First, start a listen while you read. It’s the Medarot 4 soundtrack, GBC, composed by Kinuyo Kamashita.

Medarot is Medabots, when translated. It’s Pokemon-a-like that got nine! numbered releases, spin-offs, manga, anime, and some stellar soundtracks. I admit to having no interest in the brand. Collecting robots does sound cool, but this appears a product for youthful boys of brash, anime-inspired ambition. It doesn’t really matter. I’m not here for the games. I’m here for music composed by this lady.

Kinuyo Yamashita, in all her charm.

Miss Yamashita came into my purview as one does, via Castlevania. She composed for Akumajou Dracula on the Famicom Disk System. I’ve liked that soundtrack for a long time and decided to dig. I listened to Rockman X3, Esper Dream, lots of Medabots. It was delightful, energetic.

Part of my digging took me to VGM DB, which is always an excellent resource, and there I found and concurred with her moniker as Charming Kinuyo.

Yet, what’s important here, what delights the senses is of course, her music. It’s thematically apt for the action brand games she works on. Video game music is a thing I’m into. I have some records and know the bigger names, including Michiru Yamane also of Castlevania fame, but somehow I only recently realized it was Yamashita’s sound that had codified Castlevania music for me as a I remember it from the NES era. This is good, making such a discovery even now. It means I have more great music to listen to. Perhaps you do too.