Episode #426 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth shine a spotlight on the career of Nobuko Toda, a composer whose work has quietly shaped some of gaming's biggest franchises while rarely receiving the recognition afforded to many of her contemporaries. After studying at Berklee College of Music and joining Konami in the early 2000s, Toda became an integral part of the company's music team, contributing to everything from Metal Gear and Pro Evolution Soccer to lesser-known projects that showcased her incredible versatility.

Throughout the episode, we explore the many sides of Toda's career, from her early Konami years through her later work. Along the way, we celebrate a composer whose music can be intimate, unsettling, heroic, reflective, and exhilarating, often within the span of a single soundtrack. From iconic franchises to hidden gems, this Composer Appreciation episode is dedicated to an artist whose contributions to video game music deserve far more attention than they've traditionally received.

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Entry Gate from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker [Nobuko Toda, 2010]
Into the Light from Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 [Nobuko Toda, 2009]
Evolution '11 from Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 [Nobuko Toda, 2010]
We are One '11 from Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 [Nobuko Toda, 2011]
Assault from Senritsu No Stratus [Nobuko Toda, 2011]
Sneak Attack from NightCry [Nobuko Toda, 2016]
Hero Jeanne's Theme from Monster Retsuden Oreca Battle [Nobuko Toda, 2012]
Ashes from Remothered: Tormented Fathers [Nobuko Toda, 2018]
Store from Quiz Magic Academy VII [Nobuko Toda, 2010]
The Tower -Boss 1- from Quiz Magic Academy VIII [Nobuko Toda, 2011]
Conspiracy from Metal Gear Acid [Nobuko Toda, 2004]
Flight from Metal Gear Acid 2 [Nobuko Toda, 2005]
Imprisonment from Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops [Nobuko Toda, 2006]
Top of the World -Two Hearts Never Lonely- from Remothered: Tormented Fathers [Nobuko Toda feat. Federico Villaruel, 2018]

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