Joe Hisaishi
Encyclopedia
, known professionally as , is a composer
and director known for over 100 film scores
and solo albums dating back to 1981.
While possessing a stylistically distinct sound, Hisaishi's music has been known to explore and incorporate different genres, including minimalist
, experimental electronic
, European classical, and Japanese classical
. Lesser known are the other musical roles he plays; he is also a typesetter, author
, arranger
, and head of an orchestra.
He is best known for his work with animator Hayao Miyazaki
, having composed scores for many of his films including Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Castle in the Sky
(1986), My Neighbor Totoro
(1988), Kiki's Delivery Service
(1989), Porco Rosso
(1992), Princess Mononoke
(1997), Spirited Away
(2001), Howl's Moving Castle
(2004) and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008). He is also recognized for the soundtracks he has provided for filmmaker 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano
, including A Scene at the Sea
(1991), Dolls (2002), Kikujiro
(1999), Hana-bi
(1997), Kids Return
(1996), Ocean Heaven
(2010) and Sonatine
(1993).
, Japan
as . When he started to take violin
lessons at age five, Hisaishi discovered his passion for music. Realizing his love, he attended the Kunitachi College of Music
in 1969 to major in music composition. Hisaishi collaborated with minimalist artists
as a typesetter, furthering his experience in the musical world.
He enjoyed his first success of the business in 1974 when he composed music for a small animation called Gyatoruzu. This and other early works were created under his given name. During this period, he composed for Sasuga no Sarutobi (Academy of Ninja) and Futari Taka (A Full Throttle).
In the 1970s, Japanese popular music, electronic music
, and new-age music flourished; those genres, as well as the Yellow Magic Orchestra
(a Japanese electronic band in 1978–1983), influenced Hisaishi's compositions. He developed his music from minimalist
ideas and expanded toward orchestral work. Around 1975, Hisaishi presented his first public performance, spreading his name around his community. His first album, MKWAJU, was released in 1981, with Information being released a year later.
As his works were becoming well known, Hisaishi formulated an alias inspired by Quincy Jones
, an African-American musician and producer. Retranscribed in Japanese, "Quincy Jones" became "Joe Hisaishi." ("Quincy," pronounced "Kuishi" in Japanese, can be written using the same kanji in "Hisaishi"; "Joe" comes from "Jones.")
In 1983, with his new name, Hisaishi was recommended by a record company to create an album for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Hisaishi and the director of the animated film, Hayao Miyazaki, became great friends and would work together on many future projects. This big break led to Hisaishi's overwhelming success as a composer of film scores. In 1986, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and later, in the 1990s, Princess Mononoke
and Spirited Away
, were released. As Hisaishi strengthened his reputation as one of the budding anime
industry's top musical contributors, his compositions (including eight theatrical films and one OAV
) would proceed to become some of the very hallmarks of early anime in the 1980s and 1990s. Hisaishi also composed for such TV hits as Sasuga no Sarutobi, Two Down Full Base and anime Tekuno porisu 21C (all 1982), Sasrygar (1983), Futari Taka
(1984), Honō no Alpen Rose (1985) and Ozu no mahôtsukai (1986). He also scored the sci-fi adventure series Mospeada (1983), which was later reworked (without his music) into the third segment of Carl Macek's compilation, Robotech
. Other films he scored included Birth (Bâsu) (1984), Arion
(1986), Totoro
(1988), Venus Wars
(1989), Kiki's Delivery Service
(1989), Ocean Heaven
(2010) and Porco Rosso
(1992).
As more exposure was given to Hisaishi and the anime
industry, his career grew. He initiated a solo career, began to produce music, and created his own label (Wonder Land Inc.). A year later, the label released its first album, Pretender, in New York.
As a result of his work throughout the years, Hisaishi has won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music six times—in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2009, and 2011. He also received the 48th Newcomer Award in 1997 from the Ministry of Education (Public Entertainment Section) among numerous other awards, being recognized as an influential figure in the Japanese film industry.
In 1998, he provided the soundtrack
to the 1998 Winter Paralympics
. The following year, he composed the music for the third installment in a series of popular computer-animated educational films about the human body.
