Wataru Hokoyama (?? ?, Hokoyama Wataru, born August 24, 1974 in Aizu, Fukushima, Japan) is a Japanese composer, conductor, and orchestrator based in Hollywood, California. He left his birth nation of Japan at the age of 16 to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. He later attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and the USC Thornton School of Music. His works include the original scores for Bean Cake, Ocha Cups for Christmas, One, Afrika, and Soul Sacrifice.In 2008, Hokoyama composed, orchestrated, and conducted all the music for the video game Afrika. The soundtrack was released in Japan. The music was awarded Best Original Video Game Score by The Hollywood Music Awards 2008. Movie Music UK has the only review of the soundtrack and gave it 4.5/5.0, saying "Hokoyama has left a strong impression with the wonderful music he has composed. This is a soundtrack you cannot pass up." In 2009, Hokoyama provided a few orchestral cues for cutscenes in Resident Evil 5. It was his second video game project.More recently, Hokoyama again provided some additional orchestral cues for Ace Combat 3D: Cross Rumble. Following that, Hokoyama then co-composed, orchestrated, and conducted the music for the PlayStation Vita game, Soul Sacrifice. He was assisted on the project by the well known composer, Yasunori Mitsuda. He would later rejoin Mitsuda to help compose new music for the sequel Soul Sacrifice Delta. Also in 2013, he contributed some music and co-orchestrated the soundtrack to the PlayStation 4 game, Knack.
Wataru is discreetly known for his psychic abilities, and he has clients for his private reading/healing/coaching sessions among celebrities and corporate executives in U.S. and Asia.
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Life in Color
2015/I
Knack
2013
Video Game
Soul Sacrifice
2013
Video Game
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
2011
Video Game music composer: Pyramind Studios
Afrika
2008
Video Game
2095
2007
The Making of Dark Fantasy
2006
Video documentary short
Chiyo
2006
Short
Kami no hidarite akuma no migite
2006
The Document of 'God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand'
2006
Video documentary short
Miracle Planet
2004
TV Series documentary
The Kabuki Joint
2003
Short
Ocha Cups for Christmas
2002
Short
One
2001
Short
The Best Picture Show
2001
Short
Bean Cake
2001
Short
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
2011
Video Game conductor: Skywalker Sound
Hop
2011
orchestrator
Ace Combat: Joint Assault
2010
Video Game conductor: orchestra BGM / music arranger: orchestra BGM / orchestrator: orchestra BGM
Biohazard 5
2009
Video Game orchestrator: additional music
Miracle Planet
2004
TV Series documentary music arranger
Me and My Old Man
2001
Short conductor
Dungeons & Dragons
2000
orchestrator
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
2014
Video Game conductor
Knack
2013
Video Game conductor
Soul Sacrifice
2013
Video Game conductor
Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack
2012
Video composer: additional music / orchestrator
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Biohazard 5
2009
Video Game music: "Pray", "An Emergency", "A Big Despair", "Wind of Madness", "Deep Ambition", "Plan of Uroboros" / performer: "Pray", "An Emergency", "A Big Despair", "Wind of Madness", "Deep Ambition", "Plan of Uroboros" / writer: "Pray", "An Emergency", "A Big Despair", "Wind of Madness", "Deep Ambition", "Plan of Uroboros"
Stories
2007
Video arranger: "Satogekishi" / performer: "A Gift From My Son" / writer: "A Gift From My Son", "Satogekishi"
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2008
IFMCA Award
International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media