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Japanese video game composer and sound designer renowned for her atmospheric and innovative work on Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series, particularly Breath of the Wild. Manaka Kataoka is a composer employed by Nintendo, joining the company in 2006 after graduating from the Tokyo University of the Arts. She is best known as the lead composer and sound director for the critically acclaimed soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom (2023). Her work is characterized by minimalist piano melodies, ambient textures, and dynamic systems that react to player actions and the in-game environment.

• Kataoka's minimalist piano theme for Breath of the Wild became instantly iconic, setting a new, serene tone for the Zelda series.
• She pioneered innovative adaptive music systems for Breath of the Wild, where subtle piano motifs dynamically change based on time of day, weather, location, and player actions, creating a deeply immersive soundscape.
• Her work on Breath of the Wild earned widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards, fundamentally shifting expectations for open-world game soundtracks.
• Information about her personal life, creative process outside Nintendo projects, and specific inspirations is scarce, as she maintains a low public profile typical of many Nintendo developers.