Even though human life is short - "CHUMEI 90 SONGS in Commemoration of the Graduation of Watanabe Spacei", a compilation of the immortal "Spacei Sound" [Ryozo Fuwa's "Anime no otto" Vol.12

On June 27, 2022, it was reported that the composer Uchuaki Watanabe, known for his numerous anime and special effects music projects, passed away on June 23 at the age of 96.

Mr. Watanabe was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1925, the last year of the Taisho era. He moved to Tokyo to study music under Ikuma Dan and Saburo Moroi while attending Tokyo University, and began his career as a composer in 1953 with radio drama music for his hometown Nagoya and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co.

In 1956, he made his film music debut with the New Toho film "Ningyo Sashichi Tatmonotacho Yose Rokushin Bijin". In 1964, he composed music for "Ninja Troop Gekko," a pioneer of the Sentai hero program. He also provided music for "007 is a Number to Kill" (released in Japan in 1963), the first film in the "007" spy action film series, as well as music inspired by cutting-edge modern jazz.

He continued to compose music for the Toei Super Sentai series "Kikai Sentai ZENKAIJAR*" in 2021 (co-composed with Kenichiro Oishi). He was a man of spirit who remained active throughout his life, continuing to compose music up to the end of his life.

The 12th edition of "Anime no otto" is a disc-guide featuring stories about the creators of the Legendary Generation. In this 12th installment, we will look back on the footsteps of Mr. Uchuaki Watanabe in the field of anime and special effects music, following the CD "Uchuaki Watanabe Graduation Commemoration - CHUMEI 90 SONGS" released by Nippon Columbia on July 22, 2015 to commemorate his 90th birthday (graduation).

You have probably noticed that the music of Japanese animation and special effects works, especially action works such as heroes and robots, has its own style that can be called set in stone or typical. The music has an impressive introduction, vocals with hot shouts, a rhythm section with technical guitars, bass, drums, and piano, overlaid with flowing strings, soaring brass, roaring timpani, synthesizer sound effects and chime sounds, and so on. ...... and more.

This style of music, in which the heroes are supported by such assembled sounds, can be found nowhere else in the world, and can be said to be a uniquely Japanese style of music. How and when was this music born? ...... The breakthrough came in 1972 with the special effects program "Android Kikaider" by Shotaro Ishinomori and the robot animation "Mazinger Z" by Go Nagai, both of which Watanabe composed the music for. This was exactly 50 years ago.

The ideas that Mr. Watanabe put into these two works were: a brass sound that pushed wind instruments to the forefront, strongly inspired by the brass rock band "Chase," which was very popular at the time; an arrangement that evokes loneliness and melancholy, like macaroni western music; and a melancholy tone using a minor pentatonic scale (a minor scale without 26th notes). The melancholy and bluesy melodies of the minor pentatonic scale (266), jazz theory based on the latest Berklee method, and the new sound of the "Mini-Mog" (U.S.: 1970), a small, portable synthesizer that has only just begun to be imported.... ...and many more. In order to express the unprecedented themes of "artificial man" and "giant robot," the album was a great leap forward and a challenge, attempting several updates from the previous style.

In particular, the jazz theory of the piece is the result of a new study of jazz saxophone player Sadao Watanabe, who returned from the Berklee College of Music in the U.S. in 1967, and has since relearned from scratch. It must have been difficult for Mr. Watanabe, who had made his mark in film music and was already a seasoned veteran at over 40 years of age, to ask Sadao Watanabe, eight years his junior, to teach him. The underlying strength of Mr. Watanabe's music is probably born from such an insatiable appetite for evolution.