In 2001, Hisaishi produced music for Takeshi Kitano's film, Brother, and Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, Spirited Away
. He also served as executive producer of the Night Fantasia 4 Movement at the Japan Expo in Fukushima 2001. On October 6, Hisaishi made his debut as a film director in Quartet, having also written both its music and script. The film received excellent reviews at the Montreal Film Festival. His first soundtrack for a foreign film, Le Petit Poucet, was released in the same year.
Another Miyazaki film, Howl's Moving Castle
, for which Hisaishi composed the score, was released on November 20, 2004 in Japan. From November 3 to November 29, 2004, Hisaishi embarked on his "Joe Hisaishi Freedom – Piano Stories 2004" tour with Canadian musicians. In 2005, he composed the soundtrack for the Korean film, Welcome to Dongmakgol
. He also partook in Korea's historically landmarked big budget drama series production by composing the soundtrack for Korea's MBC drama series, The Legend
( "The Story of the First King's Four Gods"), which released in 2007. Hisaishi has a large fan base in Korea due to the popularity of Miyazaki films.
In 2006, Hisaishi released a studio album, Asian X.T.C., the compositions of which demonstrated a significantly eclectic and contemporary Eastern style. The erhu
player
of the Chinese
band
12 Girls Band Zhan Li Jun played in a live concert featuring music from that album. The following year, he composed and recorded the soundtrack for Frederic Lepage
's film, Sunny and the Elephant
and the Miyazaki film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
, both released in 2008, as well as the score for Jiang Wen's film, The Sun Also Rises.
In 2008, Hisaishi composed soundtracks for Academy Award-winning film Departures
as well as for , a post-World War II war crimes trial drama which is based on the 1959 Tetsutaro Kato novel and film currently being remade and directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa, starring Masahiro Nakai
and Yukie Nakama
.
Hisaishi also released a new solo album in early 2009 featuring tracks from Shellfish and Departures.
In November 2009, he was awarded with a Medal of Honour with purple ribbon by the Government of Japan
.
.)
Sources:
There are also numerous television and cinema soundtracks created by Joe Hisaishi which were never released for sale.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and director known for over 100 film scores
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
and solo albums dating back to 1981.
While possessing a stylistically distinct sound, Hisaishi's music has been known to explore and incorporate different genres, including minimalist
Minimalist music
Minimal music is a style of music associated with the work of American composers La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. It originated in the New York Downtown scene of the 1960s and was initially viewed as a form of experimental music called the New York Hypnotic School....
, experimental electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, European classical, and Japanese classical
Music of Japan
The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 , combining the kanji 音 with the kanji 楽...
. Lesser known are the other musical roles he plays; he is also a typesetter, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
, and head of an orchestra.
He is best known for his work with animator Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
, having composed scores for many of his films including Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Castle in the Sky
Castle in the Sky
All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" – 2:27#"Morning in Slag Ravine" – 3:04#"A Fun Brawl " – 4:27#"Memories of Gondoa" – 2:46#"Discouraged Pazu" – 1:46#"Robot Soldier " – 2:34...
(1986), My Neighbor Totoro
My Neighbor Totoro
, is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan...
(1988), Kiki's Delivery Service
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese animated fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was the fourth theatrically released Studio Ghibli film.The film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1989...
(1989), Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso, known in Japan as is the sixth anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Studio Ghibli and released in 1992, of an Italian World War I fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. The man has been cursed and transformed into...
(1992), Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke
is a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster...
(1997), Spirited Away
Spirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
(2001), Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle (film)
is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones...
(2004) and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008). He is also recognized for the soundtracks he has provided for filmmaker 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano
Takeshi Kitano
is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, singer, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, painter, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work. The famed Japanese film critic...
, including A Scene at the Sea
A Scene at the Sea
is a 1991 Japanese film written and directed by Takeshi Kitano.This movie was a break from previous Kitano fare in that it features no gangsters or police...
(1991), Dolls (2002), Kikujiro
Kikujiro
The album includes "Summer", one of the most famous compositions by Hisaishi; it was also re-arranged and used for Toyota Corolla commercials, for instance...
(1999), Hana-bi
Hana-bi
, released in the US as "Fireworks", is a 1997 Japanese film written, directed and edited by, and starring Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. The film's score was composed by renowned Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi. This was their fourth collaboration...
