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| Matsudaira Ken as Shogun Yoshimune in Abarenbo Shogun |
Months before my big J-drama watching obsession that occurred in late 1995 and in fact before I’d ever watched any Japanese Dramas period, there was Abarenbo Shogun. Not that I was ever into the Samurai Genre, but it was my love of Japanese Super-heroes that inadvertently led me to it, and it all started late 1994 or so when I was showing my friend Michelle the wonders of KAMEN RIDER.
For few weeks we had been steadily watching the show, from the original “Double Rider” series all the way to Kamen Rider V3 and Riderman. Well, she enjoyed it very much, and one night after watching another episode, she asked if I had ever watched a Japanese Samurai show called “Abarenbo Shogun”. I told her I hadn’t, and she said, “You should check it out. Kamen Rider reminds me of it SO much, I think you would really like it.” I didn’t think much about how any samurai show could be like a tokusatsu superhero show, but we made point to watch it that weekend.
Gotta say, right from the get go, I really dug it! The mood and color of the show reminded me so much of the traditional Japan culture I grew up with, and the story of a young shogun who works undercover as a Firehouse freeloader righting the wrongs of his people from the “street level” was too good!
Fire Chief Tatsugoro was played by Enka legend Kitajima Saburo, and he always sang the ending them songs. My favorite of these was "Otoko Michi" and I have to say that this really made the show for me. The ending scene of the town having a festival featuring all the cast members in attendance enjoying themselves always made me smile and ended the show on a nice note.
I remember really wanting the song, but it was only available at the time on an expensive three disc CD collection of his. I remember working at Tower Records and a pretty woman coming in and asking me if I had "the ending song to Abarenbo Shogun". I laughed and told her how much I loved the song, too... and then showed her the 3 disc set. Like me, she wanted the song, but didn't want to pay the 65+ dollars to have it! It wasn't until years later a friend got the MP3 for me from the depths of the internet...I hope that lady found a similar outlet!
Otoko Michi became a BIG fave for me to sing at karaoke, albeit in an almost monomane-like style...then again, when you're singing Saburo Kitajima, how else CAN you sing it BUT in caricature, LOL!
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| Asaji Yoko as Osai and Kitajima Saburo as Tatsugoro |
Speaking of Tatsugoro, whatever happened to Asaji Yoko, the actress who played Osai, Tatsugoro’s Wife? Ye Gods how I loved her back in the day! Every guy’s dream, a pretty, sassy, smart, and all around cool older woman well versed in the niceties of society- but has no problem hanging with the firemen as well! LOL!
One random Abarenbo Shogun memory I have is right after the opening credits, there was this brief interlude clip with just instrumental music playing while Yoshimune pet and fed his horse. I told my friend, “I love this 10 second clip, such nice music...I call it Yoshimune loves his Horse,” to which my friend laughed and said, “Actually, in Japan, this would be where they would announce the sponsors of the show.” LOL
So I really loved Abarenbo Shogun, and now made a point of checking it out every week, BUT... Now that I had seen it, what about the proclamation my friend Shell had made? Was Shell right? WAS Abarenbo Shogun LIKE Kamen Rider? Well, after getting hooked on the show and getting addicted to it and making sure to watch it every week for a YEAR, I can give that statement a definite YES! I mean, I've seen the shows back and forth, and over time, I can think of so many similarities!
Even from the opening credits you can see the direct similarities the shows have by how they showcase the hero. Each episode begins featuring the hero dramatically approaching on his “steed”…
Speeding through the lush valleys of Japan's beautiful Countrysides...
...and has him heroically posing in front of Mount Fuji!
As the tale begins, we are introduced to the hero of the show, a powerful man who is posing as an average joe. He works through an establishment in town, helped by the owner who knows his secret identity...
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| Yoshimune and Tatsugoro, chief of the fire Department |
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| Hongo Takeshi and Tachibana Tobei, owner of the Motorcycle Club |
Next, we are introduced to that episode’s villains who are planning some sort of diabolical scheme, and you can tell right away that they are up to no good by their dastardly demeanor...
Just before they are about to clash, the hero performs an significant, elaborate ritual, signifying that he is changing into "fight" mode:
Once he's "transformed", the battle begins- and as soon as he launches into his attack, his heroic THEME SONG begins blasting out! The music plays as butts get kicked, and the fightin' doesn't end 'til the song does!
Ah yes, there are sooo many similarities, when you look at it, a samurai show is just like a superhero show! I'd even find that Miyauchi Hiroshi, the actor who played Kamen Rider V3, was actually IN Abarenbo Shogun's early seasons- and you can't get a better connection than THAT! Seems Shell was more on the mark than she knew!! No WONDER Kamen Rider rung a bell with her- and no wonder she knew I would like it so much!
I remember during the time I was initially watching Abarenbo Shogun on KIKU, seeing commercials on KIKU for J-dramas that I would eventually watch during their later repeat showings: Aishiteiru to Ittekure (Say You Love Me) and the very adult-looking Yoru ni Dakarete (Night Embrace), the former of which would become one of my top five favorite J-dramas of all time! Abarenbo Shogun really opened the doors for me on Japanese shows, and once I got into the habit of watching them, it began an obsession that continues even to this DAY!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
The story of a girl named Sonomi (Araki) who finds a couple of stranded aliens in her house sounds like something fun...
But boy, the interaction between the live stars and the CGI is so wonky that it would give Jonathan Lipnikci's dead stares at Stuart Little a run for his money...
Not that it matters anyway, because just like the Girl Who Leapt Through Time, it soon puts the sci-fi concept in the background so the drama can focus on ROMANCE problems that girls are having instead! 
Ah well, that main thing is that Yuko is as sweet and darling as could be, and of COURSE I watched the WHOLE thing!
Heck, I'm even considering trying to watch Cheer Dan again, the Tao Tsuchiya drama which Hamanosilence recommended but I just couldn't get into. I only watched the first couple of episodes and I sure don't remember Yuko in it, but maybe it's time to revisit that one!
Or, maybe pick up one of her Calendars!!! Saw pics from her last few years and Whoooo damn they were NICE!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
