Survey Ranks The Most Popular Studio Ghibli Songs

Survey Ranks The Most Popular Studio Ghibli Songs

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Top 10 Studio Ghibli Songs
Picture: Shutterstock
What Studio Ghibli songs live on in your heart? A Japanese company asked fans in Japan and came up with this top 10. Do you agree?

The world would be a much sadder place if we didn’t have Studio Ghibli. Its films have stolen into the hearts of children and adults the world over, and the soundtracks have also carved themselves into popular consciousness. One Japanese company decided to survey users on “What’s your favorite Studio Ghibli song?” (ジブリソングで一番好きなのは?).

Netoraba Survey Team (ねとらぼ調査隊) collected a total of 531 responses between July 30 and August 2, and published their findings on September 6.

「一番人気のジブリソング」が決定! 1位は圧倒的人気の名曲【結果発表】(ねとらぼ) – Yahoo!ニュース

不朽の名作を数多く世の中に送り出してきたアニメ制作会社・スタジオジブリ。「名作の裏には名曲あり」ということで、ねとらぼ調査隊では2020年7月3日~8月2日まで、「あなたが一番好きなジブリソングは?」というアンケートを実施していました。 【画像:ランキング10位~1位を見る】 …

(JP) Link: The Results Are In: The Most Popular Studio Ghibli Songs! First Place is an Overwhelmingly Popular Classic.

Us being huge Studio Ghibli fans, we of course had to take a look at which songs made the top 10 list. So without further ado, here are the top 10 most popular Studio Ghibli songs!

#10: ひこうき雲 — The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ)

2013’s The Wind Rises is Miyazaki Hayao’s most recent release (although another film is in the works). The film’s focus on war and aviation — in line with Miyazaki’s own interest in airplanes — compliments nicely with the yearning, almost hopeful lyrics. Singer Arai Yumi (later Matsutoya Yumi) has an unforgettable angelic voice, and many of her songs have ended up in Ghibli films.

松任谷由実 – ひこうき雲 (Yumi Arai The Concert with old Friends)

Yumi Arai The Concert with old Friends 1996.12.20 Release (VIDEO/LASER DISC) TOVF-1260/TOLF-1260 2001.12.12 Release (DVD) TOBF-5114 1.あなただけのもの 2.生まれた町で 3.空と海…

#9: となりのトトロ — My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ)

It’s no surprise that Inoue Azami’s cheery fanfare made it to the top ten. This song is a staple in children’s song collections and was even used as a time signal on disaster prevention radios in Shizuoka and Fukui prefectures.

「となりのトトロ」歌詞つき “My Neighbor Totoro” covered by Miho Kuroda (原曲キー)

「さんぽ」→https://youtu.be/-PHhhu8-ipQ 「風のとおり道」→https://youtu.be/lIT7cb64TTU 黒田美帆(歌):http://kuromiho.blog.jp/ じぇり(イラスト):http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=130574…

#8: もののけ姫 — Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫)

Mera Yoshikazu’s operatic vocals paired with Hisaishi Joe’s beautiful lyricism and composition makes this song a timeless classic. I get chills every time I listen to it. Honestly surprised this didn’t rank higher.

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もののけ姫

久石 譲 :ピアノ、 米良美一:歌でのコラボです。

#7: 風になる — The Cat Returns (猫の恩返し)

Become the wind, become a cat — what’s the difference? Tsuji Ayano’s upbeat ending theme fits in well with this film’s liminality. The acoustic version is worth listening to as well. Who can resist a ukulele?

Kaze ni Naru

Provided to YouTube by JVCKENWOOD Victor Entertainment Corp. Kaze ni Naru · Ayano Tsuji 風になる ℗ JVCKENWOOD Victor Entertainment Released on: 2002-06-26 Compos…

#6: 時には昔の話を — Porco Rosso (紅の豚)

Porco Rosso‘s ending theme carries a lilting mournfulness sure to tug at your heartstrings. It carries a weightlessness befitting the film’s atmospheric sky settings. I’m sure our beloved pig pilot would approve.

