While working for Capcom, Shimomura contributed to the soundtracks of over 16 games, including the successful Street Fighter II, which she composed all but three pieces for. The first soundtrack she worked on at the company was for Samurai Sword in 1988. Final Fight, in 1989, was her first work to receive a separate soundtrack album release, on an album of music from several Capcom games. The first soundtrack album to exclusively feature her work came a year later for the soundtrack to Street Fighter II. While she began her tenure at Capcom working on games for video game consoles, by 1990 she had moved to the arcade game division. She was a member of the company's in-house band Alph Lyla, which played various Capcom game music, including pieces written by Shimomura. She performed live with the group on a few occasions, including playing piano during Alph Lyla's appearance at the 1992 Game Music Festival.
In 1993, Shimomura left Capcom to join another game company, Square (now Square Enix). She stated that the move was done because she was interested in writing "classical-style" music for fantasy role-playing games. While working for Capcom, she was in the arcade department and was unable to transfer to the console department to work on their role-playing video game series Breath of Fire, although she did contribute one track to the first game in the series. Her first project at the company was the score for the role-playing video game Live A Live in 1994. While she was working on the score to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars the following year, she was asked to join Noriko Matsueda on the music to the futuristic strategy RPG Front Mission. Although she was overworked doing both scores and it was not the genre that she was interested in, she found herself unable to refuse after her first attempt to do so unexpectedly happened in the presence of the president of Square, Tetsuo Mizuno. These games were followed by Tobal No. 1, the last score she worked on with another composer for a decade.
Over the next few years, she composed the soundtrack to several games, including Parasite Eve and Legend of Mana. Of all her compositions, Shimomura considers the soundtrack to Legend of Mana the one that best expresses herself and the soundtrack remains Shimomura’s personal favourite. Parasite Eve on the PlayStation had the first soundtrack by Shimomura that included a vocal song, as it was the first game she had written for running on a console system that had the sound capability for one. In 2002 she wrote the score for Kingdom Hearts, which she has said is the most “special” soundtrack to her, as well as a turning point in her career; she named the soundtracks to Street Fighter II and Super Mario RPG as the other two significant points in her life as a composer.
Kingdom Hearts was wildly successful, shipping more than four million copies worldwide; Shimomura’s music was frequently cited as one of the highlights of the game, and the title track has been ranked as the fourth-best role-playing game title track of all time. The soundtrack has led to two albums of piano arrangements. Kingdom Hearts was the last soundtrack that she worked on at Square. After the release of Kingdom Hearts in 2002, Shimomura left Square for maternity leave, and began work as a freelancer in 2003. She has built on the work she did while at Square; since leaving she has composed or is composing music for eleven Kingdom Hearts games and Nintendo’s Mario & Luigi series. She has also worked on many other projects, such as Heroes of Mana and various Premium Arrange albums. On February 10 and 11, 2014, Shimomura played piano at a retrospective 25th anniversary concert at Tokyo FM Hall. She performed songs from games such as Kingdom Hearts, Live a Live, and Street Fighter II. During the Beware the Forest’s Mushrooms performance from Super Mario RPG, Shimomura was joined onstage by fellow game composer Yasunori Mitsuda, who played the Irish bouzouki. She is currently working on the score for Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III.
Her works have gained a great deal of popularity, and have been performed in multiple video game music concerts, including one, Sinfonia Drammatica, that was focused half on her “greatest hits” album, Drammatica: The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura, and half on the music of a previous concert. Music from several of her games have been published as arranged albums and as piano scores.
