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Toru Minegishi is a composer and sound director at Nintendo, mostly known for his work on The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series.
Biography
At ten years of age, Toru Minegishi desperately wanted The Legend of Zelda on the Famicom Disk System after seeing the commercial for the game. He explained that the sounds he heard in the advertisement were incredible to him. He told his parents after seeing the ad that in his swimming class he would swim 40 meters if they would purchase the game for him. He was able to do so, and the parents bought him the game. According to Minegishi, he was fully engrossed in the title which lead to a deep respect for the game's composer and sound designer, Koji Kondo, who he would end up working for. His love for video games developed a dream to become a video game composer.
He applied at Nintendo for the job and was presented a test to compose music for various different themes. There was also a written test as well. He managed to pass both tests and thus got a job at the company. One of his earliest creations was the startup sound for the Nintendo GameCube. In Animal Crossing he composed over 50 songs played by K.K. Slider, among the indoor music. While he worked on several video games early on including the Pokémon Stadium series and Animal Crossing, he said that Super Mario Sunshine was the game that taught him the "difficulties of the sound-design process".
Some of Toru Minegishi's inspirations are Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alan Menken (whose music helped inspire The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker's tracks), Sting, Maurice Ravel and Pérez Prado.
He took the leading role in the soundtracks of Twilight Princess, Wii Fit and Spirit Tracks, and later on also worked on the Wii U system sound among other projects. Later on, he became a sound director with Splatoon.
Minegishi is also known to have provided voice acting for some characters in the Mario franchise, like Petey Piranha.
Production History
- Pocket Monsters Stadium (1998) - Music
- Pokémon Stadium (1999) - Sound Composer
- Mario Artist: Talent Studio (2000) - Sound Composer
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000) - Music Support
- Pokémon Stadium 2 (2000) - Pokémon Stadium: Staff
- Animal Crossing (2001) - Indoor BGM
- Nintendo GameCube Menu (2001) - Sound Composer
- Super Mario Sunshine (2002) - Sound Effect Programming
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2002) - Music
- Animal Crossing e+ (2003) - BGM
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (2003) - Sound Effects
- Donkey Konga (2003) - Sound Support
- Mario Pinball Land (2004) - Mario Series SFX
- Yoshi Touch & Go (2005) - Music
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) - Music
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (2007) - Music
- Wii Fit (2007) - Music
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) - Music Arrangement
- Wii Music (2008) - Music
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2009) - Music
- Steel Diver (2011) - Music
- Mario Kart 7 (2011) - Sound Support
- WaraWara Plaza (2012) - Sound Composer
- Super Mario 3D World (2013) - Music
- Steel Diver: Sub Wars (2014) - Music
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014) - Music Arrangement
- Splatoon (2015) - Sound (Sound Director)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (2016) - Sound Supervisor
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) - Music
- Splatoon 2 (2017) - Sound (Sound Director)
Voice
- Mario Power Tennis (2004)
- Mario Superstar Baseball (2005)
- Mario Super Sluggers (2008)
- Mario Party 10 (2015)
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (2015)
- Mario Party: Star Rush (2016)
- Mario Party: The Top 100 (2017)
- Mario Tennis Aces (2018)
Song Credits
- Game Demo -- Composition & Arrangement
- Pokémon Selection -- Composition (w/Junichi Masuda), Arrangement
- Opening Demo -- Composition (w/Junichi Masuda), Arrangement
- Game Demo -- Composition & Arrangement
- Pokémon Selection -- Composition (w/Junichi Masuda), Arrangement
- Rock Harden -- Arrangement
- Po Pi Pa Pi -- Composition & Arrangement
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Middle Boss Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Boss Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
Doubutsu no Mori / Animal Crossing
- K.K. Chorale -- Composition & Arrangement
- K.K. Bossa -- Composition & Arrangement
- K.K. Soul -- Composition & Arrangement
- Go K.K. Rider! -- Composition & Arrangement
- K.K. Metal -- Composition & Arrangement
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- A Giant Mysterious Bird Attacks -- Composition & Arrangement
- Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Forsaken Fortress Invasion 1 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Forsaken Fortress Invasion 2 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Forsaken Fortress -- Composition & Arrangement
- Reunion With Sister -- Composition (w/Kenta Nagata), Arrangement
- Rendezvous With the Ship 1 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Rendezvous With the Ship 2 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Second Maritime Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Deku Tree's Crisis -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Deku Tree and Koroks -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ganondorf Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
Nintendo Sound Selection vol.1 Peach <Healing Music>
- Title (Animal Crossing) -- Melodica
Nintendo Sound Selection vol.2 Koopa <Loud Music>
- Oni Fortress -- Drums
Nintendo Sound Selection vol.3 Luigi <B - Side Music>
- K.K. Soul -- Composition & Arrangement, Drums
- Score Attack -- Composition & Arrangement
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Title -- Composition (w/Koji Kondo), Arrangement