This change in style had already appeared in the music for TV dramas such as "Ore to Siamese Cat (*)" (1969) and "The Fifth Detective (*)" (1969), but with the opportunity of SF special effects/anime, it seems as if he exploded with full force in "Android Kikaider" and "Mazinger Z". Thus, in just a few short years, Mr. Watanabe had grasped a new style and a new pressure point for anime/tokusatsu music, and he continued to work on the successor programs of each, "Kikaider 01" (1973) - "Inazuman" (1973) - "Inazuman F" (1974) - "Akumizer 3" (1975) - "Super God Bibune" (1976 (1976), "Great Mazinger" (1974), "Steel Jeeg" (1975), "Magne Robo Gah Keen" (1976), etc., further refining his style as he gained experience.

The first half of the 1970s was an important period in which the typical style of anime and tokusatsu music became clearer, but it was shaped by the simultaneous evolution of Watanabe's contemporaries, including Shunsuke Kikuchi, Asei Kobayashi, and Gozoro Misawa. However, when considered in combination with the fact that Mr. Watanabe's works were the driving force behind this style, and that he continued to refine and update this style for the next 50 years without a break, there is no doubt that his music has played a consistent "backbone" role in anime and special effects music up to the present day.

In 1975, "Secret Sentai Goranger" was introduced, marking the beginning of the history of the Toei Super Sentai series, which has continued uninterrupted to the present day. After "Goranger," Mr. Watanabe has composed music for six consecutive series, from "Jacker Dengekitai" (1977) to "Battle Fever J" (1979) to "Denshi Sentai Denziman" (1980) to "Taiyo Sentai Sambulkan" (1981) to "Taisentai Gogurufu" (1982). During these years, Soumei's sound continued to innovate, keeping abreast of the rapid development of electronic instruments, and was one of the first to introduce electronic drums and hammering sounds.

In particular, "Denshi Sentai Denziman" featured Hideki Matsutake, a pioneering synthesizer programmer who was considered the fourth member of YMO, as well as the impressive use of Mr. Watanabe's own voice on the vocoder, an electronic instrument that can modulate the human voice. The "Vocoder," an electronic instrument that modulates and plays the human voice, played a major role in creating the digital image of Denshi Sentai. In these Super Sentai works, he not only sang theme songs and insert songs, but also perfected the style of music for the story format of daily life, appearance of enemy organization, chase, suspense, battle in the flesh, transformation, name, kime, Sentai battle, giant robot battle, and ending ....... One of Mr. Watanabe's major responsibilities was to perfect the style of the music for the movie.

In 1982, the same year as "Taisentai Goguru Five," "Space Detective Gabin," another Toei tokusatsu hero work, appeared. The so-called "Space Cop Series" and "Metal Hero Series" were launched. Mr. Watanabe was also responsible for the music that supported the birth of a completely new image of the hero, with his sleek, metallic combat suit and special moves such as using a laser blade to cut through his enemies. After "GABAN," Mr. Watanabe composed the music for five consecutive films: "Space Cop Shariban" (1983), "Space Cop Shaider" (1984), "Giant Beast Special Search Jaspion" (1985), and "Space Time Warrior Spielban" (1986). He has continued to contribute greatly to the development of the series by often being involved in insert songs and BGM music. Whenever Toei's tokusatsu heroes developed new lines after "Android Kikaider," it could be said that the talent of Hiroaki Watanabe was always needed.

It must have been a great blessing for both Mr. Watanabe and us that he was able to reaffirm the certainty of his work with "Kikai Sentai ZENKAIJAR" (2021), the 45th commemorative work of the Super Sentai series.

In the late 1980s, the popularity of realistic robot animation began to wane and OVA (original video animation) production reached its zenith. It was during this period that Mr. Watanabe composed the music for "Battle! Ixar 1*" (1985), "Machine Robo: The Cronos Strike Back" (1986), "Dangaio" (1987), "Gakuen Tokussho Hikaruon*" (1987), and "Reina Kenroku Densetsu*" (1988), all of which were created during this period.

These works were created at a time when the "Kikaider/Mazinger Age" had grown up and finally appeared on the creator's side, having been directly affected by the dashing sound of Sukiaki in 1972. Naturally, they were looking for the massive, hot Chimei sound of their memories, but Mr. Watanabe did not simply respond to their requests in the form they were presented.

