The Role of Role Play

Overview

Almost a decade before names like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest started to make an appearance around the world, role playing games were already a big deal in Japan. In fact, they were so important that games companies were employing the likes of Koichi Sugiyama, one of Japan’s most respected classical composers to give the 8-bit and 16-bit sound a sophistication never heard before. In this episode, we follow the music of Final Fantasy as the compositions of Nobuo Uematsu come full circle. In their early incarnations, it was 8-bit music imitating the orchestral sound. Nowadays, some of the world’s leading orchestras perform the music that once strove to elevate itself to their level.

Guest Stars

Nobuo Uematsu

Himself

Arnie Roth

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Thomas Böcker

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Jonne Valtonen

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Roger Wanamo

Himself