An Obsessive Article on Trumpeter Ichiro Nitta (The Hot Wind of Area 88)
Ichiro Nitta—do you know this trumpeter?
He was the core member of that legendary brass rock band, "Spectrum". Though, there might be many people who don't even know "Spectrum" itself.
"Spectrum" was a brass rock band affiliated with Amuse that was active for only a little over two years, from 1979 to 1981.
First of all, their costumes with armor were eccentric, they would spin their instruments around, do strange dances... Honestly, when I was in elementary school, I had the impression they were a comedy band. (I wouldn't learn until much later that they were actually an amazing band.)
In the middle of this suspicious group, wearing sunglasses, playing the trumpet, and singing in falsetto was Ichiro Nitta.
By the way, I officially learned about "Spectrum" when I was in junior high school, through a song called "Sunrise".
You've all heard the opening part, right?
What, you haven't? lol (It's even been played at recent Koshien tournaments!)
Actually, the opening part of this song is the song that was used as the entrance theme for the pro wrestler famous for his Western Lariat, Stan Hansen's entrance theme!
It makes you want to howl, "Wiiiiii!"
I learned about "Sunrise" by tracing it back from Stan Hansen's entrance theme, but unfortunately, by the time I found out about it, "Spectrum" had already disbanded.
However, after that, Ichiro Nitta began his solo career, and although I don't remember who the personality was, the song "Daybreak" was played every week at the end of the second part of All Night Nippon (3:00–5:00 AM), and I loved this song.
"Daybreak"
Lyrics: Keisuke Yamakawa / Composition & Arrangement: Ichiro Nitta
Ichiro Nitta is the song that started me following him.
Outside of his solo work, I often saw his name in the credits for Southern All Stars and Bakufu-Slump, and I heard Ichiro Nitta's music in many other places as well.
I think you've probably heard it too.
For example, a song like that
"Fuji TV Sports Theme"
Or a song like this...
"Sukeban Deka: Soundtrack"
I often saw his name in the background music for dramas and anime as well.
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Well, among those works by Ichiro Nitta, one that I was particularly fond of is the image album for the manga "Area 88" released in 1984.
Comics Original Album "Area 88"
"Area 88" is a story about fighter pilots drawn by Kaoru Shintani, and it was a very popular manga during my junior high school years (early 80s).
Plastic models of the fighter jets that appeared in it were also released, really firing up the hearts of young boys.
It's not a soundtrack!
Back in those days, it was an era where "image albums" for popular manga that hadn't been adapted into anime were released quite frequently.
To think that Area 88 image album would be handled by Ichiro Nitta.. I listened to it with excitement at the time, and it was incredibly cool, just as I had expected!
Nowadays, I can't listen to the record or cassette, and it's not available on subscription services either, so I've compiled the audio sources from YouTube. I hope you'll give it a listen!
A-1 "Unicorn of Flame"
Vocals: Shoko Yamagiwa
This first track on side A already gives me chills!
The title comes from the protagonist Shin Kazama's symbol, the "Unicorn with a flaming mane", so it's positioned as the main theme song.
By the way, the singer, Shoko Yamagiwa, is the vocalist for a funk band called TOPS that was active in the late 80s.
A-2 "Blue Mirage"
Vocals: Paul Yoshida
A-3 "Siren's Tears"
A-4 "Memory of You"
Vocals: Yukari Takenaka
The protagonist is sent to a mercenary unit due to a betrayal by his best friend, and this is a song about missing the lover he can no longer see.
You might recognize the voice of the singer, Yukari Takenaka; she is actually the person who later became Megumi Shiina.
A-5 "Death Fugue"
This song, filled with tension and played with violin and flute solos, has a somewhat heartless resonance.
B-1 "The Wounded Lion -THE WOUNDED LION-"
Vocals: Paul Yoshida
The first track on side B, a heroic song featuring the mature singing voice of Paul Yoshida!
B-2 "Moonlight Lullaby"
It is a moody song, almost like Heart Cocktail.
The inclusion of songs like this is also part of this album's charm.
B-3 "Epitaph for the Wolves FALLEN ANGELS"
Vocals: Shoko Yamagiwa
B-4 "Soldier Spirits"
Ah, Ichiro Nitta-san! No, it's Spectrum! It's a song that makes you want to shout that, but it has a feel that carries over to the later "Fuji TV Sports Theme," and it's a song full of a sense of speed.
B-5 "Good-luck!!"
Vocals: Yukari Takenaka
Will a day of peace ever come for the protagonist... The ending theme of this album concludes with a ballad by
Megumi Shiina.
In total, it consists of 10 tracks—4 instrumentals and 6 vocal tracks—and it brilliantly depicts the world of "Area 88."
I was so hooked on this album that when "Area 88" was later adapted into a video anime, the soundtrack was, of course, by Ichiro Nitta.
This album was released two years before the movie "Top Gun" became a huge hit, but when I imagine dogfights in the open sky, for me, Kenny Loggins's music isn't what plays, but rather Ichiro Nitta's songs. lol
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As I wrote earlier, unfortunately, you cannot listen to Ichiro Nitta's music on subscription services.
However, "Spectrum" has been released, so if you are interested, please give it a listen!
By the way, here are my previous articles that featured other members of "Spectrum" appearing.
◎ Specter No. 2: Regarding Junichi Kanezaki
This is an article summarizing jazzy anime themes, including "Lupin the Third," and the music for an anime called "Najica Blitz Tactics" was handled by another trumpeter from "Spectrum": Junichi Kanezaki.
◎ Specter No. 5: Regarding Shinji Nishi
The guitarist of "Spectrum", Shinji Nishi, who often took on vocals, appears as one of the projects with Keisuke Kuwata in the early 80s.
(Other notes related to Trumpeter)
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