- Wikipedia

{"parse":{"title":"Junichi Masuda","pageid":2465537,"text":{"*":"

The native form of this personal name is Masuda Jun'ichi. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Junichi Masuda
\u5897\u7530 \u9806\u4e00
Masuda in 2011
Born	(1968-01-12) January 12, 1968 (age 57) Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Alma mater	Japan Electronics College
Occupations	\n Composer \n director \n designer \n producer \n programmer \n
Years active	1989\u2013present
Employers	Game Freak (1989\u20132022) The Pok\u00e9mon Company (2022\u2013present)
Musical career
Genres	Video game music
Instrument(s)	Piano, trombone
\n Musical artist

Junichi Masuda (\u5897\u7530 \u9806\u4e00, Masuda Jun'ichi, born January 12, 1968) is a Japanese video game composer, director, designer, producer, singer, programmer and trombonist, best known for his work in the Pok\u00e9mon franchise. He was a member of Game Freak where he was an employee and executive at the company since 1989 when he founded it alongside Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori.^[1]^[2] In 2022, Masuda was appointed to be Chief Creative Fellow at The Pok\u00e9mon Company.\n

With the development of new Pok\u00e9mon games, Masuda took new roles in future projects. He began to produce and direct games, starting with Pok\u00e9mon Ruby and Sapphire, and became responsible for approving new character models. His style seeks to keep games accessible while still adding increasing levels of complexity. His work sticks to older mainstays of the series, including a focus on handheld game consoles and 2D graphics. His music draws inspiration from the work of celebrated modern composers like Dmitri Shostakovich, though he used the Super Mario series as a model of good video game composition.\n

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Life

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Masuda was born on January 12, 1968, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.^[3] As a child, his family often vacationed in Ky\u016bsh\u016b, where he spent his time catching fish and insects. Masuda was inspired by his time there to base the Pok\u00e9mon series's Hoenn Region after it.^[4] In high school, Masuda played the trombone; he soon discovered classical music, and was drawn in by works like Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5.^[5]\n

Masuda attended the Japan Electronics College, a technical school in Shinjuku, Tokyo, where he studied computer graphics and the C programming language using a DEC Professional.^[6]^[7] His daughter Kiri was born in September 2002; he named a character in Pok\u00e9mon Ruby and Sapphire after her.^[8]\n

Career

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Victory! Wild Pok\u00e9mon

One of Pok\u00e9mon songs by Masuda

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Masuda has worked at Game Freak since the company's inception in 1989,^[9]^[10] and has been involved in nearly every title that Game Freak has produced.^[10] Masuda was one of the original developers of the Pok\u00e9mon series, beginning with Pok\u00e9mon Red and Green.^[11] He was first hired to compose video game music, where his first game at Game Freak was Mendel Palace, a 1989 puzzle game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.^[12] After Mendel Palace, he worked on Yoshi, the company's first collaboration with Nintendo.^[12]\n

When the company first began releasing Pok\u00e9mon titles, Masuda worked mainly as the composer, though he did minor programming work as well, and later began directing and producing them.^[12] His work on the first games included writing the program to play audio in the games, music, and sound effects.^[13] Masuda has been directly involved in the naming and design of many Pok\u00e9mon. He has stated that one of the hardest aspects of design is making sure that a Pok\u00e9mon's name and attributes will appeal to a global audience.^[11] Since Pok\u00e9mon Ruby and Sapphire, Masuda has been one of the main employees who approve or reject designs for new Pok\u00e9mon.^[14] He served as a member of the Game Freak board of directors.^[15]\n

On September 28, 2018, Masuda revealed that during the early years of developing Pok\u00e9mon games, \"game data was nearly lost in a computer crash\". Masuda described it as \"the most nerve-racking moment in development\", saying \"We were developing the game on these Unix computer stations called the Sun SPARCstation 1. We\u2019re developing, and they\u2019re these Unix boxes, and they crashed quite a bit.\"^[16]\n

On November 1, 2018, Masuda stated that Pok\u00e9mon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! would likely be his final time serving as director for the main series Pok\u00e9mon games. The development torch to was passed to Shigeru Ohmori, who had previously assume lead director of Pok\u00e9mon Sun and Moon.^[17] However afterwards, he served as a director for Pok\u00e9mon Brillant Diamond and Shining Pearl, developed by ILCA.\n

Masuda produced the Japanese ending themes \"Pok\u00e9mon Shiritori\" and \"Batsugun Type\" for Pok\u00e9mon Journeys with Japanese electronic group Pasocom Music Club.^[18]\n

On June 1, 2022, Masuda left Game Freak to The Pok\u00e9mon Company, acting as Chief Creative Fellow.^[19]\n

