From "Ken the Wolf Boy" to "Turn A Turn" - A-Sei Kobayashi's Imagination that Laid the Foundation for Anime Songs "KONNA UTA 亞 ンなうた 亞んなうた - A-Sei Kobayashi Music Collection - Anime and Special Effects Theme Songs" Review [Ryozo Fuwa's "Anime no otto" Vol.09].

In mid-June, it was reported that composer Asei Kobayashi passed away on May 30, 2021 at the age of 88.

He was involved in all genres of music on TV in the Showa era, including not only animation and special effects music, but also commercial music, drama music, and songs, and produced many simple, easy-to-understand, yet memorable works that will be greatly missed by the Japanese public. He was a "rare melody maker" of Japan. In this issue of "Anime no otto," we introduce the stories of the creators of the legendary generation of lyricists, composers, arrangers, singers, etc., in the form of a disc guide to anime songs and accompanying music that were born during the dawn and development of anime.

In this 9th installment, we will look back on the footsteps of Asei Kobayashi in anime and special effects music while following the works included on the CD "KONNA UTA 亞 ンなuta - Asei Kobayashi Music Complete Collection - Anime and Special Effects Theme Songs Edition" released by Nippon Columbia on August 7, 2019.

In 1963, "Astro Boy", Japan's first animated television program in 30-minute episodes, began broadcasting, and in the same year, Mr. Kobayashi was already working in the field of TV animation music. (now Toei Animation) produced the TV animation "Ken the Wolf Boy" which began airing on NET (now TV Asahi) on November 25, 1963. Mr. Kobayashi was selected as the composer of the theme song and music for the drama.

At the time, Mr. Kobayashi was just starting out as a composer. It was the following year that Mr. Kobayashi became the focus of attention as the composer of the hit commercial "Renown Wansaka Musume. ("Wansaka Musume" itself had been used since around 1961, but the version by Mieko Hirota that became his breakthrough was broadcast in 1964. It was Japan's first original TV animation series, and like its predecessors "Astro Boy," "Tetsujin 28-go," and "Eight Man" (all in 1963), it did not have an original story, but was an ambitious work that created a new story and new characters. The theme song "DISC-1 1. Wolf Boy Ken" is an early masterpiece of ani-song with a strong rhythm of Afro percussion and groove of scatting "Boba ba ba ba ba bong ......" compared to other anime songs that were either nursery rhyme style or march style at the time. It is a masterpiece from the early days of anime songs. The scriptwriter of the film, Takashi Iijima, later worked as a producer for Toei Doga and Toei (headquarters), and became a key person in connecting Mr. Kobayashi with animation works one after another.

He provided the theme song "2. Hustle Punch Song" for the 1965 TV animation "Hustle Punch. In contrast to the anime song world of the time, which had a strong march and jazz flavor, he was one of the first to adopt a go-go sound (two years ahead of the famous "Mach GoGoGo" (1967)) and proposed Japan's first rock-style anime song. Along with the insert song "3. Song of Punch, Touch, and Bun," it is also sung in a style in which Nobuyo Oyama as Punch, Yoko Mizugaki as Touch, and Chiharu Kuri as Bun are singing "roles" while playing their respective characters. This is, so to speak, the earliest form of "character song.

The following songs, "4. Wizard Sally" and "5. Magical Mambo," are the theme songs of "Wizard Sally" from 1966. It was Japan's first animated television work for girls, and the original "witch-kids" that later became a major genre of Japanese animation. For the first ever witch-kid anime that no one had ever seen, Mr. Kobayashi proposed the plan of authentic New Orleans-style Dixieland jazz, performed by Kenichi Sonoda and the Dixie Kings. As you all know, this was an exquisite match. The introduction led by the incantation "Maharik Maharita ......" at the beginning of the piece was the idea of Takashi Iijima, who served as the producer for this piece. The novelty of "5. Magic Mambo," which begins with an avant-garde introduction that sounds like free jazz and leads to a dusty, soothing Latin rhythm, should not be overlooked.

