Retrolicious Songs: Superheroes
Nostalgia greets me like an old friend. The waves continue to rise as my retrolicious theme takes on a slightly different route this time. You might want to fasten your seatbelts or something, because the ride ahead will be filled with nothing but adrenaline rushes. Some of the songs might be suitable for cardio workouts. Please use them with caution. Now, shall we proceed?
1. Choushinsei Flashman (Choushinsei Flashman, 1986 - 1987)
I remember this Sentai series quite fondly, as it was one of the very few superhero shows from my childhood. Like the rest of my earliest memories of watching Japanese, Choushinsei Flashman was horribly dubbed and made the superheroes look like a bunch of half-baked rookies on the wrong side of Earth. But the opening theme song had left a fine impression; the melody was typical of many 80s songs: the synthesizer. If memory served me well, the synthesizer sounds had been a major influence and were frequently tapped on in a lot of hits (and misses). The sounds had undoubtedly added a lot of points, especially when Choushinsei Flashman was itself an array of colours and fancy innovations. As the show was targeted at a younger audience, the themes were considerably milder and more vibrant. I like the opening credits where each Sentai member was introduced. It would probably look somewhat out of place (cheesy) today though.
2. Hikari Sentai Maskman (Hikari Sentai Maskman, 1987 - 1988)
I suppose the opening theme songs for a lot of Sentai series were similarly titled for easy memory. This one was just as awesome in terms of sounds; the show had a rather interesting concept: it had fused martial arts together with inner energy also known as Aura Power. As compared to Choushinsei Flashman, I felt that Hikari Sentai Maskman had presented itself as darker and more dramatic. I didn't realise until much later that it had also dealt with cross-dressing; one of the prominent antagonists was portrayed as a man until an incident revealed that the character had been indeed a woman and was brought up to live life otherwise by the original empire. While the series didn't quite end on a happy note, it wasn't exactly tragic either. The opening credits had a somewhat exhibitionistic streak at the beginning; it featured a topless muscular man who proceeded to flex his assets and such before the title card came about. I still can't quite get its meaning.
3. Ultraman Ace (Ultraman Ace, 1972 - 1973)
If anyone had been wondering, nope I didn't watch Ultraman Ace in the 70s. In other words, I'm not that old. I had managed to catch it off the Malaysian channel when there was still access to it in those growing up years. Naturally, the show was dubbed in Malay which I neither speak nor understand. However, watching Ultraman Ace battle against those terrifying kaiju was more than sufficient to leave a long-lasting impression. Perhaps I would dedicate a separate entry on Ultraman Ace and his fights in time to come. Anyway, the opening theme song sounded like a battle cry; it was sung by Honey Knights and the Misuzu Children's Choral Group. The opening credits also featured the silhouettes of various kaiju at the background. The song felt catchy and triumphant.
Listening to the various theme songs from the superheroes naturally feels a lot more different than those from anime and such. I suppose the songs enable the listeners to visualise beyond the usual fluff and stuff. For example, the Ultraman Ace theme song might make some people feel as if they themselves had been on the battle line. Well, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that there might be people who would feel like Ultraman Ace. Me? I would rather loop my favourite songs.
Please feel free to click on the links strewn around the article; the titles will lead to the YouTube clips where you can have a retrolicious taste of what's popular in the good old days.
Eccentrically Yours.
Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪
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