(1997), Kids Return
Kids Return
All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"Meet Again" 5:02#"Graduation" 1:07#"Angel Doll" 2:21#"Alone" 1:15#"As a Rival" 1:29#"Promise... for Us" 5:08#"Next Round" 1:28#"Destiny" 3:31#"I Don't Care" 2:18#"High Spirits" 2:03#"Defeat" 2:29#"Break Down" 3:46...
(1996), Ocean Heaven
Ocean Heaven
Ocean Heaven is a 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong drama film starring martial arts superstar Jet Li in his first full drama role. It also co-stars Taiwanese actress Kwai Lun-mei, who previously starred in Jay Chou's Secret...
(2010) and Sonatine
Sonatine
is a 1993 Japanese film by Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. It won numerous awards and became one of Kitano's most successful and praised films, garnering him a sizable international fan base.-Plot:Kitano plays Murakawa, a Tokyo yakuza tiring of gangster life...
(1993).
Biography
Joe Hisaishi was born in Nakano, NaganoNakano, Nagano
is a city located in Nagano, Japan, located in the northern portion of the prefecture.As of April 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 46,114 and the density of 411.51 persons per km². The total area is 112.06 km²....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as . When he started to take violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
lessons at age five, Hisaishi discovered his passion for music. Realizing his love, he attended the Kunitachi College of Music
Kunitachi College of Music
The is a private music school in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in 1926 as the Tokyo Conservatory of Music.It is located at Kashiwa-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo.-Notable alumni:*Masamichi Amano, composer*Ahn Eak-tai, composer and conductor...
in 1969 to major in music composition. Hisaishi collaborated with minimalist artists
Minimalist music
Minimal music is a style of music associated with the work of American composers La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. It originated in the New York Downtown scene of the 1960s and was initially viewed as a form of experimental music called the New York Hypnotic School....
as a typesetter, furthering his experience in the musical world.
He enjoyed his first success of the business in 1974 when he composed music for a small animation called Gyatoruzu. This and other early works were created under his given name. During this period, he composed for Sasuga no Sarutobi (Academy of Ninja) and Futari Taka (A Full Throttle).
In the 1970s, Japanese popular music, electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, and new-age music flourished; those genres, as well as the Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
(a Japanese electronic band in 1978–1983), influenced Hisaishi's compositions. He developed his music from minimalist
Minimalist music
Minimal music is a style of music associated with the work of American composers La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. It originated in the New York Downtown scene of the 1960s and was initially viewed as a form of experimental music called the New York Hypnotic School....
ideas and expanded toward orchestral work. Around 1975, Hisaishi presented his first public performance, spreading his name around his community. His first album, MKWAJU, was released in 1981, with Information being released a year later.
As his works were becoming well known, Hisaishi formulated an alias inspired by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, an African-American musician and producer. Retranscribed in Japanese, "Quincy Jones" became "Joe Hisaishi." ("Quincy," pronounced "Kuishi" in Japanese, can be written using the same kanji in "Hisaishi"; "Joe" comes from "Jones.")
In 1983, with his new name, Hisaishi was recommended by a record company to create an album for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Hisaishi and the director of the animated film, Hayao Miyazaki, became great friends and would work together on many future projects. This big break led to Hisaishi's overwhelming success as a composer of film scores. In 1986, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and later, in the 1990s, Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke
is a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster...
and Spirited Away
Spirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
, were released. As Hisaishi strengthened his reputation as one of the budding anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
industry's top musical contributors, his compositions (including eight theatrical films and one OAV
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
) would proceed to become some of the very hallmarks of early anime in the 1980s and 1990s. Hisaishi also composed for such TV hits as Sasuga no Sarutobi, Two Down Full Base and anime Tekuno porisu 21C (all 1982), Sasrygar (1983), Futari Taka
Futari Daka
is a Japanese motorcycle racing manga written and illustrated by Kaoru Shintani. It received the 1984 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga. The series focuses on Sawatari Taka and Toujou Taka as they compete with each other and other competitors in motorcycle racing...
