Oda Sakunosuke

Shunsuke Kikuchi (菊池俊輔, Kikuchi Shunsuke ) is a Japanese type-setter born in Hirosaki on November 1st, 1931, known for its musics of televised series and cartoons.

Its career starts with beginning of the year 60, with many feature films often produced by the studios Toei (in particular the films “Gamera”, the rival giant tortoise of Godzilla). With Tiger Mask, in 1969, it starts long series of work for television, series animated and live (Tokusatsu), which will constitute its greater successes. One will quote in particular the series live Kamen Rider, Iron King, the series animated Polymer, Misha, Doraemon, Dr. Slump, Goldorak (1975), Albator 84 (1982) and the two series river Dragon Ball (1986) and Dragon Ball Z (1989) resulting from the manga of Akira Toriyama.

Its style, very recognizable and which often must with Ennio Morricone, almost became a musical standard associated with the Shonen (cartoons for boys). Minimalist, it is characterized by heroic topics remaining easily in memory, and the use of an small group of instruments giving the good share to coppers, while the group of the cords is very often tiny room to the only violins. In innermost depth, the section of accompaniment (low, guitars, tablecloths synthetic and sometimes battery for the musics of action) hold more of the Pop or the Funk that traditional symphonic music.

Another element very characteristic of Shunsuke Kikuchi is its use of the percussions and the gimmicks (the vibraslap in particular is extremely present), which add a light note to topics which are not it necessarily. Its melodies, with the very simple structures, comprise also easily identifiable elements.

Selective catalog of films

• Tiger Mask (1969)

• Babel II (1973)
• Casshern (1973)
• Getter Robo (1973)
• Goldorak the robot of space (1975)
• Hurricane Polymer (1975)
• the black tulip (1975)
• Sinbad the sailor (jap) (1975)
• Danguard Ace (1976)
• Dokaben (1976)
• Gaiking (1976)
• Guy - Slugger (1978)
• Ruben Kaizer (1978)
• Daimos (1978)
• Starzinger (1978)
• Mam' zeal Tom Inch (1978)
• Doraemon (1979)
• Misha (1979)
• Dr. Slump (1981)
• Ninja-Hattori Hun (1981)
• Tiger Mask II (1981)
• Albator 84 (1982)
• the insane insane Insane college (1985)
• Obake No Q Taro (1985)
• Dragon Ball (1986)
• the Round the world tour in 80 days (1987)
• Kiteretsu Daihiyama (1988)
• Dragon Ball Z (1989)
• Shin Tenchi Muyo (1997)

External bonds

• /Shunsuke Kikuchi on Internet Movie Database]