Shunsuke Kikuchi

was a Japanese composer who was active from the early 1960s until 2017. He specialized in incidental music for media such as television and film. Kikuchi was regarded as one of Japan’s most highly demanded film and TV composers, working principally on tokusatsu and anime productions, and also popular action films, jidaigeki, and television dramas. Early life and education Kikuchi was born on November 1, 1931 in the city of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture. He graduated from Aomori Prefectural Hirosaki Technical High School, specializing in mechanics. Kikuchi then attended the Nihon University College of Art. Career After graduating from the Nihon University College of Art, he made his debut composing for the 1961 film . The Tō-Ō Nippō Press wrote that the contrast between the heroic opening theme and the melancholic ballad ending theme that Kikuchi composed for the 1969 Tiger Mask anime, “changed Japanese anime music.” The Tō-Ō Nippō Press also wrote that the success of the TV drama Abarenbō Shōgun, which aired for 800 episodes from 1978 to 2008, had people say; “If Shunsuke Kikuchi is in charge of the music, the show will be a hit.” Retirement and death Kikuchi ceased composing music