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Resident Evil and Onimusha composer admits to paying others to write his music

Resident Evil and Onimusha composer Mamoru Samuragochi has reportedly admitted to paying other musicians to pen game scores for over almost 20 years.

It comes from a Japan Times report, which states that although Samuragochi referred to himself as "sole composer" of his game scores, he actually gave ideas and commission fees to another, unnamed composer for the work.

Speaking to the paper, the composer's solicitor apologised for the ruse and added that Samuragochi was, "deeply sorry as he has betrayed fans and disappointed others," and added, "He knows he could not possibly make any excuse for what he has done. He is mentally distressed and not in a condition to properly express his own thoughts."

Considered the "Japanese Beethoven," Samuragochi first hired the unnamed composer to produce his work in 1996 due to his worsening hearing condition, as quoted by Japan's NHK network.

The same network aired a documentary on Samuragochi as he visited the Tohoku region after it was ravaged by tsunamis. NHK said of the revelation in a statement, "Through his lawyer, Mamoru Samuragochi confessed that he had asked another composer to create his iconic works.

"NHK has reported on him in news and features programs but failed to realise that he had not composed the works himself, despite our research and checking."

Among his list of compositions sits Resident Evil: The Director's Cut and Onimusha: Warlords, two games he allegedly penned scores for while combating a worsening ear condition.

What do you make of the above? Let us know below.

Via Eurogamer.

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Dave Cook

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Dave worked on VG247 for an extended period manging much of the site's news output. As well as his experience in games media, he writes for comics, and now specializes in books about gaming history.

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