Manami grew up in Kyoto, Japan, where she heard all sorts of beautiful sounds — like the rustle of bamboo leaves in the wind or the gentle strum of her father playing acoustic guitar for her as she fell asleep at night.

One day, when she was 4 years old, Manami wanted to join in her father’s guitar songs, so she started sounding out notes on an organ. The sounds that came out were right on pitch. Manami looked at her father with a big smile on her face. She felt the notes still vibrating inside her. She heard their echo all around. In that moment, Manami knew that music was going to be her life.

A fairy tale podcast about the real-life rebel women who inspire us.

On this episode, Manami Matsumae — legendary composer and creator of some of the most iconic songs of the video game industry.

When she was at her piano at home, Manami didn’t just go over her lessons. She composed her own music! First by playing randomly on the keys, then, slowly, by  coming up with her own original pieces.

When she finished her very first composition, she was so happy and so proud that she felt she could fly. Even today, many years later, Manami can still remember how to play that tune!

Throughout her school years, Manami was devoted to practicing and composing at the piano. She attended the Osaka University of Arts and graduated as a piano major. Her plan was to become a piano teacher and to share her love of music just as her father had done for her.

Capcom invited her for an interview and audition. She was asked to perform some of the pieces she had composed during her college years. They were all classical pieces, so Manami really doubted they would work for this company.  But… she was immediately hired!

Manami’s family and instructors were furious. How could she give up her career as a classical pianist for this job?

You see Rebels, at the time the video game industry wasn’t very well respected and people who worked there to create the music and soundtracks of games like Super Mario were not really considered artists. Plus, it was a space almost entirely dominated by men. So, the odds were definitely against Manami.

She wasn’t scared though. She liked video games, and she liked a good challenge. She knew there would be limitations on what and how she could compose, but that excited her too. After all, even Bach— one of the greatest composers of all time — had written some of his music using very limited notes and chords. Manami was determined to use her classical training to her advantage.

Manami studied the game diligently, trying to piece together the different ways each character might feel as she or he risked their lives to complete a mission. Manami wanted to be in tune with all the visuals from the game and create sound effects that felt authentic and exciting. She tried combining some of her classical influences with more current genres, like rock, electronica, ambient, pop, industrial, symphonic and even chiptune!

The result?

Manami wound up creating some of the most iconic sound effects in video game history! She came up with a powerful electronic zap for when a character died, a reinvigorating crescendo for when they got an extra life, and a catchy jingle for every time a player selected a new stage. These sounds each lasted just a few seconds, but Manami was able to capture so many emotions in these small pieces of music. She was already making a huge impact on the gaming experience.

Her next assignment was another hit: Final Fight, a game where a group of heroes had to stop criminal gangs from attacking Metro City. Manami was asked to create sound effects that would inspire courage, strength, and above all muscular force. Again, she spent hours playing the game herself to get a full understanding of its mechanics. Then she dug into the composing and creating.

She found vibrations and tones that would give players momentum and inspiration. With short, sharp blasts of sound she made their battles truly come alive. And people loved it! They looked forward to hearing these sounds when they finished difficult battles, or completed a mission. Most players of Final Fight were boys and young men. Nobody knew or even guessed that a classically trained female pianist was behind it.

As Manami composed more and more, her style became very popular and instantly recognizable. People even nicknamed it the “Matsumae signature sound”. Everybody in the video game industry wanted to work with her! At just 25 years old, Manami was the solo audio producer of one of the most popular video games in the world, and she was having so much fun!

In 2017, thirty years after she started composing for video games, Manami released her first solo album, called Three Movements. It was full of Manami’s energetic and memorable tunes from throughout her career. It also told a sort of story through sound. She wove together all different kinds of compositions, from sound effects and orchestral pieces, to soundscapes and trances.

“These songs come in a variety of genres, and I want everyone to listen to the different styles I’ve experienced throughout the years,” Manami said.

She imagined her life as a sort of gaming experience, with vivid images, dramatic soundtracks, and adventure. And her listeners loved every moment of it.

Every foot step

Every gasp

Every moment of rising tension can tell an incredible story.

Especially when we listen like Manami and find the music that is everywhere.

This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

This episode was produced and directed by Haley Dapkus, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Elena Favilli. Script editing by Abby Sher. Fact checking by Joe Rhatigan. Joy Smith was our executive producer.

Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi.

A special thanks to the whole Rebel Girls team, who make this podcast possible! Until next time, stay rebel!