Masaru Satō (佐藤 勝) was a Japanese composer of film scores. The youngest of six brothers, all of them music lovers, Masaru Sato decided early in life that he wanted to be a composer. His models were two other composers born, as he was, on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido: Akira Ifukube and Fumio Hayasaka. After hearing Hayasaka's score for Rashomon (1950), Sato decided Hayasaka was the only one he wanted for his teacher. He absorbed much of Hayasaka's modernist leanings, and grew to know Hayasaka's best friend Akira Kurosawa during this period. The year 1955 was a vast turning point for Sato: after scoring numerous insignificant pictures for various studios in Tokyo, Sato won the assignment for Gojira no Gyakushu (1955). Then his teacher Fumio Hayasaka died tragically young, while finishing the score for Kurosawa's Ikimono no Kiroku (1955). Sato stepped in to complete the score, uncredited. Kurosawa was sufficiently pleased with Sato to use him for all his pictures for the following ten years. Though the two had a falling-out after Akahige (1965), Sato remained one of Japan's most in-demand film composers, returning to the Gojira series several times and remaining a favorite of many other directors such as Kihachi Okamoto and June Fukuda. After scoring Dun-Huang in 1987, Sato had to call a brief halt to his career in order to tend to family interests in real estate in his native Hokkaido; but within a few years, the problems were wrapped up, and Sato was able to go back to film composing full time, at last reaching and surpassing his 300th movie score. Sato is almost unique among Japan's prolific film composers in that he has written extensively for his chosen field, but has never written for the concert stage.
Known For
Godzilla Raids Again
(1955)
Original Music Composer
High and Low
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Yojimbo
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Son of Godzilla
(1967)
Original Music Composer
The Hidden Fortress
(1958)
Original Music Composer
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Red Beard
(1965)
Original Music Composer
The Bad Sleep Well
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
(1974)
Original Music Composer
Sanjuro
(1962)
Original Music Composer
After the Rain
(2000)
Original Music Composer
Rainbow Kids
(1991)
Original Music Composer
Tokyo Bordello
(1987)
Original Music Composer
Japan's Longest Day
(1967)
Original Music Composer
The Sword of Doom
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Full Filmography
Sound
I Live in Fear
(1955)
Original Music Composer
Six Assassins
(1955)
Music
Taira Clan Saga
(1955)
Original Music Composer
Half Human
(1955)
Original Music Composer
Godzilla Raids Again
(1955)
Original Music Composer
Ootone no Taiketsu
(1955)
Music
Crazed Fruit
(1956)
Original Music Composer
Season of the Sun
(1956)
Original Music Composer
Crossroad
(1956)
Original Music Composer
Nigetekita hanayome
(1956)
Music
The Vampire Moth
(1956)
Original Music Composer
Cell No. 8
(1956)
Music
Streetlights
(1957)
Music
I Am Waiting
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Ôban
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen
(1957)
Original Music Composer
The Lower Depths
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Original Music Composer
The Living Koheiji
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen
(1957)
Original Music Composer
Last Days of the Samurai
(1957)
Music
Crimson Wings
(1958)
Music
Oban kanketsu hen
(1958)
Original Music Composer
Akutoku
(1958)
Music
A Slope in the Sun
(1958)
Original Music Composer
The H-Man
(1958)
Original Music Composer
Rusty Knife
(1958)
Original Music Composer
The Man Who Wagers Tomorrow
(1958)
Music
Song for a Bride
(1958)
Music
The Hidden Fortress
(1958)
Original Music Composer
The Praying Man
(1959)
Original Music Composer
I Will Challenge
(1959)
Music
The Stream of Youth
(1959)
Music
A Man Explodes
(1959)
Music
The Age of Our Own
(1959)
Music
Someday I'll Know
(1959)
Original Music Composer
I Want to Be a Shellfish
(1959)
Music
Desperado Outpost
(1959)
Original Music Composer
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
(1959)
Original Music Composer
Westward Desperado
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Girls Behind Bars
(1960)
Music
Intimidation
(1960)
Original Music Composer
The Gambling Samurai
(1960)
Music
The Bad Sleep Well
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Chikûho no kodomotachi
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Sixteen years old
(1960)
Music
The Last Gunfight
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Man Against Man
(1960)
Original Music Composer
Procurer of Hell
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Lord Mito: Struggle of Suke and Kaku
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Run, Genta, Run!
