Ichirou Mizuki

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Ichirou Mizuki
(水木一郎 Mizuki Ichirō?)

Ichirou Mizuki (live performance in 2007)
Background information
Birth name Toshio Hayakawa (早川俊夫 Hayakawa Toshio?)
Also known as Aniki, Ichiro Mizuki
Born January 7, 1948 (1948-01-07) (age 61)
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genre(s) Anison, J-pop, Japanese rock, R&B
Occupation(s) Singer, Lyrist, Composer, Voice actor, Actor
Years active 1968-present
Label(s) Columbia Japan
First Smile Entertainment
Victor Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Associated acts JAM Project (2000 - 2002)
Website Ichirou Mizuki Official Website

Ichirou Mizuki (also called Ichiro Mizuki in English) (水木 一郎 Mizuki Ichirō?, January 7, 1948–), born Toshio Hayakawa (早川 俊夫 Hayakawa Toshio?), is a famous, highly prolific Japanese vocalist, lyrist, composer, voice actor and actor best known for his work on theme songs for Tokusatsu and Anime, having performed numerous theme songs for Japanese film, television, video and video games. He is referred to by fans and fellow performers alike as the aniki (アニキ?, "big brother") of the anison, or anime music genre. As such, he is popular known as "Aniki", an informal way of referring to an older brother. In terms of fame, he is only rivalled by a handful of anison singers, most of whom joined him in forming the group JAM Project.

In July 1968, Mizuki released his first single called "Kimi ni sasageru Boku no Uta" and this song was composed by Kanae Wada. Later, he is perhaps most famous for his earlier performances: the opening theme songs of the Go Nagai animated television series Mazinger Z, Leiji Matsumoto's Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Tatsunoko Productions' Tekkaman: The Space Knight — Mazinger Z would later give birth to the Super Robot genre of anime that dominated the Japanese television landscape of the 1970s.

On July 19, 2000, he formed (with fellow anison vocalists Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki Endoh, Eizo Sakamoto, and Rica Matsumoto) the "supergroup" JAM Project. (Effective August 2002, he has since reduced his formal status in this group to "part-time member" and now focuses on producing both the group and up-and-coming talent.)

His most recent performance was STORMBRINGER, the opening of Kotetsushin Jeeg (as part of JAM Project). Fittingly enough, Kotetsushin Jeeg is a sequel to Steel Jeeg, an anime which Mizuki sang the opening theme for. He also sang the opening song of the Japanese version of Bionic Commando Rearmed, called "Go Go Bionic".

Mizuki is also part of the judging panel at the Animax Anison Grand Prix, with fellow noted anime singers Mitsuko Horie and Yumi Matsuzawa.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Acting roles

In addition to his vocalist career, Mizuki has been cast in several roles as both a seiyū and a live-action actor. As a voice actor, he played the roles of Yoldo in the first episode of the OVA Dangaioh, Rat Hector in Koraru no Tanken, and the villain Keisar Ephes in the video game Super Robot Wars Alpha 3. His live-action roles include Dr. Ben in Jikuu Senshi Spielban and (most notably) Voicelugger Gold in Voicelugger, a Tokusatsu show based on the last concept written by Shotaro Ishinomori before his death. He played the title character Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo in the first Playstation 2 game of the series, as well as singing the theme song.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

  • "I Dedicate this Song to You" (君にささげる僕の歌 Kimi ni sasageru Boku no Uta?) July, 1968
  • "Nobody's Sea" (誰もいない海 Dare mo inai Umi?, April, 1970)
  • "Missing Heroes ~I'll Never Forget You!~" (懐かしくってヒーロー～I'll Never Forget You!～ Natsukashikutte Hīrō ~I'll Never Forget You!~?, November 21, 1990)
  • "Missing Heroes PartII ~We'll Be Together Forever!~" (懐かしくってヒーローPart II～We'll Be Together Forever!～ Natsukashikutte Hīrō Pāto Tsū ~We'll Be Together Forever!~?, June 1, 1992)
  • "SEISHUN FOR YOU ~Song of Youth~ (SEISHUN FOR YOU～青春の詩～ SEISHUN FOR YOU ~Seishun no Uta~?, January 21, 1994)
  • "221B Senki Single Version" (221B戦記 シングルバージョン 221B Senki Shinguru Bājon?, September 3, 1997)
  • "Golden Rule ~You Still Lose!~/Look at the Stars in the Heavens at Night" (Golden Rule～君はまだ負けてない!～／見上げてごらん夜の星を Golden Rule ~Kimi wa mada Maketenai!~/Miage te goran Yoru no Hoshi o?, September 1, 1999)
  • "Goshaku! Chōjin Neiger ~Midaga Omedaji~/Tooi Kaze no Naka de" (豪石！超神ネイガー～見だがおめだぢ～／遠い風の中で Gōshaku! Chōjin Neigā ~Midaga Omedaji~/Tōi Kaze no Naka de?, June 7, 2006)
  • "Go Go Bionic" (2008)

[edit] Album

[edit] Notable anime and tokusatsu theme song performances

He has also sung cover versions of many other famous anime songs, including the Macross theme and assorted songs from the Gundam franchise.

[edit] Books

  • Hitoshi Hasebe: "Anison - Kashu Ichirou Mizuki Sanjuu Shuunen Kinen Nekketsu Shashinshuu" (兄尊(アニソン)―歌手水木一郎三十周年記念熱血写真集) (1999, Oakla Publishing) ISBN 4-8727-8461-8
  • Ichirou Mizuki & Project Ichirou: "Aniki Damashii ~Anime Song no Teiou / Mizuki Ichirou no Sho~" (アニキ魂~アニメソングの帝王・水木一郎の書~) (2000, Aspect) ISBN 4-7572-0719-0

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Animax to Hold Anime Song "Grand Prix" in July". Anime News Network. 2007-05-31. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-05-31/animax-grand-prix. Retrieved on 2009-03-06. 
  2. ^ "27-Year-Old Canadian Wins Animax's Singing Contest". Anime News Network. 2007-05-31. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-09-22/27-year-old-canadian-wins-aniplex-singing-contest. Retrieved on 2009-03-06. 

[edit] External links

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