The advent of FM synthesizers, sequencers, samplers, and other electronic instruments during this period, which had advanced several steps since the days of "Android Kikaider" and "Denshi Sentai Denziman," dramatically enhanced the music production environment to the point where it was not so different from today's. Mr. Watanabe was able to use them to his advantage. Mr. Watanabe has mastered the use of these instruments, and has been utilizing digital effectors, electronic drums, etc. in his music production with a quality that rivals that of J-Pop music of the same period.

In addition, the idol singer boom and the bishojo anime boom were both at their peak, as if synchronized, and the use of female vocals in science fiction and action anime became commonplace, and the number of female singers performing theme songs in Watanabe's works increased dramatically as well. Mr. Watanabe later said, "With a female vocalist, I was able to compose freely without being conscious of my previous style and without exerting any effort, and I remember that I rather enjoyed writing the songs. I would rather have everyone listen to these songs.

Another major characteristic of the Soraaki sound during this period was "innovation in brass arrangements. It was not the rough brass rock style of the "Android Kikaider" days, nor the heavy brass sound of "Mazinger Z" and "Great Mazinger," but the high quality studio work that was used in cutting-edge pop music at the time, or what is now called the "city pop" sound. It was a challenge to create a studio session-type recording.

It all started when Mr. Watanabe stopped by a record store and heard an album by Toshio Tsunomatsu. Impressed by the sharp brass arrangements and performances, Mr. Watanabe immediately bought the record and discovered that it was arranged by Jerry Hay, a trumpet player from Hawaii, and performed by his colleagues. He then continued his research and incorporated the style in his own way into his own works, and he has since produced "Machine Robo: The Great Counterattack of Kronos," "Victory Machine Robo," "Fight! Baikan-fu" from "Machine Robo: Kronos no Dai Gyakushuu" and "CROSS FIGHT! This is a record of the moment when anime songs came close to the quality of front-line pop music.

Considering that Mr. Watanabe was already in his 60s at this time, one cannot help but be surprised at the freshness of his sensibility and his endlessly inquiring mind. The late ......80s was such a time when everyone was shocked by the new Space Akira sound that came far beyond the assumptions of the Kikaider/Mazinger Age.

Although the number of works decreased after that, the drama CD boom of the 1990s, the "Super Robot Taisen" game series brought renewed attention to the Soraaki sound, the return to Super Sentai series insert songs in the 2000s, "Galactic Lloyd Cosmo X" (2001), "Shinkon Gohdan Na! (2003), Mr. Watanabe's creative drive shows no sign of abating. He has also produced "Futari wa Pretty Cure*" (2003), "I'll Be a Twintail" (2014), "I'll Be a Twintail. (*) (2014), and the app game "THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS: STARLIGHT STAGE (*)" (2020).

On May 12, 2022, he appeared on NHK E-television's Classic TV program, "Music to Inspire Heroes: Composer Hiroaki Watanabe. He spoke in his own words about the path he had taken and taught the way of music to the younger generation, and only a little more than a month later, he quietly passed away. ...... It is truly unfortunate, but he died a great death as if he had fulfilled his views on work, health, and life, which he had talked about from time to time. It was a wonderful way to end his life.

Until his later years, Mr. Watanabe did not have any assistants or arrangers, so-called "disciples," with whom he worked on his creations, and even in the Heisei and 2025 era, he always continued to create his works by himself. The characteristics of Mr. Watanabe's music are often referred to as "Chumei-bushi" or "Chumei sound." Chumei-bushi refers to Mr. Watanabe's unique musical vocabulary, including unique melodies and phrases that are consistent throughout all eras, and Chumei sound refers to his masterful arrangement techniques, which skillfully read the atmosphere of various eras and constantly undergoes a series of transformations. I have always thought that the "Chimei sound" (......) can be thought of as the "Chimei sound".

