Metroid and Pokemon Composer is Releasing Demo Tapes

Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka, the composer of classic titles like Metroid and Pokemon, will release an album that pulls together of demo tracks called Lost Tapes. The CD will go on sale March 24, 2021 for ¥2,650 (about $25) and feature 25 demo recordings from the 1980s and 1990s. Disk Union will also sell a cassette tape along with the collection, which will include two “secret” demo recordings. The special cassette will only be available for a limited time. [Thanks Game Watch!]

The collection is curated by Yusuke Sato, a musician with whom Tanaka previously worked with on live performances. The base product will include a 25-song CD and booklet. Included in the tracklist is an early recording of the hit theme song “Aim to Be a Pokemon Master” from the Japanese version of the Pokemon anime. The booklet will also feature a lengthy 7000-word interview between Sato and Tanaka.

Here’s the full tracklisting, as taken from the Disk Union product page:

1. OP Type B2
2. ED Type C
3. ESP 8
4. Summer Demo
5. Spring Demo
6. Syukudai Demo
7. Bye Bye Demo
8.  Coco
9. You & Me Demo
10. PP Demo 2
11. Space X
12. Tomorrow’s Sunset
13. Glorious March Demo
14. M45
15. Karasu Demo
16. Love me
17. Small Gift
18. Fairy Wings
19. Autumn Wind
20. Martian Bird
21. PPU Dance
22. Fugacity A
23. Waltz 3
24. Space Attack “Q”
25. Spacemen’s March

Tanaka is a veteran in the Japanese video game industry who worked at Nintendo in the 1980s as a sound designer. He eventually became president of Creatures Inc. He worked on music for Donkey Kong, Metroid, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl and even helped develop the Game Boy Camera. The soundtrack for Mother Music Revisited album, which Tanaka worked on, was released on Spotify earlier this year.

There is currently no word on whether or not the Lost Tapes CD will get a digital release. The demo tapes will be available to pre-order via Amazon Japan, Disk Union, and Tower Records for ¥2915 (about $27 USD).