Tough-guy Kikujiro is an unlikely candidate to take a sensitive 8-year-old boy Masac on a quest to find the mother he's never met. But they're off on a trek through contemporary Japan, where they encounter an odd assortmen... more »t of offbeat characters. The wandering duo's adventure take them on a madcap tour of the Japanese countryside - from the races to an abandoned high-class hotel, to a gangster-infested carnival. Kikujiro is about children's games, and how they make us see exactly what went wrong in our own lives. This film features an original score composed by leading prolific Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke).« less
Tough-guy Kikujiro is an unlikely candidate to take a sensitive 8-year-old boy Masac on a quest to find the mother he's never met. But they're off on a trek through contemporary Japan, where they encounter an odd assortment of offbeat characters. The wandering duo's adventure take them on a madcap tour of the Japanese countryside - from the races to an abandoned high-class hotel, to a gangster-infested carnival. Kikujiro is about children's games, and how they make us see exactly what went wrong in our own lives. This film features an original score composed by leading prolific Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke).
"The abosolute BEST soundtrack ever made, Kikujiro is the story of a boy trying to find his mother over summer break. Along with his companion/farther-figure (played by Kitano himself) he is met up by a several very interesting characters. But this isn't a review of the movie, is it? No, by far....The music. When I hear music, I hear the score for this movie. I once saw the ending credits for this movie while flipping around stations one night and was amazed. Lo and behold it was done by Joe Hisaishi, who also did many well known works, Mononoke being the best after his masterpiece. This.This soundtrack changed the way I look at music. Everytime I pick up my guitar I play the main theme "Summer" and smile as I see the aesthetics of the notes roll through my mind. To fully understand what I'm saying, you must hear this soundtrack. Hell, go ahead and buy it. If you are a fan of any type of classical or soundtracks or even seen the movie, you should know what I mean. From the first track to the last, this score is made up of basically 2 or 3 themes, but with Joe Hisaishi's AMAZING piano work, it makes you rethink if John Williams is even as good as you thought he was. Joe Hisaishi is the best composer alive today, and this is his masterpiece. A true gift. The Angel Bells call was answered. This is it."
"uplifting, sad, playful, mournful and inspiring score"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 06/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If the theme means anything to a score/soundtrack, if this is what the composer is trying to get across, then this score has most definitely scored high on the "rector scale". Composer Joe Hisaishi who gave us - Princess Mononoke, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and for three decades has seventeen solo albums, and composed music for over forty films. Hisaishi's music runs the gamut from uplifting to sad, playful to mournful, but the "main theme", is so inspiring, haunting and lingering, that you want it to go on and on, and never end. Besides the "main theme", the highlight of this album is a beautiful instrumental with piano and violin - "THE RAIN", flowing in content and serenely classical with heavenly attributes, as the "main theme" is interwoven once again to the final note.This is a soundtrack to cherish, but I'm not alone, earlier this year, Hisaishi was honored with his fifth Japan Academy Award for this very score - "Kikujiro"!Total Time: 40:17 on 12 Tracks/ Milan Records - 73138 35911 2 (2000)"
Variations on Kikujiro Themes
80s Product | Cincinnati, OH | 08/30/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Excellent choice for those wishing to relive the Kikujiro movie experience. The CD tracks are variations on two musical themes appearing throughout the movie. At first disappointed with the lack of variety, I changed opinion after a third listen when I found myself enjoying the subtle differences of each track. Short on variety, but very good quality."
Hisaishi-san does it again!
nillaorchid | Kentucky, USA | 07/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like Takeshi Kitano's 1999 film, the soundtrack to "Kikujiro" takes you from happy to sad and back again. The main theme, "Summer," is by far the standout - it's light and catchy, the type of song that'll play in your head days after hearing it for the first time. It never fails to put me in a good mood."
Moving
Daitokuji31 | Black Glass | 06/24/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first watched Kikujiro in mu Japanese class and I immediately fell in love with the movie, and I also fell in love with the soundtrack. I was worried, however, when I looked to order the soundtrack that I would only be able to find the Japanese copy forsale. Luckily, I was able to find a domestic copy of this soundtrack unlike those for other Hisaishi fims such as A Scene at the Sea and Hanabi. The music is centered around one them mainly with different instrumental arrangements. Don't worry this theme is really good. My favorite CD for when I read."