(1984), Honō no Alpen Rose (1985) and Ozu no mahôtsukai (1986). He also scored the sci-fi adventure series Mospeada (1983), which was later reworked (without his music) into the third segment of Carl Macek's compilation, Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
. Other films he scored included Birth (Bâsu) (1984), Arion
Arion (anime)
was a manga series written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, published in Tokuma Shoten's Monthly Comic Ryū from March 1979 to September 1984...
(1986), Totoro
My Neighbor Totoro
, is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan...
(1988), Venus Wars
Venus Wars
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. It was serialized in the Gakken magazine Nora Comics from 1987 to 1990...
(1989), Kiki's Delivery Service
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese animated fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was the fourth theatrically released Studio Ghibli film.The film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1989...
(1989), Ocean Heaven
Ocean Heaven
Ocean Heaven is a 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong drama film starring martial arts superstar Jet Li in his first full drama role. It also co-stars Taiwanese actress Kwai Lun-mei, who previously starred in Jay Chou's Secret...
(2010) and Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso, known in Japan as is the sixth anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Studio Ghibli and released in 1992, of an Italian World War I fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. The man has been cursed and transformed into...
(1992).
As more exposure was given to Hisaishi and the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
industry, his career grew. He initiated a solo career, began to produce music, and created his own label (Wonder Land Inc.). A year later, the label released its first album, Pretender, in New York.
As a result of his work throughout the years, Hisaishi has won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music six times—in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2009, and 2011. He also received the 48th Newcomer Award in 1997 from the Ministry of Education (Public Entertainment Section) among numerous other awards, being recognized as an influential figure in the Japanese film industry.
In 1998, he provided the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the 1998 Winter Paralympics
1998 Winter Paralympics
The 1998 Winter Paralympics, the seventh Winter Paralympics, were held alongside the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan from March 5 to March 14, 1998. They were the first Paralympic Winter Games to be held outside Europe.- Sports :...
. The following year, he composed the music for the third installment in a series of popular computer-animated educational films about the human body.
In 2001, Hisaishi produced music for Takeshi Kitano's film, Brother, and Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, Spirited Away
Spirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
. He also served as executive producer of the Night Fantasia 4 Movement at the Japan Expo in Fukushima 2001. On October 6, Hisaishi made his debut as a film director in Quartet, having also written both its music and script. The film received excellent reviews at the Montreal Film Festival. His first soundtrack for a foreign film, Le Petit Poucet, was released in the same year.
Another Miyazaki film, Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle (film)
is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones...
, for which Hisaishi composed the score, was released on November 20, 2004 in Japan. From November 3 to November 29, 2004, Hisaishi embarked on his "Joe Hisaishi Freedom – Piano Stories 2004" tour with Canadian musicians. In 2005, he composed the soundtrack for the Korean film, Welcome to Dongmakgol
Welcome to Dongmakgol
Welcome to Dongmakgol is a 2005 South Korean film set during the Korean War. It was South Korea's official entry for the foreign language film category of the Academy Awards in 2005, and as of 2005 it was the fourth-highest grossing South Korean film of all time...
. He also partook in Korea's historically landmarked big budget drama series production by composing the soundtrack for Korea's MBC drama series, The Legend
The Legend (TV series)
Legend is a South Korean TV series created by Kimjonghak Production that aired on MBC.The story is loosely based on the legend of Dangun and Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo. The story also adds mythical elements of the Four Symbols depicted in fantasy form as the four guardians who serve the...
( "The Story of the First King's Four Gods"), which released in 2007. Hisaishi has a large fan base in Korea due to the popularity of Miyazaki films.
In 2006, Hisaishi released a studio album, Asian X.T.C., the compositions of which demonstrated a significantly eclectic and contemporary Eastern style. The erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
player
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
of the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
12 Girls Band Zhan Li Jun played in a live concert featuring music from that album. The following year, he composed and recorded the soundtrack for Frederic Lepage
Frederic Lepage
Frederic Lepage is writer and producer of several hundreds of TV shows and documentaries. His first feature film, Sunny and the Elephant, was released in France in december 2008.- Literary career :...
