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Japanese composer renowned for his distinctive and eclectic video game soundtracks, particularly collaborations with developer Goichi Suda (Suda51). Born in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, Masafumi Takada studied music at Tokyo University of the Arts. He began his career composing for Human Entertainment in the mid-1990s, notably for the 'Fire Pro Wrestling' series and the survival horror game 'Twilight Syndrome'. His breakthrough came through a long-standing collaboration with Grasshopper Manufacture and its founder, Goichi Suda (Suda51), starting with the critically acclaimed soundtrack for 'killer7' (2005). He became Grasshopper's sound director, creating iconic scores for games like the 'No More Heroes' series (2007-2021), 'Shadows of the Damned' (2011), 'Lollipop Chainsaw' (2012), and 'The Silver Case' (1999/2016). Takada is known for his ability to blend diverse genres, from chiptune and electronic to orchestral, rock, jazz, and pop, often within a single game, creating atmospheres ranging from intense and chaotic to melancholic and quirky. He has also composed for anime ('Danganronpa: The Animation') and continues to work on various projects, including the 'No More Heroes' series and collaborations outside Grasshopper.

• Takada's musical style is highly eclectic, often described as 'schizophrenic' due to its rapid shifts between contrasting genres and moods within a single soundtrack, perfectly matching the off-beat and hyper-stylized nature of Suda51's games.
• Despite composing primarily for action and horror games, Takada has cited classical music, particularly composers like Shostakovich, as a major influence, alongside video game music pioneers and film composers.
• He frequently incorporates unconventional sounds and instruments into his compositions, such as toy pianos, distorted vocals, and heavily processed samples, contributing to his unique sonic signature.