Yoko Shimomura

Yoko Shimomura was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1967. She started playing piano early and studied classical composers, but also listened to rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music as a teenager. That mix of influences shows up in her work.

She joined Capcom in 1993 and wrote music for video games. One of her pieces, "Somnus," appears in the game Final Fantasy XV. Another track, "Song of Mana," comes from the game Legend of Mana. Her compositions often have clear melodies that stick with players.

Shimomura left Capcom in 2002. Since then, she has continued composing for games and has spoken about how video game composers sometimes don't get enough recognition or pay. Her music, like "Ready To Fight" and "Seven Shades of Life -Bejeweled City in Ruins-", keeps showing up in new projects.