For many years, the Japanese animation studioStudio Ghiblihas not just been the leading anime filmmaker in its country, but one of the spearheads of global animation throughout modern history. There are plenty of elements that make a Studio Ghibli masterpiece irresistibly magical, and the fact that pretty much each of the studio’s movies has an exceptional score is certainly no small contributing factor.
To the surprise of no fan of Studio Ghibli, the vast majority of the studio’s best and most memorable scores have been composed by the legendaryJoe Hisaishi. Certainly not all of them come from Hisaishi’s mind, and that also doesn’t mean that there isn’t still plenty of variety for those who love listening to movie scores. Ghibli has some of the most iconic and beautiful music that any movie studio has ever gathered, and that will always be worthy of the utmost praise.This list will rank the best scores from Studio Ghiblibased on their composition, memorability, and how much they enrich their respective movies.
10’Only Yesterday' (1991)
Composed by Katsu Hoshi
Only Yesterdayis one ofStudio Ghibli’s most underrated gems, telling the coming-of-age tale of an office worker in her late 20s who travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tokyo. Deeply touching, full of artistic merit, and aimed primarily at female audiences (something quite rare for Ghibli),Only Yesterdayis one of the studio’s many must-see films.
It isn’t just the direction and writing that work perfectly inOnly Yesterday, but the music, too. With somegorgeous piano-centric songs, plenty of creative instrumentalizations, andinfluences from genres like flamenco,Only Yesterdayis a pretty understated score for Ghibli. However, itsoriginality and emotional resonanceare what make it so uniquely strong.
Only Yesterday
9’Ponyo' (2008)
Composed by Joe Hisaishi
The majority of Ghibli’s movies are kid-friendly, but few are aimed so strongly at the little ones of the family asPonyo. That isn’t to say that it’s not enjoyable for grown-ups; not in the slightest. On the contrary,Ponyo’s charming visual style, stunning poetic tone, endearing characters, and feel-good narrative make it an absolute delight for any viewer, no matter their age.
Being thatPonyois a film so reliant on innocence and a childlike sense of wonder, the great Joe Hisaishi was unsurprisingly up for the challenge. Perfectlycapturing both the tranquility and the grand beauty of the sea, Hisaishi crafted inPonyo’s score a series ofenrapturing compositions that are as wondrous as they are profound.Ponyois one ofthe best anime movies of the 2000s, and its amazing score is no small reason why.
8’The Secret World of Arrietty' (2010)
Composed by Cécile Corbel
At Studio Ghibli,it’s not all Hayao Miyazaki. Though it isn’t usually considered among the studio’s best outings,Hiromasa Yonebayashi’sThe Secret World of Arriettyis certainly one of its most underappreciated, and proof that Ghibli has a wide array of hyper-talented directors at its disposal. It’s about a family of four-inch-tall people living anonymously in another family’s residence, whose life changes when the family’s teenage daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.
Arriettyis visually beautiful, full of memorable details, and refreshingly relaxing. This relaxing nature includes the film’s score, which was composed by the French musicianCécile Corbel, marking the first time a non-Japanese composer worked with Ghibli.Mixing all manner of international influencesand instruments that are rarely—if ever—heard in the studio’s movies, like bagpipes and Irish flutes, it’sone of the most creative and enjoyable Ghibli scores.
The Secret World of Arrietty
7’My Neighbor Totoro' (1988)
My Neighbor Totoromay just be Studio Ghibli’s most iconic movie. It’s no wonder the lovable, chubby creature has been the studio’s face for many years. There isn’t any cheap drama or fearsome conflict here; instead, it’s an exquisite hangout-style movie with a pair of sisters dealing with grief by roaming the countryside with their magical friends. It’s the kind of film that’s impossible to hate.
One of the non-Disney animated movies famed American film criticRoger Ebert loved the most,Totorois a delight from head to toes, which includes Joe Hisaishi’s magical score.Mixing orchestral sounds with a digital synthesizer,Totoro’s music gorgeously enhances the emotional impact of the story. Poignant when it needs to be, yet never ceasing to befull of grandiose childlike wonder, it’s one of Hisaishi’s most enjoyable compositions that effortlessly captures a unique sense of awe and adventure.
My Neighbor Totoro
6’Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind' (1984)
Perfect for those who enjoy the likes ofDuneand theLord of the Ringsbooks and movies,Nausicäa of the Valley of the Windwas actually made and released before Studio Ghibli was founded but has since been warmly welcomed as part of the studio’s catalog, so it’s silly not to count it as such. One of Hayao Miyazaki’s earliest works, it’s a sci-fi epic that has aged like fine wine.
