This is part of a series introducing famous people with ties to Nishinomiya from our own unique angle (if the series continues…), and this time we’re going with “anime and tokusatsu songs” connected to Nishinomiya.
When it comes to works set in Nishinomiya, there are titles like “Grave of the Fireflies,” “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” series, and plenty of baseball-themed works, but this time it’s all about anime songs.
Here we go～～
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Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Akiko Kosaka)
(Source: Toei Channel)
This familiar TV series has reached its 25th anniversary, and the person who wrote and composed its ending theme “Tuxedo Mirage,” as well as the theatrical film theme song “Moon Revenge,” is Nishinomiya-born singer-songwriter Akiko Kosaka.
Akiko Kosaka also worked on “Maple Town”↓
(Source: Toei Animation)
“Goldfish Warning!”↓
(Source: Toei Animation)
and she has also written and composed theme songs for titles such as “Hi Akko Desu,” “Little Women II: Jo’s Boys,” “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” and “Ultraman Kids: Haha o Tazunete 3000-man Kounen.”
Marvelous Melmo (Tokiko Iwatani)
(Source: Osamu Tezuka Official Site)
“Melmo-chan, Melmo-chan, Melmo-chan, do you know the red candy and blue candy she has?”
It’s a bit of an older work, but the person who wrote the lyrics for the memorable opening theme of the anime “Marvelous Melmo,” based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga, was Tokiko Iwatani, well known as a lyricist and translator of lyrics.
Iwatani is said to have lived in Nishinomiya from childhood, and attended Hamawaki Elementary School, Yasui Elementary School, Nishinomiya Municipal Nishinomiya High School, and Kobe College.
She wrote the lyrics to so many famous songs that there’s no way to list them all here, but she also wrote lyrics for several anime works.
In addition to this, she worked on “Miracle Shoujo Limit-chan”↓
(Source: Toei Animation)
“Mama is a 4th Grader”↓
(Source: Sunrise)
and also wrote lyrics for theme songs from titles such as “Treasure Island” and “Laura, the Prairie Girl.”
Choujuu Sentai Liveman (Daisuke Shima)
(Source: Rakuten TV)
Daisuke Shima starred as Red Falcon in the Super Sentai series “Choujuu Sentai Liveman,” and he also sang the theme song.
Usually, younger actors are cast in these roles, but because this work marked the 10th title in the series at the time (back then, “Gorenger” and “J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai” were not counted), they apparently chose Shima, who was already well known, for both the lead role and the theme song.
Incidentally, this series is also famous for featuring Kazuhiko Nishimura in his younger days as Yellow Lion.
Shima was born in Nishinomiya and spent his early childhood there.
He recently returned to show business too.
The Three-Eyed One (Tomoko Tokugaki)
(Source: Osamu Tezuka Official Site)
The singer who performed “? (Hatena) no Boomerang,” the opening theme for the anime “The Three-Eyed One,” based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga, was Tomoko Tokugaki (now Yuko Tokugaki).
When hearing the first opening theme of “Futari wa Pretty Cure,” “DANZEN! Futari wa Pretty Cure,” many people may have been reminded of this song (the styles are that similar, and both were composed by Yasuo Kosugi).
The three people mentioned above have been active in a wide range of fields beyond anime, but Tomoko Tokugaki is a true anime song singer, with almost all of her released songs being anime songs.
She is from Nishinomiya and belonged to “Donguri Call,” a youth musical group that is still active in Nishinomiya today.
For details about Donguri Call, please see the official site below↓
After that, she worked as an anime song singer and as the host of the children’s program “Tondeke Gucchonpa,” and today she is said to be active mainly on stage as a musical actress.
In addition to “The Three-Eyed One,” she also sang “Honoo no Go Fight,” the opening theme of “Honoo no Toukyuuji: Dodge Danpei”↓
(Source: TOKYO MX)
“Horore Chuchu Parero,” the ending theme of “Mado King Granzort”↓
(Source: Sunrise)
as well as “Yuubae ni Nare,” the ending theme of “Kimba the White Lion (new),” and “Omoitatta ga Kichijitsu!,” the opening theme of “Yuugen Jikkou Sisters Chouchoutrian.”
Summary
As I was writing this article, even I was a little surprised to realize that quite a few unexpected anime songs actually came from Nishinomiya.
I didn’t include it here, but more recently, Aimyon also worked on the theme song for a “Crayon Shin-chan” theatrical film.
Let’s look forward to seeing what kinds of works come out in the future too.
By the way, Akiko Kosaka is celebrating the 45th anniversary of her debut this year, and she continues to be actively involved in music.
For more details, she has an official website, so please take a look↓
