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Junichi Masuda is a Chief Creative Fellow at The Pokémon Company and one of the founding members of Game Freak. He is known for his work on the Pokémon games, mostly as producer, director, and composer.

History[]

After studying computer graphics at the Japan Electronics College, Masuda was one of the founding members of Game Freak in 1989, along with Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori. For the company's early video game works, he was initially in charge of programming, music and sound design on several titles. His first projects with Nintendo's involvement include Yoshi and Mario & Wario.

In Pokémon Red and Green, he composed all the music, made all of the sound effects and Pokémon cries, and also worked on programming as well. In Gold and Silver, along with composing he became a sub director, and eventually replaced Satoshi Tajiri as the director of the franchise with Crystal. He later directed Ruby and Sapphire, FireRed and LeafGreen, Diamond and Pearl, Black and White, and X and Y. He gradually took on the role of producer and main supervisor of the Pokémon franchise as a whole, with Shigeru Ohmori taking over his directorial role.

Since Ruby and Sapphire, Masuda's involvement with the music of the games decreased as he took on directorial roles, although he has still produced most of the main battle themes. He also composed all the music of Pokémon GO, and was the director of Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go Eevee!, and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

In June 1, 2022, Masuda left his position as Managing Director at Game Freak and moved to The Pokémon Company, where he was appointed as Chief Creative Fellow.[1]

Game Works[]

Special Thanks[]

Song Credits[]

Please note that this section only includes brand-new work and not music that was referenced from previous titles or motifs from other in-game tracks

As sole composer[]

Junichi Masuda is known to have composed the entire soundtracks for the following titles:

Pokémon Gold and Silver[]

  • Opening Demo -- Composition (w/Go Ichinose), Arrangement (w/Go Ichinose)[4]
  • Opening Demo 2 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Title Screen -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • An Adventure Begins! -- Composition[5]
  • New Bark Town -- Composition (w/Go Ichinose), Arrangement (w/Go Ichinose)[4]
  • Hurry Along -- Composition, Arrangement (w/Go Ichinose)[4]
  • Elm Pokémon Lab -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Route 29 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Wild Pokémon - Johto Version) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Cherrygrove City -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Pokémon Center -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Trainer Battle - Johto Version) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Route 30 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Sprout Tower -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Union Cave -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Ruins of Alph -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Team Rocket) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Route 34 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • A Rival Appears! -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Rival) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Evolution -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Gym Leader - Johto Version) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Received a Gym Badge! -- Composition[5]
  • Received a TM! -- Composition[5]
  • Bicycle -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Burned Tower -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Route 38 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Olivine Lighthouse -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Route 42 -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Radio Transmission -- Composition[5]
  • Team Rocket HQ -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • A Rival Appears! (Version 2) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Tin Tower -- Composition & Arrangement[4] [note: re-translated as "Bell Tower" in HeartGold & SoulSilver]
  • Ice Path -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Dragon's Den -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Gym Leader - Kanto Version) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Mt. Moon -- Composition (arr. Morikazu Aoki)[4] [note: unused fanfare from Red & Green]
  • Pokégear Radio: Pokémon Channel -- Composition (arr. Go Ichinose)[4]
  • Pokégear Radio: Unown -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Pokégear Radio: Pokémon March -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Pokégear Radio: Pokémon Lullaby -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Pokégear Radio: Poké Flute -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Victory Road -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • The Pokémon League -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • Battle! (Champion) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]
  • The Hall of Fame -- Composition & Arrangement[4]

Pokémon Crystal[]

  • Opening Demo -- Composition & Arrangement[6]
  • Title Screen -- Composition & Arrangement[6]
  • Battle! (Suicune) -- Composition & Arrangement[4]

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire[]

  • Battle! (Wild Pokémon) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Trainer Battle) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Team Aqua / Team Magma) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Fallarbor Town -- Composition (arr. Go Ichinose)[7]
  • Battle! (Gym Leader) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Brendan / May) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Mt. Pyre -- Composition (arr. Go Ichinose)[7]
  • Battle! (Team Aqua / Team Magma Leaders) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Super-Ancient Pokémon) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Regirock / Regice / Registeel) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Elite Four) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]
  • Battle! (Steven) -- Composition & Arrangement[7]

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen[]

Pokémon Emerald[]

  • Rayquaza Appears! -- Composition & Arrangement[9]

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl[]

  • Battle! (Wild Pokémon) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Trainer Battle) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Rival) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Gym Leader) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Team Galactic) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Team Galactic Commander) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Team Galactic Boss) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Spear Pillar -- Composition (w/Go Ichinose), Arrangement (w/Go Ichinose)[10]
  • The Legendary Pokémon Appears! -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Catastrophe! -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Dialga / Palkia) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Lake Caverns -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Azelf / Mesprit / Uxie) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Legendary Pokémon) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Elite Four) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]
  • Battle! (Champion) -- Composition & Arrangement[10]

Pokémon Platinum[]

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver[]

  • Arceus -- Composition & Arrangement[5] [note: unused song from Diamond & Pearl]

Pokémon Black and White[]

Pokémon X and Y[]

Pokémon Sun and Moon[]

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon[]

  • Battle! (Necrozma) -- Composition & Arrangement[15]

Pokémon Sword and Shield[]

The Crown Tundra[]

  • Battle! (Calyrex) -- Composition & Arrangement[16]
  • Battle! (Glastrier / Spectrier) -- Composition & Arrangement[16]
  • Battle! (The King of Bountiful Harvests) -- Composition & Arrangement[16]

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet[]

Interviews[]

References[]

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