Varèse Sarabande will release the Gamba – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack digitally on October 9, 2015. The album features the film's original score composed by Benjamin Wallfisch (DESERT DANCER, THE ESCAPIST). This animated film is based on the beloved Japanese children's book The Adventures of Gamba.
"Even though this is a children's movie, there are some moments of real tragedy in the story, followed by plot shifts which are quite deeply rooted in Japanese traditions," Wallfisch described. "The idea that you must avenge the death of a loved one, a friend or simply someone who loses their life fighting for a cause you share."
"There are so many layers to Gamba's story, but the one thing that is consistent throughout is the sense of a child's wonder at the world, and that anything is possible," Wallfisch explained. "His personality is larger than life, and it was important to the director that the score helped reflect that; but at the same time there is a fragility to his character - he is only really as strong as the friends he has around him. Once you go beneath the surface of the story you find strong messages of hope in the face of adversity, all in the context of a faced-paced, visually stunning and often action-led movie."
"Though Gamba is well-known in Japan, the story is hardly known in the West," said Wallfisch. "The director and producers were keen the movie has a universal appeal. This helped me make the decision not to use any Japanese instruments in the score (except for one ritualistic scene with onscreen music)—the score focuses on the universal messages of the film, through the medium of a large orchestra."
Shirogumi Inc. will be releasing Gamba in theaters in Japan on October 10 and in the United States and other territories at a later date.