One of the most celebrated and prolific composers in video game history, Nobuo Uematsu is the original composer of the phenomenally successful Final Fantasy games. His work is known by millions and has been performed by some of the most prestigious orchestras around the world.

Although Uematsu had no formal training, his enduring scores advanced video game music beyond the early limitations of the medium, and he continues to push the boundaries of his art today. Here, veteran gaming journalist James Mielke explores the life, inspirations, and influences of the beloved musician, from his childhood and first forays into music to his time at Square Enix and the global success of his concert tours.

Drawn from hours of conversations with Uematsu, as well as his wife, his peers, and industry titans such as Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, and fellow acclaimed composers Daniel Rosenfeld (Minecraft), Yōko Shimomura (Street Fighter II, Kingdom Hearts, Super Mario RPG) and Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, Valkyria Chronicles), this intimate biography offers a glimpse into the heart and mind of the man often referred to as the Beethoven of video game music.

Nobuo Uematsu: On the Record is written by James Mielke. Published by Viz Media (September 18, 2026).

Erica Friedman
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Nobuo Uematsu: On the Record is a paean to a single man, his career, his life and his achievements.

The story begins, as it were, at the 2004 concert Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Dear Friends—Music From Final Fantasy. More than 2000 fans, colleagues and press turned out to celebrate the contributions of Uematsu to a game so famous that other media refer to it.

Delightfully, this is not a “tell-all” book. There is no hunt for scandal or discord. It begins with Uematsu talking about his childhood, unwilling and uninterested in conforming to expected interests at school, and finding solace in the world of the imagination. Uematu's life is traced through his early works for Final Fantasy, where technological limitations meant that both game and media devices were only able to capture a little of the musical nuance.

His career is traced from early BGM days to the moments when CDs took over and game music could soar. For fans of Final Fantasy, every page of this books would be like sitting down with the man himself, listening to him reminisce about every shift in technology or his vision for the Final Fantasy soundscapes.

Uematsu's personal life is given some time—again, not looking for unpleasant fact, but sharing an unprecedented amount of personal information and insight both from Uematsu himself and his wife. The book ends with a charming list of musical works Uematsu finds inspiring and finishes with a list of the man's discography from 1986-2025.

If you truly are (or you know an) Uematsu fan, this book will be a treat. You'll be able to enjoy not only inside stories about the creation of Final Fantasy soundtracks, but also comments by colleagues, like Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and artist Yoshitaka Amano.

As paeans go, Nobuo Uematsu: On the Record is a perfect gift for anyone who loves the music of Final Fantasy or any of Uematsu's scores.