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Okay, so as we all (should) know, Joe Hisaishi is an amazing Japanese composer who is regularly teamed up with Studio Ghibli whenever they make a new movie. He's also done the soundtracks to some other fantastic movies, such as Departures.

What made you fall in love with his music? What introduced you to him? Those types of standard questions.

For example, I grew up with Studio Ghibli movies like My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, so I've always known about him. It wasn't until I saw an actual youtube video of him conducting that I really fell in love with his style.

Sabbae's Kouhai

Beloved Reveler

YES. YES. YES. Sorry for the much needed enthusiasm. Joe Hisaishi was introduced to me by none other than the Studio Ghibli films, and as a child I never did pay attention to what the plots were - let alone the soundtracks. As I got older and rewatched my childhood films (including new ones), the soundtrack became not just the background music, but a part of the movie itself (and blasts of nostalgia). What I love about Hisaishi's music is - it's distinct, but you can sort of tell his composition style (although I have yet to decipher it... despite my long - term experience in piano). It's quite the oxymoron really, every piece feels so unique yet every piece feels somewhat the same. Btw, I totally agree with you, if you watch his live tapes, the way he conducts his pieces with such character makes me want to be there myself! Excuse the probably incomprehensible tangent, I'm an avid fan.
TeaMelodi
YES. YES. YES. Sorry for the much needed enthusiasm. Joe Hisaishi was introduced to me by none other than the Studio Ghibli films, and as a child I never did pay attention to what the plots were - let alone the soundtracks. As I got older and rewatched my childhood films (including new ones), the soundtrack became not just the background music, but a part of the movie itself (and blasts of nostalgia). What I love about Hisaishi's music is - it's distinct, but you can sort of tell his composition style (although I have yet to decipher it... despite my long - term experience in piano). It's quite the oxymoron really, every piece feels so unique yet every piece feels somewhat the same. Btw, I totally agree with you, if you watch his live tapes, the way he conducts his pieces with such character makes me want to be there myself! Excuse the probably incomprehensible tangent, I'm an avid fan.

Pshaaaaa. Incomprehensible tangent? Hardly! I totally get what you're saying, and I just love that there are supremely passionate people (such as yourself) right out there in the world! It's wonderful! But yeah, I agree, there are always certain themes that kind of pop up around his work. I mean, like, if you get to a dramatic part of the movie, you're going to be hearing something very similar to another dramatic point in another movie and I LOVE it because instead of making him seem unimaginative, it's just a signature for his work. And I guess that the only way I can really describe it is "oriental flair." Aaaahhhh he's so creative and wonderful and I have the biggest man-crush on him and his work.

Sabbae's Kouhai

Beloved Reveler

Neptunius

Pshaaaaa. Incomprehensible tangent? Hardly! I totally get what you're saying, and I just love that there are supremely passionate people (such as yourself) right out there in the world! It's wonderful! But yeah, I agree, there are always certain themes that kind of pop up around his work. I mean, like, if you get to a dramatic part of the movie, you're going to be hearing something very similar to another dramatic point in another movie and I LOVE it because instead of making him seem unimaginative, it's just a signature for his work. And I guess that the only way I can really describe it is "oriental flair." Aaaahhhh he's so creative and wonderful and I have the biggest man-crush on him and his work.


Oh My Gosh. You my brother, are flipping awesome. Thank you, finally someone who understands my obsession haha! You just summed up what I wanted to explain in a short paragraph rather than the 10 page essay I probably would have written! In all honesty though, I've never met anyone that was really passionate about his music so it was always hard to talk to them about him without confusing them altogether! "Oriental flair" would probably be the right word, it's almost the same feeling when you're listening to Yiruma or "Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence", but not quite as Joe Hisaishi just brings... EMOTION (no offense to the other composers, they're very talented men). Also, I agree! his other works that haven't been featured in movies (like "Nostalgia, or "Spring" ) are just so... BRILLIANT.
TeaMelodi
Neptunius

Pshaaaaa. Incomprehensible tangent? Hardly! I totally get what you're saying, and I just love that there are supremely passionate people (such as yourself) right out there in the world! It's wonderful! But yeah, I agree, there are always certain themes that kind of pop up around his work. I mean, like, if you get to a dramatic part of the movie, you're going to be hearing something very similar to another dramatic point in another movie and I LOVE it because instead of making him seem unimaginative, it's just a signature for his work. And I guess that the only way I can really describe it is "oriental flair." Aaaahhhh he's so creative and wonderful and I have the biggest man-crush on him and his work.


