The Emperor of Anime Songs. He started singing in the 1960s and continued until his death in December of 2022.
Mizuki's music maintained an old school style and sound over the years. It's one of the things that distinguished him from JAM Project, especially all the ballads he did. Ichiro could've probably been the King of Enka if he tried hard enough.
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Mech Anime
Just like JAM Project, he sang a lot of mech theme songs. It's some of the earliest music he did, so let's start there. A lot of the early music consists of listing the mech's special attacks, so the lyrics aren't too inspiring. Later on, this music gets more Hot-Blooded and becomes the mech music we all know and love.
- In 1972, Ichiro sang a theme song for a mecha anime and the world was never the same again. Mazinger Z was the anime and the song is "Mazinger Z
". Ichiro also did the ending theme "Bokura no Mazinger Z". - He followed up on Great Mazinger two years later with the song "Great Mazinger" and the later song "Ore wa Great Mazinger". There is also the end theme "Yuuja wa Mazinger".
- Kotetsu Jeeg from 1975 provides the song "Kotetsu Jeeg no Uta" and the end theme "Hiroshi no Theme".
- Combattler V from the following year has "Combattler V no Uta". He also did the end theme "Go! Combattler V", and the insert songs "Let's Go! To the Battle for Justice" and "Hyouma's Feelings".
- Gowapper 5 Godam provides "Yukuzo! Gordam". Ichiro also did the end music "Song of Gowapper 5".
- The 1977 series Balatack has another Ichiro mech theme song, "Chojin Sentai Baratack".
- GoLion from 1981 had its theme song by Ichiro, "Obtain! Golion", as well as the insert song "Golion Sanka" and the end theme "Gonin de Hitotsu".
- He then provided the end theme for 1983's Voltes V, "Chichi o Motomete". The link lists the singer as Aoi Akira but the Anime News Network encyclopedia lists the music as sung by Ichiro.
- The Dangaioh OVA from 1987 had its opening theme, "Cross Fight", sung by Ichiro and Mitsuko Horie in a duet. The two also sang the first ending and second opening to Godannar, "Zangou no Hitsugi" and "Engage! Godannar".
- For 1998's Shin Getter Robo (Getter Robo Armageddon), Ichiro sang the first opening, which was a march, "Ima ga Sono Toki da". That's right: Ichiro was so Hot-Blooded that he could sing a march for a mech anime opening and make it work. One of the few marches you'll ever hear as an anime theme. This was replaced after the third episode, but the march returned for the ending of the final episode. The idea of using a march for a mech anime isn't original. The Raideen theme song is a march, but it's definitely not Hot-Blooded.
Other Anime
- The 1972 series Astroganger (another show like Giant Robo, but in color!) had an Ichiro theme (and actually beat Mazinger Z to the air by two months) in "Astroganger". The guys who made this show went on to make Chargeman Ken!.
- Babel ni Sei from the following year gave us the song "Babel ni Sei". Although this show, based on the Babel II manga by Misuteru Yokoyama, had a giant robot in it, it wasn't really a mech anime (it was more along the lines of Giant Robo). Ichiro also did the end song "Seigi No Chônôryoku Shônen".
- Tekkaman from 1975 has the song "Tekkaman no Uta" and the end theme "Space Knight no Uta".
- The 1976 series Captain Harlock has its title track, "Captain Harlock". He also did the end theme "We're Going on a Journey".
- Arrow Emblem Grand Prix (Hawk of the Grand prix) from 1977 had its opening, "Grand Prix no Taka". He also did the end theme which can be found at the 4 minute mark here.
- For the second season of the second Lupin III TV show in 1978, he sang a vocal version of the "Love Theme" for the ending.
- Ichiro also sang for the second Captain Harlock anime (Arcadia of my Youth/Endless Orbit SSX) in 1982 with the song "Oretachi no Funade". He also did the end theme, "Harlock no Ballad".
- Game Center Arashi from 1982 had an Ichiro theme by the same name, "Game Center Arashi".
- Not even Transformers could escape Ichiro. He did the opening "Transformers Zone Theme" for the 1989 Transformers Zone OVA.
Tokusatsu
Ichiro also did music for many live action shows (Tokusatsu), and it was some of the earliest music he did in addition to mech anime.
- Choujin Barom-1 from 1972 had the theme song "Bokura no Barom 1". This show was based on the Barom-1 manga by Takao Saito.
- The first music Ichiro sang for the Kamen Rider franchise was the first season ending for 1973's Kamen Rider V3, “Shounen Kamen Rider Tai no Uta”.
- Also in 1973, Robot Detective was given "Robot Detective K". This show was made by Shotaro Ishinomori.
- Ganbare!! Robocon (another Shotaro Ishinomori show) from 1974 had a theme by the same name, "Ganbare!! Robocon".
- Kamen Rider X (the third Kamen Rider show, aired 1974) had "Set Up! Kamen Rider X".
- Akumaizer 3 (another Shotaro Ishinomori show from 1975) was given the eponymous song "Akumaizer 3".
- Kamen Rider Stronger from 1975 was given a theme of the same name, "Kamen Rider Stronger". Ichiro also did the insert song "Mi yo!! Kamen Rider Stronger".
- Kamen Rider Skyrider, the sixth Kamen Rider from 1979, had the opening theme “Moero! Kamen Rider” and the end theme “Haruka naru Ai ni Kake”.
- The 2004 series Zebraman had its theme song "Zebraman no Uta".
- For 2007's Juken Sentai Gekiranger (the 31st Super Sentai show), Ichiro did the end theme "Tao". He also sings the insert song "Burning Up ~Jounetsu o Uketsuite" alongside Takayoshi Tanimoto, who sang Gekiranger's opening.
- The 2016 entry in the Ultra Series, Ultraman Orb, has him sing the opening theme, "Orb no Inori", alongside Voyager.