- Menu Select -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ordon Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ordon Ranch -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Hawk & the Cat -- Composition & Arrangement
- Shop -- Composition & Arrangement
- Talo's Rescue -- Composition & Arrangement
- Battle First Half -- Composition & Arrangement
- Battle Second Half -- Composition & Arrangement
- Depature -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ilia's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Link's Transformation -- Composition & Arrangement
- Midna's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- A Helping Hand -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hyrule Field Main Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hyrule Field Night Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Light Spirit's Elegy -- Arrangement
- Kakariko Saved -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Mountain-Dwelling Goron Tribe -- Composition & Arrangement
- Kakariko Village -- Composition (w/Koji Kondo), Arrangement
- Sanctuary -- Composition & Arrangement
- Graveyard -- Composition & Arrangement
- Death Mountain -- Arrangement
- Courage -- Composition & Arrangement
- Rutela's Theme -- Arrangement
- Legend of Hyrule -- Composition & Arrangement
- Lake Hylia -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hyrule Castle Town -- Composition & Arrangement
- Musicians -- Composition & Arrangement
- Overpriced Shop -- Composition & Arrangement
- Reunion with Ilia -- Composition & Arrangement
- Escorting Prince Ralis -- Composition & Arrangement
- Lakebed Temple -- Composition & Arrangement
- Boss Battle #3 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Midna's Lament -- Composition & Arrangement
- Howling Stone 3 - Prelude of Light - Arrangement
- Howling Stone 4 - Zelda's Lullaby - Arrangement
- Sacred Grove -- Arrangement
- Midna's Request -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Twilight Realm -- Composition & Arrangement
- Gerudo Desert -- Composition & Arrangement
- Arbiter's Grounds -- Composition & Arrangement
- Zora's Domain -- Arrangement
- Snowpeak -- Composition & Arrangement
- Wolf Song 6 ~ Wind's Requiem -- Composition & Arrangement
- Snowpeak Ruins -- Composition & Arrangement
- Love -- Composition & Arrangement
- Boss Defeated -- Composition & Arrangement
- Temple of Time -- Composition & Arrangement
- Malo Mart -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ilia's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Hidden Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Wolf Song 7 - Ballad of Twilight -- Composition & Arrangement
- Jovani's House -- Composition & Arrangement
- City in the Sky -- Composition & Arrangement
- Great Fairy's Fountain -- Arrangement
- Mirror of Twilight Completed -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Twilight Princess -- Composition & Arrangement
- Entering the Twilight Realm -- Composition & Arrangement
- Palace of Twilight -- Composition & Arrangement
- Final Battle #4 -- Composition (w/Koji Kondo), Arrangement
- Staff Credits Theme #1 -- Composition (w/Koji Kondo), Arrangement
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- The Ghost Ship Appears -- Composition & Arrangement
- Tetra Boards the Ship -- Composition & Arrangement
- Link... Save Me -- Arrangement
- House -- Composition & Arrangement
- Linebeck's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Astrid's House -- Composition & Arrangement
- Boss Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sand of Hours -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sand of Hours Get -- Composition & Arrangement
- The She-Pirate, Jolene -- Composition & Arrangement
- Goron Island -- Arrangement
- Goron House -- Arrangement
- Bellum Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Linebeck's Struggle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Linebeck Possessed -- Composition & Arrangement
- Phantom Linebeck Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ciela's Parting Words -- Arrangement
- Wii Channel - Composition & Arrangement
- Plaza -- Composition & Arrangement
- Super Hoop -- Composition & Arrangement
- Advanced Step -- Composition & Arrangement
- Health - Composition & Arrangement
- Credits -- Composition & Arrangement
- Yoga - Composition & Arrangement
- Penguin - Composition & Arrangement
- Title (Big Brain Academy) -- Arrangement
- Nintendogs Theme - Live Ver. (nintendogs) -- Drums
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- Title Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Aboda Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Anjean's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Chancellor Cole's theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Byrne's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Tower of Spirits -- Composition & Arrangement
- Riding the Rails 2 (Main Theme) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Whittleton -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sanctuary -- Composition & Arrangement
- Riding the Rails 3 (Cursed Overworld) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Anouki Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Goron Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Papuchia Village -- Composition & Arrangement
- Underwater -- Composition & Arrangement
- Linebeck's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hero of the Tracks -- Arrangement
- Song of Awakening -- Composition & Arrangement
- Song of Healing -- Composition & Arrangement
- Song of Discovery -- Composition & Arrangement
- Song of Birds -- Composition & Arrangement
- Song of Light -- Composition & Arrangement
- Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement
- Staff Credits -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ammomite Battle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Challenge -- Composition & Arrangement
- Boss Challenge -- Composition & Arrangement
- Startup -- Composition & Arrangement
- Loading... -- Composition & Arrangement
- Home Screen -- Composition & Arrangement