For those who like their epics atmosphericand their sci-fi thought-provoking,Nausicäais perfect. Likewise, for those who like their ’80s movies with scores thatscream'80s,Nausicäashould be like a match made in heaven for them. The synth-heavy sounds are definitely not for everyone, but for years, Ghibli fans have agreed on this beingone of the studio’s most epic, exciting, and specialscores. As an earlier example of Joe Hisaishi’s work, thisbooming, singular, and shamelessly ’80s scoreis an absolute delight.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
5’Princess Mononoke' (1997)
Praised by some as Miyazaki’s best film and Studio Ghibli’s magnum opus,Princess Mononokeis one of the studio’s darkest, most mature, and violent films, yet still a must-watch for viewers of all ages. One of thebest fantasy movies of all time, it’s an enthralling action epic about the man-vs-nature conflict and the complications of morality’s grayness.
This collaboration between the composer and Miyazaki reportedly demanded much closer collaboration between the two than ever before, and it definitely paid off.
Mononokeis full of beautifully contemplative moments, rousing action sequences, and mystical flashes of fantastical magic, whichcall for an exceptional score: That’s precisely what Joe Hisaishi delivered. This collaboration between the composer and Miyazaki reportedly demanded much closer collaboration between the two than ever before, and it definitely paid off. Heavy on the brass andbalancing traditional Japanese rhythms with Western influences perfectly, it’s some of Hisaishi’s strongest and most unforgettable work.
4’Howl’s Moving Castle' (2004)
Howl’s Moving Castleis rarely not heard in conversations about Studio Ghibli’s best films, and that isn’t surprising in the slightest. With some of the most beautiful animation, one of the most compelling stories, and some ofthe best characters in Ghibli’s catalog, it truly is top-tier animation. Romantic, sweepingly epic, and aesthetically impressive, it’s one of Hayao Miyazaki’s best.
It also happens to have some of Joe Hisaishi’s strongest work. “Merry-Go-Round of Life” isa masterclass of a song that needs no introduction for Ghibli fans, who never fail to recognize it as one of the most enchanting melodies that animation has ever been treated to. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call it the single best composition in Ghibli,a perfect encapsulation of romance and the story of one’s life. Still, it’s far from the only thing thatHowl’sscore has going for it. Though it’s true that that’s the leitmotif that the score mostly relies on, Hisaishi also crafts all manner of other songs for the movie, from the haunting to the romantic to the undeniably beautiful.
Howl’s Moving Castle
3’The Boy and the Heron' (2023)
The latest collaboration between Hayao Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi,The Boy and the Heronmight be called by some as their best work together ever—and it would be hard to blame them. Even outside of its music, however, this late-career Miyazaki masterpiece is absolutely enthralling. Visually intricate, gorgeously atmospheric, and full of meta meaning, it’s one of Ghibli’s best outings ever, as well as one of thebest anime films of the last three decades.
It’s Hisaishi’s score, though,that’s one of the movie’s most salient elements, and for good reason. It’s absolutely crucial in how enveloping the film’s tone and atmosphere are; it’s flawless in how it expands the characters' arcs, the fascinating themes, and the story’s emotional core; and it’s full of some ofthe most creative instrumentalizations of Hisaishi’s career.The Boy and the Heron’s score is the work of a master in full control of his craft.
The Boy and the Heron
2’The Tale of the Princess Kaguya' (2013)
Several of Studio Ghibli’s best films are actually not directed by Hayao Miyazaki, which includesThe Tale of the Princess Kaguya, a masterpiece directed by the man usually agreed to be the studio’s second-best filmmaker,Isao Takahata. It’s one of thegreatest historical fantasy moviesof all time, mixing an insightful portrayal of the Heian period with an enchanting narrative of magic and divinity.
The score is filled to the brim with perfect influences from traditional Japanese music, but also relies on the creativity and originality that one can expect from any Hisaishi score.Beautifully instrumentalizedand flawlesslybalancing melancholy, joy, mystery, and wonder,The Tale of Princess Kaguyaoffers the perfect composition for such a special and mature little gem.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
1’Spirited Away' (2001)
Spirited Away, the first non-Hollywood film to ever win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, is usually considered Ghibli’s best movie. In fact,some would go so far as to call it the best animated film of all time. It’s just that good. Richly surreal, full of beautifully thought-provoking meaning, and with some of the most stunning animation of Hayao Miyazaki’s filmography, it’s a masterwork through and through.
There are plenty of elements that make this one ofthe most timeless fantasy moviesever, and Joe Hisaishi’s score cannot be overstated as one of them. Songs like “One Summer’s Day” and “The Sixth Station” are amongthe most moving, melodically flawless, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous compositionsin not just Ghibli’s filmography, but all of animated cinema.Spirited Awayis impossible to look away from, and thanks to Hisaishi, it’s also impossible to close one’s ears to. Putting this movie at the top ofanyGhibli ranking may be a less-than-inspired choice, but as far as music goes, it’s undeniable thatSpirited Awayis as good as it gets.
