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Junichi Masuda

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Junichi Masuda
Junichi Masuda in 2007
Junichi Masuda in 2007
Background information
Born (1968-01-12) January 12, 1968 (age 56)
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Occupation(s)Video game composer, director, designer, producer, programmer
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboard
Years active1989–present

Junichi Masuda (増田 順一, Masuda Jun'ichi, born January 12, 1968) is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer, producer, and programmer best known for his work on the Pokémon series of video games. He is a member of the Game Freak board of directors, and has worked at the company since 1989.[1]

With the development of new Pokémon games, Masuda took new roles in future projects. He began to produce and direct games, starting with Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and became responsible for approving new character models. His style seeks to keep games accessible while still adding increasing levels of complexity. His work sticks to older mainstays of the series, including a focus on handheld game consoles and 2D graphics. His music draws inspiration from the work of modern celebrated composers like Dmitri Shostakovich, though he used the Super Mario series as a model of good video game composition. His video game ideas are generally drawn from everyday life and observation.

Life

Masuda was born on Jan. 12, 1968 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.[2] As a child, his family often vacationed in Kyūshū, where many of his relatives still live. There he spent his time catching fish and insects, an act that later influenced his video game design. Masuda modeled the Pokémon series' Hoenn Region after Kyūshū in an attempt to recapture his memories of summers there.[3] In high school, Masuda played the trombone; he soon discovered classical music, and was drawn in by works like Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5.[4]

Masuda attended the Japan Electronics College, a technical school in Shinjuku, Tokyo, where he studied computer graphics and C programming language using a DEC Professional.[5][6] His daughter Kiri was born in September 2002; he named a character in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire after her.[7]

Career

Masuda has worked at Game Freak since the company's inception in 1989,[8][9] and has been involved in nearly every title that Game Freak has produced.[9] Masuda was one of the original developers of the Pokémon series, beginning with Pokémon Red and Green.[10] He was first hired to compose video game music, where his first game at Game Freak was Mendel Palace, a 1989 puzzle game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[11] After Mendel Palace, he worked on Yoshi, the company's first collaboration with Nintendo.[11]

When the company first began releasing Pokémon titles, Masuda worked mainly as the composer, though he did minor programming work as well, and later began directing and producing them.[11] His work on the first games included writing the program to play audio in the games, music, and sound effects.[12] Masuda has been directly involved in the naming and design of many Pokémon. He has stated that one of the hardest aspects of design is making sure that a Pokémon's name and attributes will appeal to a global audience.[10] Since Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Masuda has been one of the main employees who approve or reject designs for new Pokémon.[13] He now serves as a member of the Game Freak board of directors.[14]

Influences and style

Masuda approaches each of his games with the mindset that a beginner should be able to easily play it.[15] To this end, he layers more complicated concepts, introducing them to the player in a simple manner, and building from there.[11] He believes that handheld systems provide an opportunity for social interaction that cannot be found on non-handheld console systems.[15] He has stated that continuing use of 2D computer graphics has been integral to Pokémon's success.[16]

Masuda's musical style draws from a number of sources, particularly classical music and the works of Igor Stravinsky and Dmitri Shostakovich.[13] His favorite musical genre is techno, and he has looked to the music of the Super Mario series as an example of video game music that works well.[13] Most of his ideas are inspired from simply observing real life and visualizing how he would design or draw outside objects.[12] As a rule, he does not use previous characters as inspirations for new ones, instead creating each new one from independent sources.[12]

Works

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Junichi Masuda.
  1. ^ "Interview with Shinji Miyazaki and the Game Freak sound team - #pocketmonsters, your source for news about Pokémon and Pocket Monsters". Pocketmonsters.net. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
  2. ^ Masuda, Junichi (2010). "Profile". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  3. ^ Masuda, Junichi (9 September 2004). "No. 15". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  4. ^ Masuda, Junichi (4 October 2007). "No. 109". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  5. ^ Masuda, Junichi (12 June 2007). "No. 86". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  6. ^ Masuda, Junichi (2 September 2004). "No. 13". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  7. ^ Masuda, Junichi (28 October 2004). "No. 24". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  8. ^ Padilla, Raymond (17 March 2009). "Junichi Masuda & Takeshi Kawachimaru Talk 'Pokemon Platinum', Particle Physics, Bridges, And More!". G4. G4 Media. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Junichi Masuda Biography". IGN. News Corporation. 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  10. ^ a b Noble, McKinley. "Pokemon Platinum: Developer Interview!". GamePro. IDG. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  11. ^ a b c d Nutt, Christian (3 April 2009). "The Art of Balance: Pokémon's Masuda on Complexity and Simplicity". Gamasutra. Think Services. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  12. ^ a b c Harris, Craig (23 February 2009). "Pokemon Creators on Platinum". IGN. News Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  13. ^ a b c Grimm, Michael. "How Pokemon are born". GamesRadar. Future plc. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  14. ^ Haywald, Justin (2009). "Why Gamers Still Play Pokémon". 1UP.com. Hearst Corporation. p. 1. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  15. ^ a b Hoggins, Tom (12 May 2009). "Pokémania continues with Pokémon Platinum". The Daily Telegraph. London. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  16. ^ Nutt, Christian (3 April 2009). "Pokemon's Masuda: 2D Brings 'Flavor' To Series' Visuals". Gamasutra. Think Services. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
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