Kenji Ito | |
|---|---|
伊藤 賢治 | |
| Born | July 5, 1968 Tokyo, Japan |
| Other names | Itoken |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, musician |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Employer | Square (1990–2001) |
| Musical career | |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, clarinet, alto saxophone |
Kenji Ito (伊藤 賢治, Itō Kenji, born July 5, 1968), also known by the nickname Itoken (イトケン),[1][nb 1] is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the Mana and SaGa series, though he has worked on over 30 video games throughout his career as well as composed or arranged music for over 15 other albums, concerts, and plays. He learned to play several instruments at a young age, and joined Square directly out of college as a composer in 1990 at the advice of a professor. He worked there for over a decade, composing many of his best-known scores. In 2001, he left Square to become a freelance composer, but has since continued to collaborate with the company.
Since leaving Square, Ito has composed soundtracks to over a dozen games, and has branched out into composition and production of music for plays and albums for other performers. Ito's work has been performed in a concert dedicated to his pieces as well as general video game music events, and he has played the piano in additional concerts. Pieces of his from the SaGa and Mana series have been arranged as piano solos and published in sheet music books.
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