Studio Ghibli is one of, it not the most respected animation studios in the world. They’ve produced hit after hit since officially founding in 1985. Their films have won numerous awards and have had strong staying power in the minds of viewers ever since.
A large part of this is thanks to the incredible scores that each of these films brings with them. Soundtracks form the subconscious emotion of a movie. Most people don't even remember the score, but it plays a huge part in determining the emotion of a scene. They range from beautiful, to haunting, to downright catchy. Most of the work has been done by the incomparable composer, Joe Hisaishi, who has composed eight different Studio Ghibli films. His work, among others, is part of what makes these movies great. Here are the best of the best.
6 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind came out in 1984, and was one of the first major Studio Ghibli releases. As such – the score also represents that era with some killer '80s-style drum sequences and synth-riddled overtures. Composer Joe Hisaishi, long time Studio Ghibli collaborator, doesn't miss with scale either. The movie is an epic fantasy morality tale about the greed of humanity, and the score rises to incredible levels to match the grand scale of the story.
The film also has one of the most ethereal and moving singing sections in any Studio Ghibli film with the track, "Nausicca Requim". Primarily used in a flashback sequence, this song is extremely effective at pulling the heartstrings as Nausicaa's empathy for monsters is revealed in her childhood. It's used several times in the film to stir up those emotions again. This score is not only one of the best Ghibli soundtracks, but is also one of the best scores for an animated movie from the '80s.
5 Ocean Waves (1993)
Ocean Waves is an extremely underrated Studio Ghibli film that many people hadn’t seen until HBO Max added the entire Studio Ghibli collection to their streaming platform. It’s a good thing they did - because not only is this a hidden gem, but it also features an incredible and unique score. Unlike many of the other Studio Ghibli films, this movie wasn’t composed by Joe Hisaishi or directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
The film was handled by a crew of Studio Ghibli's younger animators and writers. It's not as polished as other classics, but it stands out in its own right thanks to a mature film that ambigiously handles the sexuality of its main characters. The music would be composed by Shigeru Nagata, who wasn't a Ghibli regular, and has only one other composing credit to his name. Thankfully, the score is fantastic in addition to the movie being great. It has an almost jazzy aesthetic to match the slice of life story, and there's some great use of synth as well. It's not a traditional score, but it's hard to imagine this movie without it.
4 Ponyo (2008)
The opening track alone, "Deep Sea Pastures", is one of the most beautiful pieces in an animated film, not just a Studio Ghibli film. It creates this great sense of mystery and wonder, and perfectly sets the modern fairy tail vibe that Ponyo does so well. It feels as if it's constantly rising towards a climax, and it finally breaks the surface as the title of the movie is revealed.
The film itself is pretty standard Studio Ghibli, with gorgeous animation and impeccable writing. However, it's the soundtrack that takes this from being a good movie, to being one of the best that Studio Ghibli has to offer. That's the power of an incredible soundtrack.
3 Spirited Away (2001)
Spirited Away is considered to be the best Studio Ghibli movie by many critics. It goes without saying that the soundtrack is easily one of the best as well. The score, much like the movie, is darker in tone and has a very eerie cadence to it. The story follows Chihiro, as she and her parents are mysteriously transported to the spirit world. The music that plays when she first starts to explore this exciting, and equally terrifying, world is a perfect representation of the characters' feelings. The world unfolds with each note, and finally near the end of the track she's seen just how different the spirit world can be. That town is even being brought into the Ghibli Park in Japan.
Joe Hisaishi, once again, created the score. There's a reason that this movie is often the first one people talk about when talking about Studio Ghibli.
2 Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Howl's Moving Castle is all about magic. From the characters, to the story, to the steampunk-inspired castle that the characters call home. All of this comes together with another incredible score from Joe Hisaishi. Howl himself is an interesting character with tons of mystery and intrigue. It would make sense that his main theme would reflect that nature. The main piano theme, "Merry-Go-Round of Life" is one of the most iconic pieces ever written for a Studio Ghibli film. It captures that light, floating magic that made Howl's Moving Castle a success.
The film stars a pretty incredible English-speaking voice cast consisting of Christian Bale, Billy Crystal and Emily Mortimer. The Japanese voice cast is spot-on as well. Joe Hisaishi would go on to win Best Music at the Tokyo Anime Awards.
1 Princess Mononoke (1997)
Joe Hisaishi composed the score for this movie to match the epic scale of the story. It has some of the studio's biggest orchestral pieces and some of the most beautiful, softer piano melodies.
Princess Mononoke is the biggest Studio Ghibli film in terms of storytelling scope. It's a high fantasy, set in Japan that is ripe with great folklore and magic. The track, "Journey to the West", may be the quintessential Joe Hisaishi piece. It perfectly captures the raw fear and wonderment that Ashitaka has as he leaves his village for the first time and heads out into the unknown. The world becomes instantly bigger for him, and the song swells to meet that anticipation.
Studio Ghibli movies are all about magic and wonderment. Their sense of scale is only matched by the heart of their characters. Joe Hisaishi has understood this from the start, and Princess Mononoke is the perfect realization of that motif. Princess Mononoke will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year.