Junya Nakano

Nakano has collaborated with Masashi Hamauzu on a number of games. He was introduced to music at the age of three when his parents offered him lessons in the electronic organ. After studying composition and arrangement at a vocational school, Nakano worked for Konami from 1991 to 1994, where he scored numerous arcade games. Nakano is noted for his ambient style and for using percussion, timbre, and rhythm in his compositions.

• Name — Junya Nakano • Born — 28 February 1971 • Birthplace — Kyoto, Japan • Instrument — Piano, electronic organ • Genre — Ambient, video game music • Occupation — Composer, arranger • Years Active — 1992–present

Junya Nakano was born in Kyoto, Japan. His parents introduced him to music when he was three years old, offering him lessons in the electronic organ through the Yamaha Music Foundation; they also encouraged him to join some brass bands. After playing the 1979 arcade game Lunar Rescue, he developed an interest in video games and subsequently began to enjoy chiptune music. By frequently listening to the radio, he started composing MIDI music using the NEC PC-9801 in 1985. In 1987, he attended a vocational school to study composition and arrangement in hopes of entering the gaming industry. After graduation, he joined the Kobe branch of Konami in 1991, where he contributed music to eight arcade games with several collaborators over a three-year period, including titles such as X-Men and Mystic Warriors. Deciding he wanted to create more original music and have a chance to receive individual recognition, Nakano left Konami after completing the score for Golfing Greats 2 in 1994. Nakano joined Square (now Square Enix) in 1995. He created four pieces for the 1996 video game Front Mission: Gun Hazard, which featured composers Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, and Masashi Hamauzu. His first solo project came about with Satellaview's Treasure Conflix the same year. In 1996, Nakano joined several of Square's composers to create the soundtrack for the fighting game Tobal No. 1; he contributed three compositions. Hamauzu and Nakano became friends after working on Front Mission: Gun Hazard and Tobal No. 1, and they have later collaborated on several titles. In 1997, Nakano served as synthesizer programmer for the score to Front Mission: Alternative. Nakano composed the soundtrack for the Japan-only adventure game Another Mind, which he was given a deadline of two months to complete. His subsequent score to the 1999 title Threads of Fate (known as "Dewprism" in Japan) gave him worldwide recognition. Since scoring Threads of Fate, Nakano has collaborated with several composers on major projects instead of being the sole composer. In 2001, Nakano and Hamauzu were chosen to assist Uematsu in the production of the score for the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy X, based on their ability to create music that was different from Uematsu's style; Nakano created 20 pieces. One of his tracks from the game, "Guadosalam", was arranged for the piano and featured in the album Piano Collections Final Fantasy X (2002). Following Final Fantasy X, Nakano composed the soundtrack to Asmik Ace Entertainment's flight simulator Sidewinder F. Back at Square Enix, he created the music for Musashi: Samurai Legend with Hamauzu and the duo Wavelink Zeal (Takayuki and Yuki Iwai) in 2004. In 2006, Nakano created seven tracks for the Xbox 360 game Project Sylpheed, which also featured several other composers. Later the same year, he arranged four pieces from the Mana series for Dawn of Mana (known as "Seiken Densetsu 4" in Japan). He was also selected to arrange half of Final Fantasy IVs Nintendo DS remake under the supervision of Uematsu, and composed the soundtrack to its 2008 sequel, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. On December 31, 2009, Nakano confirmed that he had left Square Enix and would be joining his former mentor and collaborator Yuji Takenouchi's supergroup "GeOnDan", whom have since disbanded. Nakano's last projects for Square Enix before leaving were the soundtracks to Fullmetal Alchemist: Prince of the Dawn and Daughter of the Dusk.

• Year — Title — Notes — Ref. References • 1992 — Asterix — Music with various others • X-Men — Music with Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, and Ayako Nishigaki • Hexion — Music with Yuji Takenouchi, Satoko Miyawaki, and Ayako Nishigaki • 1993 — Martial Champion — Music with Keiji Sugisawa • Mystic Warriors — Music with Yuji Takenouchi and Inoue • 1994 — Polygonet Commanders — Music with Yuji Takenouchi • Golfing Greats 2 — Music with Yuji Takenouchi • 1995 — Five A Side Soccer — Music • 1996 — Front Mission: Gun Hazard — Music with Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, and Masashi Hamauzu • Treasure Conflix — Music • Tobal No. 1 — Music with various others • 1997 — Front Mission Alternative — Synthesizer programming • 1998 — Another Mind — Music • 1999 — Threads of Fate — Music • 2001 — Final Fantasy X — Music with Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu • Lethal Skies Team SW: Elite Pilot — Music • 2004 — Fullmetal Alchemist: Dream Carnival — Music with various others • 2005 — Musashi: Samurai Legend — Music with Masashi Hamauzu, Takayuki Iwai, and Yuki Iwai • 2006 — Project Sylpheed — Music with various others • Dawn of Mana — Arrangements with Hirosato Noda • 2007 — Final Fantasy IV (Nintendo DS) — Arrangements with Kenichiro Fukui • 2008 — Final Fantasy IV: The After Years — Music • 2009 — Fullmetal Alchemist: Prince of the Dawn — Music • Fullmetal Alchemist: Daughter of the Dusk — Music • Final Fantasy XIII — Arrangements with various others • 2013 — Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster — Arrangements with various others • 2015 — Galaxy Gladiator Genesis — Music with various others • 2018 — Final Fantasy Record Keeper — DLC; music with various others • 2023 — Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis — Music with various others • 2025 — Hotel Barcelona — Music with various others • Bounty Sisters — Music with Yuji Takenouchi, Miki Higashino, and Takako Yumishima