The instrumental fusion which he achieves creates a soundscape that perfectly reflects both the innocence and beauty of the forest and the evil encroaching on it. He employs multiple solo Japanese instruments such as Taiko drums, koto, and shakuhachi while maintaining the full sound of the orchestra. Hisaishi's score is an epic orchestral masterpiece on par with scores by great American composers such as Jerry Goldsmith or James Horner.
The film - an epic tale of the struggle between nature and the encroaching modern world - features a score by acclaimed Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi, who has formerly collaborated with Miyazaki. The release of Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke in the United States in 1997, dubbed in English by a cast of American actors such as Claire Danes and Minnie Driver, helped to make Japanese anime widely known in America.