's film, Sunny and the Elephant
Sunny and the Elephant
Sunny and the Elephant is a 2007 feature film written and directed by Frederic Lepage, a French author and producer.It tells the story of a young city boy wanting to become the mahout, the elephant driver...
and the Miyazaki film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
, initially titled in English as Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is a 2008 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It is Miyazaki's eighth film for Ghibli, and his tenth overall...
, both released in 2008, as well as the score for Jiang Wen's film, The Sun Also Rises.
In 2008, Hisaishi composed soundtracks for Academy Award-winning film Departures
Departures (film)
All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"Shine of Snow I" 1:12#"Nohkan" 3:10#"Kaisan" 0:53#"Good-Bye Cello" 2:16#"New Road" 1:15#"Model" 0:47#"First Contact" 1:51#"Washing" 0:34#"Kizuna I" 1:57#"Beautiful Dead I" 3:12#"Okuribito " 1:51...
as well as for , a post-World War II war crimes trial drama which is based on the 1959 Tetsutaro Kato novel and film currently being remade and directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa, starring Masahiro Nakai
Masahiro Nakai
is a singer, actor and host for music events and variety shows such as the long-running music show Utaban. He is the leader of the Japanese idol group SMAP.-Early life:...
and Yukie Nakama
Yukie Nakama
is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Okinawa, Japan, in a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings.At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer , and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday ."In 2000,...
.
Hisaishi also released a new solo album in early 2009 featuring tracks from Shellfish and Departures.
In November 2009, he was awarded with a Medal of Honour with purple ribbon by the Government of Japan
Government of Japan
The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the 1947 constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected...
.
Discography
Hisaishi's full discography and list of projects may be accessed at his official website.1980s
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| MKWAJU | 1981-08-21 | |
| Information | 1982-10-25 | |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1983-11-25 | Image Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-02-25 | Symphonic Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-03-25 | Soundtrack |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984-04-25 | Drama Album |
| W's Tragedy | 1984-12-21 | |
| α-BET-CITY | 1985-06-25 | |
| Early Spring Tale | 1985-09-01 | |
| Arion Arion (anime) was a manga series written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, published in Tokuma Shoten's Monthly Comic Ryū from March 1979 to September 1984... |
1985-10-25 | Image Album |
| Soil | 1986 | Syoko Solo Album |
| Arion | 1986-03-25 | |
| Arion | 1986-04-25 | Symphonic Album |
| Castle in the Sky Castle in the Sky All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" – 2:27#"Morning in Slag Ravine" – 3:04#"A Fun Brawl " – 4:27#"Memories of Gondoa" – 2:46#"Discouraged Pazu" – 1:46#"Robot Soldier " – 2:34... |
1986-05-25 | Image Album |
| Castle In the Sky | 1986-09-25/1986-08-25? | Soundtrack |
| Curved Music | 1986-09-25 | |
| Mezon Ikkoku | 1986-10-25 | |
| Nausicaä Best Collection | 1986-11-25 | Soundtrack/Symphonic |
| Castle in the Sky | 1987-01-25 | Symphonic Album |
| 恋人たちの時刻 サントラ | 1987-03-05 | |
| Robot Carnival Robot Carnival is a Japanese anime anthology film released in 1987. It consists of nine shorts by different directors, many of whom started out as animators with little to no directing experience... |
1987-03-21 | |
| Drifting Classroom |
1987-07-21 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro My Neighbor Totoro , is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan... |
1987-11-25 | Image Album |
| Carrying You | 1988-03-25 | from Castle in the Sky |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1988-05-01 | |
| Piano Stories | 1988-07-21 | |
| Night City | 1988-08-21 | |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1988-09-25 | Soundbook Album |
| Illusion | 1988-12-21 | |
