wars (1988) - Sound (as Metal Kenji)
 * Alleyway (1989) - Sound Composer
 * Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo (1989) - Music
 * Radar Mission (1990) - Sound Composer
 * Super Scope 6 (1992) - Sound Director
 * Super Metroid (1994) - Sound Program and Sound Effects, Music Composer
 * Galactic Pinball (1995) - Director, Sound Composer
 * BS Tantei Club: Yuki ni Kieta Kako (1997) - Music Composition, Sound Effects
 * Game Boy Camera (1998) - Additional Staff
 * Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo (Super Famicom) (1998) - Music, Sound Effects, Original Staff
 * Famicom Bunko: Hajimari no Mori (1999) - Sound Composer
 * Mobile Golf (2001) - Supervisor
 * Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001) - Sound Support
 * Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival (2002) - Sound Support
 * Metroid Fusion (2002) - Sound Director
 * Metroid Prime (2002) - Music
 * Metroid: Zero Mission (2004) - Music Composition
 * Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004) - Music
 * Metroid Prime Pinball (2005) - Music
 * Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! (2005) - Sound Director
 * English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills! (2006) - Sound Director
 * Metroid Prime Hunters (2006) - Sound Supervisor
 * Photo Channel (2006) - Sound
 * News Channel (2006) - Sound
 * Forecast Channel (2006) - Sound
 * Excite Truck (2006) - Music
 * Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007) - Music
 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) - Music Arrangement
 * DS Bimoji Training (2008) - Sound Director
 * Jam with the Band (2008) - Sound Advisor
 * Brain Age Express: Math (2008) - Sound Director
 * Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters (2008) - Sound Director
 * DS Uranai Seikatsu (2009) - Sound Advisor
 * Touch Solitaire (2009) - Sound Director
 * Hobo Nichi Rosenzu 2009 (2009) - Music
 * New Play Control! Metroid Prime (2009) - Music
 * ExciteBots: Trick Racing (2009) - Music Chief
 * Punch-Out!! (Wii Version) (2009) - Music of NES "Punch-Out!!"
 * Pocket Rurubu (2009) - Sound Director
 * New English Training: Learn with Tempo (2009) - Sound Director
 * New Play Control! Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2009) - Music
 * Metroid Prime Trilogy (2009) - Music
 * Mono Ya Okane no Shikumi DS (2009) - Sound Director
 * PictureBook Games: The Royal Bluff (2009) - Sound Director
 * Sleep Clock: Record and Analyze Your Sleep Patterns (2009) - Sound Director
 * Excitebike: World Rally (2009) - Music Supervisor
 * Trajectile (2009) - Sound Supervisor
 * Photo Dojo (2009) - Sound Supervisor
 * Starship Defense (2009) - Sound Supervisor
 * America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking (2010) - Sound Director
 * Fossil Fighters: Champions (2010) - Sound Adviser
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) - Music Supervisor
 * Mii Maker (2011) - Sound
 * StreetPass Mii Plaza (2011) - Sound
 * AR Games (2011) - Sound
 * Mii Plaza (2011) - Sound Director
 * Find Mii (2011) - Sound
 * Puzzle Swap (2011) - Sound
 * Pilotwings Resort (2011) - Sound Supervisor
 * Wii Play: Motion (2011) - Sound Director
 * Rhythm Heaven Fever (2011) - Sound Support
 * Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (2011) - Music Director
 * Swapnote (2011) - Sound Supervisor
 * Kiki Trick (2012) - Sound Supervisor
 * Brain Age: Concentration Training (2012) - Sound Supervisor
 * Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! (2012) - Music Supervisor
 * Style Savvy: Trendsetters (2012) - Sound Supervisor
 * Wii U Chat (2012) - Sound
 * Tomodachi Life (2013) - Sound Supervisor
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013) - Sound Supervisor
 * Mii Force (2013) - Sound Director
 * Flower Town (2013) - Sound Director
 * Warrior's Way (2013) - Sound Director
 * Monster Manor (2013) - Sound Director
 * Rusty's Real Deal Baseball (2013) - Sound Director
 * Daigasso! Band Brothers P (2013) - Sound Supervisor
 * Dr. Luigi (2013) - Sound Supervision
 * Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) - Music Supervisor
 * Pokémon Art Academy (2014) - Sound Supervisor
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (2014) - Supervisor (Original Games)
 * Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014) - Music Arrangement
 * Ultimate Angler (2015) - Sound Director
 * Battleground Z (2015) - Sound Director
 * Style Savvy: Fashion Forward (2015) - Sound Supervisor
 * Rhythm Heaven Megamix (2015) - Sound Support
 * Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash (2015) - Sound Supervisor
 * Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (2015) - Sound Support [Note: miscredited as Kenichi Yamamoto]
 * Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (2016) - Music Supervisor
 * Disney Art Academy (2016) - Sound Supervisor

Special Thanks

 * Electroplankton (2005)
 * bit Generations: Digidrive (2006)
 * Style Savvy (2008)
 * Mario Party 9 (2012)
 * Tokyo Crash Mobs (2012)
 * Nintendo Land (2012)
 * Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre (2013)
 * Bayonetta 2 (2014)