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Yojimbo
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Challenge to Live
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Blood on the Sea
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Blueprint of Murder
(1961)
Original Music Composer
Operation Sewer Rats
(1962)
Music
Ano sura no hate ni hoshi hama tataku
(1962)
Music
零戦黒雲一家
(1962)
Music
Gekkyū dorobō
(1962)
Music
Otoko no Uta
(1962)
Music
Burūtaun aoi machi no ōkami
(1962)
Music
The Great Kurobe
(1962)
Music
Facing to the Clouds
(1962)
Music
Operation Enemy Fort
(1962)
Original Music Composer
The Ambitious Youth
(1962)
Original Music Composer
Our Failures
(1962)
Music
Sanjuro
(1962)
Original Music Composer
The Crimson Sky
(1962)
Music
Warring Clans
(1963)
Music
The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Okashina yatsu
(1963)
Music
Zoku ôsho
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Tale of Army Brutality
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Modern Children
(1963)
Music
High and Low
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Life of Hishakaku 2
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Life of Hishakaku
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Legacy of the 500,000
(1963)
Original Music Composer
A House in the Quarter
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Samurai Pirate
(1963)
Original Music Composer
Samurai from Nowhere
(1964)
Original Music Composer
Oh, Bomb!
(1964)
Original Music Composer
Juvenile Delinquents
(1964)
Music
Jakoman and Tetsu
(1964)
Original Music Composer
The Desperate
(1964)
Original Music Composer
Life of Hishakaku 3
(1964)
Music
Raised in a Palace
(1964)
Original Music Composer
Ironfinger
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Cold Rice, Osan, Chan
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Three Yakuza
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Red Beard
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Fort Graveyard
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Rokujō yukiyama tsumugi
(1965)
Music
The Tattooed Lord
(1965)
Music
Sanshiro Sugata
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Samurai Assassin
(1965)
Original Music Composer
Moment of Terror
(1966)
Original Music Composer
The Mad Atlantic
(1966)
Music
Zero Fighter
(1966)
Music
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
(1966)
Original Music Composer
The Sword of Doom
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Koto—The Lake of Tears
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Thirst for Love
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Cash Calls Hell
(1966)
Original Music Composer
Three Faces of Love
(1967)
Music
Sodachi zakari
(1967)
Music
Organized Violence
(1967)
Original Music Composer
Organized Violence II
(1967)
Music
The Age of Assassins
(1967)
Original Music Composer
Japan's Longest Day
(1967)
Original Music Composer
Son of Godzilla
(1967)
Original Music Composer
Judge and Jeopardy
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Admiral Yamamoto
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Scrap Collectors
(1968)
Music
My Brother, My Love
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza
(1968)
Music
The Human Bullet
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Golden Eyes
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Kill!
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Young People
(1968)
Music
Samurai Banners
(1969)
Original Music Composer
Admiral Borneo: Betting at the Equator
(1969)
Music
The Magoichi Saga
(1969)
Original Music Composer
The Great Japanese Pick-Pocket Club
(1969)
Music
Vagabond Schemer
(1969)
Original Music Composer
Red Lion
(1969)
Music
Goyokin
(1969)
Original Music Composer
Tenchu!
(1969)
Original Music Composer
Battle of the Japan Sea
(1969)
Music Producer
Futari no Koibito
(1969)
Music
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
(1969)
Original Music Composer
Forward, Young People!