Influences and style

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Masuda approaches each of his games with the mindset that a beginner should be able to easily play it.^[20] In view of this, his games begin in an easily approachable and accessible style, with more layers of complexity being introduced as the player progresses through the game.^[12] He believes that handheld systems provide an opportunity for social interaction that cannot be found on non-handheld console systems.^[20] He has stated that the continued use of 2D computer graphics has been integral to Pok\u00e9mon's success.^[21]\n

Masuda's musical style draws from a number of sources, particularly classical music and the works of Igor Stravinsky and Dmitri Shostakovich.^[14] His favorite musical genre is techno, and he has looked to the music of the Super Mario series as an example of video game music that works well.^[14] Most of his ideas draw inspiration from simply observing real life and visualizing how he would design or draw outside objects.^[13] As a rule, he does not use previous characters as inspirations for new ones, instead creating each new one from independent sources.^[13]\n

Works

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Year	Game title	Role\n
1989\n	Mendel Palace	Music, sound effects\n
1991\n	Yoshi\n
1992\n	Magical Taruruto-kun\n
1993\n	Mario & Wario	Programmer, music, sound effects\n
1994\n	Pulseman\n
1996\n	Pok\u00e9mon Red, Green and Blue\n
Bazaru de Gozaru no Game de Gozaru\n	Programmer\n
1997\n	Bushi Seiry\u016bden: Futari no Y\u016bsha	Programmer, music, sound effects\n
1998\n	Pok\u00e9mon Yellow\n
1999\n	Click Medic\n	Director, game design, programmer\n
Pok\u00e9mon Gold and Silver	Sub director, game design, music, sound effects\n
Pok\u00e9mon Stadium\n	Advisor\n
2000\n	Pok\u00e9mon Crystal	Director, game design, scenario, music, sound effects\n
2002\n	Pok\u00e9mon Ruby and Sapphire	Director, game design, battle music, plot scenario\n
2003\n	Pok\u00e9mon Box: Ruby and Sapphire	Director, planner\n
2004\n	Pok\u00e9mon FireRed and LeafGreen	Director, game design, music\n
Pok\u00e9mon Emerald\n	World director, game design, battle music, plot scenario\n
2005\n	Drill Dozer	Producer, additional tuning\n
2006\n	Pok\u00e9mon Ranger\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Diamond and Pearl\n	Director, battle music, plot scenario\n
2008\n	Pok\u00e9mon Ranger: Shadows of Almia\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Platinum\n	Producer, battle music, plot scenario\n
2009\n	Pok\u00e9mon Rumble\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon HeartGold and SoulSilver\n	Producer, music\n
2010\n	Pok\u00e9mon Ranger: Guardian Signs\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Black and White\n	Director, producer, battle music, world & plot\n
2011\n	Pok\u00e9mon Rumble Blast\n	Game design advisor\n
Learn with Pok\u00e9mon: Typing Adventure\n
2012\n	Pok\u00e9mon Black 2 and White 2\n	Producer, world & plot\n
HarmoKnight\n	General producer\n
2013\n	Pok\u00e9mon Rumble U\n	Game design advisor\n
Pocket Card Jockey\n	General producer\n
Pok\u00e9mon X and Y\n	Director, producer, battle music, world & plot\n
2014\n	Pok\u00e9mon Battle Trozei\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire\n	Producer\n
2015\n	Tembo the Badass Elephant\n	General producer\n
Pok\u00e9mon Rumble World\n	Game design advisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Picross\n
2016\n	Detective Pikachu\n
Pok\u00e9mon Go\n	Music, game design assistance\n
Pok\u00e9mon Sun and Moon\n	Producer, battle music\n
2017\n	Giga Wrecker\n	General producer\n
Pok\u00e9mon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon\n	Producer, battle music\n
2018\n	Pok\u00e9mon Quest\n	General producer\n
Pok\u00e9mon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!\n	Director, general producer, original music, concept\n
2019\n	Little Town Hero\n	General producer\n
Pok\u00e9mon Sword and Shield\n	Producer\n
2021\n	Pok\u00e9mon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl\n	Director, battle music, concept and plot\n
2022\n	Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Arceus\n	Supervisor\n
Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet and Violet\n	Supervisor, music\n

