7. Joe Hisaishi
Hisaishi is the first composer on this list to have the particular characteristic of being closely related to a director. This kind of partnership, however, is frequent in the process of movie making. In this case, Hisaishi’s partner is no less than the grand Hayao Miyazaki, animated movies director. Hisaishi and Miyazaki have worked on movies such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle. His music is simple yet captivating and supports marvellously Miyazaki’s naïve and pure movies.
Listen to the wonderful theme to the movie Castle in the Sky.