Kenji Yamamoto (composer, born 1958)

Kenji Yamamoto (山本 健司, Yamamoto Kenji, born 1958) is a Japanese composer and arranger, best known for his work on the Dragon Ball video game series.

Yamamoto initially gained recognition for his compositions in the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT anime series, though these scores were later replaced in remastered releases due to plagiarism accusations. His contributions to the Dragon Ball franchise extend significantly to the video game realm, where he composed music for numerous titles, including Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden series on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 on the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, and several Dragon Ball Z games on the PlayStation 2 and Wii.

Yamamoto's musical style is characterized by its energetic and action-oriented compositions, often incorporating elements of rock, electronic music, and orchestral arrangements. He aimed to create scores that would complement the high-octane battles and dramatic storylines of the Dragon Ball universe. His music became synonymous with the video game adaptations of the series for many fans.

In 2011, Toei Animation removed Yamamoto's music from Dragon Ball Kai after allegations of copyright infringement surfaced. It was discovered that some of his compositions bore striking similarities to existing musical works. This led to the replacement of his music with a new score composed by Norihito Sumitomo. Since the controversy, Yamamoto has largely remained out of the public eye and has not been significantly involved in major projects.