Ghibli’s number one director, Hayao Miyazaki, is one of the best anime directors ever, and he is the best-known one of them all. His long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi, a musical genius and film composer, is the musical director behind the film studio’s most beloved songs. These songs transcend genres and decades to become some of the most well-known and loved movie soundtracks of all time.
Updated October 27, 2022, by Via Erhard: Studio Ghibli movies are beloved and memorable for many reasons and one of the main reasons is the always deeply emotional and enchanting music these classics have. No matter if a Ghibli movie was made in the ’80s or in recent years because Ghibli fans can always enjoy new Studio Ghibli songs or re-discover their love for the most inspired Joe Hisaishi songs.
The best Studio Ghibli songs have been comforting fans and influencing other cinema artists for many decades with their unique sound that made these stories more atmospheric as well as truly unforgettable.
11 The Bygone Days - Porco Rosso
The Bygone Days is one of the most fun Studio Ghibli songs that was a perfect fit for Porco Rosso’s action-filled and entertaining story. This now iconic classic anime is based in Italy after the first World War and follows the story of a brave bounty hunter who goes after the dangerous air pirates of the Adriatic Sea.
While Porco already has a tough job he also has to deal with his curse that turned him into an anthropomorphic pig. As Ghibli fans go on these unforgettable adventures with Porco Rosso and Fio Piccolo they can also enjoy equally spunky and uplifting music.
10 Arrietty’s Song - The Secret World Of Arrietty
Arrietty’s Song is one of the most charming Studio Ghibli songs that perfectly fit The Secret World of Arrietty’s magic-filled fairy tale story. This Ghibli classic is one of the most beloved movies by the famed director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. This time Ghibli chose to work with the talented French composer Cecile Corbel who managed to create some of the most unforgettable musical moments in Ghibli’s history.
The Secret World of Arrietty’s story follows the tiny Clock family and their adventurous teenage daughter Arrietty. The family’s life changed forever after Arrietty was accidentally discovered by a human boy. Shawn and Arrietty soon developed a strong but secret friendship despite all her parents’ warnings. It’s one of the most emotional and thought-provoking Studio Ghibli movies that deals with illness, and familiar dysfunction.
9 Two People - Grave Of The Fireflies
Two People is one of the most heartbreaking Studio Ghibli songs of all time that matches Grave of the Fireflies’ deeply emotional story. This classic Ghibli movie is the most beloved movie of Isao Takahata who quickly became one of the most popular anime directors of all time. Grave of the Fireflies is one of the saddest anime movies ever created with a thought-provoking story and lovable characters.
The movie’s end title by Michio Mamiya is one of the best Studio Ghibli songs ever created. While it’s a seemingly simple song it manages to evoke just as much if not even more emotions as any of Ghibli Sutido’s more grand songs. Grave of the Fireflies’ story follows two young orphans, a teen boy Seita and his little sister Setsuko’s heartbreaking journey as the two fight for their survival in rural Japan after the devastating World War II.
8 On A Clear Day - Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the most charming coming-of-age Ghibli movies with one of the best anime cats and is set in a magical world where humans and witches live together. The story follows the adventures of a young witch named Kiki, who tries to earn a living and build a life for herself in a new town.
While Kiki is a witch and has a magical flying broom, she still has to deal with the same difficulties as an average teenager. The movie’s sweeping and uplifting music is filled with wonder and wistful dreams.
7 A Journey - The Wind Rises
While The Wind Rises is one of the most popular international animated movies of the decade. This moving story was inspired by a real-life warplane designer Jiro Horikoshi and the writings of Tatsuo Hori, and it’s about how war destroys dreams and love.
Jiro’s struggle with his dream and newfound love as they both get overshadowed by World War II is one of Ghibli’s most realistic and meaningful movies. The film’s melancholic tone and atmosphere were perfectly matched by the equally calm yet rousing melodies that accompany it till the end.
6 Legend Of Wind - Nausicaa Of The Valley Of Wind
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of Wind is one of the most important Ghibli movies with an impactful message that has become more relevant than ever. The film has a weird and wonderful dystopian world as well as a brave young princess who wants to help her people win a war in a more peaceful way.
Just like the movie, its soundtrack is magical, charming, and deep, and while it has its sad moments, it’s still soothing to the soul like most Ghibli melodies.
5 The Legend Of Ashitaka Theme - Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki was always great at creating brilliant feminist characters and meaningful fantasy stories that stood the test of time. More than that, Princess Mononoke is another Ghibli classic with a meaningful environmental message that rings truer than ever.
The story is set in a world where the harmony between humans, nature, and gods begins to fall apart because of the greedy humans who consume all of nature’s resources and mercilessly kill its creatures. Joe Hisaishi’s majestic music further intensifies the viewer’s adventure throughout the story.
4 Path Of Wind - My Neighbor Totoro
Totoro is Ghibli’s most recognizable creation that transcended anime and became one of movie history’s most beloved magical creatures. My Neighbor Totoro is set in rural Japan and is about two young girls’ everyday life and their friendships with spirits who became their friends and often help them out in difficult situations.
It’s a magical story about the beauty of childhood and the hardships of growing up. My Neighbor Totoro has valuable life lessons not just for younger audiences but for adults too. While, in the end, it’s an uplifting and joyful movie, it’s not without dark moments, and the accompanying music always perfectly conveys the shifting emotions and narrative developments of the story.
3 One Summer’s Day - Spirited Away
Spirited Away is Ghibli Studios most critically acclaimed movie and its most well-known one. Its magical story is filled with exciting characters and magical creatures, including one of the strongest evil witches in anime history, and is set in a stunning fantasy world. The story follows Chihiro and her journey through a spirit realm where she must fend for herself after her parents’ transformation.
While things get difficult for Chihiro fairly quickly, she always chooses to fight, so she can get back to the human realm and save her parents. The story is filled with emotional elements and deals with various themes like greed, identity, and most importantly loss of past. Joe Hisaishi’s calm yet rhapsodic melodies perfectly capture the movie’s many messages.
2 The Girl Who Fell From The Sky - Castle In The Sky
Castle in the Sky is a beautiful story of a young girl named Sheeta, who has a mysterious magical crystal and has to escape foreign agents, and pirates with the help of her new friend Pazu to find Laputa, a legendary floating castle.
Similar to many other Ghibli movies, humans are greedy and keep using the kind robots of Laputa for destruction to achieve their own selfish goals. Similar to the movie’s story, its music is majestic and grand while evoking strong emotions and flying its listeners straight to Laputa.
1 Merry Go Round Of Life - Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle is one of Ghibli’s most beloved feel-good movies with meaningful themes, lovable and relatable characters, and, thanks to Sophie, one of the most iconic anime hats ever. The story follows Sophie, who gets cursed by a powerful witch and is forced to leave her home. Her journey takes her to Howl’s moving castle, where she becomes a self-appointed cleaning lady.
Sophie soon realizes that nothing is what it seems, and that Howl is not the dangerous selfish wizard he wants to show to the world. Together they have to find their true selves and help each other realize their full potential. Just like the story, its soundtrack is filled with life’s wonder as well as all its misery.
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