Songs from Porco Rosso. Theme song and inserted songs.
That famous phrase, “A pig that doesn’t fly is just a pig”—haven’t a lot of people tried imitating it?
This article gathers the theme song and insert songs from the 1992 Studio Ghibli film Porco Rosso.
Listening to them, you can’t help but picture a bright red airplane soaring through the sky.
Porco, the protagonist, has this irresistible cool, rugged vibe that contrasts with his fanciful appearance.
If you’ve seen the film before, just hearing the music will make you want to watch it again!
It’s a collection packed with unforgettable classics.
- Songs of Studio Ghibli: List of Theme Songs, Insert Songs, and BGM from Ghibli Music
- A song with an airplane theme. A classic that suits the sky.
- Songs from Whisper of the Heart: theme song and insert songs
- The Wind Rises songs: theme song and insert songs
- Songs from Kiki's Delivery Service. Anime theme and insert songs. Ghibli classics.
- Songs from Castle in the Sky (Laputa): the theme song and insert songs.
- Songs from Howl's Moving Castle: theme song and insert songs
- Songs from From Up on Poppy Hill. Theme song and insert songs.
- The song from My Neighbor Totoro. Theme song and insert song.
- The songs of Pom Poko. Theme song and insert song.
- Song(s) from Princess Mononoke. Theme song and insert song(s).
- Summary of theme songs and insert songs from HUNTER×HUNTER
- Songs from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Main theme and insert songs.
Songs of Porco Rosso. Theme song and insert songs (1–10)
Winds of an Era — When People Could Remain Truly HumanHisaishi Joe
This delightful, grand, and slightly tense piece is the first track on the soundtrack of Porco Rosso, a memorable song that defines the film.
Even with themes that might seem dark and violent at first glance—war, aerial battles, and sky pirates—Studio Ghibli works its magic to wrap them in brightness and charm.
It’s a joyful piece that brings back memories of being completely absorbed in the film’s visuals.
When the cherries ripenKatō Tokiko
Gina, the eternal heroine of pilots.
In Porco Rosso, this is a mature ballad she sings while thinking of the man she longs for, Marco.
One of the lovely things about Ghibli is how its charm changes depending on the age at which you watch it.
Her complex, heartrending feelings are something only a woman who has overcome pain can truly understand.
Sometimes, old storiesKatō Tokiko
This is the ending theme of Porco Rosso, brimming with a very relaxed mood.
The film, with its atmosphere that seems to depict the life of a clumsy man and its gripping dogfights, resonated with many men.
This gently nostalgic song also perfectly matches the work, evoking the protagonist’s character, who carries a variety of past experiences.
The Songs of Porco Rosso: Theme and Insert Songs (11–20)
Flying boatmenHisaishi Joe
Particularly striking, this piece may be the one that best captures the world of Porco Rosso among its many masterpieces—especially its humorous side.
The grand music feels as if you could hear Porco and Curtis’s voices at any moment, and it seems to symbolize the brave airship pilots of the skies.
It’s an exciting theme song for Porco Rosso that makes you want to watch the film all over again.
Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco RossoKatō Tokiko
This is a work written and composed by Tokiko Kato herself, whose warm yet faintly bittersweet worldview evokes a deep nostalgia for days of youth gone by.
As it searches for an unseen future, it conjures scenes of passionate conversations with friends—memories many listeners will find echoing their own.
The song was included on the album “MY STORY / Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo,” released in February 1987, and is also known as the ending theme of the 1992 film Porco Rosso.
The piano arrangement used in the film, with its striking timbre, gently lets you linger in the afterglow of the story.
With its calm melody, it’s also great to play as background music when you want to focus on work.
Pikkoro Co., Ltd.Hisaishi Joe
In Porco Rosso, many working people appear, and all of them are working diligently.
Among them, the most striking is the scene featuring the people of the Piccolo Company, accompanied by a piece of music whose charming arrangement evokes the streets of Italy and the sounds of its people, enhancing the scene.
It’s a perfect track to use as background music for those hard at work.
Porco e BellaHisaishi Joe
In the final part of the story, the piece playing in the background when Fio kisses Porco is “Porco e Bella.” Thanks to its beautiful melody, it’s often used at weddings and is one of the most popular tracks from the music in Porco Rosso.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to carefully while reflecting on the various human relationships portrayed throughout the film.