If you're a fan of funky fresh beats, you can't go past the famous video game composer Hideki Naganuma. He's best known for his music in the Jet Set Radio series back when he worked at Sega.
For many years now, his fanbase has been begging Nintendo to allow him to compose some music for the squid shooter series Splatoon. There have even been petitions stating how this "would make many people happy".
So, why hasn't it happened and will it ever happen? Probably not, based on a recent tweet sent out by Naganuma last month.
After departing from Sega, he apparently "tried to be an employee of Nintendo twice", but was rejected on the grounds that there was no position available for him to display his ability to the full.
"To tell the truth, I tried to be an employee of Nintendo twice in the past, after I left Sega. But I didn't pass. They said that there's no position that I can display my ability to the full. That’s the reason why Splatoon didn't need my music."
It seems his beats are too fresh - even for Splatoon. Naganuma has at least been credited in Sakurai's Smash Bros. series.
Fortunately, he's also gone on to compose plenty of other music for titles like Lethal League Blaze and is also hard at work on the follow-up tracks that will feature in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - a game that seemingly draws inspiration from Jet Set Radio.
Would you have liked Hideki Naganuma's music in a game like Splatoon? Share your thoughts down below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 25
Damn, thats kinda sad...
Well shoot I surprise he did not quite after the first.
Thanks for not using a JSR(F) pic for the news. That would have been the worst thing 2020* for me to have that millisecond excitement till I read the headline.
*that is of course irony. But not having JSR(F) on Switch is still annoying.
Hard to say with hindsight. I love his styles of compositions, but Splatoon's OST is perfect in my opinion. Could it be better? Maybe, but I wouldn't change a thing.
That being said, if he did work on a new Splatoon entry, that would be just as welcome.
Seeing as Sega doesn't give a flying feather about JSR, I'd love it if this guy could join in with Nintendo somehow. I haven't played it myself, but I've heard the JSR music through All Stars Racing. It's so darn good. The man deserves better.
I love Jet Set Radio music, that style would have been cool on more Nintendo games
Seeing as JSR is mostly licensed music, I can't say I'm surprised Nintendo wouldn't hire him for Splatoon. They try to stay away from licensing songs except for their sports titles.
I would just love to see a return of Jet Set Radio, I think it would be awesome if Nintendo came out with something similar.
@Trickbaby14 @Yanina
Lets try to keep the politics out of this site please.
@JayJ Agree. I edited my OP
He deserved to be Splatoon composer tb.
Well it might also just be his strange behavior outside of work.
https://twitter.com/Hideki_Naganuma/status/1313165903249326080
Big companies tend to not like when any staff are outwardly expressive and eccentric on social media.
@RupeeClock Ahahaha. Dude just got even cooler in my book.
Though this is old news as other people have said, I'm not really sure if Hideki would have fit Splatoon. I think it went just fine with Toru Minegishi and the other guys.
The reason why Nintendo didn't recruit Hideki is probably because he's likely only capable of making Fatboy Slim-style big beat and funk songs with groovy loops, and in other words a one-trick pony, from what I've heard. The lead composer on Splatoon also worked on Mario and Zelda games, and has actually composed music in a lot of other genres like jazz, orchestral and folk music, which I don't recall Naganuma ever doing.
Nagamuma’s one of my favourite game composers, he’d definitely suit Splatoon. There were so many great big beat soundtracks back then, JSR, Street Fighter 3, Ridge Racer Type 4, soundtracks used to be so interesting. I think BOTW is the last soundtrack I genuinely remember.
Anyone else think the Fall Guys soundtrack is heavily inspired by the music in the Splatoon games?
Splatoon Soundtrack sounds very inspired by JSR to me.
I love the Splatoon soundtrack as it is but I do wonder if this guy would bring a new unique but still fitting flavor to the mix.
Well, I mean ... sad for him I guess, but both "The Squid Sisters" and "Off the Hook" do live concerts and have 3 best selling Albums between them ... so ....
No, Splatoon absolutely did not need his music.
Naganuma would have been a no brainer for splatoon! obv the music came out fantastic, but still. Also follow naga on twitter asap
The base music is a 9/10 for me, 10/10 if Naganuma came in.
I would love to hear some of his music in Splatoon. Not all of it maybe, but a couple tracks would be fantastic.
I like it when a group of about 30 people refers to themselves as “Everyone”. It’s things like that that remind me to think carefully before I say and do things.
damn, they should have snatched him up
@RPGamer I think Splatoon's music is awesome, but "heart"ed your comment because it's hilarious haha!
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