Yoko Shimomura: The Fellowship 2025

Words by Morna Fraser.

The distant crashing of waves swells into the soft, sustained notes of a piano. The melody waltzes, rises and falls, punctuated with light trills, before flowing back into an almost endless loop. Across the screen, a collection of blade-like serifs spells out the words, “Kingdom Hearts”.

For many who first played the game as children in 2002, Kingdom Hearts holds a cherished place in our memories. Its title theme, “Dearly Beloved”, composed by Yoko Shimomura, is just as deeply embedded. Back then, the song’s gentle refrain may have quietly soundtracked our childhood chatter and laughter, or perhaps lulled us into sleep.

Subtle in its structure, ‘Dearly Beloved’ is rich in emotion. The song is rooted in a minor scale, but occasionally drifts into major keys, as if caught between feelings of sadness and hope, loss and renewal, innocence and strength – mirroring the very themes of the game. For me, revisiting the song as an adult carries more weight than it did over two decades ago. It almost feels as if Shimomura wrote it to be experienced from the future.

With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, yet ever modest and unassuming, Shimomura is one of the most influential video game composers of our time. The essence of her enduring dedication to the craft is simple: “It’s my love of music,” she says. “The joy of being able to work with it and have people listen to it is what I like the most.” Now, she receives the BAFTA Fellowship, a testament to her exceptional contribution to the industry.

In addition to composing music for the entire Kingdom Hearts series – which currently stands at 13 instalments – Shimomura is renowned for her work on games like Street Fighter II (1991), Super Mario RPG (1996) and Final Fantasy XV (2016). However, her path into the industry wasn’t entirely straightforward. A piano major at Osaka College of Music in the late 1980s, Shimomura initially planned to become a teacher after graduation. But when video game company Capcom visited her university for a recruitment event, Shimomura took a chance and applied for a role in their “sound creation” department – despite the doubts of her family and piano teachers. It was a bold move, but one that would prove life-changing.

Much to her surprise, Shimomura was offered the role at Capcom. During her tenure, she composed music for their arcade ‘brawler’ games, and had her breakthrough with Street Fighter II, where she created unique themes for each character. Even within the limitations of 8-bit technology, she imbued each song with the fighter’s personality and story, from the heroic, rock-infused synth of ‘Ken’s Theme’, to the playful pentatonic scale of’“Chun-Li’s Theme’. The soundtrack’s impact on contemporary culture can still be felt to this day, with its samples appearing in countless pop and hip-hop productions. In 1993, Shimomura moved on to company Square Enix (then Square) and marked her first foray into the fantasy genre – one she would become widely known for – via the game Legend of Mana (1999).

Perhaps Shimomura’s unconventional route into the industry has been key in shaping the resonance of her work, particularly within fantasy role-playing games (RPGs). Her compositions are deeply attuned to emotion, reflecting not only the challenges, doubts and accomplishments of the characters she scores, but also, in many ways, her own journey as a composer. Her pared-back melodies, meanwhile, convey a sense of unwavering humility. This emotional yet understated depth is what makes her music so powerful. She makes fantasy feel human.

“I think RPGs allow for more emotional depth compared to action games,” she says. “And I often compose music based on emotions, so it suits me very well. That said, even when I’m in charge of action games, I still try to imagine the various emotions and backgrounds of the characters.” Drawing on her piano training, Shimomura has honed the ability to adapt her approach to different genres and styles, with a deep sense of feeling always at the core. “Many people have the impression that the piano is beautiful and transparent, but there is also an intensity that I can make use of, like in combat or battle scenes.”

Though grounded in classical music, Shimomura has a pop-like sensibility, with a keen ear for a memorable melody or hook. It can be heard in the driving basslines of Street Fighter II and the simplicity of “Dearly Beloved”; in the sparse guitar and keys of “Safe Haven” in Final Fantasy XV; in the wistful strings and chime-like synths on “Musique pour la tristesse de Xion” from Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009).

She recognises the significance of the unadorned loop – how to let it flow, breathe and linger in memories long after the game is over – and of how, through an almost meditative rhythm, music creates a space for the player to focus and engage. But Shimomura is also a master at evolving the loop, introducing slow builds and textures that create a sense of gradual progression without disrupting the gameplay or breaking the immersion. Achieving harmony between the two is no easy feat, but Shimomura gets it right every time.

Her process places freedom at the forefront of creativity. “In the beginning, I just let it come out naturally from within myself,” she explains. Upon several listens, if there are sections that don’t feel quite right, or seem out of place, she’ll use her training to correct the sounds in accordance with theory.

Now a freelance composer, Shimomura continues to create music for video games, while also venturing beyond the virtual realms. She released her debut studio album Murmur in 2007, has performed live orchestral arrangements of her work, and has recently contributed to the scoring of several short films and anime series. Despite her wide-ranging career, it’s the personal feedback from listeners that remains her greatest reward. “I feel very proud when people tell me that my songs have inspired them to live, inspired them to do their best, or healed their sadness,” she says. “If my songs can save someone’s life or heal someone’s heart, then I couldn’t be happier.”

• See who else received awards at the BAFTA Games Awards

Awarded every year by the Academy, the BAFTA Fellowship is the highest accolade given to an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or TV. Previous Fellows include Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier and Judi Dench.

For more inspiring stories from the world of film, games and TV explore our BAFTA Award Stories.

See a full list of previous BAFTA Fellows.