(1969)
Music
Travels of Lord Mito
(1969)
Music
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
(1970)
Original Music Composer
Incident at Blood Pass
(1970)
Music
Banner of the Young
(1970)
Music
City of Beasts
(1970)
Music
Where Spring Comes Late
(1970)
Original Music Composer
Men and War I: Prelude to Destiny
(1970)
Original Music Composer
The Wolves
(1971)
Original Music Composer
Song of the Horse
(1971)
Original Music Composer
幻の殺意
(1971)
Original Music Composer
The Battle of Okinawa
(1971)
Original Music Composer
Men and War II: Land of Love and Sorrow
(1971)
Original Music Composer
Onna no hanamichi
(1971)
Music
Special Boy Soldiers of the Navy
(1972)
Music
Home from the Sea
(1972)
Original Music Composer
Sapporo Winter Olympics
(1972)
Music
Long Journey into Love
(1973)
Original Music Composer
Deeper Than Blue
(1973)
Original Music Composer
Stray Dog
(1973)
Original Music Composer
The Twilight Years
(1973)
Music
Submersion of Japan
(1973)
Music
Men and War III: The Final Chapter
(1973)
Original Music Composer
Violent Streets
(1974)
Music
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
(1974)
Original Music Composer
The Family
(1974)
Original Music Composer
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy
(1974)
Original Music Composer
Aoba shigereru
(1974)
Original Music Composer
Demon Spies
(1974)
Original Music Composer
Machi no Hi
(1974)
Music
Without Complaint
(1975)
Original Music Composer
Solar Eclipse
(1975)
Original Music Composer
A Portrait of Shunkin
(1976)
Original Music Composer
Tsuma to onna no aida
(1976)
Original Music Composer
The Corporation
(1976)
Music
Sweet Revenge
(1977)
Original Music Composer
The Alaska Story
(1977)
Original Music Composer
The Love and Adventures of Kuroki Taro
(1977)
Original Music Composer
The Yellow Handkerchief
(1977)
Original Music Composer
Kyojin-gun monogatari: Susume eikô e
(1977)
Original Music Composer
Sugata Sanshiro
(1977)
Music
The Glacier Fox
(1978)
Original Music Composer
Dynamite Don-Don
(1978)
Music
August without Emperor
(1978)
Original Music Composer
Blood Type: Blue
(1978)
Original Music Composer
Nomugi Pass
(1979)
Original Music Composer
The Shogun Assassins
(1979)
Original Music Composer
Hunter in the Dark
(1979)
Original Music Composer
Toward the Terra
(1980)
Original Music Composer
A Distant Cry from Spring
(1980)
Original Music Composer
Willful Murder
(1981)
Music
Lowly Ronin
(1981)
Original Music Composer
Xiongmao Monogatari TaoTao
(1981)
Music
At This Late Date, the Charleston
(1981)
Original Music Composer
Ah! Nomugi toge - Shinryokuhen
(1982)
Original Music Composer
The Lowly Ronin 3: Duel at Dawn
(1982)
Original Music Composer
Irezumi
(1982)
Original Music Composer
The Highest Honour
(1982)
Original Music Composer
Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell
(1983)
Music
Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass
(1983)
Original Music Composer
Adrift at Sea
(1983)
Original Music Composer
The Geisha
(1983)
Original Music Composer
Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl
(1983)
Original Music Composer
Our Teacher
(1983)
Original Music Composer
Secret of the Forbidden Valley
(1983)
Music
Fireflies in the North
(1984)
Original Music Composer
君のふるさとに太陽がのぼった
(1984)
Original Music Composer
Oar
(1985)
Original Music Composer
Tracked
(1985)
Original Music Composer
Kāsan no ki
(1986)
Music
Yakuza Ladies
(1986)
Original Music Composer
Death Shadows
(1986)
Original Music Composer
The Forest of the Little Bear
(1987)
Original Music Composer
The Great Department Store Robbery
(1987)
Music
Taikoki
(1987)
Music
Tokyo Bordello
(1987)
Original Music Composer
Guys Who Never Learn
(1987)
Original Music Composer
The Silk Road
(1988)
Original Music Composer
The Demon Comes in Spring
(1989)
Original Music Composer
Shogun's Shadow
(1989)
Original Music Composer
Dream Street
(1989)
Original Music Composer
Fancy Dance
(1989)
Songs
13 Assassins
(1990)
Original Music Composer
She-Shogun
(1990)
Original Music Composer
War and Youth
(1991)
Music
Rainbow Kids
(1991)
Original Music Composer
Heat Wave
(1991)
Original Music Composer
Free and Easy 4
(1991)
Original Music Composer
The Oil-Hell Murder
(1992)
Original Music Composer
Bloom in the Moonlight “The Story of Rentaro Taki”
(1993)
Music
Free and Easy Special
(1994)
Music
In Blazing Love
(1994)
Original Music Composer
East Meets West
(1995)
Original Music Composer
Himeyuri no To
(1995)
Original Music Composer
Mitabi no kaikyô
(1995)
Original Music Composer
Gendai ninkyoden
(1997)
Original Music Composer
After the Rain
(2000)
Original Music Composer
The Goblin of Mt. Kurama
(2001)
Music