> So good that Hisaishi wholesale recycles it in 'The Little House.' Not sure if there was a particular reason for that - maybe you'll illuminate that in a future write-up?

I agree the themes are similar, though I haven't the foggiest idea why. Instrumentation does help The Little House stand out though...vastly more accordion in that score than in Howl's Moving Castle.

The crazier thing is that in a six-year span Hisaishi worked with Little House director Yoji Yamada more than he had with all but a handful of other director collaborators.