I have always thought that the "Chūmei sound" () can be considered to be the "Chūmei sound"! The charm of that melody, which is like an imprint that identifies a piece as a work of art, will never change no matter how much he changes into new clothes, but his desire to always be in the latest mode is stronger than anyone else's. His dual work style, the one and only "Soumei verse x Soumei sound," combines the firmness to continue to develop one style as a musician with the flexibility to accurately incorporate the sounds of the times.

The enterprising spirit to achieve this and a mind unafraid of change are the root of the charm of Watanabe's works and the secret to the music's timelessness, no matter how much time passes. I am thinking about it again now with the sadness of Mr. Watanabe's passing.

We, too, should not forget and emulate his spirit as we go forward.

(Text by Ryozo Fuwa)

The work * is not included in this CD.

Product Information

CD "Watanabe Spacei Graduation Commemoration - CHUMEI 90 SONGS

Release date: July 22, 2015

Price: 8,250 yen (excluding tax 7,500 yen)

Label: Nippon Columbia COCX-39176-9 (4 CD set)

　 # of songs

Included songs

<DISC-1> 1.

Go Go Kikaider Song: "Android Kikaider" (1972) by Shu Yugi and Columbia Yurikagokai

Fight! Android Kikaider Song/Hide Yuuki, Columbia Yurikagokko-kai "Android Kikaider"(1972)

Mazinger Z Song/Ichiro Mizuki "Mazinger Z"(1972)

Z Theme Song/Mizuki Ichiro "Mazinger Z"(1972)

Bokura no Mazinger Z Song/Mizuki Ichiro, Columbia Yurikagokai "Mazinger Z"(1972)

Kikaider 01 Song/Komon Masato "Kikaider 01"(1973)

01 Rock Song: Masato Komon "Kikaider 01" (1973)

8. ahitakatta nai tomodachi (Friend I've Never Had) Song/Yuri Shimazaki, Columbia Chorus "Oi Taiyokko"(1973)

Sansho ni katte mitetamitakai"(1973) Yuri Shimazaki, Columbia Chorus

Fight Inazuman Song/Komon Masato, Columbia Yurikagokai "Inazuman"(1973)

Chest! Chest! Inazuman Song: Ichiro Mizuki "Inazuman"(1973)

Shin ninnishigo hatch Song/Yuri Shimazaki "Insect story Shin ninnishigo hatch"(1974)

Flash! Inazuman Song/Yuki Hide "Inazuman F"(1974)

Inazuman Action Song/Ichiro Mizuki "Inazuman F"(1974)

Oare wa Great Mazinger Song/Ichiro Mizuki, Columbia Yurikagokai "Great Mazinger"(1974)

Yusha wa Mazinger Song/Ichiro Mizuki, Columbia Yurikagokko-kai "Great Mazinger"(1974)

Sazae-san no uta Song: "Sazae-san"(1975)

Akarui sazae-san Song/Mitsuko Horie "Sazae-san"(1975)

Go! Goranger Song/CSASAKI Isao, HORIE Miyako, COLOMBIA Yurikagokai "Secret Sentai Goranger"(1975)

HIMITSU SENTAI GORANGER Song/ SASAKI Isao, Korogi '73 "HIMITSU SENTAI GORANGER"(1975)

Kôtetsu Jeeg no Uta Song/Ichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokai "Kôtetsu Jeeg" (1975)

Hiroshi's Theme Song/Iichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73 "Kôtetsu Jeeg" (1975)

Victory! ACUMIZER 3 Song/Iichiro Mizuki, Koorogi '73 "ACUMIZER 3"(1975)

24. Susume Zaidabek Song/Iichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73 "Accumizer 3" (1975)

＜DISC-2

Sadness Scat Song/ Mitsuko Horie "Dai Houjou Sen"(1976)

Farewell to you and go on a journey Song/ Mitsuko Horie "Daijoujousen"(1976)

Look at me! Mitsuko Horie "Yokai den nekome kojo"(1976)