References

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^ \"Interview with Shinji Miyazaki and the Game Freak sound team - #pocketmonsters, your source for news about Pok\u00e9mon and Pocket Monsters\". Pocketmonsters.net. Archived from the original on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2011-01-19.\n
^ \"GAME FREAK Secret Base for GAME FREAK's 30th Anniversary | GAME FREAK\". Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-11-19.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (2010). \"Profile\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2010.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (9 September 2004). \"No. 15\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2010.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (4 October 2007). \"No. 109\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2010.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (12 June 2007). \"No. 86\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2010.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (2 September 2004). \"No. 13\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2010.\n
^ Masuda, Junichi (28 October 2004). \"No. 24\". Hidden Power of Masuda: Director's Column. Game Freak. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.\n
^ Padilla, Raymond (17 March 2009). \"Junichi Masuda & Takeshi Kawachimaru Talk 'Pokemon Platinum', Particle Physics, Bridges, And More!\". G4. G4 Media. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2010.\n
^ ^a ^b \"Junichi Masuda Biography\". IGN. News Corporation. 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2010.\n
^ ^a ^b Noble, McKinley. \"Pokemon Platinum: Developer Interview!\". GamePro. IDG. pp. 1\u20132. Archived from the original on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 1 June 2010.\n
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Nutt, Christian (3 April 2009). \"The Art of Balance: Pok\u00e9mon's Masuda on Complexity and Simplicity\". Gamasutra. Think Services. pp. 1\u20133. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.\n
^ ^a ^b ^c Harris, Craig (23 February 2009). \"Pokemon Creators on Platinum\". IGN. News Corporation. p. 2. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.\n
^ ^a ^b ^c Grimm, Michael (20 March 2009). \"How Pokemon are born\". GamesRadar. Future plc. pp. 1\u20133. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.\n
^ Haywald, Justin (2009). \"Why Gamers Still Play Pok\u00e9mon\". 1UP.com. Hearst Corporation. p. 1. Archived from the original on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2010.\n
^ \"Pokemon Game Veteran Junichi Masuda Recalls 'Most Nerve-Racking Moment'\". NDTV Gadgets360.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2018-09-29.\n
^ Nick Santangelo (November 2, 2018). \"Pokemon Let's Go is 'Probably' the Last Pokemon Game Junichi Masuda Will Direct\". IGN. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2018.\n
^ Kanazawa, Takahiro; Carbutt, Jessie (2 June 2020). \"Pasocom Music Club Interview: Finding Creativity in Limitation\". Metropolis Magazine Japan. Archived from the original on 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2022-09-02.\n
^ \"Junichi Masuda leaves Game Freak, appointed the Pokemon Company chief creative fellow\". June 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2022-06-01.\n
^ ^a ^b Hoggins, Tom (12 May 2009). \"Pok\u00e9mania continues with Pok\u00e9mon Platinum\". The Daily Telegraph. London. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.\n
^ Nutt, Christian (3 April 2009). \"Pokemon's Masuda: 2D Brings 'Flavor' To Series' Visuals\". Gamasutra. Think Services. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.\n

Pok\u00e9mon

by The Pok\u00e9mon Company, owned by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and Game Freak

Video games

Main series

Generation II	Generation III	Generation IV	Generation V
\n Gold / Silver\n Crystal \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Typhlosion \n Wooper \n Unown \n Delibird \n Ho-Oh \n	\n Ruby / Sapphire\n Emerald \n FireRed / LeafGreen \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Gardevoir \n Mawile \n Regirock, Regice, and Registeel \n	\n Diamond / Pearl\n Platinum \n HeartGold / SoulSilver \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Pachirisu \n Garchomp \n Lucario \n Regigigas \n	\n Black / White\n Black 2 / White 2 \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Zoroark \n Chandelure \n Volcarona \n

Generation VI	Generation VII	Generation VIII	Generation IX
\n X / Y \n Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Klefki \n	\n Sun / Moon \n Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon \n Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go, Eevee! \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Popplio, Brionne, and Primarina \n Mimikyu \n Meltan \n	\n Sword / Shield\n Expansion Pass \n Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl \n Legends: Arceus \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Sobble \n Wooloo \n Galarian Corsola \n Fossil Pok\u00e9mon \n Regieleki and Regidrago \n Kleavor \n	\n Scarlet / Violet \n \n \"Celestial\" \n \"Biri-Biri\" \n Legends: Z-A \n Pok\u00e9mon\n Sprigatito, Floragato, and Meowscarada \n Fuecoco \n Tinkaton \n

Characters

Brock
Misty
Team Rocket
Cynthia
Serena
Lillie
Hop
Nessa
Nemona
Larry
Rivals
List of Pok\u00e9mon\n
- Shiny Pok\u00e9mon

Spin-offs

Hey You, Pikachu!
Snap\n
- New Snap
Pinball\n
- Ruby & Sapphire
Project Studio
Puzzle League\n
- Puzzle Challenge
Box: Ruby and Sapphire
Channel
Dash
Trozei!\n
- Battle Trozei
Mystery Dungeon
Ranger\n
- Shadows of Almia
- Guardian Signs
Rumble\n
- Blast
- U
- World
- Rush
Pok\u00e9Park\n
- Wonders Beyond
Typing Adventure
Conquest
Art Academy
Shuffle
Pokk\u00e9n Tournament
Picross
Detective Pikachu\n
- Returns
Magikarp Jump
Quest
Masters EX
Smile
Caf\u00e9 ReMix
Unite
Sleep
Meowth's Party

