There has always been a dearth of work for Indian Ghibli fans. A decade after his last film the wind risesIt seems Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved anime studio needed a Golden Globe, a Bafta and an Academy Award to convince Indian distributors of the film’s merits. Today, weeks after the film’s first premiere in the country, remnants of that enchanting fever dream still linger.
However, the wonders of Mahito’s adventures in Miyazaki-land will certainly lack the distinctive Ghibli charm that drew Indian fans to cinemas like Siege of the Herons, but without the mystery behind the studio’s mesmerizing success.
Travel
73-year-old Joe Hisaishi was born Mamoru Fujisawa, his journey into music began at the age of four when he began learning the violin. Early exposure to a plethora of films through his father laid the foundation for his future career. Hisaishi’s early works, which were composed under his given name, include music for anime series Gyatoruz Even in 1974, Sasuga No Sarutobi And Futari DakaHis compositions during the 1970s were influenced by J-pop, New Age, and the late Ryuichi Sakamoto’s early Japanese electronic band, Yellow Magic Orchestra. This mix of influences created a wide range of themes and helped him develop his music from minimalist ideas to elaborate orchestral works.
The turning point in Hisashi’s career came in 1983 when he created an image album for Miyazaki. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. This was the first of many collaborations with Miyazaki, drawing clear parallels with the legendary partnership between director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams. As Hisashi’s fame grew, he coined his own nickname, inspired by American composer Quincy Jones. The name, pronounced “Kuinshi”, “Quincy” in Japanese, shares the same kanji as “Hisashi”, while “Joe” was borrowed from “Jones”.
Hisashi’s music for Studio Ghibli guides audiences through the emotional landscape of Miyazaki’s imagined worlds. His music hides an under-appreciated complexity behind a veneer of simplicity that allows his compositions to become an integral part of the narrative.
Hisashi’s musical genius lies in his ability to fill the emotional gaps left by Miyazaki’s minimal dialogue. spirited AwayHis score dances between uncertainty and resolution, perfectly mirroring Chihiro’s journey. His strategic use of silence, especially howl’s Moving Castleenhances realism, making every musical note feel like a revelation. The charming simplicity of Totoro and the epic grandeur of Mononoke demonstrate his understanding of how to reflect the growth of characters, making their triumphs and tribulations feel deeply personal.
The magic of Hisashi’s music also lies in its ability to evoke a spectrum of emotions that you can’t put your finger on. Tracks like his most popular track, “One Summer Day” spirited Away, reflects this duality, blending melancholy tones with a sense of uplifting resolve. His music has the rare ability to make listeners feel a sense of longing for places and times they have never known, creating an almost universal emotional experience that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers.
the grandeur of simplicity
Along with American contemporaries like Williams, Hisashi belongs to a group of film music giants, each with a unique style that defines the cinematic experience for fans. Williams, the master behind the iconic sounds Star Wars, Indiana Jones And Jurassic Parkboasts 52 Academy Award nominations, making him Hollywood’s go-to man for spectacular music. Hisaishi, on the other hand, weaves more introspective musical ideas. His scores, infused with folk influences, evoke a gentle melancholy that feels like a warm embrace from a fond childhood memory. Yet, despite his significant contributions, Hisaishi has never won an Oscar nomination – an omission that screams cultural prejudice even more than Williams’s climaxes. While Williams’ symphonic fireworks mesh perfectly with Spielberg’s, and by extension, Hollywood’s, love for spectacle, Hisaishi’s compositions provide a soothing counterpoint to Miyazaki’s imagery.
Joe Hisashi
Hisashi’s score for Miyazaki’s latest masterpiece, boy and heronThis synergy between composer and director is a testament to this – a contemplative journey that marks Miyazaki’s most personal and reflective film to date. An artistic pivot from his previous grandiose orchestrations is Hisaishi’s adoption of restraint, drawing on classical minimalism such as Philip Glass, creating an intimate auditory landscape that enhances the film’s emotional core.
The film, titled “How Do You Live?” in its original Japanese, presents a thematic inquiry that Hisashi translated into the score’s main motif, “Ask Me Why.” This recurring piano and strings piece, marked by its childlike purity, reinforces protagonist Mahito’s search for love and understanding after the loss of his mother. The theme’s simplicity belies its emotional weight, becoming richer with each repetition, ultimately culminating in a powerful orchestral rendition that reflects Mahito’s emotional resolve in “Ask Me Why (Mahito’s Commitment).”
A director’s trust
Miyazaki’s decision to give Hisashi free rein in the scoring reflects a deep trust between them and an evolution in their long-standing collaborative process. Where previously Miyazaki’s involvement had shaped the direction of the music, this time, Hisashi was left to freely interpret the nearly completed film. The result is a score that complements and accentuates the film’s dichotomous structure.
The first half of the film depicts post-war Japan. Hisashi’s ideas are restrained, relying heavily on sparse arrangements. Pieces such as “White Wall” evoke the gentle rhythms of Satie. The tension between Mahito and the mischievous heron is expressed through “A Feather in the Dusk”, where the strings rise and fall, mirroring the boy’s fluctuating emotions. The light-hearted “Feather Fletching” and the ominous “A Trap” combine lightness with mystery, creating a turning point in the film.
As Mahito enters the sinister tower, Hisaishi expands the musical palette, incorporating strange rhythms and electronic effects into the score. “Ark” features a staggering beat to reflect the vibrancy of this new fantasy realm, while ‘Warawara’ uses synthesized voices to convey the supernatural. This sonic evolution parallels Mahito’s journey from the mundane to the extraordinary, drawing attention to the film’s thematic progression.
Hisashi’s choice to focus on repetitive patterns and avoid overt emotional cues is in keeping with Miyazaki’s narrative intent. By maintaining a certain distance from the story, Hisashi’s score invites the viewer to engage with the film on a more intuitive level, fostering a deeper emotional resonance without necessarily directing emotions.
Joe Hisaishi is Ghibli’s unsung hero, the one who brings method to Miyazaki’s mesmerizing madness.
