Toru Fuyuki , with his real name being Shoko Maita , was a Japanese composer of theatrical/classical music. He made a great contribution to the image creation of the Ultraman Series in music.[1][2]
Career
Maita was originally from Xinjiang, the capital of Manchuria, and returned to her mother's hometown of Hiroshima at the age of 14 to live there. He studied at Elizabeth Junior College in 1952, majoring in religious music. After graduation, he joined TBS to be in charge of music effects. At the same time, he transferred to the composition department of the National University of Music. Since then, he has been responsible for the production of most children's choral songs.[3]
In 1967, Maita composed the theme song and k for Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraseven. His music, built on classical foundations, featured majestic melodies paired with stylish and upbeat compositions, which became widely popular at the time. Following this success, he continued contributing to the Ultraman series under the name "Toru Fuyuki."[4]
In the 1971 series Return of Ultraman, he created the MAT theme song, distinguished by its iconic male chorus, "Wandaba." This composition became one of the series most recognizable pieces and had a profound influence on the music for defense Teams in subsequent Ultraman series.[5] Over the years, Fuyuki also composed scores for Ultraman Ace, Ultraman Leo, The☆Ultraman, Ultraman 80, Ultraman Neos, and Ultraman Cosmos.[6]
In addition to his work on the Ultraman franchise, Fuyuki also composed music for NHK's morning drama Hato no Umi (1974–1975) and the anime series Katri, Girl of the Meadows (1984). Under his real name, Shohko Maita, he created numerous choral pieces and hymns. From 1964 to 1997, he dedicated himself to music education, teaching at Toho Gakuen University and its affiliated high school.
In 2022, Toru Fuyuki co-authored "Ultra Music Techniques" with Tsu Aoyama, a book in which he reflected on his life and creative process. This publication stands as a significant summary of his musical career.[7]
Death
On December 26, 2024, Toru Fuyuki passed away at the age of 89 due to aspiration pneumonia. The news of his passing was publicly announced on December 30.[8][9]
On January 31, 2025, Tsuburaya Productions honored Fuyuki’s contributions and legacy by broadcasting his 2018 performance of Ultraseven no Uta, conducted during the Hiroshima-Related Composers: JGSDF 13th Band Concert of Anime, Tokusatsu, and Film Music. The performance was made available for free on TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION and the official Ultraman YouTube channel.[10][11]
Works
- Ultraseven (1967-1968) - Composer[12][13][14][15]
- Return of Ultraman (1971-1972) - Composer
- Mirrorman (1971-1972) - Composer
- Ultraman Ace (1972-1973) - Composer
- Hayabusa Vacuum Commercials (1972) - Composer
- Daigoro vs. Goliath (1972) - Composer
- Fireman (1973) - Composer
- The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army (1974) - Composer
- Ultraman Leo (1974) - Composer
- Dinosaur Expedition Born Free (1976) - Composer
- The☆Ultraman (1979) - Composer (with Kunio Miyauchi)
- Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive Battle (1979) - Composer
- Ultraman 80 (1980) - Composer
- Ultraman ZOFFY: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army (1984) - Composer
- Ultraseven - Operation: Solar Energy (1994) - Composer
- Ultraseven - Planet of the Earthlings(1994) - Composer
- Ultraseven 30th Anniversary Memorial Trilogy (1998) - Composer
- Ultraseven: The Final Chapters (1999) - Composer
- Ultraman Neos (2000) - Composer
- Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact (2001) - Composer
- Ultraman Cosmos (2001) - Composer
- Ultraseven 35th Anniversary: EVOLUTION (2002) - Composer
- Ultraman Max (2005) - Music provided, 2 episodes
- Episode 22 "Butterfly Dream"
- Episode 24 "The Untargeted Town"
- Operation: Mystery - Second File (2007) - Main theme composition and arrangement
- Superior 8 Ultra Brothers (2008) - Special music participation
- Ultraman Taiga (2019) - Music provided, 2 episodes
- Episode 6 "The Flying Saucer Is Not Coming"
- Episode 22 "What's up with Takkong?"
- Kaiju no Sumika the experiential attraction (2019) - Composer[16][17]
- Ultraman Z (2020) - Music provided, 2 episodes
- Episode 9 "The Unidentified Object Convoy Order" (Ultraseven music)
- Episode 19 "The Last Hero" (Ultraman Ace music)
Symphonic Poem
- Symphonic Poem: Ultraman and Ultraseven (1979)
- Symphonic Poem: Ultraseven on Brass (2022)[18]
- Symphony Poem: Ultra Cosmos (1993)[19][20][21]
Other Works
- Kurama Tengu (1956)
- This Transient Life (1970)
- Mandala (1971)
- Hato no Umi (1974)
- Fang of the Sun Dougram (1981)
- Katri, Girl of the Meadows (1984)
- Panzer World Galient (1984)
- Kobo, the Li'l Rascal (1992)
- Hōmukamingu (2011)
Composition/Arrangement Credits
- Ultraseven
- Ultraseven no Uta (Opening)
- ULTRA SEVEN
- Mirrorman
- Mirrorman no Uta
- Tatakae! Mirrorman
- Ultraman Ace
- TAC no Uta
- TAC no Isshukan
- Fireman
- Shutsugeki! SAF
- Honoo no You ni Moero
- Dinosaur Expedition Born Free
- Yuke! Born Free
- Kyoryu yo Itsu Made mo
- The☆Ultraman
- Ultraman Sanka
- Ultra no Hoshi
- Robot Pigu no Uta
- Kaiju Requiem
- Ultraman 80
- Kokoro wo Moyasu Aitsu -Takeshi Yamato no Uta-
- Ultraseven 30th Anniversary Memorial Trilogy
- Ultraseven no Uta Version 2
- Ultraseven The Final Chapters
- Ultraseven no Uta 99
- ULTRA SEVEN 99
- Ultraman Cosmos
- Wandaba Team Eyes
- Ultraseven 35th Anniversary EVOLUTION
- Ultraseven no Ballad
- Ultraman Mebius
- Run through! ~Wandaba "CREW GUYS"~
- Sukuranburu 2006 (choral recording director)
Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Ultraman Ace | Violin Teacher | Episode 51 "The Life-Sucking Sound" Uncredited |
Gallery
Miscellaneous
Videos
References
- ↑ https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/304654
- ↑ http://www.cf.city.hiroshima.jp/higashi-cs/kibou/
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6884
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20231127-OHT1T51134.html
- ↑ https://hobby.red-cm.com/sfx_tokusatsu/アニソン・特撮主題歌の巨匠③「冬木透」～1935-ロ
- ↑ https://www.jasrac.or.jp/sakka/vol_36/inner2.html
- ↑ https://dot.asahi.com/articles/-/39693?page=1
- ↑ https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/27863841/
- ↑ https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20241230/k10014682731000.html
- ↑ https://x.com/tsuburayaprod/status/1885161618750963927
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-7348
- ↑ https://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2014/01/29/0006669889.shtml
- ↑ https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2014/01/28/kiji/K20140128007477910.html
- ↑ https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000083.000019470.html
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6389
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-5260
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG5eQwQx1jc
- ↑ https://online.stereosound.co.jp/_ct/17587217
- ↑ https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002790.000019470.html
- ↑ https://animageplus.jp/articles/detail/45054
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6920