Manaka Kataoka (#16194)

[GDPR_delete_03]

So Kataoka's the lead composer for Breath of the Wild. Thoughts, anyone? Personally, I'm very happy about it given the quality of the Spirit Tracks soundtrack which she also had a hand in.

[Jormungand]

I didn't care for the music in the trailer. Skyward Sword set a really high bar, in my opinion--especially with the evolution of dungeon music from atmospheric to active and melodic.

I really wanted Wakai to come back, to be honest. But I'm hopeful. I don't know a lot about Kataoka and haven't found much to listen to to get a good idea of the style, just a few Animal Crossing tracks.

[RBM95]

I'm betting Wakai might be busy working on Pikmin 4 / 3DS or some other projects at this point.

Either way, Breath of the Wild is set in a completely different mood from previous Zelda titles - the world is devastated and on the bring of decay, and it's also more seamless with less defined boundaries between areas. Most of the music I've heard so far is very ambient-y (slight piano cues here and there) and interactive with the on-screen actions (active music when you fight with Guardians or ride a horse, for example), much unlike a continuous heroic theme playing in the overworld. Perhaps Kataoka was better suited for this kind of sound than other Nintendo composers.

[cal]

I mean, it isn't confirmed she is the lead composer. All we know for certain is that she composed the main theme.

There's definitely other composers involved, and an orchestrator.

[yvk2000]

Originally Posted by Jormungand

I didn't care for the music in the trailer. Skyward Sword set a really high bar, in my opinion--especially with the evolution of dungeon music from atmospheric to active and melodic.

The atmospheric dungeon music of the 3D Zelda's is actually what made me a fan of the soundtracks, so Im suprised to read this (seems like a change of music direction rather than an evolution to me).

[dissident93]

Originally Posted by yvk2000

The atmospheric dungeon music of the 3D Zelda's is actually what made me a fan of the soundtracks, so Im suprised to read this (seems like a change of music direction rather than an evolution to me).

I agree. I thought Skyward Sword's soundtrack was one of the weakest of the entire series, and would not like for BOTW to have the same sound.

[Jormungand]

I've been revisiting the SS soundtrack lately. I've found a whopping 68 tracks that I really enjoy, which is even higher than some JRPG soundtracks I regularly listen to. And it's a mixture of all involved composers. SS did something really special that OoT, MM, WW, and TP didn't. That's not to say I didn't like those scores.

My favorite Zelda score continues to be LttP which possesses a timelessness I think will remain unmatched. But SS has come in second. It's incredibly memorable, and when comparing side-by-side the more atmospheric music direction to what SS does, the latter captures my interest far more by being more melodic, expressing a wider range of affects, and presenting a variety of genres and instrumental combinations. It works great in-game, too.

[RBM95]

Originally Posted by RBMNintendoGamer

I'm betting Wakai might be busy working on Pikmin 4 / 3DS or some other projects at this point.

I was wrong! Wakai also took care of Breath of the Wild altogether, as he appears credited as Sound Director. Also Yasuaki Iwata appears credited with Kataoka for music, even though I'm still believing Kataoka had the mayor input in this game.