Picasso -- Boku no Hitomi no March（僕の瞳のマーチ）/A Piece of Love

Every time I heard the company Epson, I couldn't help but think of those bath salts from the old days. Of course, those were actually epsom salts, and Epson represents printers. I used to see some of their ads on TV, and their Tokyo headquarters has their name hugely displayed in Shinjuku.

I didn't particularly pay attention to any of the songs that were played in their commercials, but I did find out recently that one of those songs was performed by the pop band Picasso（ピカソ）.

Picasso was the band that I usually knew for "Cinema"（シ・ネ・マ）, one of the themes for the 1980s anime "Maison Ikkoku"（メゾン一刻）, but here is their 17th single "Boku no Hitomi mo March" (The March of My Eyes) from July 1992. It's a pretty anthemic piece that starts off almost like a toy soldier's tune before it switches to a more Beatlesque number. Just makes you want to stride off and get an Epson jet printer.

Chizuru, Tezuka and Picasso leader Tetsuya Tsujihata（辻畑鉄也）provided the lyrics while the band all pitched in for the music.

However, it's the coupling song that I have enjoyed even more than "Boku no Hitomi no March". "A Piece of Love" was the theme song for the motion picture treatment of another manga-turned-anime, "Ranma 1/2"（らんま1/2）. Specifically, it was for the August 1992 movie "Ranma 1/2 Kessen Tougenkyo! Hanayome wo Torimodose!!"（らんま1/2 決戦桃幻郷! 花嫁を奪りもどせ!!...Ranma ½: Battle at Togenkyo! Get Back the Brides）.

Actually, my anime buddy has played "Piece of Love" a few times during the anison hour over his giant speakers. Again, I feel that there is a bit of Beatles in this one as well, and the melody is even catchier. Shouta Namikawa（並河祥太）wrote the lyrics and Tsujihata composed the music. Overall, the feeling of the song has me reminiscing over the guitar pop that was fairly popular back in that part of the decade.

"Boku no Hitomi no March" peaked at No. 65 on Oricon.