People

Founder / President

Kenzo Tsujimoto

Capcom Co., Ltd. - Founded 1979

Kenzo Tsujimoto founded Japan Capsule Computers in 1979 in Osaka, Japan, initially manufacturing electromechanical amusement machines. In 1983 he pivoted the company to electronic video games and renamed it Capcom. He served as president and later chairman through Capcom’s growth from a small arcade developer into a major international publisher.

Tsujimoto’s vision of combining Japanese design precision with international appeal shaped Capcom’s strategy throughout the NES and SNES eras. He established Capcom USA in 1985 to ensure effective North American distribution.

Director / Designer

Tokuro Fujiwara

Ghosts ‘n Goblins (1985) · Bionic Commando (1987) · DuckTales (1989) · Chip ‘n Dale (1990) · Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (1992)

Tokuro Fujiwara is the creative force behind some of Capcom’s most enduring NES and arcade titles. As the creator of the Ghosts ‘n Goblins franchise, he established Capcom’s identity in the mid-1980s - a studio that valued challenge, atmosphere, and precise mechanical design over accessibility.

His direction of DuckTales and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers demonstrated remarkable range: licensed Disney platformers that treated the IP with genuine craft and produced two of the NES era’s most fondly remembered games. The Moon Stage of DuckTales - composed under his direction - is among the most recognisable pieces of NES music.

Character Designer / Director

Keiji Inafune

Mega Man series (1987–1994) · Mega Man X (director, 1993) · Mega Man Legends

Keiji Inafune is best known as the character designer and later public face of the Mega Man franchise. He joined Capcom in 1987 and worked on the original Mega Man alongside director Akira Kitamura - Inafune has clarified in multiple interviews that Kitamura designed the character, with Inafune completing the artwork.

As the franchise matured, Inafune took on an increasingly central role. He directed Mega Man X (SNES, 1993), which he conceived as a darker, more sophisticated reinvention of the formula. His GDC 2010 talk, “Mega Man Retrospective: How to Keep a Franchise Alive,” remains essential viewing for any student of the series.

Composer

Manami Matsumae

Mega Man (NES, 1987) · Also: credited as “Chanchacorin Manami” (JP)

Manami Matsumae composed the soundtrack for the original Mega Man (NES, 1987), working within the NES’s severe hardware constraints to produce music of genuine character. The Cut Man, Guts Man, and Wily Castle themes established the sonic template for the entire franchise.

One of the few female composers of the NES era, Matsumae’s career at Capcom and subsequent work have been documented in the Bit Brigade interview series, where she has discussed her approach to composing for the 2A03 sound chip.

Composer

Takashi Tateishi

Mega Man 2 (NES, 1988/1989) · Credited as “Ogeretsu Kun”

Takashi Tateishi composed what is widely considered one of the greatest NES soundtracks ever produced: Mega Man 2 (1988). Credited under the pseudonym “Ogeretsu Kun” on the original Japanese release, his work on the game produced themes that have been remixed, covered, and referenced for decades.

The Dr. Wily Stage 1 theme - built on a recurring bass motif and punctuated by the NES’s triangle wave channel - is perhaps the single most recognisable piece of Capcom music from the 8-bit era. See the Flagship page for a full OST analysis.

Composer

Yoko Shimomura

Street Fighter II (1991) · Final Fight (1989, co-composer)

Yoko Shimomura joined Capcom in 1990 and composed the main soundtrack for Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (arcade, 1991), creating the character themes that have defined the series’ identity for over thirty years. Each fighter’s theme was composed to reflect their national and personality characteristics - Guile’s theme in particular achieved a cultural life far beyond gaming.

Shimomura left Capcom in 1993 to join Square, where she composed Final Fantasy XV, the Kingdom Hearts series, and many other landmark works. She is one of the most celebrated composers in the history of video game music.

Composer

Yasuaki Fujita

Mega Man 3 (NES, 1990) · Credited as “Bun Bun”

Yasuaki Fujita, working under the pseudonym “Bun Bun,” composed the Mega Man 3 soundtrack - often cited as a strong contender for the best in the NES series alongside Mega Man 2. The Snake Man, Spark Man, and Gemini Man themes, along with the Dr. Wily castle music, are fan favourites.

Composer

Harumi Fujita

DuckTales (NES, 1989) · Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers (NES, 1990)

Harumi Fujita composed the soundtracks for DuckTales and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers - two of Capcom’s most acclaimed NES licensed titles. The Moon Stage theme from DuckTales became one of the most beloved pieces of NES music, remastered in the 2013 DuckTales Remastered release to considerable acclaim.

One of the few female composers of the NES era alongside Matsumae, Fujita’s work demonstrates a gift for melody and thematic development within the NES’s constraints.

Composer

Ayako Mori

1942 (NES, 1986) · Ghosts ‘n Goblins (NES, 1986)

Ayako Mori composed the music for two of Capcom’s earliest NES releases: 1942 and Ghosts ‘n Goblins. The Ghosts ‘n Goblins NES theme, in particular, captures the game’s gothic atmosphere and became closely associated with the series.