Joe Hisaishi is a prolific Japanese composer, conductor, and musician best known for creating music for animated films, live-action films, and television. His music has been featured in over 100 films, including all of renowned anime director Hayao Miyazaki's movies. Hisaishi's career began in the early 1980s, when he released his first album, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. In the following decades, he released several more albums and scored films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo, all of which feature his signature orchestral sound. Hisaishi has also collaborated with other renowned film directors such as Takeshi Kitano and Takashi Miike, as well as touring the world with his concert orchestra. Since his debut, Hisaishi has gone on to become one of Japan's most internationally recognized musicians.