is a Japanese video game composer and bass guitarist, whose most notable works include the soundtracks to the Shadow Hearts series. Hirota was previously a sound effects programmer having worked on various Square titles. His first work as a video game composer was for the 1999 Nintendo 64 game Bomberman 64: The Second Attack.
Biography Early works As a teenager, Hirota's older brother would play covers of The Beatles and The Carpenters. Hirota composed his first song at the age of ten. At the age of 20, unsure of his career path, Hirota was invited by composer Yasunori Mitsuda to work at Square, and was hired as a sound designer.
Square Hirota has a friendship from childhood with fellow composer Yasunori Mitsuda who he has worked with on Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, Biohazard 2 Drama Albums, Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts II. Under the direction of Mitsuda, Street Fighter Alpha 3 was to have a "hard" sound, and Biohazard 2 was to have an "ominous sound".
Shadow Hearts Kyoko Kishikawa has worked with Hirota on Shadow Hearts, Shadow Hearts II (although not Shadow Hearts: From the New World) and Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange, providing eerie female scat vocals for a number of his tracks. Ryo Fukuda has been the sound manipulator for Hirota on the Shadow Hearts games as well as composing and arranging a few tracks for all three games. He also co-composed with Hirota on Sonic Shuffle. Kenji Ito worked with Hirota on the soundtrack of Shadow Hearts II.
Live performance Hirota has performed bass guitar for Ito's live performance of Culdcept music during the Extra Live Concert. and for Ito's vocal song for Lux-Pain, Hirota frequently performs bass guitar with Kishikawa's band. He is currently a member of Nobuo Uematsu's band, the Earthbound Papas.
Musical style and influences Hirota's Shadow Hearts music is notable for its fusion of cultural music with Hirota's personal Industrial style. Although Hirota is primarily a bass guitarist, he is capable of playing a variety of other instruments: the Biwa, the Syami, the Alter Ego Figaro, the Saw Wo, the Son, the Khene, the Old Drum, the Madaru, the Gong, the Suzu, and the Kalimba.
Works Video games Composition
+TitleYearNotesBomberman 64: The Second Attack1999With Tomohiko Kira, Yasunori Mitsuda, Hidenobu Otsuki, Tomori Kudo, Hiroyo Yamanaka, and Kenji HiramatsuDive Alert1999Faselei!1999Sonic Shuffle 2000With Hidenobu Otsuki, Ryo Fukuda, Takeo Suzuki, and Kazumi MitomeShadow Hearts 2001With Yasunori Mitsuda, Masaharu Iwata, and Ryo FukudaShadow Hearts: Covenant 2004With Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Ito, Ryo Fukuda, and Tomoko KobayashiShadow Hearts: From the New World 2005With Tomoko Imoto, Ryo Fukuda, and Hirotomi ImotoFist Groove 2 2006Saint Seiya: Meiou Hades Juunikyuu Hen 2007Hana Saku DS Gardening Life2007DK: Jungle Climber 2007With Yuichi Kanno and Takashi KougaStart Yoga with Tipness on your DS2007Maji de Manabu: LEC de Ukaru 2008Glory of Heracles 2008With Yuichi KannoD.Gray-Man Sousya no Shigaku2008Klonoa2008Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming 2011With various othersSaint Seiya: Sanctuary Battle 2011Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz2012With Saori KobayashiUnchainBlades EXXIV2012With Tsutomu Narita, Nobuo Uematsu, and Michio OkamiyaKakuriyo no Mon2015Only composed "其れでも先へ進む")Egglia: Legend of the Red Cap 2017With Yoko Shimomura Sound design +TitleYearFinal Fantasy VI 1994Live A Live 1994Chrono Trigger1995Seiken Densetsu 31995Bahamut Lagoon1996Final Fantasy VII1997Front Mission 21997Parasite Eve1998Chrono Cross1999Koudelka1999
Other works +TitleYearNotesTalk While Asleep1995Co-remixer with Fumiya TanakaWe are not alone ~Mou Hitori Ja Nai~ 1998Co-composer with Kazumi MitomeBiohazard 2 Drama Album: Chiisana Toubousha Sherry 1999Co-Composer with Yasunori MitsudaBiohazard 2 Drama Album: Ikiteita Onna Spy Ada1999Co-Composer with Yasunori MitsudaStreet Fighter Zero 3 Drama Album 1999Co-Composer with Yasunori Mitsudanear death experience, SHADOW HEARTS2005Arranger of 5 TracksAngelic Vale 2005Arranger of 2 TracksTsuki no Uta 2005Debut Single of Saki Imozuki. Arranger of all tracksYoruoto Hyouhon 2005Debut Album of Noriko Mitose. Composer and arranger of 1 TrackRogue Galaxy 2006Arranger of 1 TrackKinema in the Hall2007Rekka Katakiri Album. Composer and arranger of all tracksCotton2007Noriko Mitose Album. Arranger of 1 TrackHareyaka naru Sora no Yukue 2007Rekka Katakiri Album. Composer and Arranger of 1 TrackStruldbruggs ~Majin Kaikou~ 2007Co-ComposerIstoria ~Musa~ 2007Akiko Shikata album. Composer and Arranger of 1 TrackUmineko no Naku Koro ni 2008Akiko Shikata Single, Arranger of 1 Track"message"2008Collaboration Album - Composer and Arranger of 1 TrackGriotte no Nemuri Hime2009Haruka Shimotsuki AlbumSUZUNO=MIYA Ar tonelico III hymmnos concert side. Red2010Composer and Arranger of 2 TracksGuwange 2010Arranger of 1 Trackyorlga2010Noriko Mitose album, Composer and Arranger of all tracks
References
External links Official website