Video game soundtracks:
• Samurai Sword (Famicom Disk System) (1988)
• Final Fight (1989) (Minor role) – with Yoshihiro Sakaguchi (uncredited)
• Code Name: Viper (1990) (All songs except Stage 1) (uncredited) – with Junko Tamiya
• Adventure Quiz Capcom World: Hatena no Daibouken (1990) (Minor role) – with Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, Manami Matsumae, Junko Tamiya, Hiromitsu Takaoka, and G. Morita (uncredited)
• Gargoyle's Quest (1990) (Minor role) – with Harumi Fujita (uncredited)
• Adventures in the Magic Kingdom (1990)
• Mizushima Shinji no Daikoushien (1990)
• Nemo (1990)
• Mahjong School: The Super O Version (1990) (Minor role) – with Masaki Izutani (uncredited)
• Street Fighter II (1991) – with Isao Abe
• Buster Bros. (PC Engine) (1991) – with Tamayo Kawamoto
• The King of Dragons (1991)
• Block Block (1991) – with Masaki Izutani
• Varth: Operation Thunderstorm (1992) (Minor role) – with Masaki Izutani and Toshio Kajino
• Breath of Fire (1993) – with Yasuaki Fujita, Minae Fujii, and Mari Yamaguchi (Only composed "Trade City")
• The Punisher (1993) – with Isao Abe
• Live A Live (1994)
• Front Mission (1995) – with Noriko Matsueda
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)
• Tobal No. 1 (1996) – with many others
• Parasite Eve (1998)
• Legend of Mana (1999)
• Hataraku Chocobo (2000)
• Kingdom Hearts (2002)
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (2003)
• Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (2004)
• Pop'n Music Carnival (13) (2005) – (Only composed "Majestic Fire")
• Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005)
• Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
• Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner (2006) – with many others
• Heroes of Mana (2007)
• Luminous Arc 2 (2008) – with Akari Kaida, Yoshino Aoki, and Shunsuke Nakamura
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009)
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009)
• Pop'n Music The Movie (17) (2009) – with many others
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010) – with Tsuyoshi Sekito and Takeharu Ishimoto
• Kingdom Hearts coded (2010)
• Xenoblade Chronicles (2010) – with ACE+, Manami Kiyota, and Yasunori Mitsuda
• Last Ranker (2010)
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (2010)
• Radiant Historia (2010)
•The 3rd Birthday (2010) – with Tsuyoshi Sekito and Mitsuto Suzuki
• Half-Minute Hero II (2011) – with many others
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012) – with Tsuyoshi Sekito and Takeharu Ishimoto
• Demons' Score (2012) – (Only composed "Azazel del cielo ardiente")
• Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2013)
• Exstetra (2013) – (Only composed “Main Theme”)
• Rise of Mana (2014) - (Only composed “Where the Heart Beats Free”)
• Chronos Ring (2014) - with Kenji Ito and Evan Call
• Final Fantasy XV (2016)
• Kingdom Hearts III (2019)
Other works:
• Parasite Eve Remixes (1998)
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Premium Arrange (2004) – with many others
• Dark Chronicle Premium Arrange (2004) – with many others
• Dan Doh!! (2004)
• Best Student Council (2005)
• Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange (2006) – with many others
• Murmur (2007) – original album with lyrics and vocals by Chata
• Drammatica: The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura (2008)
• Mushihimesama Double Arrange Album (2009)
• GO! GO! Buriki Daioh!! (2012)
• GeOnDan RareTrax the LAST (2012)
• GeOnDan Super Rare Trax: The LAND of RISING SUN (2011) – with many others
• GO! GO! Buriki Daioh!! (2012)
• X'mas Collections II (2013)
• memória! ~ The Very Best of Yoko Shimomura (2014)
• Game Music Prayer II (2014)
Song of Mana ~Opening Theme~
下村陽子 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En nostalgisk
Sång någonstans långt borta
Den rörde djupt I mitt hjärta
En ung styrka
Talade om livets sång
Och jag kom tillbaks
Sluten I en sång, både vänlig och grym
Mitt live tog en vändning
Jag är född på nytt
Skyndar mig för att få vara dig nära
Om och om igen, längtar jag
Efter dig jag skyndar mig
För att få vara dig nära
Om och om igen, längtar jag efter dig
Min längtan ej nån diamant
(Bara en linten kristall)
Ett sandkorn i öknen, en droppe i havet
Men med högmod, kommer jag
Åstider kommer och går
Och jag följer i samma spår
Allt jag vill är att sova,
Omfamnad i din sång
Allt jag vill är att vänta,
Kura ihop i en dröm
Jag följer min längtan till dig
Satt ridande på en vind
Ekar långt din sång
Kastad av vågor, svallar ja mot dig
Ung energi (En nostalgisk sång)
Ditt leende jag håller så nära I hjärta
Och jag fortsätter min färd
Det är ont om tid, jag måste skynda mig
Trodde att jag var fri,
Fri från det förflutna
Men mångfärgade minnen
Blommar djupt i mig
Åntiglen, åntiglen når jag dig
Hör min sanning och se min dröm
Min vackra dröm
Åstider kommer och går
Och jag följer i samma spår
Trodde att jag var fri,
Fri från det förflutna
Men mångfärgade minnen
Blommar djupt i mig
Åntiglen, åntiglen når jag
The lyrics of 下村陽子's song Song of Mana ~Opening Theme~ are full of emotions and speak about the journey of the singer. In the beginning, the singer hears a nostalgic song in the distance that deeply moves their heart. The song speaks of the struggles and joys of life and how it has shaped the singer. The singer feels reborn and rushes to be close to the person the song is about. They long to be near this person over and over again, and their longing is only a small part of their identity.
