Album: となりのトトロ イメージ・ソング集
In the world of film music composition, it’s rare to hear the voice behind the melodies step into the spotlight as a performer. Yet in 1988, Joe Hisaishi found himself doing exactly that with “Chiisana Shashin” (Small Photograph), a tender ballad that would become one of the most personal moments in his extensive catalog.
The story begins with an unprecedented creative experiment. When Hayao Miyazaki expressed his desire to emphasize songs in the upcoming My Neighbor Totoro project, Hisaishi proposed something revolutionary: “Let’s create an entire image album of vocal songs.” This was uncharted territory—creating ten complete songs before the soundtrack itself, essentially treating the project as a song collection rather than traditional instrumental film music.
The collaboration extended beyond the usual composer-director relationship. Miyazaki, deeply moved by Rieko Nakagawa’s children’s book “Iya Iya En,” insisted on bringing the author aboard as lyricist. Nakagawa crafted ten poems, which through extensive discussions were refined into six songs that would form the emotional core of the Totoro universe. This process revealed Hisaishi’s collaborative philosophy—music as a conversation between multiple creative voices rather than a solitary endeavor.
“Chiisana Shashin” emerged from this creative melting pot, but its most distinctive feature came about by accident. During the song’s development, Hisaishi had recorded rough vocal demos for the team to evaluate. Miyazaki, with his keen ear for authentic emotion, heard something special in the composer’s untrained but sincere delivery. Despite Hisaishi’s background as an instrumentalist and composer, Miyazaki encouraged him to perform the final version himself.
The resulting recording showcases Hisaishi’s vulnerable, conversational vocal style over a gentle arrangement in B-flat major. The song moves at a contemplative tempo of around 70 beats per minute, featuring delicate piano arpeggios supported by subtle strings and woodwinds. Unlike the lush orchestrations he would later become famous for, “Chiisana Shashin” strips away unnecessary elements, focusing on the intimacy between voice and simple accompaniment.
This vocal experiment occurred during one of the most creatively schizophrenic periods of Hisaishi’s career. While crafting the innocent, pastoral world of Totoro by day, he was simultaneously composing music for “ANZUCHI,” a dark theatrical production featuring actors Kenji Sawada and Koji Yakusho at the Saison Theatre. “On one hand, there was this frightening demonic world, and on the other, that pure universe—working on both simultaneously nearly drove me mad,” Hisaishi later reflected.
This creative tension actually enriched both projects. The stark contrast forced Hisaishi to dig deeper into each world’s emotional core, and “Chiisana Shashin” became a refuge of simplicity amidst the chaos. The song’s nostalgic quality—examining small photographs that preserve fleeting moments—served as an anchor point for the composer’s sanity during this intense creative period.
The Totoro project also marked Miyazaki’s first time taking direct control of musical discussions, having previously deferred to producer Isao Takahata. “Takahata is being sneaky,” Miyazaki joked as he led the sessions himself. This hands-on approach shaped every aspect of the music, including the unusual circumstance that led to “Chiisana Shashin” maintaining its acoustic character.
Originally, Hisaishi planned for synthesizers to dominate the mix, with orchestral elements as support—a ratio of roughly 60% electronic to 40% acoustic. However, illness during recording sessions prevented him from completing the synthesizer work as planned. The result flipped the intended balance, creating what Hisaishi described as “about 60% orchestra, 40% synthesizer.” Rather than compromising the vision, this accident made the music more accessible and emotionally direct.
“Chiisana Shashin” embodies this happy accident. What could have been a heavily produced, synthesizer-heavy track instead became an intimate conversation between composer and listener. The song’s Japanese title translates to “small photograph,” and like a cherished snapshot, it captures a moment of pure emotional honesty—a renowned composer setting aside technical prowess to simply share a feeling.
Decades later, “Chiisana Shashin” stands as evidence of Hisaishi’s artistic courage. In an era when composers rarely crossed into performance, he embraced vulnerability over virtuosity. The song reminds us that sometimes the most powerful musical moments come not from technical perfection, but from authentic human expression—even when that expression comes from someone better known for conducting orchestras than carrying melodies with their own voice.
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