It is easy to see the similarities between The Legend of Zelda games and many FromSoftware games. My own memories of Fire ring And Breath of the Wild together in the best way, every experience in perfect harmony in my head. However, it was a pleasant surprise to learn the extent to which Zelda music played a role in the life of frequent FromSoftware composer Yuka Kitamura, who Fire ring (including the current DLC), Dark Souls 1, 2And 3, Blood transfusedAnd Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
In a recent email interview conducted via translator as part of Polygon FM, our video games and music themed week, Kitamura told us about her compositional influences and her lifelong love of Zelda.
Polygon: Was there a game soundtrack or song that inspired you to start composing game music? Can you describe how that felt for you and why the music was so impactful?
Yuka Kitamura: Since I spent my childhood and adolescence in the 1990s and 2000s playing video games, there are many masterpieces that have influenced me. The desire to play the main theme of my favorite video game of all time, The Legend of Zelda, on the piano motivated me to learn piano in my childhood. Especially Majora’s Mask was a piece I played for a long time and I loved the worldview that was deeply connected to the instrument.
I was also very influenced by the music of [the] Harvest Moon series, the Golden Sun [series]And [the] Pokémon series.
I felt that game music – sometimes very expressive music with only a few notes and bars – immediately captured my heart, and that sparked in me the dream of becoming a composer of such music.
Can you describe one of your own songs and its influences? Was it inspired by game soundtracks, other music or something else?
The main theme of Dark Souls 3 was inspired by the Bulgarian choir chord progression.
I liked it a lot because I felt that, as opposed to straightforward beauty, it expressed a different, somewhat shady kind of beauty.
Is there anything else we should know about your approach to composing video game music?
Many people have an impression of my music through my work at FromSoftware. I also love music with a colorful worldview that I was exposed to during my childhood. I want to actively write such music in the future. I hope you look forward to it.
