Secret of Mana's Hiroki Kikuta Releases Original Song Killashandra

[Peter Paltridge]

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Secret of Mana is one of the all-time classic video games for several reasons, but a big one is the soundtrack from composer Hiroki Kikuta. His dreamy fantasy melodies were like nothing ever heard on a console video game before. The game is available on Switch as part of the Collection of Mana compilation, and sometimes I’ll load that game up just to use the music menu to listen to Kikuta’s soundtrack again. Kikuta has become beloved enough for this one game alone that it’s produced demand for him in indie game circles, as well as the video game music remixing community. Mathew Valente, a prominent member of that community, just commissioned Kikuta to create an original piece for a new album, which is out now from Scarlet Moon Records. “The song ‘Killashandra’ was written for Mathew Valente and his loved ones,” Kikuta explains. “The first image that was presented to me was the song ‘Whisper And Mantra’ from Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana’s Japanese name). However, as you know, ‘Whisper And Mantra’ was written to express the purity and holiness of the Seiken world in particular. As a melody to heal and cheer up the hearts of young […]
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Secret of Mana’s Hiroki Kikuta Releases Original Song Killashandra

Secret of Mana is one of the all-time classic video games for several reasons, but a big one is the soundtrack from composer Hiroki Kikuta. His dreamy fantasy

popgeeks.com

 

[Bruno]

I’ve been a huge fan of Secret of Mana since I was a teenager, and Hiroki Kikuta’s music is one of the main reasons why. When I saw that he released a new original song, I was really curious. After listening to "Killashandra," I felt like I was back in those forests and temples again. But it also feels different. More modern, more personal. I think Kikuta really understands how music can affect your feelings. It’s cool that other artists joined to arrange it too. That kind of teamwork reminds me of the remix culture we used to see a lot more often. I’m definitely going to support this album.

 

[goldcoast]

As someone who writes music, I’m impressed by Kikuta’s approach here. He didn’t just try to copy his older style—he thought about what young people today need emotionally. That kind of awareness is rare in older composers. “Killashandra” has this calm but emotional tone, and the instrumentation is clean and well-layered. It’s interesting that he began from the feeling of "Whisper And Mantra" but then shifted the mood. I also like how the arrangements add new textures without losing the original idea. I might study this track a bit more.

 

[ActionJourney]

Just listened to “Killashandra” and it’s beautiful. It really sounds like something from Secret of Mana but more peaceful. Glad Kikuta is still making music.

 

[PrimeKenza]

I actually bought the album mostly because Hiroo Isono did the cover. His art always looks like it’s from another world. Seeing his style again gave me goosebumps. Then I listened to the music, and it matched the picture perfectly. Kikuta really knows how to create music that feels like a dream. I didn’t even expect the other artists on the album to be that good too, but they were. I’m happy this project exists.