Naoya Shimokawa, President of Aquaplus, announced on Twitter on July 29 that one of the company’s iconic composer, Michio Kinugasa (Real name: Susumu Mameda) has regrettably passed away in 2020.
Shimokawa mentioned Michio Kinugasa worked with Aquaplus for over 17 years, thanked him for all his contributions, and presented his condolences to the family. Naoya Shimokawa himself is one of Aquaplus’ iconic composers and formed a duo many times with Kinugasa.
突然ですが、弊社音楽スタッフの衣笠道雄（本名 豆田将）が逝去されました。
私自身未だに事実を受け止めきれていません。
彼の生み出した楽曲の数々は心に残る曲ばかりで、彼の功績なしで弊社作品を語ることはできないでしょう。
17年間本当にありがとうございました。心からお悔やみ申し上げます。— 下川 直哉 Aquaplus (@AP_shimokawa) July 29, 2020
On Twitter, multiple Aquaplus staff reacted to the news of Michio Kinugasa passing away. Most notably Suara (real name Akiko Tatsumi) who sung multiple songs composed by Kinugasa for Utawarerumono, Tears to Tiara, and more.
Suara wrote on Twitter she still can’t believe it, and hoped to keep singing Michio Kinugasa’s songs for for many years to come. She thanked him for 15 years of wonderful memories.
これまでたくさんの素晴らしい楽曲を書いて下さって、そしてこれからもまた衣笠さんが書いてくれる曲をずっと歌っていけるんだ、と当たり前のように思っていたので、今はまだ信じられない気持ちと喪失感でいっぱいです。
15年間の思い出と感謝の気持ちで、この先もしっかり歌っていきたいと思います。 https://t.co/q9EVNqtNWx— Suara (@Suara_FIX) July 29, 2020
Tsuyoshi Koyama, who voices Kurou in the Utawarerumono series, shared his feelings on Twitter as well. In particular, he mentioned he was always incredibly happy to work with Michio Kinugasa, and how he made the Utawarrumono Kurou insert song Boku Dake no Tabiji in 2010.
10年前に出したシングル『僕だけの旅路』の作曲をしてくださった衣笠道雄さんのご逝去の報せに大変驚いております。
『夢想歌』、『君だけの旅路』を始め沢山の名曲を生み出していた衣笠さんが『僕だけの旅路』を作曲してくださると分かった時、僕は本当に嬉しかった。
心よりご冥福をお祈り致します。 https://t.co/uErYZqjYEI— 小山剛志 (@_higetter_) July 29, 2020
All legendary doujin games from the early 2000s used music as one of their most iconic components. Key’s Clannad. Type-Moon’s Fate/stay night, 07th Expansion’s Higurashi, Nitroplus’ Demonbane, are all among the many examples. Aquaplus is the same. Michio Kinugasa composed for the very first game by Aquaplus, Shizuku released in 1996, and most notably worked on White Album, Comic Party, Utawarerumono, To Heart 2, Tears to Tiara, and Aquapazza. He will be dearly missed.
Kinugasa definitely played a huge part in the development of Aquaplus and its franchises. Utawarerumono, like many of its contemporary doujin games, started being hugely popular worldwide with its first anime adaptation, which aired in 2006. This is personally how I discovered the series as well. Michio Kinugasa composed the Utawarerumono anime opening theme song, Musouka, sung by Suara.
The Utawarerumono series is available in English on PC. Aquaplus recently launched the mobile game Utawarerumono Lost Flag in Japan. The company also confirmed it’s working on multiple new Utawarerumono console games.
The post Aquaplus Staff Share Homage on Twitter to Late Composer Michio Kinugasa by Iyane Agossah appeared first on DualShockers.