The theme song "6. Himitsu no Akko-chan" (1969), the follow-up to "Sally," is a beautiful waltz that takes a sharp turn from the chic decisiveness of "Sally" and expresses a sense of a fairy tale from the front. Sukisuki Song," the ending song, is a hilarious comic song with go-go rhythm and a tremendous range of ....... However, it is also noteworthy that all of these songs do not stray too far from the atmosphere of the work, but instead firmly support its charm.

Furthermore, "Kaiketsu Lion Maru" (1972) theme song "8. Wind, Light", "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman" (1972) theme song "10. Fireman" (1973). The rhythm section of bass, drums, and guitar provides a solid foundation on which brass and strings ride, and an "anime song singer," rather than a choir, sings the hero's exploits in high ....... This is a typical example of a so-called "hero song" that is still relevant today. A typical example of a so-called "hero song" that can be used today is "Kamen Rider" (1971) theme song "Let's Go! Rider Kick" (composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi) and "Go Go Kikaider" (composed by Hiroaki Watanabe), the theme song for "Android Kikaider" (1972).

...... and you can see that Mr. Kobayashi's approach to the emerging medium of "TV animation in its infancy and development" was not only "simple, easy to understand, and memorable melodies" at the time. What was it?　He also tried to break away from children's songs and marches by using tempo, rhythm, instrumentation, and arrangements such as go-go style rock, Dixieland jazz, Afro, Latin, waltz, etc., character songs using voice actors as singers, hero songs with a sense of speed.... All of these efforts and ideas were later established as a common practice for anime songs. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the music style now recognized as "anime songs" was built on the foundation of Mr. Kobayashi's imagination and gradually took off. The period when anime songs were at their most anime-like coincides perfectly with the golden age of Asei Kobayashi's anime songs.

In the 70's, Kobayashi's style stabilized and his anime songs "got on track," and he further refined them. From "Science Ninja Squad Gatchaman," "18. Tekkaman's Song" and "19. Space Knights' Song" from Tatsunoko Productions' "Space Knight Tekkaman" (1975), "20! GoDam" and "21. Song of Gowapper 5" in succession. Similarly, he sang "23. Theme of Con Battler V" and "23. Go, Con Battler V" for "Super Electromagnetic Robot Con Battler V" (1976), which began as a robot animation series directly handled by Toei's (headquarters) TV division rather than Toei Doga! Con Battler V" and "28. Song of Voltes V" and "29. Father wo motomete" from "Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V" (1977). The producer of these Toei productions was also Mr. Takashi Iijima. This trend continued with the exception of "Fighting General Deimos" (1978) (composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi), "Future Robo D'Artagnus" (1979), "God Sigma the Great of the Universe" (1980), and "Gorion the King of All Beasts" (1981). Together with "Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster" (1976) and "Uchu Majin Daikengo" (1978), which are outside the Tatsunoko Productions and Toei lines mentioned above, this CD is a collection of Kobayashi's SF/action hero theme songs presented in "Kaiketsu Lion Maru" and "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman", which were later completed over a 10 The CD also features the songs of Asei Kobayashi, who has been working on the theme songs for "Kaiketsu Lion Maru" and "Science Ninja Squad Gatchaman.

Likewise, many bright, fun, and comical anime masterpiece songs that are full of Asei Kobayashi's character are also included. The popular "Ganbare! Robot 110" (1977), the second TV Asahi Toei robot home comedy that followed the popular "Robocon" (1974), and "Robot Gan-chan 110" and "Batten Punch no Uta" (27), the theme songs of "Robot Gan-chan 110" and "Batten Punch no Uta," the first Toei comedy series on Fuji TV that followed that line, were revived. Robot 8-chan" (1981), which was revived as the first in the Toei Mysterious Comedy Series on Fuji Television, and "DISC-2: 13. In particular, many people may find "Akai Yuhi no Barabaraman (Red Sunset Barabaraman)," the theme song for Barabaraman's nemesis, played by actor Haruhiko Saito, unforgettable. Other songs include "10. Oretacha Kaibutsu San-nin Gumi yo" (sung by Takuzo Kamiyama, Kenta Kimotsuki, and Taro Sagami) from "Kaibutsu-kun" (1980), "17. (sung by Chinatsu Sakamoto) from "FUKU-CHAN" (1982), are the very development of the "character songs sung by voice actors" proposed in "Hustle Punch" and are some of the greatest character songs of the 80s.