Competitive play

Other

Pok\u00e9mon Pikachu
Pok\u00e9mon Mini
Pok\u00e9 Ball Plus
Bank
Super Smash Bros.
Trading Card Game\n
- sets
- video game
- TCG Online
- TCG Pocket
Trading Figure Game
Twitch Plays Pok\u00e9mon

Unofficial

Pok\u00e9mon fan games\n
- Prism
- Uranium
- Pok\u00e9mon Essentials
PETA satirical browser games
Micromon
Pocket Mortys

Media

TV series

Episodes

Seasons 1\u201313	\n Indigo League\n \"Pok\u00e9mon, I Choose You!\" \n 2.B.A. Master\n \"Pok\u00e9mon Theme\" \n Adventures in the Orange Islands \n The Johto Journeys \n Johto League Champions \n Master Quest \n Advanced \n Advanced Challenge \n Advanced Battle \n Battle Frontier \n Diamond and Pearl \n Battle Dimension \n Galactic Battles \n Sinnoh League Victors \n
Seasons 14\u2013 present	\n Black & White \n Rival Destinies \n Adventures in Unova and Beyond\n \"Te o Tsunag\u014d\" \n XY \n Kalos Quest \n XYZ \n Sun & Moon \n Ultra Adventures \n Ultra Legends \n Journeys \n Master Journeys \n Ultimate Journeys \n Horizons \n The Search for Laqua \n
\n Removed from rotation\n \"Denn\u014d Senshi Porygon\" \n Chronicles \n Theme songs \n

Characters

Films

Animated

The First Movie\n
- soundtrack\n
  - \"Don't Say You Love Me\"
- Mewtwo Strikes Back \u2013 Evolution
2000\n
- \"The Power of One\"
- \"Toi et Moi\"
- \"Flying Without Wings\"
3: The Movie
4Ever
Heroes
Jirachi, Wish Maker
Destiny Deoxys
Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
The Rise of Darkrai
Giratina & the Sky Warrior\n
- \"One\"
Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Zoroark: Master of Illusions
Black\u2014Victini and Reshiram / White\u2014Victini and Zekrom\n
- \"Sora/Koe\"
Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice
Genesect and the Legend Awakened
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
I Choose You!
The Power of Us
Secrets of the Jungle

Live-action

Detective Pikachu\n
- score
- \"Carry On\"

Manga

Pocket Monsters
Adventures\n
- volumes\n
  - 1\u201320
  - 20\u201340
  - 41\u2013current
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
Magical Pok\u00e9mon Journey

Miniseries

Music

Theme songs\n
- \"Pok\u00e9mon Theme\"
\"Biri-Biri\"
\"Carry On\"
\"Celestial\"
\"Electric\"
\"Flying Without Wings\"
\"One\"
Pok\u00e9mon 2.B.A. Master
Pok\u00e9mon: The First Movie\n
- \"Don't Say You Love Me\"
\"The Power of One\"
Project Voltage
\"Sora/Koe\"
\"Te o Tsunag\u014d / Kindan no Karma\"
\"Toi et Moi\"

Related
People	\n Tsunekazu Ishihara \n Sayuri Ichiishi \n Junichi Masuda \n Shigeki Morimoto \n Atsuko Nishida \n Shigeru Ohmori \n Naoki Saito \n Takeshi Shudo \n Ken Sugimori \n Satoshi Tajiri \n Kunihiko Yuyama \n
Organizations	\n Ambrella \n Genius Sonority \n ILCA \n Wizards of the Coast \n
Community	\n MissJirachi \n Pok\u00e9mon Challenges \n Nuzlocke \n
Marketing	\n Pok\u00e9mon Center \n Pok\u00e9mon Jet \n Burger King Pok\u00e9mon container recall \n Pok\u00e9park \n Pok\u00e9futa \n Pok\u00e9mon 25th Anniversary \n Pok\u00e9mon Fossil Museum \n Project Voltage \n
Pop culture	\n Pikachurin \n Zbtb7 \n Mazuca strigicincta \n Binburrum articuno \n Nocticola pheromosa \n Aerodactylus \n Bulbasaurus \n Pikachu virus \n T\u00eda Pikachu \n Pok\u00e9mon and pornography\n doujinshi incident \n Fakemon \n

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Junichi Masuda

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1 June, 2022