We are pleased to present an exclusive site interview with Mr. Makoto Tomozawa, chief music composer of the original Biohazard.
He remembers enrolling in the Bio development team in 1994, along with Ippo Yamada whom he worked with on 'Rockman 7'. He received no special instructions from Mr. Mikami and proposed the idea to use sound like a movie, instead of a video game. He credited the other music composers as a very talented staff and didn't produce the song for dogs jumping through the window until the end of development. On that note, Mr. Hideki Kamiya, Director of Biohazard 2, told us, "I forgot [who made the decision to include this scene]. We were discussing everyday how to frighten players."
Interviewer: Welsh
He remembers enrolling in the Bio development team in 1994, along with Ippo Yamada whom he worked with on 'Rockman 7'. He received no special instructions from Mr. Mikami and proposed the idea to use sound like a movie, instead of a video game. He credited the other music composers as a very talented staff and didn't produce the song for dogs jumping through the window until the end of development. On that note, Mr. Hideki Kamiya, Director of Biohazard 2, told us, "I forgot [who made the decision to include this scene]. We were discussing everyday how to frighten players."
Interviewer: Welsh
Project Umbrella Translation
Q. What is your current position?
A. My current position is sound director.
Q. Do you prefer coffee of tea?
A. I enjoy tea, but my favorite is beer.
Q. What made you decide to join Capcom?
A. Because the company was looking for employees by chance. I left there in 2004 or 2005.
Q. Which game did you work on before 'Biohazard'?
A. I worked on Mickey & Minnie Magical Adventure 2.
Q. 'Biohazard' was developed at Capcom Development Department 4?
A. When we produced Bio1, it was not Development Department 4.
Q. You're credited for music composition/arrangement. Could you please explain what that means? (For example, did you compose the tracks and arrange the music?)
A. My credit means I wrote music and arranged music.
Q. Could you please select which tracks you wrote based on this list?
A. I wrote 'Terror (Darkness Lives)', 'Plant' and 'Still Dawn'. I just recall the Mr. Ueda wrote 'Finally the Two Meet'.
Q. The game system of 'Biohazard' was borrowed from the '89 famicom game, Sweet Home. Did that title influence your work?
A. Sweet Home was not an influence.
Q. Were you involved with 'Biohazard' since 1st-person view?
A. I was involved with the team since 3rd-person view.
Q. Mr. Mikami said in 'True Story Behind Biohazard' that he met with one of the music composers at a bar. Was that you?
A. The person who talked with Mr. Mikami was me.
Q. What ideas did you have for the music? For example, Mr. Utsumi told me the many horror movies he watched while working.
A. I don't like horror so I only watch those movies now and then. All ideas were born from inside of me.
Q. Most of the Bio team, regardless of position, have stated that their ideas were used in the game. For example, Kamiya-san suggested maggots on the enemy "Chimera" even though he was planning director and not enemy designer. What were some of your ideas?
A. I wanted to make the sound like movie so I think most of the great movie composers gave me several many ideas.
Q. What software did you use? For example, SoftImage 3D was used for graphics.
A. We used Myu2 which was made by Kamiya Studio.
Q. Were your songs written independently or in co-operation with composers Mr. Ueda and Ms. Kaida?
A. Mr. Yamada and I had quarreled many times. Ms. Kaida was always the binding arbitrator. Now Ippo and I are good friends.
Q. At the time of Bio development, Capcom was facing bankruptcy. Do you recall if it was due to poor sales in the arcade division or consumer department?
A. I think it was caused by the failure of the movie "Street Fighter".
Q. In 2008, project supervisor Masahiko Kurokawa-san passed away. Do you remember anything about him or if other staff members have passed on since?
A. I was a rookie in those years so I don't know much about Mr.Kurokawa.
Q. Did you expect it to be such a hit? Other staff said they were unsure if the product would sell.
A. When we finished that project, I told the team this game would be a mega hit or nobody would buy it.
Q. Do you have a message for your overseas fans?
A. Message... Well, I thank all of you fans very, very much. The feeling of this gratitude cannot be explained by means of language.
A. My current position is sound director.
Q. Do you prefer coffee of tea?
A. I enjoy tea, but my favorite is beer.
Q. What made you decide to join Capcom?
A. Because the company was looking for employees by chance. I left there in 2004 or 2005.
Q. Which game did you work on before 'Biohazard'?
A. I worked on Mickey & Minnie Magical Adventure 2.
Q. 'Biohazard' was developed at Capcom Development Department 4?
A. When we produced Bio1, it was not Development Department 4.
Q. You're credited for music composition/arrangement. Could you please explain what that means? (For example, did you compose the tracks and arrange the music?)
A. My credit means I wrote music and arranged music.
Q. Could you please select which tracks you wrote based on this list?
A. I wrote 'Terror (Darkness Lives)', 'Plant' and 'Still Dawn'. I just recall the Mr. Ueda wrote 'Finally the Two Meet'.
Q. The game system of 'Biohazard' was borrowed from the '89 famicom game, Sweet Home. Did that title influence your work?
A. Sweet Home was not an influence.
Q. Were you involved with 'Biohazard' since 1st-person view?
A. I was involved with the team since 3rd-person view.
Q. Mr. Mikami said in 'True Story Behind Biohazard' that he met with one of the music composers at a bar. Was that you?
A. The person who talked with Mr. Mikami was me.
Q. What ideas did you have for the music? For example, Mr. Utsumi told me the many horror movies he watched while working.
A. I don't like horror so I only watch those movies now and then. All ideas were born from inside of me.
Q. Most of the Bio team, regardless of position, have stated that their ideas were used in the game. For example, Kamiya-san suggested maggots on the enemy "Chimera" even though he was planning director and not enemy designer. What were some of your ideas?
A. I wanted to make the sound like movie so I think most of the great movie composers gave me several many ideas.
Q. What software did you use? For example, SoftImage 3D was used for graphics.
A. We used Myu2 which was made by Kamiya Studio.
Q. Were your songs written independently or in co-operation with composers Mr. Ueda and Ms. Kaida?
A. Mr. Yamada and I had quarreled many times. Ms. Kaida was always the binding arbitrator. Now Ippo and I are good friends.
Q. At the time of Bio development, Capcom was facing bankruptcy. Do you recall if it was due to poor sales in the arcade division or consumer department?
A. I think it was caused by the failure of the movie "Street Fighter".
Q. In 2008, project supervisor Masahiko Kurokawa-san passed away. Do you remember anything about him or if other staff members have passed on since?
A. I was a rookie in those years so I don't know much about Mr.Kurokawa.
Q. Did you expect it to be such a hit? Other staff said they were unsure if the product would sell.
A. When we finished that project, I told the team this game would be a mega hit or nobody would buy it.
Q. Do you have a message for your overseas fans?
A. Message... Well, I thank all of you fans very, very much. The feeling of this gratitude cannot be explained by means of language.