| 冬の旅人 | 1988-12-21 | (1989-01-10?) |
| Venus Wars Venus Wars is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. It was serialized in the Gakken magazine Nora Comics from 1987 to 1990... |
1988-12-21 | Image Album |
| Castle In the Sky | 1989-02-25 | Drama Album |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1989-02-25 | Drama Album |
| Kiki's Delivery Service Kiki's Delivery Service is a 1989 Japanese animated fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was the fourth theatrically released Studio Ghibli film.The film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1989... |
1989-04-10 | Image Album |
| Venus Wars | 1989-04-10 | |
| The Inners | 1989-04-21 | |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1989-08-25 | Soundtrack |
| Pretender | 1989-09-21 | |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1989-09-25 | Drama Album |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1989-10-25 | Hi-Tech |
| Castle In the Sky | 1989-11-25 | Hi-Tech |
| Kiki's Delivery Service Hi-Tech | 1989-12-21 | Hi-Tech |
1990s
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1990-01-25 | Hi-Tech |
| I Am | 1991-02-22 | |
| Futari | 1991-04-21 | |
| Kojika Monogatari | 1991-04-21 | |
| Universe Within: Special Issue |
1991-07-01 | |
| 1992-02-01 | ||
| My Lost City | 1992-02-12 | |
| 1992-03-04 | ||
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1992-03-15 | Piano Solo |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1992-03-15 | Piano Solo |
| Porco Rosso Porco Rosso Porco Rosso, known in Japan as is the sixth anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Studio Ghibli and released in 1992, of an Italian World War I fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. The man has been cursed and transformed into... |
1992-05-25 | Image Album |
| Porco Rosso | 1992-07-22 | Soundtrack |
| Porco Rosso | 1992-09-25 | Drama Album |
| Symphonic Best Selection | 1992-09-09 | |
| B+1 | 1992-10-21 | |
| Piano Stories | 1992-11-21 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body I | 1992-11-21 | |
| A Scene at the Sea A Scene at the Sea is a 1991 Japanese film written and directed by Takeshi Kitano.This movie was a break from previous Kitano fare in that it features no gangsters or police... |
1992-11-25 | Soundtrack |
| Kiki's Delivery Service | 1992-11-25 | Vocal |
| Seisyun Den-Deke-Deke-Deke | 1992-11-25 | |
| Haruka Nostalgy | 1993-01-21 | |
| Sonatine Sonatine is a 1993 Japanese film by Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. It won numerous awards and became one of Kitano's most successful and praised films, garnering him a sizable international fan base.-Plot:Kitano plays Murakawa, a Tokyo yakuza tiring of gangster life... |
1993-06-09 | Soundtrack |
| The Water Traveller, Samurai Kids | 1993-08-04 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind II | 1994-03-18 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body II | 1994-03-21 | |
| BIRTH | 1994-03-24 | |
| さすがの猿飛 | 1994-03-24 | |
| Joe's Project | 1994-06-01 | |
| オリジナルサントラ ぴあの Vol.1 | 1994-06-25 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind Best | 1994-07-21 | |
| Earthly Paradise | 1994-07-27 | |
| Joe's Project 2 | 1994-08-10 | |
| 1994-08-25 | ||
| MELODY Blvd. | 1995-01-25 | |
| Kids Return Kids Return All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"Meet Again" 5:02#"Graduation" 1:07#"Angel Doll" 2:21#"Alone" 1:15#"As a Rival" 1:29#"Promise... for Us" 5:08#"Next Round" 1:28#"Destiny" 3:31#"I Don't Care" 2:18#"High Spirits" 2:03#"Defeat" 2:29#"Break Down" 3:46... |
1996-06-26 | Soundtrack |
| Nokto De La Galaksia Fervojo | 1996-07-20 | |
| Princess Mononoke Princess Mononoke is a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster... |
1996-07-22 | Image Album |
| Piano Stories II: The Wind of Life | 1996-10-25 | |
| Parasite Eve | 1997-02-01 | |
| Princess Mononoke | 1997-07-02 | Soundtrack |
| Asian Dream Song | 1997-09-10 | From Piano Stories II |
| Works I | 1997-10-15 | |
| Hana-bi Hana-bi , released in the US as "Fireworks", is a 1997 Japanese film written, directed and edited by, and starring Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. The film's score was composed by renowned Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi. This was their fourth collaboration... |
