Shinji Miyazaki
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese composer and arranger
. He was born in Kobe
, and lived in a variety of areas on the island of Shikoku
for much of his childhood. He developed a taste for pop music
, which eventually led him to study musical arrangement and piano instruction at a music conservatory. He took some time in deciding that music would become his career, but eventually decided to become an arranger, and later a composer.
His work has dealt primarily with musical scores for anime
. His most well known contributions include music for the Crayon Shin-chan
series and music for much of the television Pokémon anime series
and most of the films in it. His work pulls from many inspirations, among them J-Pop
and American pop
influences, as well as jazz
artist Gil Evans
. Many of his compositions utilize string
and brass instrument
s, particularly the french horn.
, but moved to the Kamiukena District
as a small child. Around the age of 12, he moved to Matsuyama, Ehime
. His interest in music began as a child. Both of his parents worked, and often left him with a neighbor during the day. The neighbor's older child listened to pop music
on his shortwave radio
; Miyazaki would listen as with him, particularly to programs like Billboard.
with a minor in piano
education. In order to pass the college entrance exam, he spent a year teaching himself the material. He spent two years studying for the entrance exams required to attend a true college
, but never entered one.
, he worked primarily as an arranger
.
Miyazaki admits to not playing the piano well, even though composing on it is his job.
He is most known for his work composing and arranging much of the music in the Pokémon anime
and movie series, and is currently composing the music for the newest film in the series
. He also composed the music for the popular anime series Crayon Shin-chan
.
He draws much of his inspiration from the songs he heard on the radio growing up, and particularly the compositions of Tōru Takemitsu
. He listens to the enka
and kayōkyoku
genres, as well as classical music
, jazz
, and more general American-style pop music. When he relaxes, he listens to African-American music from the 1960s and 1970s. Other inspirations include Gil Evans
and John Williams
.
He tends to use stringed instruments and french horn in his compositions, as he believes they "make music with a lot of energy."
have given Miyazaki the International Award for his song "Pocketmonster BGM", which was cited as having received a large amount of foreign royalty distribution.
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
. He was born in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, and lived in a variety of areas on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
for much of his childhood. He developed a taste for pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, which eventually led him to study musical arrangement and piano instruction at a music conservatory. He took some time in deciding that music would become his career, but eventually decided to become an arranger, and later a composer.
His work has dealt primarily with musical scores for anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. His most well known contributions include music for the Crayon Shin-chan
Crayon Shin-chan
is a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
series and music for much of the television Pokémon anime series
Pokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
and most of the films in it. His work pulls from many inspirations, among them J-Pop
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
and American pop
American pop
American pop is a vague and nebulous term, applied generally to whatever form of music is most popular among mainstream American teenage audiences. Adolescents are an especially important audience, both because of their relatively large amount of discretionary spending, and their fervent devotion...
influences, as well as jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
artist Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
. Many of his compositions utilize string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
and brass instrument
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
s, particularly the french horn.
Life
Miyazaki was born in KobeKobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, but moved to the Kamiukena District
Kamiukena District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 — The estimated population is 11,222 with a total area of 583.66 km².It consists of one town.*Kumakōgen-History:...
as a small child. Around the age of 12, he moved to Matsuyama, Ehime
Matsuyama, Ehime
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....
. His interest in music began as a child. Both of his parents worked, and often left him with a neighbor during the day. The neighbor's older child listened to pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
on his shortwave radio
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
; Miyazaki would listen as with him, particularly to programs like Billboard.
Education
Miyazaki received no formal music training until the age of 20, when he entered a music school to study musical compositionMusical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
with a minor in piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
education. In order to pass the college entrance exam, he spent a year teaching himself the material. He spent two years studying for the entrance exams required to attend a true college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
, but never entered one.
Career
Miyazaki first entertained the thought of making a profession in the music industry after realizing how much the songs he heard on the radio inspired him. When he first became involved with composing works for animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, he worked primarily as an arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
.
Miyazaki admits to not playing the piano well, even though composing on it is his job.
He is most known for his work composing and arranging much of the music in the Pokémon anime
Pokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
and movie series, and is currently composing the music for the newest film in the series
Phantom Ruler: Zoroark
Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions, originally released in Japan as , is a Pokémon anime film, the thirteenth in the meta series franchise history and the fourth in the Diamond & Pearl series arc. It was released in Japan on July 10, 2010...
