Makachuchithe composer behind the vivid soundscape of the Mamoru Hosoda movie “Wolf’s child“,”Boy and beast” and”Mirai“, the music was made, which resonated deeply with the audience of the film. Drawing tunes from the melody that defined the three films, five female singers were selected to write and play songs with brand new lyrics, creating a new song full of musical treasures.”Studio Chizu Music
Journey Volume. 2: Masakatsu takagi – the time to sing“Born. Just when he is about to come
This May, live performances in Osaka and Yokohama, we talked with composer Takagi about the inspiration behind the album.
– This album brings together music from Hosoda movies and reimagines as a vocal track, a project you describe as a “13 Years of Dreams.” What does that journey mean to you?
Takagi: I made a Hosoda movie first.Wolf’s child“At the time, it was a big summer animation release with a lot of viewers and honestly, I don’t know where to start. I thought about what Joe Hisaishi did for the Ghibli movie and wondered, “Is this really acceptable? ”.
I wrote music while reading plot boards and in the early stagesWolf’s child“There is a lot to explore in the vision of Hosoda. He encouraged me to shoot the movie freely. I treated the movie like I wrote a book, just responding to my reading. When I sat on the scenes I imagined on the piano, I often found myself singing or buzzing, and even adding vocal elements to many sketches (Demos), even if they were instruments.
– So even since then, the seeds of “songs” have existed.
Takagi: I submitted a few pieces to Hosoda, and for unused works, I sometimes think, “Maybe I will turn these into full songs one day.” In fact, it doesn’t feel like writing a soundtrack, but more like writing a song. Surprisingly, many demos were accepted, including those that featured my own vocals (e.g.The first echo” and”Peaceful light“, few demonstrations with guide vocals are used in movies, so I’m excited about the results. Some other tracks are extended to melodies with full choreography to match specific scenes. I’m happy with the overall result of the soundtrack, but still have a lingering feeling, “Wait, that’s not that song…? ”.
– How did you come up with the idea of writing and performing original lyrics for songs with female singers?
Takagi: I tried to write lyrics myself many times, but every time I stagnate. I can’t get away from the image of the movie, and writing the lyrics with the movie is unnatural for me. I thought of who could sing, but the project stopped during the pandemic. When we recover, Tetsushi Koyama from Sony Music Recommended artists Clementine. I asked her to work on the lyrics and vocals of one of the tracks and the project will start over.
The recording of Clémentine is great, it goes so well that it helps set the direction of the entire project. We decided to request arrangements where possible and to join the piano if needed. But it is flexible, not “must”. I essentially give every artist all freedom: “Use this melody to make it the song you want to sing.” It’s a bold inquiry, but everyone involved goes up to a beautiful occasion.
– It really feels like the movie soundtrack has been transformed into separate “songs” that still resonate with the theme of Hosoda’s work. It feels like we are rediscovering the heart and nature of the movie.
Gao Ji: I agree. I keep listening to finished albums. Sometimes it feels like this is the real soundtrack. Each of Hosoda’s films has a unique mood, and one might say that the style or direction of his work may change as each film changes. But when I listened to the album again, I realized maybe he was telling the same story all the time. His films once moved in very different directions and now feel mysteriously united.
– The music you use for visual media, whether it’s animation or live action, usually flows like wind or light, and I don’t think every scene is overexplanatory, which is great. What does it look like to you when you recreate the music as a “song”?
Takagi: When I write for a movie, I try to avoid redundancy. A movie is a complete work, and every element (dialogue, visual effects, music) should provide something unique. If the music simply echoes the content on the screen, it may be limited.
– The meaning becomes too fixed.
Gao Ji: Yes. Some directors want this, and many composers can do it well. But I prefer to change my perspective. I think it’s writing alternative scripts – adding another layer to the movie.
take”Wolf’s child“For example, it starts with a college student named Hana Meeting Werewolfbut I felt the “mother’s” gaze throughout the process. It seems that generations of mothers are watching her and welcoming a new life. This mythological point of view is what I try to express in the soundtrack – assigning this feeling to the sky or the wind.
