The Works and Impact of Yuka Tsujiyoko

[BriForABri]

Throughout my life-long affinity and deep love for video games of all genres, I have always taken a special appreciation and respect for the incredible soundtracks some of my favorites have to offer. And to a greater degree, the men and women behind the magic. I remember always playing Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire on my GBA when I was kid and only listening to the music during long plane rides. However, as I kid, I did not have NEAR as much appreciation for these pieces as I should have. Only when I became a high school band student did I truly do more research into the masterminds behind some of my favorite tunes from childhood through adolescence. Only when I had a better understanding of music and a stronger appreciation for composers did I learn more about these people who helped make my experiences with video games that much more incredible. You have the man behind some my most favorite pieces in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess that terrified me when I was in elementary school: Koji Kondo. You have the man behind the pieces that made me cry when I played through Final Fantasy VI: Nobuo Uematsu. But it is the most recent addition to my list of absolutely beloved composers on which I would like to focus today: Yuka Tsujiyoko.

Ever since I started playing Fire Emblem back when I was high school freshman, one of the biggest factors that kept me coming back (and STILL keeps me coming back) was the incredibly catchy, atmospheric, and medieval-sounding music. I have fond memories of playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl and hearing some of the most classic and recognizable Fire Emblem pieces to date. I always wanted my brother to pick "that cool song with the guitars" whenever we played on a Fire Emblem stage. That was akin to what I would say, because childhood me did not know that that piece was called "With Mila's Divine Protection." Though, it was not until I became a die-hard fan of the series in late high school that I learned about the mastermind behind this and many other famous pieces in the series: Yuka Tsujiyoko.

My love of Yuka Tsujiyoko's work in the Fire Emblem series really grew when I started to play many of the older games in the series. This games' soundtracks were some of her best, in my opinion. Not only that, I believe that her work in these games helped create them into the incredible experiences that they were, and still are, for many young and older gamers. Personally, my love and passion for Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War would not be as strong without the incredible work Yuka Tsujiyoko put into its score. To me, FE4 is masterful at not only creating a great game, but also an almost movie-like experience. The story, characters, and of course, the incredible soundtrack, work in perfect harmony to create an experience on the Super Famicom that can grip players and drag them into the lore, story, and history of Jugdral. That exactly what happened to me when I heard Yuka Tsujiyoko's incredible soundtrack during my first playthrough of the game. Pieces such as each main chapter theme were not incredibly pleasing to the ears, but they also matched the theme of the story so well. I loved how each army in Jugdral received their own themes! It fits with a game series that focuses on medieval warfare and history so well! My favorite pieces of hers in FE4 have got to be "Dance in the Skies," "Doorway to Destiny," "Crossing the Desert," "The 2nd Grannvale Army Theme," and of course, the ever classic "Fire Emblem Theme."

But I played FE4 over 20 years after its initial release. What about the first Fire Emblem game to have been released for both Japan AND the West? Well, Yuka Tsujiyoko lent her skills for that game as well. Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword has so many classic pieces in its soundtrack, that I can only imagine how satisfying it must have felt for people to experience them for themselves back when the game first released back in 2003/04. For Westerners to be able to experience not only the incredible gameplay of Fire Emblem, but also the incredible music for themselves for the first time is simply incredible to me. Once again, Yuka Tsujiyoko does an incredible job at creating the incredible medieval-themed soundtracks that the series is known for, but with the incredible GBA sounds present in Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade. While I still prefer the soundtrack present in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, I cannot deny that the soundtrack of Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword has perhaps some of the most recognizable pieces in the series. Pieces such as the first "Fire Emblem Theme" heard by Western audiences, "Together We Ride!," and the incredible battle theme are synonymous with the series name.  And thanks to the Sound Room present in the game's Extras menu, fans can listen whenever they need their fix of the sweet sounds of FE7.

Though Yuka Tsujiyoko has settled into the role of Sound Supervisor in the more recent entries of the Fire Emblem, I am incredibly happy that she is still serving an integral role in making the series as great as it can be. With the more recent entries in the series still having the phenomenal music that Fire Emblem is known for, I am ecstatic that the new composers at the helm of the soundtrack ship are doing wonderful work! As time passes on, they, too, will be known for their numerous contributions to the Fire Emblem series. One could argue that they already have! But I will always have an affinity and love for the work done by Yuka Tsujiyoko. Ranging from the FE songs that I heard when I was a young child playing Super Smash Bros. with my older brother, to her incredible work in my personal favorite entries in the Fire Emblem series. The works and legacy of Yuka Tsujiyoko will always be, in my opinion, one of the many factors that helped make Fire Emblem the great series that it has been, and remains to be to this day.

Who are some of your favorite Fire Emblem composers? What are your favorite FE soundtracks? Please let me know your own thoughts and opinions! I would love to hear what you all think!

[eclipse]

If you're going to post an essay before getting to the point, consider starting a blog.

[BriForABri]

On 1/6/2020 at 4:02 AM, eclipse said:

If you're going to post an essay before getting to the point, consider starting a blog.

Yeah, I definitely understand what you're saying. That's my mistake. I won't post such a lengthy description with little discussion here again. Sorry about that!  

[Gerd0]

FE4's soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece. Lots of really catchy songs that totally sell the atmosphere of the game.

It's astounding how well Gaiden's soundtrack made the transition from 8-bit to modern. In particular, "Twilight of the Gods" almost sounds like it was originally composed with the intention of it being remastered with an epic sounding choir many years later.