. He also composed the music for the popular anime series Crayon Shin-chan
Crayon Shin-chan
is a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
.
Style and methods
When asked to compose a new piece of music, Miyazaki uses a number of methods, and often works from flashes of inspiration. When deadlines approach and he still has not composed a song, he tries to distract himself by looking at something he finds beautiful or unusual.He draws much of his inspiration from the songs he heard on the radio growing up, and particularly the compositions of Tōru Takemitsu
Toru Takemitsu
was a Japanese composer and writer on aesthetics and music theory. Largely self-taught, Takemitsu possessed consummate skill in the subtle manipulation of instrumental and orchestral timbre...
. He listens to the enka
Enka
is a popular Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern enka, however, is a relatively recent musical form which arose in the context of such postwar expressions of modern Japanese nonmaterial nationalism as nihonjinron, while adopting a more...
and kayōkyoku
Kayokyoku
is a Japanese pop music genre, which became a base of modern J-pop. The Japan Times describes kayōkyoku as "standard Japanese pop" or "Showa era pop".Kayōkyoku is Western-style-inspired music of Japan. Music in this genre is extremely varied as a result...
genres, as well as classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and more general American-style pop music. When he relaxes, he listens to African-American music from the 1960s and 1970s. Other inspirations include Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
and John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
.
He tends to use stringed instruments and french horn in his compositions, as he believes they "make music with a lot of energy."
Awards
The Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and PublishersJapanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers
, often referred to as the is a Japanese copyright collection society. It was founded in 1939 as a non-profit making organization, and is the largest musical copyright administration society in Japan....
have given Miyazaki the International Award for his song "Pocketmonster BGM", which was cited as having received a large amount of foreign royalty distribution.
Music composition
- Crayon Shin-chanCrayon Shin-chanis a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
television series - Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi wo Yobu Jungle
- Crayon Shin-chan: Arashi wo Yobu! Yuuhi no Kasukabe Boys
- Crayon Shin-chan: Dengeki! Buta no Hizume Daisakusen
- Phantom Ruler: ZoroarkPhantom Ruler: ZoroarkPokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions, originally released in Japan as , is a Pokémon anime film, the thirteenth in the meta series franchise history and the fourth in the Diamond & Pearl series arc. It was released in Japan on July 10, 2010...
- Pikachu's Island Adventure
- Pokémon (anime)Pokémon (anime), abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
- Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life
- Pokémon: Destiny DeoxysPokémon: Destiny DeoxysPokémon: Destiny Deoxys, originally released in Japan as is the seventh film in the Pokémon series, complementing the seventh season . It is the second film released under Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation in Japan. The original Japanese version was released in theaters on July 17, 2004...
- Pokémon: The First MoviePokémon: The First MoviePokémon: The First Movie, originally released as , is a 1998 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise...
- Pokémon 4EverPokémon 4EverPokémon 4Ever: Celebi - Voice of the Forest, originally released in Japan as , is a 2001 Japanese anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and based on the television series Pokémon. It is the fourth official Pokémon film. It was released in Japan on July 14, 2001. The film was directed in Japan by...
- Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior
- Pokémon HeroesPokémon HeroesPokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias, originally released in Japan as , is a 2002 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It is the fifth film in the Pokémon series, complimenting Pokémon: Master Quest...
- Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker
- Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of MewPokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of MewPokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, originally released in Japan as , is an anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama as the eighth film in the Pokémon franchise. It was released in theaters in Japan on July 16, 2005, followed by the Japanese DVD release on December 22, 2005...
- Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
- Pokémon: Mewtwo ReturnsPokémon: Mewtwo ReturnsPokémon: Mewtwo Returns, released in Japan as , is an animated film based on the Pokémon anime, and is the direct follow-up to Pokémon: The First Movie. It originated as a feature-length TV special in Japan on December 30, 2000 and was released on VHS and DVD in Japan on March 21, 2001...
- Pokémon: The Movie 2000Pokémon: The Movie 2000Pokémon: The Movie 2000, originally released in Japan as , is a 1999 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama as the second Pokémon feature-length film, complementing the Orange Islands saga of the series and featuring several new Pokémon, including Lugia and Slowking...
- Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
- Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai