Welcome to another CCLemon99 Song Collection Review Double Feature. In my continued efforts to build up my library of song collection reviews I am bringing you two new reviews today. As there is zero theme this month, Dai Sentai Goggle V is the other brand new review that is live right now.
So why did I pick THE⭐ULTRAMAN as my Ultraman debut for the Song Collection series? No idea. It's the first of many oddities in the Ultra series until things kinda leveled out following the unfortunate passing of Noboru Tsuburaya. THE⭐ULTRAMAN was a fifty-episode animated Ultra series featuring Ultraman Jonias. You've probably seen the suit and wondered where the hell he fit in...well now you know.
Honestly, I've always been intrigued by this song collection for one major reason. Battle Fever J was the first Sentai Song Collection to not be lead by Isao Sasaki. He did pop in to drop two songs for Skyrider in 1980, but in 1979 he was the lead singer of this new, weird Ultraman anime. It did make way for MOJO and Ichiro Mizuki to get their hands on Super Sentai, so it all worked out in the end.
Anyway... I'll be listening to Disc 3 from my copy of the Ultraman Complete Song Box for the purpose of this review. I reviewed the set previously here, but only summed this song collection up in two paragraphs.
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01. THE⭐ULTRAMAN / Isao Sasaki, Columbia Yurikago-kai
I've always loved this theme song...
While it may be a weird disco jam, it's still one of those incredible earworms that you need for a series theme song. Listening to it gives you a wistful feel for Tokusatsu theme songs of old. Legit, I think this may be the last classic theme song. I had to stop myself from saying Tokusatsu theme song. Honestly, it's good enough to be one though.
I would peg this firmly beneath the Skyrider themes, but better than Battle Fever J's disjointed mess of a theme. The only complaint I have with this one is it's painfully short length. It doesn't even make it to two and a half minutes.
02. Ai no yuushatachi / Isao Sasaki
This is the series ending song. The first ending song to an Ultra series, in fact. An opulent sounding ballad that is somewhat reminiscent of the ending song to JAKQ Dengekitai.
03. THE⭐ULTRAMAN Disco Fever [Instrumental]
The name pretty much says it all. It's a disco instrumental track with the theme song melody woven in. I dig it. Unlike the Disco Rider medleys, this one is synthless. It's lead by a guitar and some crazy drumming. It's kinda hard to describe, but it's a chill track.
04. Ultraman Sanka / Isao Sasaki, Kunitachi Kanma Chorus
A very soft Ultra ballad. I want to sleep.
I will say this...it's definitely a rare side of Sasaki. He is legit singing in this one. I mean, the anison hamminess isn't here, he's putting his skills down on this song. Ballads are a great talent test for any singer I suppose. They may not be your cup of tea, but you'll get an appreciate for the singer's effort.
Even if he is singing "Ultraman Joe"...
05. Ultra no Hoshi / Columbia Yurikago-kai
...on the other hand you get ballads featuring the Children Choirs. Meh, this one is alright...but it's pretty generic.
06. Matsumi no uta / Mitsuko Horie
As chipper of a song as you can imagine. This is the type of song that Mitsuko Horie was created for in the 70s. I like it.
She was always a good singer, but she definitely honed it in a little better following her more recent Himitsu Sentai Goranger/Kamen Rider Stronger efforts.
07. Super Murdock / Isao Sasaki, Kunitachi Kanma Chorus
I love this one. Such a chill jam for the big ship of the series. It has a smidge of majesty dropped in at random, but this is just a cool jam from start to finish. Comparing this to some of the previous big ship themes will give you whiplash.
08. Warera kagaku keibitai / Isao Sasaki, Kunitachi Kanma Chorus
Ehhh...this song is a little bit boring. Sasaki is just average in effort, but the male chorus is just bland. The blatant key changes are fun at least.
09. Robot Pig no uta / Junpei Takiguchi
Awesome...AWESOME title to a lame song. This song is a folksy sounding mid-tempo jam. Ehh, it's alright. This type of song literally did not make it into the 1980s.
10. Ashita ni... / Kei Tomiyama
Hey, a character song. This is Choichiro's theme song sung by his seiyuu, Kei Tomiyama. It's a decent ballad, to be honest. He's isn't a bad singer. I honestly thing he sounds like a weird cross between Masato Shimon and Hiroshi Miyauchi. He can mostly hold a tune!
11. Kaijuu Requiem / Isao Sasaki, Kunitachi Kanma Chorus
Something of a downer to end on, but the title kinda gives that away. Sasaki goes deep on this one as well. Again, I think the nasally voice that you hear in like 98% of his songs is an act. There is no doubt that he is a talented dude, but this song collection has his range on full display.
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While this may be the song collection to an anime series, it is structured as if it were a Tokusatsu song collection. It may not be as fun as some of the previous Sasaki-led efforts like Himitsu Sentai Goranger or JAKQ Denkegitai, but it's just as good to listen to. I genuinely think the late 70s had better variety, which works in Sasaki's favor. Goranger had too many folk songs and JAKQ's songs were all a little too similar. This is fun, though.
Give this one a try. It might not be for everyone, but the OP/ED themes and Super Murdock theme are undeniably get tunes.
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That's all for now. More to come in the future and there is also more available on the CD Collection page.
Later!
-CC
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