Keiichi Yano
Encyclopedia
is a Tokyo-based video game designer and musician responsible for a number of music video game
titles including his most famous game, the 2002 cult video game, Gitaroo Man
. Yano has been involved in music (especially jazz music) from a young age and he earned a major in jazz
studies at the University of Southern California
. He has spent time playing saxophone in Tokyo jazz clubs.
, and began development of video games. His first project was the early music video game
, Gitaroo Man
for which he acted as lead programmer. The game enjoyed only moderate sales, however it received critical accolades and became a well-known cult classic.
Since then Yano has developed a number of other music video game
s including the Oendan
series. The Ouendan games have been criticized as unintelligible to Western markets due to its emphasis on Japanese Ōendan
culture, however despite this Yano has created Western-targeted localizations such as the Blues Brothers-influenced Elite Beat Agents
. Most recently Yano has created the karaoke game, Lips
Yano is personal friends with fellow music video game
pioneer, Tetsuya Mizuguchi
, and Yano's contributions to the world of music video game
s have gained him notoriety as one of the pioneers of the genre.
Aside from music games, Yano has worked on a number of other utilities such as the NFactor2 (a Realtime 3D Engine), the MixJuice Interactive Music Engine, and the Japanese version of the Xbox Voice Chat Interface. He has also worked on such projects as the Japanese localization of the Western Sudeki
and even an arcade prototype for a Gundam Pilot Academy from Banpresto
.
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
titles including his most famous game, the 2002 cult video game, Gitaroo Man
Gitaroo Man
is a video game for the Sony PlayStation 2, published by Koei and developed by iNiS, with visual production by Mitsuru Nakamura AKA 326 and music performed by COIL....
. Yano has been involved in music (especially jazz music) from a young age and he earned a major in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
studies at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He has spent time playing saxophone in Tokyo jazz clubs.
Career
In 1996, Keiichi Yano co-founded the production company, iNiSINiS
is a Japanese video game developer that specializes in rhythm games. It was co-founded by Keiichi Yano on February 3, 1997. The name iNiS is an acronym and it stands for "infinite Noise of the inner Soul."-Games developed:-Engines:...
, and began development of video games. His first project was the early music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
, Gitaroo Man
Gitaroo Man
is a video game for the Sony PlayStation 2, published by Koei and developed by iNiS, with visual production by Mitsuru Nakamura AKA 326 and music performed by COIL....
for which he acted as lead programmer. The game enjoyed only moderate sales, however it received critical accolades and became a well-known cult classic.
Since then Yano has developed a number of other music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
s including the Oendan
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan
, sometimes referred to as simply Ouendan, is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in 2005, for release only in Japan...
series. The Ouendan games have been criticized as unintelligible to Western markets due to its emphasis on Japanese Ōendan
Oendan
An , literally "cheering squad" or "cheering section", is a Japanese sports rallying team similar in purpose to a cheerleading squad in the United States, but relies more on making a lot of noise with taiko drums, blowing horns and other items, waving flags and banners, and yelling through plastic...
culture, however despite this Yano has created Western-targeted localizations such as the Blues Brothers-influenced Elite Beat Agents
Elite Beat Agents
Elite Beat Agents is a music video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was first released in North America, and has since been released in Europe and South Korea . It is the spiritual sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, a Japanese rhythm game...
. Most recently Yano has created the karaoke game, Lips
Lips (video game)
Lips is a video game for the Xbox 360. Lips was developed by iNiS and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game features the use of motion sensitive wireless microphones and supports the use of songs already owned through a Zune or iPod. The game was released on November 18, 2008 in North...
Yano is personal friends with fellow music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
pioneer, Tetsuya Mizuguchi
Tetsuya Mizuguchi
is a video game designer and founder of the video game development firm Q Entertainment. He formerly worked for Sega were he eventually became the head of their United Game Artists division...
, and Yano's contributions to the world of music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
s have gained him notoriety as one of the pioneers of the genre.
Aside from music games, Yano has worked on a number of other utilities such as the NFactor2 (a Realtime 3D Engine), the MixJuice Interactive Music Engine, and the Japanese version of the Xbox Voice Chat Interface. He has also worked on such projects as the Japanese localization of the Western Sudeki
Sudeki
Sudeki is an action role-playing game which was first released on the Xbox exclusively and ported later for Microsoft Windows.The game was developed by UK based Climax Group. The PC porting was done as well by Climax and published by Zoo Digital Publishing. The producer of the game was Mark Simmons...
and even an arcade prototype for a Gundam Pilot Academy from Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
.
Utilities and non-games
- NFactor2 Realtime 3D Engine
- MixJuice Interactive Music Engine
- Xbox Voice Chat InterfaceXbox LiveXbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
for the Japanese XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
Games
- Gitaroo ManGitaroo Manis a video game for the Sony PlayStation 2, published by Koei and developed by iNiS, with visual production by Mitsuru Nakamura AKA 326 and music performed by COIL....
(2002, PS2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
) - SudekiSudekiSudeki is an action role-playing game which was first released on the Xbox exclusively and ported later for Microsoft Windows.The game was developed by UK based Climax Group. The PC porting was done as well by Climax and published by Zoo Digital Publishing. The producer of the game was Mark Simmons...
(2004, XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
) - Japanese localization - Osu! Tatakae! OuendanOsu! Tatakae! Ouendan, sometimes referred to as simply Ouendan, is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in 2005, for release only in Japan...
(2005, Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
) - Gitaroo Man Lives! (2006, PSPPlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
) - Elite Beat AgentsElite Beat AgentsElite Beat Agents is a music video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was first released in North America, and has since been released in Europe and South Korea . It is the spiritual sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, a Japanese rhythm game...
(2006, Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
) - Rain: Wonder Trip (2006, PSPPlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
) - Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It is the third game to use its gameplay, and is the sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan while incorporating many of the improvements in gameplay made in Elite Beat Agents...
(2007, Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
) - LipsLips (video game)Lips is a video game for the Xbox 360. Lips was developed by iNiS and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game features the use of motion sensitive wireless microphones and supports the use of songs already owned through a Zune or iPod. The game was released on November 18, 2008 in North...
(2008, Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
)