Subscribe
Follow Us
During this morning's 2024 Oscars nominations, Hayao Miyazaki's latest Studio Ghibli film was recognized. The Boy and the Heron received a Best Animated Feature nomination.
And while that's great, the film is notably absent from a different category: Best Original Score. Joe Hisaishi is at the top of his game in the latest Studio Ghibli film, and it's a crime that the Academy didn't recognize the score.
Admittedly, it would have had some stiff competition. From Ludwig Göransson's best career work to an icon like John Williams, Hisaishi's Boy and the Heron score would've had an uphill battle.
The Boy and the Heron
For reference, The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki's latest film. After The Wind Rises, it was thought that the Studio Ghibli icon was going to retire. Now, a decade later, he returns with The Boy and the Heron.
The film follows a young boy, Mahito, who loses his mother in a hospital fire. His father subsequently marries his late mother's sister. This isn't a popular decision for Mahito, and he begins acting out. He's also constantly pestered by a talking grey heron.
At his aunt's (and now mother's) estate, Mahito encounters a mysterious tunnel. This leads him to a fantastical world and an adventure of a lifetime.
Joe Hisaishi's magnum opus
For a composer of Hisaishi's talent, it's hard to call any of his scores his magnum opus. From the European whimsy heard in Kiki's Delivery Service to the melancholic piano-driven score of Spirited Away, Hisaishi's music is always a vital part of Miyazaki's films.
That continues in The Boy and the Heron. Hisaishi's score in this film is simply haunting. At certain moments, single piano notes are played. There are also choral melodies throughout that are as creepy as they are beautiful. And other moments feature the beautiful melodies that have been a trademark of his scores.
The opening track on the soundtrack album, “Ask Me Why (Evacuation),” is played in the beginning when Mahito loses his mom and throughout other parts of the score. As The Boy and the Heron's scale grows, its score becomes more epic as well. It's truly versatile.
And it can be argued that this is Hisaishi's best score ever. He's a masterful composer, and it would have been fitting to recognize him once more if this is Miyazaki's final film.
A major Oscar snub
When you look at the 2024 Oscar nominees for Best Original Score, the field is a mixed bag. Again, Göransson's Oppenheimer score definitely earned its nomination. The late Robbie Robertson also did phenomenal work on Killers of the Flower Moon.
Article Continues Below
In all honesty, all of the nominees are deserving. But John Williams' inclusion feels like a legacy honor more than anything. And that's a shame because Williams is arguably the greatest composer of all time.
After over a decade, Indiana Jones returned to the big screen in the Dial of Destiny. Steven Spielberg was absent from the film, handing the reins to Ford v Ferrari's James Mangold. But star Harrison Ford returned and wasn't alone as Williams came back for the final ride.
It's an amazing feat, but nothing about the Dial of Destiny's score warrants an Oscar. The score is largely going to be associated with the signature Indiana Jones theme, “Raiders March,” but five installments in, it's hard to bring something new to the table unlike what Hisaishi did in The Boy and the Heron.
The Studio Ghibli composer has always sounded different in every score. It's unlikely that you'd be able to nail down what exactly his scores sound like on a macro level. They're simply distinct with each film.
And legacy Oscars rarely work out. Sure, Al Pacino finally got his moment for his win for Scent of a Woman, but was that better than the Godfather films or Serpico?
A common theme
This isn't the first time the Academy snubbed Hisaishi at the Oscars. To date, he has received zero nominations. That feels like a crime considering the work he put in. I suppose it isn't that surprising, however, considering they didn't add a Best Animated Feature category until 2001 (Shrek won).
The Boy and the Heron's score is one of the under-the-radar snubs. Most will point at Margot Robbie's and Greta Gerwig's for Barbie, but this one is a bigger deal.
Perhaps The Boy and the Heron will take home Best Animated Feature. Aside from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it doesn't have much competition. Hayao Miyazaki should close out his career with an Oscar win, and Joe Hisaishi should have as well.
