“Personally, when I’m working on a song, I almost always have English lyrics in mind,” Sawano says. “In the case of Japanese animation,” Sawano says, “there are many works that are larger in scale, so I try various approaches to sound, such as large orchestral recordings, vocal music and so on, which I find very rewarding.”Īnother aspect of the Sawano sound that’s easy to identify is his frequent use of English-language lyrics. One adjective that seems to pop up whenever fans discuss Sawano’s music is “epic.” Whether he’s evoking despair (see the aforementioned “Attack on Titan” scene) or hope (the uplifting swells of “Aldnoah.Zero”), his best pieces pack an in-your-face punch. Aside from Hisaishi and Kanno, he also cites noted composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer as major inspirations. “I’m not very conscious of my own style, but I think that my pursuit of my favorite sounds, chord progressions, rhythms, etc., may be what makes people feel that way,” he says. When asked about what makes his style stand out, however, the composer demurs. At the same time, regardless of genre, each soundtrack is almost instantly recognizable as Sawano’s. He’s worked on video games and live-action TV and films, too. His anime soundtracks span sci-fi (“Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn”), fantasy (“The Seven Deadly Sins”) and zombie horror (“Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress”).

“I was struck by the variety of Kanno’s musical approaches, which led me to become interested in creating music in many genres,” Sawano says.Īnd create music in many genres he has. In high school, however, Sawano encountered the music of two legends of the anime soundtrack world: Joe Hisaishi, the composer behind the films of Hayao Miyazaki, and Yoko Kanno, whose work runs the gamut from the funky jazz of “Cowboy Bebop” to the cyberpunk beats of “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.” He was especially inspired by the chart-topping duo Chage and Aska, and later the uber-producer Tetsuya Komuro, who wrote hits for TRF, Namie Amuro and his own band TM Network. Sawano, whose debut as an anime composer came in 2006, says that his initial gateway into the world of music came not from soundtracks, but pop. Among them are the soundtracks for “Blue Exorcist,” “Kill la Kill,” “Promare” and “The Seven Deadly Sins.” 12, a selection of the composer’s anime discography will become available for digital purchase and streaming worldwide for the first time.

“Attack on Titan” is just one of the many anime series and films featuring music by Sawano, 40, who has also composed for live-action and released multiple albums as a solo artist under the moniker SawanoHiroyuki.

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