1998-01-01 | Soundtrack |
| Hope: Nagano Paralympics 1998 Tribute | 1998-02-25 | |
| Princess Mononoke | 1998-07-08 | Symphonic Suite |
| Nostalgia: Piano Stories III | 1998-10-14 | |
| Tree of Early Winter Rains | 1998-10-31 | |
| Universe Within I: Human Body I & II | 1999-04-28 | |
| Universe Within II: Brain & Mind I & II | 1999-04-28 | |
| Universe Within III: Gene I | 1999-04-28 | |
| Kikujiro Kikujiro The album includes "Summer", one of the most famous compositions by Hisaishi; it was also re-arranged and used for Toyota Corolla commercials, for instance... |
1999-05-26 | Soundtrack |
| Universe Within III: Gene II | 1999-08-04 | |
| Works II | 1999-09-22 | Compilation |
| My Neighbor Totoro | 1999-12-01 | Song & Karaoke Album |
| Joe Hisaishi Best Selection | 1999-12-22 | Compilation |
2000s
| Album | Release date | Notes | |
| First Love (Hatsu-koi) | 2000-03-28 | ||
| Alpenrose | 2000-04-26 | ||
| Alpenrose Sinfónica | 2000-04-26 | Album | |
| As the River Flows | 2000-04-29 | ||
| Shoot the violista | 2000-05-17 | ||
| Brother Brother (2000 film) All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"Drifter... in LAX"#"Solitude"#"Tattoo"#"Death Spiral"#"Party "#"On the Shore"#"Blood Brother"#"Raging Men"#"Beyond the Control"#"Wipe Out"#"Liberation from the Death"#"I Love You, Aniki"#"Ballade"... |
2001-01-17 | Soundtrack | |
| Spirited Away Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,... |
2001-04-04 | Image Album | |
| Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films | 2001-06-21 | Compilation | |
| Spirited Away Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,... |
2001-07-18 | Soundtrack | |
| Spirited Away Spirited Away is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,... |
2001-07-18 | Single | |
| Quartet | 2001-09-27 | ||
| Le Petit Poucet | 2001-10-15 | ||
| Encore | 2002-03-06 | ||
| Super Night Orchestra, 2001 | 2002-07-26 | ||
| Howl's Moving Castle | 2002-10-02 | Soundtrack | |
| Dolls Dolls (film) is a 2002 Japanese film written, edited and directed by Japanese director Takeshi Kitano. A highly stylized art film, Dolls is part of Kitano's non-crime film oeuvre, like 1991's A Scene at the Sea, and unlike most of his other films, he does not act in it... |
2002-10-02 | Soundtrack | |
| Mei and the Catbus | 2002-10-02 | ||
| My Neighbor Totoro My Neighbor Totoro , is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan... |
2002-10-23 | Orchestral | |
| Kaze no Bon | 2002-11-23 | ||
| Mibugishiden When the Last Sword Is Drawn is a 2003 Japanese movie directed by Yōjirō Takita loosely based on real historical events. When the Last Sword Is Drawn won the Best Film award at the 2004 Japanese Academy Awards, as well as the prizes for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor . It received a further eight... |
2002-12-26 | Soundtrack | |
| Curvada Music II | 2003-01-29 | ||
| Etude | 2003-03-12 | ||
| Private | 2004-01-21 | ||
| Howl's Moving Castle Howl's Moving Castle (film) is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones... |
2004-01-21 | Image Album | |
| Le Mécano de la General The General (1927 film) The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film released by United Artists inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, which happened in 1862. Buster Keaton starred in the film and co-directed it with Clyde Bruckman... |
2004-09-06 | Soundtrack | |
| Howl's Moving Castle Howl's Moving Castle (film) is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones... |
2004-11-19 | Soundtrack | |
| Freedom Piano Stories 4 | 2005-01-26 | ||
| Works III | 2005-07-27 | Compilation / Studio Album | |
| Welcome to Dongmakgol Welcome to Dongmakgol Welcome to Dongmakgol is a 2005 South Korean film set during the Korean War. It was South Korea's official entry for the foreign language film category of the Academy Awards in 2005, and as of 2005 it was the fourth-highest grossing South Korean film of all time... |
2005-08-04 | Soundtrack | |
| Yamato | 2005-12-17 | ||
| A Chinese Tall Story A Chinese Tall Story A Chinese Tall Story is a 2005 Hong Kong fantasy adventure film, written and directed by Jeffrey Lau.-Synopsis:It is a twisted story about the monk Tripitaka and his three disciples who are journeying west to acquire Buddhist scriptures. While stopping in Shache City , they come under attack by... |