時には昔の話を 加藤登紀子 紅の豚

紅の豚 EDテーマ 時には昔の話を 加藤登紀子 #さふぁりゆー #紅の豚 #加藤登紀子 #時には昔の話を

#5: ルージュの伝言 — Kiki’s Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便)

This Arai Yumi song (written by future husband Matsutoya Masataka) has a bit more spunk to it compared to some of the mellow, introspective themes in other Ghibli works, reminding me personally of the American 60s girl group sound. It perfectly mirrors the excitement and trepidation Kiki feels as she sets out on her coming-of-age journey.

松任谷由実 – ルージュの伝言 (松任谷由実 CONCERT TOUR 宇宙図書館 2016-2017)

松任谷由実 CONCERT TOUR 宇宙図書館 2016-2017 2018.04.11 Release (DVD/Blu-ray) UPBH-20207 / UPXH-20064 1.宇宙図書館 2.あなたに会う旅 3.影になって 4.AVALON 5.BABYLON 6.夢の中で~We are not al…

#4: いつも何度でも — Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し)

Kimura Yumi’s song was actually slated to be used in Miyazaki’s proposed film Rin and the Chimney Painter (煙突描きのリン), but unfortunately that project was abandoned. He was able to repurpose the song for Spirited Away, noting similarities between the lyrics and the movie’s theme.

いつも何度でも / 木村弓

Let’s go Japan #1〜東日本大震災チャリティーライブ

#3: やさしさに包まれたなら — Kiki’s Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便)

Kiki ends up in the top ten twice, with its timeless ending theme sung by Matsutoya Yumi coming in at third place. The song beautifully complements Kiki’s trials and later acceptance by the seaside town she calls home. For whatever reason, the American release did away with the original ending theme — a shame, in my opinion.

松任谷由実 – やさしさに包まれたなら (THE LAST WEDNESDAY TOUR 2006〜HERE COMES THE WAVE〜)

THE LAST WEDNESDAY TOUR 2006〜HERE COMES THE WAVE〜 2007.03.07 Release (DVD) TOBF-5516,17 DISC1 1.ただわけもなく 2.セイレーン 3.Blue Planet 4.海に来て 5.夕涼み 6.哀しみのルート16 7.稲妻の少…

#2: カントリー・ロード — Whisper of the Heart (耳をすませば)

Coming in at second place is the Japanese take on John Denver’s “Country Road” sung by Honna Yoko. It’s a song indelibly intertwined within the story itself. Netoraba noted that many people left comments praising the movie’s spoof song “Concrete Road,” just like the character Seiji.

カントリー・ロード – 本名陽子(フル)

イケナイ太陽 – ORANGE RANGE https://youtu.be/vhe4zPtd1qM Make you happy – NiziU https://youtu.be/c6cNV-d9-cU 強く儚い者たち – Cocco https://youtu.be/Scu5zZ0M4Cs 他にも音楽の動画を…

#1: 君をのせて — Laputa: Castle in the Sky (天空の城ラピュタ)

Surprising absolutely no one, this beloved classic made first place by an overwhelming majority. Miyazaki himself penned the lyrics, with Hisaishi once again at the musical helm with Inoue Azami of Totoro fame. The song was popular enough to be released as a packaged single over a year after the film’s initial release.

井上あずみ – 君をのせて

Inoue Azumi – Kimi wo Nosete (Castle RAPYUTA in the sky Ending Song)

If you’re curious about how Ghibli’s other works rank, be sure to check out our in-depth ranking of pretty much everything the beloved studio has ever made.

Now, the real question is, what’s your favorite Studio Ghibli song? Tell us in the comments below!

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Alyssa Pearl Fusek

Alyssa Pearl Fusek is a freelance writer currently haunting the Pacific Northwest. She holds a B.A. in Japanese Studies from Willamette University. When she's not writing for Unseen Japan, she's either reading about Japan, writing poetry and fiction, or drinking copious amounts of jasmine green tea. Find her on Bluesky at @apearlwrites.

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