“Boy and beast“There are battle scenes in Shibuya, but I see these scenes more like a festival –The Holy Conflict of Mikoshi Floats. I’m as close to music as music. These are my personal explanations; director Hosoda never really explained these scenes in detail, even if I asked! [laughs]
Because of those personal explanations, if I were to write lyrics, they would be influenced by my view of the movie. That’s why I’m so happy to have others write lyrics for this project.
I give each singer some background enough to avoid overexplanation. For example, Saho Terao’s “I have no idea“It’s a scene from the potato collection, but I originally imagined it from the perspective of mothers and children watching the train.”Galaxy Express“. When I told her, it bumped up. She made that image into a song, and could only write, blending the scenes and her own story.
With “Marginalia Song”, Manami Kakudo I started with the image of a little boy traveling under the stars. However, her lyrics portray the world before birth. When life begins, it ends. It’s a powerful lyric that made me realize, yes,”Mirai“It’s also a story that really proves it.
Every artist approached the project the way I was a few years ago: getting involved in film and music and then combining it with their own storytelling. I have hardly any specific direction, but they make songs I’ve always hoped for. It was a great experience.
– After your performances in Osaka (May 17) and Yokohama (May 31) you will travel to France for a special concert. You will have the opportunity to show your music and the world of Hosoda to fans around the world.
Gao Ji: When people abroad talk about Hawsorda’s movies, they often feel very personal to them. They would say, “I have this experience, so I see it.” Not only do they consume the story, they can also connect it with their memories and emotions.
In this sense, I think this album is also produced from this perspective. Watching the scene again brings back personal memories – what I thought or felt at that moment. It’s like sharing my own demo tape. Regarding animation, maybe it’s like the process of revealing the storyboard. Everything I feel when I write “Songs” on the album. Thanks to the singers, these feelings deepen and thrive into something really special.
©2012 “Wolf Children” Movie Partner
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(Information below)
Studio Chizu Music Journey Volume. 2
Makachuchi – When singing
CD Now/Vinyl Release October 1, 2025
CD: SILL-30070/3,300 Y (inclusive)
*High quality BSCD2 version
Vinyl;: SIJP-1162 / 4,950 yen (tax)
Lead singer: Clémentine, Ann Sally, Saho Terao, Manami Kakudo, Hana Hope
website: https://studiochizu.com/news/5651
[曲目清單]
01 Hana Hope Kito Kito
02 Tana and Clémentine
03 tanememi and sah terao
04 Countless asterisks with Ann Sally
05 The media wife was arrested.
06 Saho Terao’s birthday
07 Boy and the Beast with Clementine
08 Release the Wind with Ann Sally
09 Hana Hope’s Mother’s Song
10 Rainy Steps in Saho Terao
11 Universe and Clementine
12 homes after the rain with Ann Sally
13 Shukusai and Manami Kakudo
June 2025: Studio Chizu Music Tour in Paris
Takagi Masakatsu will host two special concerts in France as part of the Chizu Music Project Studio.
Plan date:
– Believe 12, 2025 (thu)-20:00
Coming: Charlie Chaplin Cultural Center (Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France)
website: https://www.centrecharliechaplin.com/
Address: Place de la Nation, 69120 Vaulx-en-velin France
② Starting from June 14, 2025 (Saturday)-15:00
Coming: Maison de la Culture du Japon of Paris (McJP, Paris, France)
Website: https://www.mcjp.fr/
Address: 101 BIS, Quai Jacques Chirac, 75015 Paris France
Performance information:
Japanese: https://www.mcjp.fr/ja/la-mcjp/actualites/studio-chizu-ja
French: https://www.mcjp.fr/fr/la-mcjp/actualites/studio-chizu
