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Japanese composer and conductor known as the father of video game music, famous for his Dragon Quest scores. Koichi Sugiyama revolutionized video game music through his orchestral compositions for the Dragon Quest series. Born in Tokyo, he initially worked in advertising and TV before transitioning to game music in 1986. His symphonic approach elevated game soundtracks to concert-hall status, influencing generations of composers. He conducted live Dragon Quest concerts globally until his death at age 90.

• Sugiyama released the first commercial video game soundtrack (Dragon Quest, 1986), pioneering the concept of standalone game music albums.
• His nationalist political views sparked controversy; he denied Japanese WWII atrocities and advocated revising pacifist Article 9 of Japan's constitution.
• Founded the revisionist group Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, drawing criticism from China and South Korea.
• Despite controversies, he received Japan's Order of the Rising Sun in 2018 for cultural contributions.
• Died of septic shock in Tokyo, with his final Dragon Quest score (DQ XII) unfinished.