Who composed the music for most Studio Ghibli films?

Who composed the music for most Studio Ghibli films? The answer is Joe Hisaishi. The Japanese composer is especially famous for his long creative partnership with director Hayao Miyazaki, for whom he has written scores for nearly every feature film.

Their collaboration began with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in 1984, before Studio Ghibli was formally founded. Hisaishi later composed the music for major Ghibli films including My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, and The Boy and the Heron. His scores often combine piano, orchestral writing, minimalist repetition, and sweeping melodic themes.

The wording “most Studio Ghibli films” is broader than “all Ghibli films.” Hisaishi did not score every production: other important composers include Isao Takahata's frequent collaborator Michio Mamiya and Yoko Kanno, who scored When Marnie Was There. Hisaishi is the canonical answer because of the extraordinary scale and visibility of his Ghibli partnership.