Shoji Meguro, the composer behind some of the most distinctive soundtracks in Japanese role-playing games, says his goal is to keep players on their toes. In an interview, Meguro explained that he wants each new project to catch audiences off guard, then gradually win them over. «When players hear a song in the game, I want them to think, 'Wait, they can actually have a song like this!?' and be genuinely surprised,» he said. «Then, over time, I want that reaction to become something like, 'It really surprised me at first, but it actually fits the scene so well, and now I'm hooked on it...'. That's the kind of music I try to create.»
Meguro has been shaping the sonic identity of Atlus games since the original 1996 release of Revelations: Persona. Over the decades, he has given each entry in the Persona series its own flavor, from the sugary pop vocals and rock-hip-hop blend of Persona 3 to the J-pop of Persona 4 and the Jamiroquai-inspired acid jazz of Persona 5. He notes that early hardware limitations constrained his expression, but since the PlayStation 2 era, he has felt free to experiment. «From the PlayStation era through the early days of the PlayStation 2, there were hardware limitations so I wasn't completely free in terms of what I could express,» he said. «But since then, I haven't really felt constrained.»
For Metaphor: ReFantazio, Atlus's latest fantasy RPG, Meguro faced a different challenge. The game is set in a purely otherworldly realm, following an orphan from the magic-wielding Elda tribe who, with a fairy companion, journeys across the United Kingdom of Euchronia to solve a king's murder and a prince's cursed sleep. Early on, Meguro knew the soundtrack needed an orchestral epic scope, but director Katsura Hashino pushed him to retain the «distinctive, edgy quality associated with Atlus.» The result is a score that weaves electronic euphoria into traditional orchestration, heightening the drama of the adventure.
One of the most striking elements of the soundtrack is the inclusion of religious chanting. Meguro recruited Keisuke Honryo, chief priest of Myojoji Temple, to record Buddhist sutras for the game's battle themes. He had discovered Honryo through a YouTube performance called «Nam Jazz experiment,» which combined chanting with jazz. «I wanted to create something that was both religious in nature and had that distinctive Atlus edge,» Meguro said. He increased the urgency of the familiar chants to give them more bite, and Honryo was immediately open to the idea. The music also features choral vocals in a specially created language, designed to make the music feel as if it is playing inside the characters' heads rather than simply soundtracking their quest.
Meguro says he never felt that pushing the music in an eccentric direction was risky. «In fact, I think taking the more conservative approach and making a new IP sound like Persona would have been riskier,» he explained. That willingness to take creative leaps has defined his career. He first became interested in music as a child, starting electric organ lessons at five, and later got an 8-bit computer that sparked his interest in game development. He joined Atlus in 1996 and, despite going freelance in 2021, remains a frequent collaborator. «Thankfully, I don't feel that I have anything left to prove,» he said. «I think that's why I'm able to create new music without feeling that I'm taking a risk.»
At the same time, Meguro acknowledges the passage of time. «To be honest, my physical and mental energy have declined as I've gotten older,» he admitted. Yet he continues to compose, driven by a restless creative hunger. «I think [I'm still creating] because I still haven't found anything that truly satisfies me,» he said.
Fans will soon have a chance to experience his music live. The Metaphor: ReFantazio world orchestral tour premieres in Texas on October 9, followed by stops in Illinois on October 11 and California on October 13, before heading to Asia and Europe. Meguro believes live concerts create a powerful emotional connection. «I think having fans hear and enjoy game music at a live concert can create a lot of emotion by allowing them to relive their experiences of playing the game,» he said. «But aside from that, the reason I personally perform the music live as the composer is because I want to surprise the fans. I want them to think, 'Wait, the composer is actually playing this live!?' I've always wanted to surprise people a little.»