Long interview with composer Hayato Matsuo! (The 11th "Inside Man" of Anime and Game)

This is a series of articles in which we ask creators in the animation and game industry to share their valuable stories. In this 11th installment, we will talk with composer Hayato Matsuo. Anime and special effects enthusiasts must have heard Matsuo's music at least once in "Magic Knight Rayearth," "Saint Tail the Phantom Thief," "Gold Run," "Kamen Rider 555," "Guyver," "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" (Part 1), and many others. More recently, the unusual sport anime "Competitive Woman !!!!!!!!" (Part 1). In this interview, he talks in detail about his influences, his career, his passion for his work, the qualities and abilities required of anime and game composers, and his goals for the future.

Space Battleship Yamato" got me interested in anime musical accompaniment.

Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule today. Could you tell us about some of the works that have influenced you?

Hayato Matsuo (Matsuo): I got into ELP (Emerson Lake and Palmer) when I was in the first grade of elementary school, and that is where my music started. I listened to ELP and Deodato until I ran out of tapes.

After that, a turning point or major influence was "Space Battleship Yamato" (1974-75). At the time, I really liked books, especially Pacific Warfare and science fiction, so when I heard that "Space Battleship Yamato" was going to start, I thought, "This is the anime for me! and I was hooked (laughs). (Laughs) I listened to Yasushi Miyagawa's music as much as I could, and it was at that time that I realized how interesting the background and dramatic music was.

Under the influence of my parents, I often watched foreign films. I really liked composers such as Michel Legrand for French films and Nino Rota for Italian films, and I loved Jerry Goldsmith, the composer of "Papillon," for American films. I loved Jerry Goldsmith, the composer of "Papillon" in the U.S. In the past, Goldsmith wrote many melodic and very beautiful pieces like that.

Matsuo: I understand that you studied under Professor Akira Nishimura before entering the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

Matsuo: At Geidai, in order to enter the university, you have to study under a Geidai professor, so I studied under Mr. Nishimura and Mr. Teruyuki Noda. Mr. Nishimura is very famous for his contemporary music, and after I entered Geidai, I mainly studied contemporary music. However, I was a student who did not write much music, so I think I caused Mr. Nishimura a lot of trouble.

I understand that Mr. Akira Senju, who is also famous for the accompaniment to "FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST" (2009-10) and "Battery" (2016), was at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music at that time.

Matsuo: Senju-san was an assistant in the composition instructor's office in the composition department at the time. I was to be the next assistant after Senju, and we first met when I took over the position before graduation.

Matsuo: You were also active in the instrumental band "G-Clef" from 1990 to 1991.

Matsuo: The members of this band were classmates at the University of the Arts, and Dai Sakakibara-san (I call him "Dai-chan"), the pianist, was injured and could not use his hands. I helped him in a light-hearted way, saying, "I'm sorry, but could you play a little for me? I helped him in a light-hearted way. So, it was very temporary and limited.

I wrote "Umbrella Romance," which is a little bit progressive, because I was told "anything goes. I didn't go into the studio when I was a student, so I learned a lot.

Matsuo: Do you have any goals?

Matsuo: I haven't really thought about it, but I like the music of people like Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton Howard, and Marco Beltrami, who have written Hollywood soundtracks, and I use them as references. I also use them as references, and I aim to be a good musician.

Matsuo: What kind of music do you usually listen to?

Matsuo: I always listen to the soundtracks of composers I am interested in when they are released. I often watch anime music on TV programs and listen to it on the spot. I love games, so I listen to them while actually playing them. I like to be able to stop playing the game and listen to it carefully. Recently, the music for "DOOM" was wonderful.

Although orchestral music is a large part of my work, I can write about anything.

Matsuo: Could you tell us what genres and styles you are good at?

Matsuo: I like to write both orchestral and rhythmic music, but I would say that orchestral music is a little more important to me. Personally, I like songs that are heavy, dark, sad, and helpless. I also tend to write more guitar-oriented songs that are metal-tinged and a little bit heavy.

On the other hand, I was never very good at bright songs, and after writing my first bright song for "Magic Knight Rayearth" (1994-95), I began to think, "I need to write more" (laughs). (Laughs.) I have no problem with that now.

Dark Matter" and "Accretion Disk" from "The Legend of Ogre Battle" are two songs that really utilize Matsuo-san's strengths.

Matsuo: I wrote them with images of the field and battle scenes in mind. For that game, my friend of 20 years, Hitoshi Sakimoto, asked me to write a few songs for him. He is now the president of a company called Basiscape, and we are still friends.

Matsuo: What kind of instruments are you good at?

Matsuo: Basically, keyboard instruments. It is not that I am good at piano (laughs), but I can play keyboard instruments. I also like to play the guitar and other instruments, but since my roots are in keyboard instruments, I have a hard time playing fretted instruments. I also like to play the bass guitar, but it is not something I can play in front of people.

How do you make music for fretted instruments?

Matsuo: I write the score and have someone play it for me, or, since software has recently evolved, I reproduce the music by typing it in.

Matsuo: How do you communicate with the director or producer?

Matsuo: When we place an order, we first receive a menu. I write the main theme first, and then the director will listen to it and say, "This is what I want to do. Then, the director will listen to the menu and ask, "How do you like it?