As some of you may have noticed, around 1970, Asei Kobayashi shifted to a production style in which he concentrated on composing his own anime songs and left the arranging to other arrangers. This system functioned as a training ground for young arrangers, or "Asei Juku," as it were. The talents that grew out of this system included Bob Sakuma, arranger of "Gatchaman's Song" and "Tekkaman's Song," Nozomu Aoki, arranger of "Hana no Ko Lun Lun Lun" (1979) and "3. Yume wo Kachi Toro" (1985), Hiroshi Tsutsui as arranger, "The King of All Animals, Gorion" (1981), "Toe! Gorion" (1981), Masahisa Ichihisashi Takeichi as arranger, Joe Hisaishi as arranger for "Manga Nihon Mukashi Banashi" (1976), "Ningen to Iwa" (this song is included in the CD "Konna Uta, Aonna Uta - A Sei Kobayashi Music Collection - Kodomo no Uta Hen"), etc. The number of songs composed by Mr. Kobayashi in anime after the late 80's has gradually decreased. Although the number of songs composed by Kobayashi has gradually decreased since the late 1980s, the spirit of "Asei-ism" has been passed on to the next generation of composers and arrangers.

The CD ends with "26. Turn A Turn," the theme song of "Tribe Gundam" (1999), directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, and sung by Hideki Saishiro. The author once interviewed Asei Kobayashi and asked him why he chose Hideki Nishijo to sing "Turn A Turn".

According to Mr. Kobayashi, during a stage performance of "Terauchi Kantaro and Family" (1999) at Shimbashi Enbujo, he was chatting with Mr. Saishiro backstage for the first time in a long while when the idea came to him and asked him directly on the spot if he would sing the theme song for an upcoming anime. (1999), when he was chatting with Mr. Saishiro in his dressing room for the first time in a long time. Without Mr. Kobayashi's extensive activities as an actor and TV personality, without his casting with Mr. Saishiro in the 1974 drama "Terauchi Kantaro and Family," and without the miraculous timing of the stage performance of the drama, "Turn A Turn" would not have been born. I remember being deeply moved by Mr. Kobayashi's story and thinking that there is "fate" and "chance" in all things ....... Hideki Saijo has already passed away in 2018, and I wonder if the two of them would have been reunited by now. ......

This CD traces the 36-year history of Asei Kobayashi's anime songs, from 1963, the birth of Japanese TV animation, to 1999's "Tribe Gundam". We hope you will listen to this album again and continue to listen to it forever. As long as we remember and as long as she continues to sing, Asei Kobayashi's anime songs will never die out.

In addition to the "Anime/Special Effects Theme Songs" CD, "Songs", "Commercial Songs", and "Children's Songs" CDs have also been released simultaneously. If you are interested in a broader and deeper look at the music of Asei Kobayashi, this is a series that you should definitely pick up.

(Text by Ryozo Fuwa)

Product Information

CD "KONNA UTA 亞 ンなuta ～Aboshi Kobayashi Music Complete Collection～ Anime/Special Effects Theme Songs Edition".

Release date: August 7, 2019

Price: 3,300 yen (price without tax: 3,000 yen)

Label: Nippon Columbia COCX-40917-8 (2 CD set)

Included songs

<DISC-1> 1.

