In Terrence Malick’s war legend 'The Thin Red Line,' Hans Zimmer used the Koto—a traditional Japanese plucked zither—to create a sense of 'otherness' and peace amidst the violence of WWII. The Koto is a large instrument with 13 strings stretched over movable bridges. Zimmer used it not for its traditional Japanese melodies, but for its resonant, percussive 'pings' that felt like rain or nature. This helped emphasize the film's theme of nature’s indifference to human conflict. The instrument’s unique tuning and delicate sound provided a philosophical layer to the movie legend, showing how an instrument from one side of a conflict can be used to score the universal humanity of all soldiers involved.