Osamu Sato (佐藤 理, Satō Osamu; born April 14, 1960) is a Japanese digital artist, video game developer, photographer, and composer. His first work was the ambient music album, Objectless (1983). His first work in the video game industry was Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou, which first released in Japan for Classic Mac OS in 1994, and in North America for Microsoft Windows the following year. In 1998, Sato created and produced the PlayStation game LSD: Dream Emulator, for which he also contributed design work and composed the soundtrack. The game later became his most recognizable work outside of Japan.
Osamu Sato was born on April 14, 1960, in Kyoto, Japan. During his childhood, his father and grandfather, both of whom were photographers, had a profound influence on him. His father and grandfather's photography of Buddhist art also shaped his artistic vision, as seen throughout his creations. The experience of visiting the Osaka Expo '70 with his father left a deep impression on the 10-year-old Sato. Sato pursued his formal education at the Kyoto Institute of Design and the Kyoto Saga Art College. After completing his studies, he worked for Mos Advertising Co., Ltd. before transitioning to freelance work. In 1986, he established the Osamu Sato Design Office (OSD), which was rebranded as OutSide Directors Company (OSD) in 1988. Initially working as a graphic designer, Sato shifted his focus to game development in the 1990s. Currently, he is primarily engaged in artistic creation involving music and graphics.
1994 October 21 – Transmigration
1998 October 22 – Lucy in the Sky with Dynamites
1998 October 22 – LSD & Remixes
2017 November 22 – Objectless: Classic Ambient Works and More
2017 – All Things Must Be Equal
2020 April 10 – Collected Ambient Grooves 1993 – 2001
2020 October 21 – Transformed Collection
2023 November 12 – LSD Transformed New Fancy Tracks
2024 December 25 – Multiple Personality
2025 November 5 – Love Is Glamorous／Life Is Gorgeous (Collaboration with Tomohiko Gondo)
2020 November 17 – Experimental Demo Tapes
2020 October 21 – Extra Sunrise/ 808 Ambient Mix
2020 November 17 – Daimonji Espresso
2022 – Fax Factory (Yoshihiro Sawasaki Mix)
1994 May 21 – Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou (東脳, Tonnō) (PC)
1995 October 21 – Chu-Teng (中天, Chūten) (PC)