Customer Reviews

Laputa: Castle In The Sky (1986 Anime Film)

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Unless you're a Hayao Miyazaki or Takeshi Kitano fan, the name Joe Hisaishi is probably not very familiar to you. But since I first heard his work in 1996, I've called him my favourite film composer ever, over even visionaries like Thomas Newman, Joseph Koo, Randy Edelman, Ennio Morricone, Goblin, and Nino Rota.

Hisaishi's score for Laputa: Castle in the Sky is his best, in my opinion. Part of the magic of Hisaishi is that he draws from several rich wells of influence and blends them in his own unique way. His background in New Age music (which informed his score for Nausicaa: Warriors of the Wind) probably explains his impeccable craftsmanship, his sonic clarity, and his studio wizardry (he plays many if not all of the instruments on his works). On the other hand, he also has a classical composer's sophistication, a superb pop producer's ear for arrangement (not just the tired strings-and-symphonic-percussion of most Hollywood scores), and an ace songwriter's talent for coming up with hooks; his compositions are as catchy as any radio hit you can think of. Add that to his awareness of Japanese music both past and present, a flavour unlike any other, and you have an absolutely brilliant mix.

All the titles on this work are in Japanese so I'd have to interpret them as best I can. The title theme, "The Girl Falling from the Sky", is breathtaking. In the context of the classic Miyazaki film, it enhances the drama and takes the viewer soaring to the skies; outside of the film, it is simply a stirring composition. Hisaishi also complements Miyazaki's knack for putting touches of sly humour into his works: "Muscleheads" (the theme for the village fight), the "Pirate Ship" theme, and pirate chief "Mama"'s theme are funny, lively, and imaginatively arranged, with horns, keyboard effects and percussive sounds leaping out at you at choice spots. And the dreamier romantic pieces are serenely sublime, "A Sea of Clouds", the choral version of the "Laputa" theme, and the title song, which takes the melody of the main theme, transposes it to another key, and gives it a splendid studio-pop arrangement with a beautiful, but not overly girlish female lead vocal (sung by Miyazaki's daughter, if I remember right), closing down this score album on a spirited high note.

This is the score album I put above American Beauty, The Untouchables, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Barcelona, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, and A Better Tomorrow on my list of film scores. I play it more often than any other, and it still has a resounding effect on me every time I play it.

Having spend ten plus years of my childhood life in Asia, and the rest in the states, I am one of the fortunate few that truly had the joy of experiencing the best and worse of opposite side of this world.

Laputa is among one of the best production that ever came out of Japan, and for this matter, in anime history. The characters, the story, the scenery, and especially that of the most masterfully orchestrated pieces have been imprinted in the deepest of my mind since the day I saw it on it's debute in asia - back at 1986 when I was just a little kid.

Now that I am all grown up, and could offer to view it once again on my huge screen, engolfed by 8 plus custom speakers. The magic is still there.

I had to paid triple the price, and international phone chargers plus shipping years ago to had it imported. Now you could get the almost-complete Studio Ghibli collection set for a third of what I paid, what are you still waiting for?

This truly is a classic that you won't mind passing along to your kids, or for the ones who's not afraid to show it's soft side. Big screen, great speakers, lights off; This experience is truly a must have.

Here's the English translation of the tracklisting:

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01. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky / 02. A Morning of the Slag Ravine / 03. A Fun Brawl (Pursuit) / 04. Memories of Gondoa / 05. Discouraged Pazu / 06. Robot Soldier (Resurrection - Rescue) / 07. Carrying You, Chorus Version, by Suginami Children's Choir / 08. Sheeta's Decision / 09. On the Tiger Moss / 10. An Omen to Ruin / 11. The Sea of Cloud under the Moonlight / 12. Laputa: Castle in the Sky - Chorus by Suginami Children's Choir / 13. The Collapse of Laputa / 14. Carrying You, by Azumi Inoue

this has go to be one of the best things i have ever listened to in my whole life! the music is so haunting and beautiful. my friends are all breathtaken after hearing the captivating music. Even if you haven't seen the movie, don't like anime, haven't heard any of his works, still this is truly the best i have ever listened to. You know when you get a song stuck in your head and you can't get it out? and it bugs you to death? with this music you will TRY to keep it in your head!

I've been a long-time fan of Miyazaki Hayao's movies, and also of Joe Hisaishi's accompanying music. All in all, the CD is great. My main critique is that the tracks are too short. The CD itself is only 40 minutes long. I had hoped that the music presented in the movie would be developed and expanded upon in the CD, but it was not. The CD is more like a collection of musical ideas. As good as the ideas were, I wish there was more of an effort to develop them fully. I suppose this problem is common with soundtracks, though. The one exception is the voice/pop arrangement of the main theme (track 14), which is the best track in the CD. Many of the ideas presented in the CD is blended in before settling on the main theme, and the singer has a clear voice that complements the hopeful innocence of the lyrics.

Most would gawk at a hefty price tag on an audio CD, import or not. I was no different. Searching for an encore to Mononoke Hime, Laputa was the only one with reviews which outstripped the former. After pacing around for three months, I finally coughed up the (money), albeit rather reluctantly. The Japanese emblazoned on the back cover was greek to me as usual. However, I was instantly taken by the grace of the theme, soothingly complemented by the vocal performance on the final track. I have yet to sample the symphonic version, which I hope will overcome the only shortcoming of the soundtrack, being that most of the tracks are a bit too short. In summary, a blend of elegance and playfulness unsurpassed by anything I've heard ... so far, anyway ...

I am a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki and I am fortunate enough to have a copy of Laputa: Castle in the sky soundtrack and the movie. Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a beautiful story with a beautiful and powerful soundtrack. For all Hayao Miyazaki fans this soundtrack is a must-have! Joe Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki make a great team in creating some of the most breathtaking scenes and music in Amine. Even if you have never seen the movie, if you liked Princess Mononoke, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED BY THIS SOUNDTRACK. I would recommend this soundtrack over the soundtrack of The Valley of the Wind. If you have had a taste of Joe Hisaishi's music, and are looking for some more, this is definitely one you should get your hands on.

Joe Hisaishi has done it again. I fell in love with _Princess Mononoke_ and its soundtrack the first time I saw it. I liked the soundtrack so much I decided to check out some of Hisaishi's other work. I've never seen _Castle in the Sky_ but I bought this CD anyway. I love it! I usually don't get emotional over music, but the song "The Collapse of Laputa" (track 12) made me cry the first time I heard it. There's so many emotions- longing, heartbreak, nostalgia, and an overall bittersweetness- in this song. I definitely recommend this to all Miyazaki/Hisaishi/fine music fans.

This album has two particularly strong themes: the opening credit theme (done in Hisaishi's characteristic solo-piano) and a repeating theme of the song ``Carrying You'', which appears in various guises, either as an instrumental, a choral work, or the closing song.

The song sticks with you, even if you don't know the meaning of the Japanese words. This is an album you will keep returning to.

Laputa is the kind soundtrack that I can just pop in my car stereo and drive through the Cuyamaca mountains in complete enthrallment, taking me from joy to thrill to despair and back to joy. Jo Hishashi improves from his previous soundtrack for Nausicaa in that the music does not overpower the animation and is more complementary. Still it is a distinctive sound unlike any other.