Miki Higashino

One of Konami's first composers, Miki Higashino was initially a part-time composer, but soon became an integral of their team. Her music came to prominence for the lively melodic score to the hit Arcade shooter Gradius. She developed her musicianship on subsequent efforts such as Yie Ar Kung Fu, Knightmare, Salamander, Gradius III, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Surprise Attack, and games for the Picmo Learning System. She later handled all composition and sound effects on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, Double Dribble, and Surprise Attack. Higashino had major roles in the early 1990s on the shooter Contra III: The Alien Wars, RPG Mouryousenki Madara 2, and hit dating simulator Tokimeki Memorial. On 1995's Suikoden, Higashino created an ethnically inspired, accessible, and emotional soundtrack jam-packed with gems. She subsequently performed Love-de-Lic's experimental scores to Moon and UFO: A Day in the Life with the band the Thelonious Monkees. She also made independent contributions to albums such as Infinity, Ten Plants, 2197, and Melody of Legend. Higashino made her final contributions to Konami with the gigantic Suikoden II soundtrack, its artistic arranged album, and the commemorative Suikogaiden scores. She left Konami in 2002 due to an increasingly exhausting schedule increasingly dominated by meetings. Having married, moved, and become a mother, Higashino makes few game music works these days. However, she nevertheless co-composed a high-profile big band jazz score to Tsukiyo ni Saraba. She has also made guest contributions on pop'n music 15 and Otomedius G.