The singer wants to be embraced by the person's song and waits patiently, following their longing until they can reach them through any obstacle. The singer feels young energy and nostalgia but is also proud of who they are, even with their flaws. They thought they were free from their past, but the memories are now blooming within them. Despite this, they continue on their journey with the hope of reaching this person and living their beautiful dream.
Overall, Song of Mana ~Opening Theme~ conveys a sense of yearning, nostalgia, hope, and determination in the singer's voice.
Line by Line Meaning
Jag hörde
I heard
En nostalgisk
A nostalgic
Sång någonstans långt borta
Song somewhere far away
Den rörde djupt I mitt hjärta
It deeply touched my heart
En ung styrka
A youthful strength
Talade om livets sång
Spoke of the song of life
Jag är född av dig
I am born from you
Och jag kom tillbaks
And I came back
Sluten I en sång, både vänlig och grym
Enclosed in a song, both friendly and cruel
Mitt live tog en vändning
My life took a turn
Jag är född på nytt
I am born anew
Skyndar mig för att få vara dig nära
Hurrying to be close to you
Om och om igen, längtar jag
Again and again, I long
Efter dig jag skyndar mig
I hurry after you
Min längtan ej nån diamant
My longing is not a diamond
(Bara en linten kristall)
(Just a small crystal)
Ett sandkorn i öknen, en droppe i havet
A grain of sand in the desert, a drop in the ocean
Men med högmod, kommer jag
But with pride, I come
Åstider kommer och går
Seasons come and go
Och jag följer i samma spår
And I follow the same path
Allt jag vill är att sova,
All I want is to sleep,
Omfamnad i din sång
Embraced in your song
Allt jag vill är att vänta,
All I want is to wait,
Kura ihop i en dröm
Cuddle up in a dream
Jag följer min längtan till dig
I follow my longing for you
Satt ridande på en vind
Sat riding on the wind
Ekar långt din sång
Echoing your song far
Kastad av vågor, svallar ja mot dig
Thrown by waves, I surge toward you
Ditt leende jag håller så nära I hjärta
Your smile I hold so close to my heart
Och jag fortsätter min färd
And I continue my journey
Det är ont om tid, jag måste skynda mig
There is little time, I must hurry
Trodde att jag var fri,
Thought I was free,
Fri från det förflutna
Free from the past
Men mångfärgade minnen
But colorful memories
Blommar djupt i mig
Bloom deeply inside me
Åntiglen, åntiglen når jag dig
Eventually, eventually I reach you
Hör min sanning och se min dröm
Hear my truth and see my dream
Min vackra dröm
My beautiful dream
Writer(s): Carina, 下村陽子
Contributed by David J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@danielberry4728
I’d buy an album if the “I really tried playing” piano arrangements were published on a cd. Hopefully they are.
@satsukimei_toubun
ゲームの音楽は美しいを
ピアノで伝えてくださり
ありがとうございます♪
@MegaMagicalMegan
One of my favorite game experiences, the art and presentation is amazing, as is the soundtrack 💙💚💛 beautiful performance too!!!!!!
@Pocch.i
演奏のダイナミクスがめちゃくちゃ素晴らしい！！
タメが効いてて胸熱な演奏に聴き惚れてしまいました…ぐま！
@couchpotato3197
Amazing! Please do more Yoko Shimomura covers!
@Cococrash11
Awesome Legend of Mana Piano Cover: Song of Mana ～Opening Theme Video.
@user-gm8xb2oz6w
アニメEDの早見沙織さんの歌唱も素敵でした🥺
@Merlandese
DUDBEAR!!!!
@kiiiiiinako
ボーカルが聴こえる……opの映像が見える😭
@gustinex
love it <3 do cover more osts from legend of mana! hoping to hear Pain the Universe boss theme