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Mamoru Samuragochi, the deaf composer who was thought to have created the soundtracks for Resident Evil and Onimusha titles, has admitted someone else has been writing his music for almost two decades.
The Japan Times reports that Samuragochi, known as a "modern Beethoven" due to his hearing impairment, went deaf at the age of 35 but continued to work using "absolute pitch".
In Japan, he's most famous for his piece Hiroshima Symphony, a tribute to the survivors of the atomic bomb attacks. His other work includes compositions for Resident Evil: The Director's Cut in 1997 (called Biohazard in Japan), which he did "while hiding his severe hearing disability and living under harsh conditions," according to his website.
"In 1999, right before he started composing the music for the game Onimusha he completely lost his hearing," the site continues. "However the piece he composed, “Symphony, Rising Sun” was highly acclaimed and was noticed by the public as a master piece."
It now turns out that none of these pieces were created by Samuragochi, and that they were instead the work of an individual unable to come forward for personal reasons, according to his lawyer.
Samuragochi's solicitor said that his client was "deeply sorry as he has betrayed fans and disappointed others".
"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".
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