Surprises were far from few at AnimeExpo 99, and one of the more pleasant ones was Mizoguchi Hajime. Unbeknownst to the attendees (and even many of the staffers), Guest of Honor Kanno Yoko did not come to AX alone. Kanno's frequent music collaborator Mizoguchi Hajime also visited the con, only anonymously.
Thanks to his work over the past two decades, Mizoguchi has become a familiar name to animation fans as well as live-action television soundtrack fans in Japan. He composed all of the music for the PLEASE SAVE MY EARTH video series (1993-94) except Kanno's "Memories of Time" ending theme, and he worked with her on the later image albums. The duo again collaborated with MACROSS PLUS (1994-95) when Mizoguchi played the soundtrack's haunting cello pieces. The partnership culminated with the joint authorship of THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE soundtrack (1996). Here, Mizoguchi wrote such memorable pieces as the moving "Hitomi Theme" and the suspense-building "Shadow of Doubt."
All the while, Mizoguchi composed soundtracks for numerous "trendy drama" mini-series on Japanese television. Notably, he scored the music for Sakai Noriko's HEAVEN'S COINS [HOSHI NO KINKA ~ DIE STERNTALER ~], PURE, and BIRD'S EYE VIEW [TORI NI NARU HI]—all dramas which aired in North America on international channels. He also compiled almost a dozen solo albums as a composer and a cellist of national renown.
When Mizoguchi discovered that Anime Expo fans were interested in his music, he graciously agreed to appear at the AX ESCAFLOWNE panel just hours before it began. Even though no announcement was printed until well after the event, word of mouth spread rapidly among ESCAFLOWNE fans. By the time Mizoguchi took his seat at the panel, the panel room was almost filled to capacity. (Kanno and her manager half-jokingly noted that Mizoguchi needed to be awakened in his hotel room because of the travails of his travels). With a mane of black hair, a poised presence, and a relaxed calm, he looked every bit the part of the distinguished artist that he is. The following are selected excerpts from the question-and-answer session:

Q: Have you already starting composing the score for the new movie and what changes will you be doing, compared to the TV series?

MH: [In English] Sorry, Japanese. (Laughs) At this moment, none of the scoring or composing work has been started since the picture is not cut and it's scheduled to cut at the end of 1999. So there have not been any meetings or discussion of how to compose the music yet.

Q: What was your frame of mind when composing the music for ESCAFLOWNE?

MH: Not only for ESCAFLOWNE, but whenever I work [on] composing music, fifty percent is trying to express my own feelings, and the rest is trying to hear what the director wants and what the theme of the movie [is] and try to respond.

Q: What is your influence for ESCAFLOWNE music? A lot of it sounds pretty different from all else, but some of it sounds like ET's score.

MH: I don't think I do have a particular influence from anyone. But I do get influenced by Sunrise and Kanno Yoko. Then, these images mix within me and become my own sound.

Q: When the orchestral score [for the movie] is completed, do you plan on reusing the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, or have you contracted any orchestra to do the recording?

MH: I hope we can, but I don't know. (Audience laughs)

Q: I was wondering if you can tell us what you are working in the meantime since you haven't started work on the movie yet.

MH: First of all, the animated feature film to be released in Japan next year, called JINROH. [Oshii Mamoru wrote the screenplay of this upcoming Production I.G. film.] I did the music for that. Also, I'll be working on some television series soundtracks. This upcoming September, my solo album will be released.

Q: What is the title of your new album?

MH: It's "Eternal Flame."

Q: When you play cello on some of the tracks, it is very sorrowful and sad. Has that often reflected on parts of your life or ...?

MH: It's not that my life is so sorrowful. (Audience laughs.) When I play music or when I play cello, I myself am really praying. It's not like a religion, I pray for myself. For example, with my playing of the music, it can make other people happy.

Q: What's it like working with the Warsaw [Philharmonic] Orchestra? You are in Japan, composing there. The composing and playing of music and so on are done in completely different places. How is that done?

MH: Each country has a different "color" of the music which I really tried to look for it. I have been working not only in Warsaw, but also in Paris, Los Angeles, and with the Czech Philharmonic. Each has a different "color," and I like to see the "color" and try to work with it.