Michiaki “Chumei” Watanabe, the Japanese composer who composed the primary six Super Sentai TV collection and a number of other different Japanese popular culture classics, has handed away on the age of 96.

Anime News Network experiences that Watanabe died of coronary heart failure on June 23, along with his loss of life confirmed by Japanese magazine Televi-Kun yesterday morning. Watanabe’s work as a composer stretched throughout reams of traditional Japanese anime and Tokusatsu collection in his work at Toho, together with hits just like the legendary tremendous robotic present Mazinger Z, Getter Robo Go, and Transformers: Victory, the ultimate collection of the primary technology of the franchise.

But Watanabe might be greatest remembered for his work composing the primary six entries within the iconic live-action superhero franchise Super Sentai. , higher recognized within the West as Power Rangers. Watanabe was the first composer for Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, J.A.Ok.Q. Dengekitai, Battle Fever J, Denshi Sentai Denjiman, Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan, and Dai Sentai Goggle-V, establishing a brass and synth-heavy sound that outlined a new technology of superheroes for Japanese audiences. Watanabe’s legacy continues to be felt within the long-running collection to this present day; not solely would he often return to the franchise to compose songs for particular person collection, Watanabe returned full-time to compose the retro-infused soundtrack for the anniversary group Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger to rejoice the franchise’s Forty fifth-anniversary final yr.

In the West, Watanabe won’t be a widely known identify, however there’s a very good probability you’ve heard what is probably going his most iconic work exterior of Japan: the theme music to Toei’s 1978 Spider-Man collection. Watanabe composed each “Kakero! Spider-Man” and “Chikai no Ballade,” the present’s opening and ending themes (which have been carried out by artist Yuki Hide) as nicely as the unique soundtrack for the collection, the previous gaining one thing of a cult standing exterior of Japan because the Spider-Man present slowly however certainly made its approach to the webslinger’s house within the U.S.

Watanabe is survived by his son, Toshiyuki Watanabe, who has composed the music for a number of anime TV collection and movies of his personal.

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