Dooe! Chogami Bibune Song: "Chogami Bibune" by Isao Sasaki and Koorogi '73 (1976)

Our Cho-God Bibune Song: "Cho-God Bibune" by Isao Sasaki and Korogi '73 (1976)

Tatakae! Ga-Keen Song: Ichiro Mizuki, Mitsuko Horie, Korogi '73 "Magne Robo Ga-Keen" (1976)

Takeru to Mai no Uta Song/Ichiro Mizuki, Miyako Horie "Magne Robo Ga Keen" (1976)

8. Bye Bye Papa Song/Koga Hitomi, Koorogi '73 "Wai Wai Gundan 900" (1976)

Try Attack! Mekander Robo Song/Mizuki Ichiro, Columbia Yurikagokai "Goshin Sentai Mekander Robo"(1977)

Wandering Star Jimmy Orion Song/Ichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73 "Gasshi-Sentai Mekander-Robo"(1977)

OH! Daitetsujin One Seven Song: Ichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73, The Chirps "Daitetsujin 17 (One Seven)" (1977)

One Seven Hymn Song/Iichiro Mizuki, Korogi '73 "Daitetsujin 17 (One Seven)" (1977)

Jacker Dengekitai Song/Isao Sasaki, Koorogi '73 "Jacker Dengekitai"(1977)

Someday, the flowers will bloom Song/Sasaki Isao "Jacker Dengekitai"(1977)

Kaiketsu! Koraiya Song/Kazuo Funaki "Kaiketsu! Koraiya" (1977)

Oare wa Tetsubei Song/Fujimoto Fusako, Koorogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokai "Oare wa Tetsubei"(1978)

Crab, Crab, Crab Song/ Fusako Fujimoto, Kororogi '73, Columbia Yurikagokko-kai "Oare wa Tetsubei"(1978)

Baseball Madness Song/ Mitsuko Horie, Columbia Men's Chorus "Baseball Madness Song" (1978)

19. Theme of Courage Song/Horie Miyako "Yakyu Kyou no Uta"(1978)

Eiko no Kanata e (Beyond the Glory) Song/Ichiro Mizuki "Yakyu Kyoukou no Uta"(1978)

Invisible Dori-chan Song/Kumiko Osugi, The Chirps "Invisible Dori-chan" (1978)

22.Yume no Kuni no Princess (1978)

Run! Spider-Man Song/Yuki Hide "Spider-Man"(1978)

Oath Ballad Song/Yuki Hide "Spider-Man"(1978)

＜DISC-3＞

Battle Fever J Song/MoJo, Columbia Cradle Group, Filling Free "Battle Fever J" (1979)

2.Yusha ga Go Song/MoJo "Battle Fever J"(1979)

Ah Denshi Sentai Denziman Song/Ken Narita "Denshi Sentai Denziman" (1980)

Denziman ni Makasero! 　Ken Narita "Denshi Sentai Denziman"(1980)

Roller Hero Muteking Song: Ichiro Mizuki, Feeling Free "Muteking the Ridiculous Warrior" (1980)

Otecha Kurodako Brothers Song/Koorogi '73 "Dondemo Senshi Muteking" (1980)

Taiyo Sentai Sambalkan Song/ Akira Kushida, Koorogi '73 "Taiyo Sentai Sambalkan"(1981)

Wakasa wa Plasma Song/Kushida Akira, Koorogi '73 "Taiyo Sentai Sambalukan"(1981)

1TASU 2TASU Sambalcan Song/Kushida Akira, Columbia Yurikagokai "Taiyo Sentai Sambalcan" (1981)

Saikyou Robo Dioja Song/Tairai Sao, The lesson four "Saikyou Robo Dioja" (1981)

Yokatane Uchu Song/Tairai Sao, The Blessed Four "Saikyou Robo Dioja" (1981)

Taisentai Goguru V Song/MoJo, Korogi '73, The Chirps "Taisentai Goguru Five" (1982)

