Final Fantasy Composer Nobuo Uematsu May Have Written His Last Full Soundtrack

He already mentioned illness a few years ago, hopefully it's nothing too serious. He did an incredible job composing so many iconic songs, it'd be awful to lose him now.

It’s just so sad, he’s one of the most iconic composers out there. Final Fantasy really hasn’t been the same, soundtrack wise, since he left. The 7 Remake soundtrack was great though so I hope he at least contributes to the sequels too.

That person is a real legend for videogame soundtrack and he has already composed so many great Soundtracks. Sad to see him stop but health obviously comes first and i just hope that he gets better soon to just enjoy whatever he wants doing now.

That's sad to know, hope he made it through. Love all his musical works on Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story.

Health is most important. I hope that, if he needs to, he’ll step away from composing.

It's kind of a shame that Mistwalker has shifted over to mobile titles.

Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story were amazing games! But, I am guess they weren't as profitable?

Fantasian looks cool though.

Anyways, hope Nobuo Uematsu takes it easy and lives a long life. If retirement is necessary, well, he earned it!

I love Uematsu, but his problem is that he wants to write as many tracks as possible, which is not always good. I remember how Sakaguchi asked him to compose about 10 songs for Final Fantasy 9 and he brought 100 songs. Maybe if he lowered down the amount of tracks (we have to admitt that his big soundtracks are full of fillers), he could composed the whole OSTs by himself even with his health problems.

Watching a live recording of The Black Mages playing through Dancing Mad is incredible. Clearly, he's more than just a music programmer for videoganes. The man has some amazing stage performance skills. I always wanted to watch them play live, so I'm hoping that this is the kind of illness that he can recover from.

@Desrever He's been known to step in and sing with the choir during performances of One-Winged Angel, as well. The dude loves what he does.

Health first, dear sir. I've only scratched the surface of his compositions (Didn't start playing SE RPGs until a few years ago), but you can certainly detect the love and care behind many of the tracks!

I can hear seconds of his songs and be immediately transported back to the time and place I was the first time I heard them. The very best in the business, he’s the heart of Final Fantasy.

Uematsu is one of the most important and impactful composers in video game history! He created the heart of what Final Fantasy sounds like and stepped in to help on soundtracks like Chrono Trigger when called upon! His magnum opus will be the Lost Odyssey OST because what an amazing game and soundtrack that truely conveyed the pain of living for a thousand years! All my heart I will never forget playing Final Fantasy VI and hearing Terra's Theme sweep across that mode 7 opening!!! What a composer and his legacy will always be remembered even if he only does select tracks moving forward!

I hope he finds long-term healing. He's added value to so many lives with his wonderful work.

FF6 was great and unforgettable. Oddly, his "fill-in" music on Chrono Trigger I thought was pretty lackluster. Maybe it was because the primary composer - Yasunori Mitsuda - did such an amazing job that anything else was going to pale in comparison.

Regardless, very sad to hear this. I wish him the best.

His music is probably the very best gaming has ever had to offer. There are other capable FF composers, but none quite so iconic as his sound. That will be a sad day.

@TheLightSpirit It's not really that different in the US. At least it didn't used to be. Maybe people have gone "softer" but "back in my day" there was no such thing as a sick day unless you can't peel yourself off the floor. Like Japan, it's "offered" and you're not supposed to take it. People usually drag themselves into school/work with whatever illness and give it to everyone else, because you're expected to drag yourself through. At least pre-Covid.

I wonder if schools still give out "perfect attendance" awards? They used to. I sadly missed getting it in both elementary and high school, despite dragging myself through no matter what because each time there was that ONE day across the years, and ONLY one day, I was just far too sick to leave the door. But that's just it, you were trained if you were ever too sick for school/work, you're a failure not trying hard enough.

@NEStalgia They still give perfect attendance awards in high school (at least in my area anyway)

@Kirbo100 It remains one of the dumbest ideas of all time, but I'm glad to hear that "my world" is not entirely obsolete!

Not even a big Final Fantasy fan, but you have to give respect where it's due. Know when to work and when to prioritize yourself, sir.

Oh man, I'll take any excuse to gush about how great Uematsu is. He's not just my favorite video game composer, he's my favorite musician, period. I'd say he's more than earned his rest.

This man has made some of the finest compositions I’ve ever heard.

If only we could cast Esuna to make his health better.

But he has certainly made an amazing career, and I am certainly very thankful for his music.

Uematsu and Kondo are two of my absolute favorite video game composers ever.
They were both so masterful in perfectly conveying emotions and actions in their music that really elevated so many environments and scenes.

I hope and expect the soundtrack to be released on Apple Music.

Aww. Well wishes sent

@NEStalgia You and I sound like we are from the same generation in the US. I know exactly what you mean about sick days, as well as striving for Perfect Attendance. I never got it, but I definitely tried.

The workplace was definitely different when I was starting out too, since taking a sick day meant way too much work to catch up on the next day.

This man has composed so many great music that his legacy will live on forever. I will continue to listen to his work well after his time and I’m sure many generations after me will do the same.

Loving the handcrafted backdrops and Uematsu's music in the Fantasian material released so far.

Here's hoping he recovers well and, even if he won't be doing full scores, gets to grow old as the deservedly celebrated master composer he is. :3

I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night irrationally angry at my self for not ever seeing him perform live... and I don't care to see anything else live... When I think my childhood I think final fantasy music from the PS1 Era and ps2 Era in my teen years... I still hum the "Dagger/Garnet" singing" version of Melodies of Life to myself in public and belt out the actual song in my shower.

@Wexter Final Fantasy 9 is his best work IMHO. But all his stuff is good. I think the FF6-9 was his highest point I. His career. Probably before his health began to decline.

Can fantasian release on a real platform though?

@Evangeliman Phone games are absolutely massive in Japan, and they're not exactly niche in the West either.

It may well come to other platforms eventually, once Apple's deal has expired.

@ramu-chan mobile games suck. I hate them and people who help keep them around.

The legend. He has done so much for video games, elevating their atmosphere and storytelling to amazing levels. If it's time for him to retire, he certainly has earned it.

Greatest Video Game Composer of all-time... probably one of the greatest composers irrespective. So many of his compositions still resonate emotionally and hold such nostalgic value personally.

Long Live Mr. Nobuo Uematsu!