Yuji Nomi was a
keyboardist in a
progressive rock band in junior high and high school. He dropped out of studying in the department of science and engineering while at
Chuo University, after which he began to study painting. When a friend was asked to provide music to go along with an art display, Nomi composed the music. The composer
Ryuichi Sakamoto liked his music and subsequently helped him release his first album, , in 1986. He then collaborated with Sakamoto on multiple soundtracks, assisting with composing and arranging the soundtrack for
The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1986), additional arrangement for music for
The Last Emperor (1987), and arrangement and composition for
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise. His first work for
Studio Ghibli was the soundtrack for the animated feature
Whisper of the Heart (1995), after which he worked on several different projects for them, including the short films
Kujiratori (2001) and
Koro no Daisanpo (2002), and the feature film
The Cat Returns (2002). ==Filmography==