Tenpei Sato

Tenpei Sato
Tenpei Sato in June 2024
Tenpei Sato in June 2024
Background information
Also known asSTRAWBERRY BOY
BornApril 21, 1967
Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
GenresSoundtrack, Video game music, Electronic music, Jazz, Rock
Occupation(s)Composer, voice actor
Instrument(s)Piano, electric guitar, vocals
Years active1988–present

Tenpei Sato (佐藤 天平, Satō Tenpei) is a video game composer and voice actor. His most notable works are his soundtracks for Nippon Ichi Software games, such as Disgaea and Phantom Brave. He also provides voice-over for games and movies.

Biography

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Sato was born in 1967 in Kawagoe, Japan and grew up in Tokyo.[1][2] He began playing piano at the age of six, and made his first composition, a piece for guitar, at the age of twelve. His first job was at Telenet Japan, where he composed the score for the action role-playing game XZR and popular side-scroller Valis II. After leaving Telenet, he joined Glodia, and together with Nobuhito Koise, composed the soundtrack to the cult classic Emerald Dragon. Later he would compose both Vain Dream with Abreath Nakamura and Bible Master II. After leaving Glodia, he joined Birdie Software, and produced soundtracks for four of their games. He has since spent much of his career working with Nippon Ichi Software, which is where his music has gained its greatest recognition. Games he has composed for include the Rhapsody series, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, La Pucelle: Tactics, and Phantom Brave.[2]

A Nippon Ichi concert by the G-Dream 21 Ladies Orchestra was held on June 23 2024 in Ginza, Tokyo. Sato composed the orchestral arrangements of his work and attended as a special guest.[3] In an interview, he commented that he was most looking forward to the orchestral arrangements of "Determination of a Little Princess" from the 1999 Rhapsody II, a fan favorite track, and "Kill Real" from the 2015 Disgaea 5, which required major revisions to make a chaotic vocal song work for an orchestra.[4]

Musical style and influence

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Sato cites Queen, Claude Debussy, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Kate Bush as major musical influences.[5]

Works

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Tenpei Sato". VGMdb. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  2. ^ a b Chris. "Tenpei Sato :: Biography". Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  3. ^ Stenbuck, Kite (March 7, 2024). "NIS 30th Anniversary Orchestra Concert Will Include Disgaea".
  4. ^ "日本一ソフトウェア30周年記念コンサートの演奏曲は? 聴きどころは?【佐藤天平×G・Dream21レディースオーケストラインタビュー】" [Interview with Tenpei Sato and G・Dream21 Ladies Orchestra]. June 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "Tenpei Sato". Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
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