Hitoshi Sakimoto

Who is Hitoshi Sakimoto?

Hitoshi Sakimoto is a Japanese video game composer and arranger. He is best known for scoring the games Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII, though he has composed soundtracks for over 70 games and arranged music for more than 40 others. He began playing music and video games in elementary school, and began composing video game music for money by the time he was 16. Sakimoto's professional career began a few years later in 1988 when he started composing music professionally as a freelancer, as well as programming sound drivers for games. Five years and 40 games later, he achieved his first mainstream success with the score to Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen. Four years and another 40 games later in 1997, he joined Square and composed his first international success, the score to Final Fantasy Tactics.

In 2002 he resigned from Square to form his own music company, Basiscape, through which he continues to compose music for games such as Final Fantasy XII. Basiscape has expanded since its founding to 10 composers, and is currently the largest independent video game music production company. In addition to video game soundtracks, over the years Sakimoto has also worked on projects such as anime series and vocal albums. His music has been played at numerous music concerts by groups such as the Eminence Symphony Orchestra, and his work on Final Fantasy XII was arranged for the piano and published as a book of sheet music.