Joe Hisaishi is a composer who's been creating soundtracks and albums since 1981—over 100 of them by now. Most people know him for his iconic work with animator Hayao Miyazaki on films like Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbour Totoro, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. He's also the go-to composer for filmmaker Takeshi Kitano, scoring his films including Sonatine, Hana-Bi, Kids Return, Kikujiro, and Dolls.

Beyond film scoring, he's pulled on a bunch of other hats—he's a typesetter, author, arranger, and leads an orchestra. These roles don't get as much attention, but they're part of what makes him such a multifaceted figure in music.