Who Composed The Princess Tutu Soundtrack And OST Highlights?

Growing up with 'Princess Tutu' felt like discovering a tiny, secret ballet tucked inside an anime, and the music is a huge part of why that show still sticks with me. The original score for 'Princess Tutu' was composed by Koji Makaino, who layered original pieces on top of and around classical ballet staples to create that fairytale-but-strangely-melancholic mood. You can hear orchestral swells, delicate piano passages, and violin lines that sound like they belong on a stage rather than in a typical TV soundtrack. Makaino’s work is clever: it nods to Tchaikovsky-style ballets while still feeling unique to the characters and story.

Some highlights I always come back to are the tracks that serve as leitmotifs for the main characters — the fragile, yearning theme that follows the duck/Tutu character, the aching, hollow lines that underline Mytho’s silent pain, and the tense, percussive pieces that ratchet up during the show’s more dramatic twists. There are also moments where Makaino weaves or reinterprets classical motifs (you can especially feel echoes of 'Swan Lake' in places), which gives the whole OST a layered, meta-ballet feeling. I like to listen with headphones late at night and follow the emotional arcs; it’s almost cinematic on its own.

If you want to dive in, check out the official soundtrack releases or curated playlists on streaming services — they usually separate the orchestral and the more folk-ish cues. For me, it’s the way Makaino balances tender piano and sweeping strings that makes the OST not just background music but a storytelling partner, and I still find little details in the tracks after every listen.

Oh wow, the music in 'Princess Tutu' is one of those things I recommend to friends without hesitation. The composer behind the original soundtrack is Koji Makaino, and he’s responsible for the show’s unique blend of original compositions and ballet-inspired arrangements. What I love is how some tracks feel like intimate piano sketches while others balloon into full orchestral flourishes—perfect for the show’s mix of whimsy and melancholy.

For highlights, I’d point to the recurring character themes: there’s a tender, fragile motif for the heroine that really sells her vulnerability, a haunting, quieter set of lines for the mysterious prince-type figure, and more dynamic, rhythmic tracks for the conflict scenes. Makaino also borrows and reframes classical ballet material (you can sense echoes of 'Swan Lake' and other Tchaikovsky moods), which makes the OST feel both familiar and refreshingly original. If you’re sampling it, listen for the tracks that repeat as motifs across episodes—those are where the emotional payoff lives. I usually put on the OST after rewatching episodes; it’s a lovely way to relive moments without the visuals.

If you’re curious about who composed the soundtrack for 'Princess Tutu', it was Koji Makaino, and his score is a big part of the show’s charm. Rather than just background music, the OST functions like a ballet score adapted for animation: recurring motifs, shifts between small piano or string pieces and sweeping orchestral moments, and tasteful nods to classical ballets. The soundtrack highlights tend to be the character themes—the brittle, hopeful melodies tied to the protagonist contrasted with darker, more distant themes for the prince and the antagonist—as well as the lush ensemble pieces used during key dance and confrontation scenes. I often queue up the soundtrack while doing slow chores or drawing; it’s surprisingly good at keeping the mood reflective and slightly bittersweet.