2005-12-22 | ||
| Asia X.T.C.' | 2006-10-04 | Studio Album | |
| Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi The Legend (TV series) Legend is a South Korean TV series created by Kimjonghak Production that aired on MBC.The story is loosely based on the legend of Dangun and Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo. The story also adds mythical elements of the Four Symbols depicted in fantasy form as the four guardians who serve the... |
2007-09-11 | Soundtrack | |
| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea , initially titled in English as Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is a 2008 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It is Miyazaki's eighth film for Ghibli, and his tenth overall... |
2008-03-08 | Image Album | |
| Piano Stories Best '88-'08 | 2008-04-16 | Recopilación | |
| Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea , initially titled in English as Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is a 2008 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It is Miyazaki's eighth film for Ghibli, and his tenth overall... |
2008-07-16 | Soundtrack | |
| Departures Departures (film) All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"Shine of Snow I" 1:12#"Nohkan" 3:10#"Kaisan" 0:53#"Good-Bye Cello" 2:16#"New Road" 1:15#"Model" 0:47#"First Contact" 1:51#"Washing" 0:34#"Kizuna I" 1:57#"Beautiful Dead I" 3:12#"Okuribito " 1:51... |
2008-09-10 | Soundtrack | |
| I'd Rather Be A Shellfish | 2008-11-19 | Soundtrack | |
| Another Piano Stories - The End of the World | 2009-02-18 | Studio Album | |
| NHK TV Series "Saka no Ue no Kumo" | 2009-11-18 | Soundtrack | |
| Oruru No Mori No Monogatari(A Tale Of Ululu's Wonderful Forest) | 2009-12-16 | Soundtrack | |
| The 19th Step | 2010 | Studio Album | |
| Ocean Heaven Ocean Heaven Ocean Heaven is a 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong drama film starring martial arts superstar Jet Li in his first full drama role. It also co-stars Taiwanese actress Kwai Lun-mei, who previously starred in Jay Chou's Secret... Gui Lunmei |
2010 | ||
| Akunin (Villain) | 2010-09-01 | Soundtrack | |
| Melodyphony -Best of Joe Hisaishi | 2010-10-27 | Compilation | |
| NHK Special Drama "Saka no Ue no Kumo" Dai Ni Bu | 2010-11-17 | Soundtrack | |
| Ni No Kuni | 2011-02-09 | Video Game Soundtrack |
DVDs
| Title | Release date | Notes |
| Quartet | 2002-03-25 |
| 4Movement | 2003-03-19 |
| A Wish to the Moon - Joe Hisaishi & 9 Cellos 2003 Etude/Encore Tour | 2003-06-25 |
| W.D.O. (Joe Hisaishi and New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra) | 2006-12-20 |
| Joe Hisaishi in Budokan - 25 years with the Animations of Hayao Miyazaki | 2009-07-03 |
Blu-Ray discs
| Title | Release date | Notes |
| Joe Hisaishi in Budokan - 25 years with the Animations of Hayao Miyazaki | 2009-07-03 |
Published scores
(released by Zen-On Music Company LtdZen-On Music Company Ltd
is a music publishing company based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, in Japan. Zen-On publishes sheet music for sale and rental, including orchestral scores, band and wind ensemble music, solo works and contemporary works, such as Frederic Rzewski's "People United ..." The company was founded in 1931.Zen-On are...
.)
| Album | Release date | Notes |
| Orchestra Stories: Tonari no TOTORO (Original Edition) |
| ENCORE (Original Edition) |
| A String Quartet: "QUARTET" |
| Asian X.T.C. (Original Edition) |
| FREEDOM (Original Edition) |
| Piano Stories |
| Etudes ~A Wish to the Moon~ |
Sources:
There are also numerous television and cinema soundtracks created by Joe Hisaishi which were never released for sale.
External links
- Official Website
- Chinese Fansite
- http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/hisaishi/Info at Nausicaa.netNausicaa.netNausicaa.net is an English-language fan website established in 1996 to contain information discussed on the Miyazaki Mailing List and to be a general resource for information regarding Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli, and related topics...
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