Stop the Battle Song/MoJo, Korogi '73, The Chirps "Taisentai Goggle Five"(1982)

Space Cop Gabin Song/ Akira Kushida "Space Cop Gabin"(1982)

HOSHIZORA NO MESSAGE Song/ Akira Kushida "SPACE CRIME FIGHTER GABAN"(1982)

Space Cop Shariban Song/ Akira Kushida "Space Cop Shariban"(1983)

Strength is Love Akira Kushida "Space Cop Shariban"(1983)

Space Cop Shaider Song/ Akira Kushida "Space Cop Shaider"(1984)

Hello! Shaider Song/Akira Kushida "Space Cop Shaider"(1984)

Kousoku Denshin Al M. Bison Song/MoJo, Korogi '73 "Kousoku Denshin Al M. Bison"(1983)

Formation of Youth Song/MoJo, Koorogi '73 "Kosoku Denjin Al M.Bisonsu"(1983)

Video Warrior Rezarion Song/Takayuki Miyauchi "Video Warrior Rezarion"(1984)

Heartful Hotline Song/Kaori Kumiko "Video Warrior Resarion"(1984)

<DISC-4> 1.

I am Justice! Jaspion Song: Ai Takano "Gyoju Tokussho Jaspion" (1985)

Space Wolf Jaspion Song/ Ai Takano "Giant Beast Jaspion"(1985)

KOCHIN NO MACHINE ROBO Song/Komon Masato "MACHINE ROBO CHRONOS NO GYAKUSHITSU"(1986)

4. fight! Baikan-fu Song/Komon Masato "Machine Robo Kronos no Daihyakusyu"(1986)

Spielban the Space Time Warrior Song/Ichiro Mizuki "Spielban the Space Time Warrior"(1986)

6. your buddy spielban Song/Iichiro Mizuki, Young Fresh "Spielban the Space Time Warrior"(1986)

Crystallization! Spiruban Song/MIZUKI Ichiro "Space Time Warrior Spiruban"(1986)

CROSS FIGHT! Song: MIZUKI Ichiro, HORIE Miyako 'DANGAIO' (1987)

Heart's Onestie Song/Mitsuko Horie "Dangai-o"(1987)

Transformers V Song: Koji Kaya, Morinoki Children's Chorus "Senoe! Super Robot Life Form Transformers V" (1989)

Cybertron Banzai Song/Kororogi '73, Morinoki Children's Chorus "Senoe! Super Robot Life Form Transformers V" (1989)

Getter Robo No. Song/Mizuki Ichiro, Morinoki Children's Chorus "Getter Robo No." (1991)

Tomodachi ni naritai (I want to be friends) Song/Ichiro Mizuki "Getter Robo No." (1991)

Senoe! Galaxy Lloyd Cosmo X Song: Tomokazu Seki "Galaxy Lloyd Cosmo X" (2001)

Oath Star Song/Tomokazu Seki 'Galaxy Lloyd Cosmo X' (2001)

Shinkon Godanner! 　Song: Akira Kushida "Shinkon Godanner! (2003)

17. "Coffin in the Trench" Song: HORIE Miyako & MIZUKI Ichiro "KAMIGODANNARU GODANNER! (2003)

18.ENGAGE!!!! GORDANNER Song: HORIE Miyako & MIZUKI Ichiro "SHINKON GODANNER! Second Season" (2004)

19. My Name is Godanner Song: Akira Kushida Second Season" (2004)

Ninja Troop Gekko Song/Duke Aces "Ninja Troop Gekko"(1964)

Ninja Troop March Song/Vocal Shop "Ninja Troop Gekko"(1964)

22. MURAIKI Minoru and New Jazz Players(1968)

References

Book "Super Anime Song Composer Uchuaki Watanabe Daizen" Written by: Neko Belly Rolled Cat & Uchuaki Sound Study Group

Release date: September 24, 2019

・Price: 2,530 yen (tax included)

Tatsumi Shuppan ISBN 4777823644

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