Japanese composer, arranger, conductor (1931-)

Koichi Sugiyama

Intro
Japanese composer, arranger, conductor (1931-)
Awards Received
CEDEC Awards - Special Award
The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
Person of Cultural Merit

Koichi Sugiyama (すぎやま こういち, Sugiyama Kōichi, born April 11, 1931) is a Japanese composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He is known for composing the music for the Dragon Quest franchise, along with several other video games, anime, film, and television shows. Classically trained, he is considered a major inspiration for other Japanese game music composers.

Sugiyama is also a council member of the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers (JASRAC), board member of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals, and honorary chairman of the Japanese Backgammon Society. He was named a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government in 2020. Sugiyama also engages in activism outside of music, such as the denial of Japanese war crimes and the promotion of Japanese nationalism.