Katsuhisa Hattori

Infobox Person
name = Katsuhisa Hattori


image_size = 200px
caption = Katsuhisa Hattori as seen from the Seikai no Monshō OST liner notes February 21, 1999.
birth_date = birth date and age|1936|11|1
birth_place = Tokyo, Japan
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Composer, Musician, Conductor, Arranger
spouse =
religion =
website =
nationality = Japanese

nihongo|Katsuhisa Hattori|服部 克久|Hattori Katsuhisa|extra=born November 1, 1936 is a Japanese classical composer who also writes music for anime movies, TV series and OVAs as well. In the West, he is best known for his soundtrack compositions for Argento Soma and Hiroyuki Morioka's Seikai anime series.

Biography

Katsuhisa Hattori was born in Tokyo, Japan. He is an extremely respected composer in Japan; his style is classical, although he is experienced and respected in many other genres, such as New Age, Jazz, etc. He is the son of Ryoichi Hattori and father of Takayuki Hattori, who both are musical composers as well.In 2000 his life and musical works were honored in an hour-long Japanese television special. [ [http://www.kikutv.com/shows/Japanese_Programs/Inactive/specials_2000_ny/#Anchorg Hattori Katsuhisa & Friends Tuesday, January 4 • 7:00p-8:00p] ] He has conducted many famous orchestras, but most of his own compositions are performed by the acclaimed "Tokyo Pops Orchestra".

Besides being a composer, he has been a producer and music supervisor for many years, and now has his own publishing company, "Hattori Music Publishing". He is also pianist, judge and a chairman for the Tokyo music festivals.

In 1989, Katsuhisa Hattori and his son, Takayuki Hattori, who is also a composer, produced the first orchestrated Final Fantasy music CD for critically acclaimed video game music composer Nobuo Uematsu. The CD was performed by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and entitled "Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy". In 1991, again at Nobuo Uematsu's request, he produced three Final Fantasy tracks for the first "Orchestral Game Concert" CD (tracks 13, 14 and 15) and two for the second Orchestral Game Concert.

Legal Difficulties

In September 2002 the Tokyo High Court ordered Hattori to pay 9.4 million yen [ [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/news/nn02-2005/nn20050218b1.htm Japan times report] (Account Required)] in damages, ruling that there was a strong similarity between his song, "Kinenju" ("Memorial Tree"), and Asei Kobayashi's song "Dokomademo Iko" ("Let's Go To Eternity Together"). [ [http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~dr.fuk/Chikuma3E.html Piracy? or Original work? Bekkoame] ]

Asei Kobayashi's music publisher, the Kanai Ongaku Shuppan company, who gave JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers) permission to manage the song "Dokomademo Iko" in 1967, claimed that JASRAC had illegally allowed the use of the sound-alike song. In December 2003, the Tokyo District Court ordered JASRAC to pay 1.8 million yen in damages, for allowing the publishing, broadcast and sale in CD form of Hattori's song. This decision was overturned by the Tokyo High Court in 2005.

Recent Works

In 2005, Hattori released a three-track CD called "Seikai no Senki III ED", for the anime Seikai no Senki III (OVA), and a non-anime related CD, "Author's Best Vol.2".

Discography Works

*Champs de la Musique (1983)
*JUICY and CRISPY (1985)
*Bon Voyage (1986)
*A LA CARTE (1987)
*QUATLE SAISON (1988)
*La Monde (1989)
*Arc en Ciel (1990)
*Sports (1992)
*Nature (1994)
*Almanach (1995)
*Congratulation (1996)
*Lutus Dream (1997)
*Mon reve (1998)
*La Strada (1998)
*The Earth (1998)
*Friends (1999)
*Dissolve (2000)
*á la table (2001)
*Invitation (2002)
*Comme d' habitude (2003)
*Author's Best Vol.1 (2004)
*Author's Best Vol.2 (2005)

Movie soundtracks

*Yusei oji (Planet Prince) (1959)
*Konya wa odoro (1967)
*Rio no wakadaishô (1968)
*Nanatsu no kao no onna (1969)
*Naikai no wa (1971)
*Aitsu to watashi (1976)
*Hakatakko junjô (1978)

Anime Soundtracks

*Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1980)
*Swiss Family Robinson (1981)
*Wanwan Sanjushi (music produced by Guido & Maurizio de Angelis) (1981)
*Fist of the North Star Movie (1986)
*Ie Naki Ko Remi (1996)
*In The Beginning - The Bible Stories (1997)
*Infinite Ryvius (1999)
*Seikai no Monshō "Crest of the Stars" (1999)
*Seikai no Danshou "Lost Chapter of the Stars - Birth" (2000)
*Seikai no Senki I "Banner of the Stars" (2000)
*Argento Soma (2000)
*Seikai no Senki II "Banner of the Stars II" (2001)
*Seikai no Senki III "Banner of the Stars III" (2005)

Notes & references

External links

* [http://www.hatkat.com/ Official Hattori Katsuhisa Website (Japanese)]
* [http://www.hatkat.com/tokyo-pops/ Hattori Katsuhisa & Tokyo Pops Orchestra Website (Japanese)]