What is Akira Yamaoka?
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = Yoko Shimomura | Img = Akira Yamaoka - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 3 (3).jpg | Img_capt = Akira Yamaoka at the [[Game Developers Conference]] in 2010 | Img_size = 250px | Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|2|6}} | birth_place = [[Niigata, Niigata|Niigata]], [[Japan]] | Instrument = [[Electric guitar]] | Genre = [[Hard rock]], [[alternative rock]], [[ambient music|ambient]], [[dark ambient]], [[industrial music|industrial]], [[trip hop]] | Occupation = [[Composer]], [[guitarist]], [[sound designer]], [[game producer]] | Years_active = 1991–''present'' | Label = }} {{Nihongo|'''Akira Yamaoka'''|山岡 晃|Yamaoka Akira|born February 6, 1968}} is a [[Japanese people|Japanese]] [[video game music|video game composer]], [[sound design]]er, [[guitarist]], and producer. He is best known for composing music for the ''[[Silent Hill]]'' video game series and ''Silent Hill'' movies. He has also composed music for many other [[Konami]] games. Yamaoka studied product design and [[interior design]] at Tokyo Art College. He said that he first wanted to follow a career in design.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spelmusik.net/intervjuer/akira_yamaoka_eng.html|access-date=March 8, 2016|title=Interview with Akira Yamaoka|publisher=Spelmusik.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629165120/http://spelmusik.net/intervjuer/akira_yamaoka_eng.html|archive-date=June 29, 2007}}</ref> He first joined Konami on September 21, 1993. On December 2, 2009, he announced that he was leaving Konami after 16 years with the company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/silent-hill-composer-departs-konami-report/1100-6241873/|access-date=March 8, 2016|title=Silent Hill Composer Departs Konami|publisher=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> He joined [[Grasshopper Manufacture]] on February 3, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/silent-hill-director-leaps-to-grasshopper-report/1100-6249446/|access-date=March 8, 2