Song Credits
Punch-Out!! (NES version) Alleyway Famicom Tantei Club Part II: Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo Radar Mission Super Metroid Metroid Prime Nintendo Sound Selection vol.2 Koopa &lt;Loud Music&gt; Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Super Smash Bros. Brawl Metroid Prime Trilogy Donkey Kong Country Returns Mii Maker Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
 * Title Theme -- Arrangement
 * Round Begin -- Arrangement
 * Minor Circuit -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Countdown -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Opponent Down -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bout Winner -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Title Lost -- Arrangement
 * Title Bout -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Won Title -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Jogging -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Glass Joe / Mr. Sandman Intro -- Arrangement
 * Von Kaiser / Super Macho Man Intro -- Arrangement
 * Piston Honda Intro -- Arrangement
 * Don Flamenco Intro -- Arrangement
 * King Hippo Intro -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Soda Popinski Intro -- Arrangement
 * Dream Fight -- Composition & Arrangement
 * World Champion -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Title Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Start -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Level Completed -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bonus Start -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bonus Stage -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bonus Fail -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bonus Win -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Nice Play! -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Title -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Thicket -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Run! -- Composition & Arrangement
 * That's Right 1 -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Investigation -- Arrangement
 * Opening "Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo" -- Composition & Arrangement
 * That's Right 2 -- Composition & Arrangement
 * The Girl Behind 1 -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Utsugi Office "Ushiro ni Tatsu Shōjo Ver." -- Arrangement
 * Old School Building -- Composition & Arrangement
 * The Girl Behind 2 -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ayumi -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Principal's Office -- Arrangement
 * Hitomi -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Victim -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Sadness -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Footsteps -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Credits -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Title -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game Options -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Arrange Your Fleet -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ready!! -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game A Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Lucky Shot -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Aircraft Launching -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Last Enemy -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Last Boat -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Victory!! -- Composition & Arrangement
 * You Lost -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Select Power-Up -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game B Start -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Game B Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Mission Complete -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Congratulations! -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Multiplayer Victory -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Theme of Super Metroid -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Planet Zebes - Crateria Arrival -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Crateria - Space Pirates Appear -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Brinstar - Plant Overgrowth Area -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Brinstar - Red Soil Wetland Area -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Norfair - Scorching Lava Area -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Norfair - Ancient Ruins Area -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Samus Aran's Last Cry -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Mysterious Statue Chamber -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Planet Zebes Explosion -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Title -- Arrangement
 * Menu Select -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Prologue -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Frigate Orpheon -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Parasite Queen -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Frigate Orpheon Escape -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Planet Tallon IV -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Chozo Ancient Ruins -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Hive Mecha -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Plated Beetle -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Chozo Ruins -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Energy Core -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Flaahgra -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Magmoor Caves (Burning Trail) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Magmoor Caves -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Phendrana Drifts -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ice Chapel -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Space Pirates (Laboratory Gate) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Space Pirates -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Thardus -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Tallon Overworld -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Chapel of the Elders -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Chozo Ghost -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Phendrana Drifts (Phendrana Underground Lake Area) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Crashed Ship Frigate Orpheon -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Phazon Mines -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Phazon Area -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Omega Pirate -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Artifact Temple -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Meta Ridley -- Arrangement
 * Artifact Temple (Release of the Chozo Ruins Seal) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Impact Crater -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Metroid Prime (Spider) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Metroid Prime (Head) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Temple Collapse ~ Epilogue -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ending Credits -- Composition & Arrangement
 * End Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Record of Samus -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Samus Appearance Jingle -- Arrangement
 * Item Obtainment Jingle -- Arrangement
 * Artifact Obtainment Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Oni Fortress -- 1st Guitar
 * Title -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Menu Select -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Prologue -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Landing Site -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Hive Tunnel -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Dark Galactic Federation Trooper -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Galactic Federation Command Center (Infested) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Samus & the Ing Approaching -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Save Station Room -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Elevator Room -- Arrangement
 * Temple Grounds Exterior -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Temple Grounds Intro -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Temple Grounds -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Galactic Federation Troopers Story -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Ing Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Luminoth Energy Controller Entrance -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Luminoth Story -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Great Temple -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Agon Wastes -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Space Pirates -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Space Pirates -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Space Pirate Compound -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Minor Boss -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Boss Defeated -- Arrangement
 * Puzzle Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Puzzle Solved -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Agon Wastes -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Samus Appears -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Dark Samus -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Amorbis -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Aether Energy Controller -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Restoring an Energy Controller -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Torvus Bog Entrance -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Torvus Bog -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Torvus Bog -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Torvus Bog Hydrodynamo Station -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Dark Torvus Bog Hydrodynamo Station -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Chykka Larva -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Chykka Larva Defeated? -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Chykka Adult -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Sanctuary Fortress -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ing Hive -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Sanctuary Fortress Depths -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Quadraxis -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Light Energy Controller -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Sky Temple Gateway -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Sky Temple Grounds -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Emperor Ing (Phase 1) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Vs. Emperor Ing (Phase 2) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Final Energy Collected -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Escape -- Arrangement
 * Epilogue -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Ending Credits -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Record of Samus -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Hidden Ending -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Multiplayer -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Multiplayer: Deathball -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Samus Appearance Jingle -- Arrangement
 * Item Obtainment Jingle -- Arrangement
 * Luminoth Artifact Obtainment Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Main Theme (Metroid) -- Arrangement
 * Opening / Menu (Metroid Prime) -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Menu -- Arrangement
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns -- Arrangement
 * Gear Getaway -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Mine Menace -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Furious Fire -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Hot Rocket -- Composition & Arrangement
 * Bobbling Basalt -- Composition & Arrangement
 * 3DS Menu - Composition & Arrangement
 * Main Menu - Composition & Arrangement
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns (Vocal) -- Arrangement

Interviews

 * Interview on the music of Famicom Tantei Club (Nintendo Dream, 2004)

Trivia

 * There is another Kenji Yamamoto that has worked a little more than half a decade after him at Nintendo. However, he works in the EAD department unlike the composer.