Tomosuke Funaki
Description
Tomosuke Funaki, also known by the pen name Zektbach, is a Japanese music composer and creative director recognized for his work within Konami's BEMANI division, where he has contributed to rhythm game franchises such as Beatmania IIDX and Pop'n Music. His role as an original creator is most prominently defined by The Epic of Zektbach, a multimedia narrative project that blends his musical compositions with an expansive fictional universe.
Funaki's background reflects a combination of scientific and artistic disciplines. He was born on January 1 and graduated from Tokyo University of Science, where he studied biology. This educational background in the sciences would later become a significant influence on the thematic content of his creative work. He began his career at Konami, establishing himself as a composer of numerous tracks for the company's music games, known for a diverse musical style that encompasses genres from electronic and orchestral to world music.
The Epic of Zektbach originated as an extension of his music for BEMANI games. The project began to take shape with the song Apocalypse ~dirge of swans~, introduced in the 2006 rhythm game beatmania IIDX 13 DistorteD, followed shortly by other narrative-driven tracks like Shamshir Dance and Blind Justice ~Turn souls, Hurt Faiths~ in subsequent game releases. Under the Zektbach alias, Funaki composed music intended to tell a story, weaving together individual songs into a cohesive saga known as The Epic of Zektbach. He serves as the primary composer for the project and, through various guidebooks and commentaries, has clarified the universe's complex mythology.
The Epic of Zektbach is a fantasy narrative set in the fictional world of Aria Te' Laria, which is populated by various races and centered around mysterious, powerful gems called Ristaccia. The story explores themes of creation, conflict, and the rise and fall of civilizations, drawing on concepts from biology, mathematics, religion, and philosophy. This narrative was not confined to music alone but expanded across multiple media. A significant milestone was the release of the second album, The Epic of Zektbach -Masinowa-, in March 2011. This album shipped with an original video animation (OVA) on a separate DVD. The 30-minute anime, animated by AIC, adapted the first part of the storyline, titled Shamshir Dance. Funaki supervised the entire production of this anime, from the story to the direction. Earlier, in 2009, the project's first album, The Epic of Zektbach -Ristaccia-, had been released in a CD+DVD format, and a piano collection album followed in 2010. Funaki is credited as the Creative Director for these releases.
Recurring themes within Funaki's work on The Epic of Zektbach reflect his academic background. He incorporates scientific concepts, particularly from biology, into the narrative's structure and lore, creating a unique fusion of fantasy and science. His musical identity is characterized by stylistic diversity, employing various languages such as Italian and French in his lyrics to enhance the otherworldly atmosphere of his creations.
In terms of industry significance, Tomosuke Funaki represents a notable example of a composer within the video game industry who successfully expanded a concept from a series of standalone musical pieces into a complex, transmedia narrative. By integrating his music with animated videos, guidebooks, and an original video anime, he established The Epic of Zektbach as a significant creator-driven project that demonstrates the potential for world-building within the rhythm game genre.
Funaki's background reflects a combination of scientific and artistic disciplines. He was born on January 1 and graduated from Tokyo University of Science, where he studied biology. This educational background in the sciences would later become a significant influence on the thematic content of his creative work. He began his career at Konami, establishing himself as a composer of numerous tracks for the company's music games, known for a diverse musical style that encompasses genres from electronic and orchestral to world music.
The Epic of Zektbach originated as an extension of his music for BEMANI games. The project began to take shape with the song Apocalypse ~dirge of swans~, introduced in the 2006 rhythm game beatmania IIDX 13 DistorteD, followed shortly by other narrative-driven tracks like Shamshir Dance and Blind Justice ~Turn souls, Hurt Faiths~ in subsequent game releases. Under the Zektbach alias, Funaki composed music intended to tell a story, weaving together individual songs into a cohesive saga known as The Epic of Zektbach. He serves as the primary composer for the project and, through various guidebooks and commentaries, has clarified the universe's complex mythology.
The Epic of Zektbach is a fantasy narrative set in the fictional world of Aria Te' Laria, which is populated by various races and centered around mysterious, powerful gems called Ristaccia. The story explores themes of creation, conflict, and the rise and fall of civilizations, drawing on concepts from biology, mathematics, religion, and philosophy. This narrative was not confined to music alone but expanded across multiple media. A significant milestone was the release of the second album, The Epic of Zektbach -Masinowa-, in March 2011. This album shipped with an original video animation (OVA) on a separate DVD. The 30-minute anime, animated by AIC, adapted the first part of the storyline, titled Shamshir Dance. Funaki supervised the entire production of this anime, from the story to the direction. Earlier, in 2009, the project's first album, The Epic of Zektbach -Ristaccia-, had been released in a CD+DVD format, and a piano collection album followed in 2010. Funaki is credited as the Creative Director for these releases.
Recurring themes within Funaki's work on The Epic of Zektbach reflect his academic background. He incorporates scientific concepts, particularly from biology, into the narrative's structure and lore, creating a unique fusion of fantasy and science. His musical identity is characterized by stylistic diversity, employing various languages such as Italian and French in his lyrics to enhance the otherworldly atmosphere of his creations.
In terms of industry significance, Tomosuke Funaki represents a notable example of a composer within the video game industry who successfully expanded a concept from a series of standalone musical pieces into a complex, transmedia narrative. By integrating his music with animated videos, guidebooks, and an original video anime, he established The Epic of Zektbach as a significant creator-driven project that demonstrates the potential for world-building within the rhythm game genre.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview