Illustrator and composer talk Romancing SaGa 3 and SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions in new interviews

An interview with Kenji Ito – SaGa Series Composer

1. What are some of the most iconic songs you’ve worked on across the SaGa games? What are some of your personal favorites?

I would say that the opening title track, which is called “Opening-Overture – Dawn of the Romance” in English, is a representative song for Romancing SaGa 3. That said, not only “Overture”, but any opening title track will be heard by players the most, so in general, I think it could be said that I personally like the opening track for any title.

2. What sets the music of SaGa apart from the music you’ve created for other games?

In terms of how SaGa music separates itself from that of other games, it’s quite special to me because it’s a project that helped me build my skills as a composer.

3. What was some of your inspirations when composing themes for Romancing SaGa 3 and SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions?

For “The Great Robin’s Theme ~Villainy Will Never Prosper~” in Romancing SaGa 3, I took inspiration from different anime themes. For example, I added lots of little musical phrases and melodies which were inspired by the main theme for the Japanese anime “Yatterman”.

Rather than the melody itself, I drew from the sounds, such as that of the kettledrum, found in the main theme song “Theme of Yatterman” composed by Masayuki Yamamoto.

In SaGa SCRALET GRACE: AMBITIONS, I was inspired by Balmaint himself when creating his theme. I tried really hard to reflect his characteristics, like his strength of character, personality, and physique, in the music.

4. How do you start the process of composing a theme?

We start by reviewing documents regarding the characteristics, physique, and other aspects for each character. Then, we try and create a melody or mix that lets you feel that character’s determination or will, so that the character’s personality and ‘feeling’ really come across within the music too.

5. Did you have an overall theme in mind when composing the music for Romancing SaGa 3 or SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions?

I did not approach working on either title with a certain theme in mind. That being said, I did get a better sense of what that theme could be the more I worked on each title.

For example, with Romancing SaGa 3, the “Death Eclipse” theme seemed dark, grand, and profound, but rather than focusing on that entirely, I wanted to discover something that was full of hope.

For SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions, the original “SaGa Scarlet Grace” had preceded it, and the Firebringer illustration used as the packart had already been completed, so those served to expand on the image. The Firebringer is a villain, but there’s something about him that makes him more than a mere antagonist. I believe he left that kind of impression. I suppose, in general and not limited to these titles, it comes down to being conscious about the story development from a musical standpoint during production.

6. Did your approach to composing music change during the span of time between working on Romancing SaGa 3 and SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions? If so, how?

My fundamental approach didn’t change that much between the two games, but with SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions we had several other arrangers who worked on the title. Because of this, to me it felt like they brought different colors and feelings to the table.

7. Each of the eight main protagonists in Romancing SaGa 3 has their own unique theme music that fits to their unique character traits and play styles. Can you explain how the creation process was? Did you work closely with the development team to create theme songs that are ever so fitting to each character?

Tomomi Kobayashi’s character illustrations were already complete when I was composing the music for Romancing SaGa 3, so the melody lines formed as I referenced her illustrations, such as the characters’ expressions and attire as well as the weapons they’re holding. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that the sounds begin to form. For example, in Romancing SaGa 3, Khalid has an Asian feel and Mikhail has a king-like atmosphere… I wanted to give him a dignified image. From that standpoint, I draw a lot of inspiration from the designs of the characters’ attires.

8. In Romancing SaGa 3 the characters learn through inspiration. What did you learn from working on the SaGa games?

In terms of what I learned, when I created the music for the four Sinistrals battles, I was able to use the otherwise “forbidden” musical instrument – the electric guitar – in one of the tracks. That was the first time I was able to impart a real “rock” vibe, which turned out to be a big element of the song.

I’ve shared this anecdote before in previous interviews, but the words of Hiroshi Takai, a development team member back then, became the reason for incorporating the electric guitar in this track.

When we began composing the music for Romancing SaGa 3, he came to the sound team’s room one day and asked, “Why aren’t you using the sounds from an electric guitar?” I answered, “It’s because it won’t sound clean/beautiful.” He responded by saying, “That’s not right. It’s whether you decide to do so or not.” Mr. Takai and I are the same age. When spoken that way, it left a slight sense of frustration, leading me to think “if you insist”…that’s how it all kind of started. Mr. Takai has always been a man of ideas. Particularly, a song like “The Four Sinistrals 2” had been a first back then, and it left an impression on me as I remember it causing a bit of a buzz among everyone (those who listened to the track) since such a sound had been emitted from the SFC hardware.

9. Whether a moment of defeat or triumph, the musical score of SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions feels ever-optimistic. Was there a message you wanted players to hear coming through from the background of this special universe?

Through my music, I’d be really happy if players feel that even in difficult times, they can progress as long as they keep on looking forward.