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Artist
Jun Chikuma
12+ albums
japaneseelectronicDrum and bassvideo game musicjapan
about
Jun Chikuma (竹間 淳, Chikuma Jun) is a Japanese composer and musician, best known for her work on video game soundtracks, particularly her contributions to the Bomberman series. In addition to her video game work, she has composed music for television programs, films, and commercials. Chikuma has studied traditional Arabic music, including ney performance and Tunisian-style composition, under Slah Manaa, Ali Sriti, and Zakia Hannashi at l'Institut Supérieur de la Musique de Tunis. She also studied the riq with Haytham Farghaly at the same institute. She curates the website arab-music.com and serves as a part-time lecturer at Kokushikan University. Chikuma has performed in numerous concerts as a member of the classical Arabic music ensemble Le Club Bachraf, alongside oud player Yoshiko Matsuda and darbuka player Takako Nomiya. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
why this is interesting
# Jun Chikuma: Beyond the Game Chikuma's work invites consideration for how she bridges seemingly distant musical traditions with genuine curiosity rather than superficial borrowing. Her studies in Tunisian and Arabic music—undertaken seriously at respected institutions—inform her compositional approach in ways that reward close listening. Rather than treating non-Western traditions as exotic texture, she integrates these influences into her thinking about melody, rhythm, and instrumental color. This interdisciplinary practice, combined with her substantial video game catalog, offers a case study in how commercial work and personal artistic exploration can coexist meaningfully. Her curation of arab-music.com further suggests an artist genuinely invested in cross-cultural dialogue and
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