Songs from Howl's Moving Castle: theme song and insert songs
The world, reminiscent of medieval Europe, is rendered in vibrant colors, and just looking at the depicted towns, mountains, and sea is enough to lift your spirits.
Although the story has a strong fantasy flavor, the other protagonist, Sophie, starts to feel very relatable, and you can’t help but want to cheer her on with a “You’ve got this!”
This article compiles the wonderful pieces of music from Howl’s Moving Castle.
Be sure to read to the end and find your favorite!
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- Songs from Spirited Away: theme song and insert songs
- The songs of Tales from Earthsea. Theme song and insert songs.
- Songs of Studio Ghibli: List of Theme Songs, Insert Songs, and BGM from Ghibli Music
- Song(s) from The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. Theme song and insert song(s).
- Song(s) from Princess Mononoke. Theme song and insert song(s).
- Songs from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Main theme and insert songs.
- The song from Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. Theme song and insert song.
- Songs from Kiki's Delivery Service. Anime theme and insert songs. Ghibli classics.
- Theme and insert songs of 'Your Name'
- Songs from Whisper of the Heart: theme song and insert songs
- The song from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme song and insert song.
Songs from Howl's Moving Castle. Main and insert songs (11–20)
FamilyHisaishi Joe
In the movie Howl’s Moving Castle, the heroine Sophie is a cute young girl, but she gets turned into a 90-year-old grandmother.
Because of that, she leaves town and begins life in Howl’s moving castle.
There she meets Turnip-Head the scarecrow, Calcifer the fire demon, Howl’s apprentice Markl, and Howl himself, and Sophie spends delightful times as one of their companions.
It’s a piece that evokes a cheerful, family-like everyday life.
This song is playable even for beginner pianists, so it’s great for piano practice!
A 90-year-old girlHisaishi Joe
This is the piece “A Ninety-Year-Old Girl,” used in the film Howl’s Moving Castle.
It’s a short track, under two minutes long.
Its gentle yet weighty sound evokes, just as the title suggests, the image of a 90-year-old grandmother.
Even after being transformed into an old woman, Sophie’s pure heart is beautifully expressed in this piece.
flutter; thrill; a heart-pounding feelingHisaishi Joe
When you hear the word “tokimeki” (a flutter of excitement), what comes to mind? This piece captures that perfect mix of bashfulness and sparkle.
Many of you have probably heard the melody before.
With its relaxed, calming arrangement, it somehow leaves you feeling refreshed.
If you listen while recalling a time you felt that flutter yourself, you might enjoy the song even more…
spring cleaningHisaishi Joe
Here’s the perfect soundtrack for a thorough cleaning.
You can practically picture yourself struggling to tidy up the room.
With its mid-tempo sound and lots of repetitive melodies, you’ll find yourself humming along before you know it.
And what’s more, in the movie, something big happens right after this cleaning scene…
It’s a track that also carries a hint of suspense, as if something troublesome is about to unfold.
Moving (house move/relocation)Hisaishi Joe
In Howl’s Moving Castle, moving house is a striking motif.
Sophie, transformed into a 90-year-old woman, leaves town in a kind of relocation.
Midway through, they magically move from the castle to Sophie’s hat shop.
They relocate to help Howl escape from the enemy sorceress, Madame Suliman.
But afterward, as Sophie searches for Howl, the town is bombed and thrown into chaos.
In a bittersweet turn, Howl goes off to fight in order to protect Sophie.
The plaintive piano tones lend a poignant color to the story.
Love in the Flames of WarHisaishi Joe
From a song title like “Love Amid the Flames of War,” what comes to mind? Naturally, it suggests a love that’s anything but straightforward.
This track lets you feel that very struggle and passion.
The mid-tempo, bouncy sound brims with energy, while the powerful, low-register piano melody pairs perfectly with the title.
With tempos that speed up and slow down, it’s a piece that conveys the emotional shifts unique to a love forged in wartime.
Songs from Howl's Moving Castle. Main and insert songs (21–30)
Temptation of the DawnHisaishi Joe
This one constantly stirs up anxiety.
There’s an unsettling mood from start to finish.
The low, heavy piano and irregular rhythms put you in a dark frame of mind.
No wonder—it’s used in tense scenes in the film as well.
The clammy, oppressive atmosphere that makes you want to stop listening halfway through is classic Joe Hisaishi.
Don’t you feel like you get pulled into the piece and can’t find your way out?