Wolf Boy Ken / Nishirokugo Boys Choir

Hustle Punch Song / Nobuyo Oyama, Yoko Mizugaki, Chiharu Kuri, Nishirokugo Boys Choir

Punch Touch Bun Song / Nobuyo Oyama, Yoko Mizugaki, Chiharu Kuri

Sally the Wizard / Three Graces

Magic Mambo / Yoko Maekawa

Himitsu no Akko-chan / Kyoko Okada

Sukisuki Song / Ado Mizumori

Kaze yo Hikari yo / Shu Yugi Chorus: Young Fresh

Lion Maru ga kuru Kuru / Young Fresh

Gatchaman's Song / Masato Shimon Chorus: Columbia Yurikagokai

Beat it! Galactor / Columbia Yurikagoko-kai

Boku ha ha Hazedon / Ado Mizumori

Hazedon Ondo / Tsunehiro Izumi Chorus: Columbia Yurikagoko-kai

Fireman / Masato Shimon

Belladonna of Sadness / Mayumi Tachibana

Dororon Enma-kun / Chinatsu Nakayama

Beware of Yokai / Chinatsu Nakayama

Tekkaman no uta / Ichiro Mizuki

Space Knights Song / Ichiro Mizuki Chorus:Columbia Yurikagokko-kai

Let's go! GORDAM / Ichiro Mizuki Chorus: YOUNG FRESH

Song of GOWAPPER 5 / Ichiro Mizuki, chorus: YOUNG FRESH

Theme of Con Battler V / Ichiro Mizuki, chorus: The Blessin Four

23. Go! Con Battler V / Ichiro Mizuki Chorus: Columbia Yurikagokai

24.Blocker Gundan Machine Blaster / YUKI HIDE Chorus: Toei Children's Chorus

Man, Tenpyo no Uta / Kitahara Koichi

Robot Gan-chan 110 / Fusako Fujimoto Chorus: Young Fresh

Song of Battenpunch / Fusako FUJIMOTO Chorus: Young Fresh

Song of Voltes V / Mitsuko Horie Chorus: Koorogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokai

Father wo motomete / Ichiro Mizuki, chorus: Koorogi '73

＜DISC-2＞

Uchu Majin Daikengo no Uta / Mitsuko Horie Chorus: Koorogi '73, The Chirps

Uchu no Otoko Liger / MoJo Chorus: The Chirps

Hana no Koi Lun Lun Lun / Miyako Horie Chorus: The Chirps

Girls are / Hiroko Inomata, A-Sei Kobayashi

Song of D'Artagnas / Mitsuko Horie Chorus: Koorogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokko-kai

Kenjin, Otokoiki / Kororogi '73

Ganbare! Space Warrior / Isao Sasaki, chorus: Kororogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokko-kai

Red, Blue, Yellow / Kaori mimiko Chorus: Kororogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokai

YUKAI TSUKAI KAIBUTSU-KUN / Masako Nozawa

Oretcha Kaibutsu Sanjin Gumi yo / Wolf Man, Dracula, Franken (Takuzo Kamiyama, Kenta Kimotsuki, Taro Sagami)

Toe! Gorion / Ichiro Mizuki, chorus: Koorogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokai

Gonin de HITOTSU / Ichiro Mizuki, chorus: Kororogi '73, Feeling Free

Robot 8-chan / Hiroko Inomata Chorus: Young Fresh, Korogi '73

Akai Yuhi no Barabaraman / Haruhiko Saito, chorus: Koorogi '73

Ano ko wa asari-chan / Yoko Maekawa, chorus: Koorogi '73

I am a girl / Yoko Maekawa, chorus: Koorogi '73

Aoba Harusuke the Guts / Toshio Furukawa Chorus: Columbia Yurikagokai

Pumpkin Night / Toshio Furukawa, Keiko Yokozawa

19.Boku, fuku-chan dai! / Chinatsu Sakamoto

FUKU-CHAN～Tomorrow will be fine～ / Koorogi '73

Oi la tenmaru / Yoshiko Fujita

22.my boss / Minori Matsushima, Yoshiko Fujita

Gentle Friend / Satoko Yamano

Let's win the dream / Ichiro Mizuki

MY WAY SARUMARU / Ichiro Mizuki

Turn A Turn / Hideki Saijo