Oh My Gosh. You my brother, are flipping awesome. Thank you, finally someone who understands my obsession haha! You just summed up what I wanted to explain in a short paragraph rather than the 10 page essay I probably would have written! In all honesty though, I've never met anyone that was really passionate about his music so it was always hard to talk to them about him without confusing them altogether! "Oriental flair" would probably be the right word, it's almost the same feeling when you're listening to Yiruma or "Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence", but not quite as Joe Hisaishi just brings... EMOTION (no offense to the other composers, they're very talented men). Also, I agree! his other works that haven't been featured in movies (like "Nostalgia, or "Spring" ) are just so... BRILLIANT.


Ha ha ha, thank you, thank you. You're mighty awesome yourself, since you believe in a thing called love love Joe Hisaishi. The man certainly knows how to turn his audience into piles of squealy fan-goo, hahahaha.

Wheezing Lunatic




SPIRITED AWAY IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK OF ALL TIME AND THIS SONG IS SO DEEP AND AMAZING. AND THANK GOD IM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT LOVES JOE HISAISHI!!!!

Wheezing Lunatic

sorry this is actually the version i love. the one i posted before sounds a bit different.
Inkmind
sorry this is actually the version i love. the one i posted before sounds a bit different.

Aaaahhhhhh I love thisss!!! Have you heard the Princess Mononoke orchestral suite? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H82QHiUvY5E has got to be one of my favorites!

Sabbae's Kouhai

Beloved Reveler

Always a pleasure to see another one of us! I personally love the Princess Mononoke soundtrack! The songs went so well with everything that was happening in that movie. I wish I had the opportunity (and the money) to see him live!!
Sixth Station is so nostalgic haha.. My favorite piece is from Spirited Away as well ^^

I guess the solo piano gets me since I've played it all my life.

Gracious Genius

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I discovered him through animexduo in youtube
I love his arrangement "summer"
I was in heaven when I found out hie teams up with Ghibli
I'm still downloading a lot of anime piano Ost's
I have 1/10 of the touhou music that I want but after that I'm going to dig through his repetoire
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Haha... It's funny to see so many people being so eagered about Hisaishi.

I got introduced to Joe Hisaishi's work through Ghibli movies. I don't know when did I find out who did the composing for the movies but the music gives the movies so much more feeling.
My first exposure to Joe Hisaishi was with the Princess Mononoke soundtrack, although my favorite of his work is Spirited Away. He is one of the greatest living composers in the world.
I'm just happy this thread exists. So much love for that guy. heart
Joe Hisaishi is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Anyone who says otherwise is plain deaf...and I don't mean tone deaf I mean completely and totally DEAF...He writes some of the most moving and enrapturing music ever. Honestly there are barely words to describe how his music can affect someone. The best part is how it ties into the movie as if it were actually the movie made for his music. I love Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli but sometimes I have to say the music blows me away more than the film in some scenes...Particularly the rebirth scene in Princess Mononoke where they play the "Ashitaka and San" I swear when I heard it the first time I wanted to dance and sing and laugh and cry and the emotions welling over me were just beyond description.

Anyway to the questions...hahaha...I get carried away a lot...

I was first introduced during Spirited Away (never got the chance to watch Kiki's Delivery Service when I was a kid but I did watch it eventually) and then I was addicted to Howl's Moving Castle and I started downloading Miyazaki's films and eventually I noticed that despite how distinctly different each soundtrack was it had the same soul so I looked up the composer and started downloading his soundtracks like crazy...and now he has his own playlist on my ipod... heart heart

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One of the most amazing composers out there.
The music he created for Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and My Neighbor Totoro is just...wow.
I too am very glad this thread exists. Much love and props to that guy!

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