- Shopping (Original) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Add Funds -- Composition & Arrangement
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- Ballad of the Goddess (Milk Bar Musicians) -- Guitar
- The Showdown Looms -- Composition & Arrangement
- World 4 -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sprawling Savanna -- Composition & Arrangement
- Beep Block Skyway -- Composition & Arrangement
- Fuzzy Flood Mine -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hands-On Hall -- Composition & Arrangement
- Piranha Creeper Creek -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Great Tower -- Composition & Arrangement
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
- Smiles and Tears -- Arrangement
- Opening -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splattack! (Jam Session) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splattack! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ink or Sink -- Composition & Arrangement
- Seaskape -- Composition & Arrangement
- Kraken Up -- Composition & Arrangement
- Metalopod -- Composition & Arrangement
- Now or Never! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Victory! - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Victory! - Results -- Composition & Arrangement
- Defeat - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Defeat - Results -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hooked -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sucker Punch -- Composition & Arrangement
- Player Editor -- Composition & Arrangement
- Visiting Inkopolis -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkopolis Tutorial -- Composition & Arrangement
- Plaza -- Composition & Arrangement
- Lobby -- Composition & Arrangement
- Dubble Bath -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest - Theme Announcement -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest - Final Results -- Composition & Arrangement
- Reward Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Cap'n Cuttlefish's Theme -- Composition & Arrangement
- Octo Valley -- Composition & Arrangement
- Eight-Legged Advance -- Composition & Arrangement
- Tentacular Circus -- Composition & Arrangement
- Cephaloparade -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkstrike Shuffle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Octoweaponry -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hero Mode - Onward! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hero Mode - Splat! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Sunken Scrolls -- Composition & Arrangement
- I Am Octavio -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splattack! (2014 E3PV) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Urchin Underpass -- Composition & Arrangement
- Urchin Underpass (One Minute Left) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Opening -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkoming! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Rip Entry -- Composition & Arrangement
- Undertow -- Composition & Arrangement
- Don't Slip -- Composition & Arrangement
- Endolphin Surge -- Composition & Arrangement
- Now or Never! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Victory! - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Turf Master -- Composition & Arrangement
- Defeat - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ink Another Day -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkoming! (Cloud Demo) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Visiting Inkopolis Square -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkopolis Square Tutorial -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkopolis Square -- Composition & Arrangement
- Without a Dop Doubt -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Shoal -- Composition & Arrangement
- Dubble Bath (DIY Remix) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Inkopolis News -- Arrangement
- Splatfest - Theme Announcement -- Composition & Arrangement
- Color Pulse -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest - Match Opening -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ebb & Flow -- Composition & Arrangement
- Acid Hues -- Composition & Arrangement
- Muck Warfare -- Composition & Arrangement
- Now or Never! (Splatfest) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest Victory! - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Fest Zest -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest Defeat - Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Party's Over -- Composition & Arrangement
- Splatfest - Final Results -- Composition & Arrangement
- Reward Jingle -- Composition & Arrangement
- Low Tide -- Arrangement
- Octo Eight-Step -- Composition & Arrangement
- The Girl from Inkopolis -- Composition & Arrangement
- Buoyant Boogie -- Composition & Arrangement
- Shooting Starfish -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hero Mode - Onward! -- Composition & Arrangement
- Hero Mode - R.I.P. -- Composition & Arrangement
- 2017.1 PV SoundTrack -- Composition & Arrangement
- Cap'n Cuttlefish Theme (Octo) ~ Player Editor -- Composition & Arrangement
- #0 shell -- Composition & Arrangement
- #1 progress -- Composition & Arrangement
- #2 ripped -- Composition & Arrangement
- #11 above -- Composition & Arrangement
- Challenge Clear! -- Composition & Arrangement
- #19 bless -- Composition & Arrangement
- Are Get -- Composition & Arrangement
- Last Battle Opening -- Composition & Arrangement
- Fly Octo Fly -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ebb & Flow (Octo) -- Composition & Arrangement
- Conclusion -- Composition & Arrangement
- Grand Finale -- Composition & Arrangement
- Into the Light -- Composition & Arrangement
- Ebb & Flow (Demo) -- Composition & Arrangement
Interviews
- Nintendo Power: Inside Zelda: Twilight Princess (archived)
- Iwata Asks: Wii Fit
- Famitsu: Splatoon
- Famitsu: Splatoon 2
External links
- Mobygames - Information on Toru Minegishi
- Square Enix Music Online - Information on Toru Minegishi