Tetsuo Saito -- Ima no Kimi wa Pikapika ni Hikatte (いまのキミはピカピカに光って)

Bringing in a bit more summer to you through this song and the commercial that it will eternally be attached to. Yoshiko Miyazaki（宮崎美子）is a veteran actress and tarento who I've seen as this very smiley and kindly presence on the various shows she's appeared on. However, her default image will always be the one she presented on a Minolta commercial way back in 1980 while in her early 20s. It's the one where she stripped off her T-shirt and jeans to reveal her buxom figure in a blue bikini. It's often the case that when she appears on a variety show, that particular commercial will be shown.

Of course, there is that campaign song which came with the ad titled "Ima no Kimi wa Pikapika ni Hikatte" (You Are Now Sparkling) by singer-songwriter Tetsuo Saito（斉藤哲夫）. Categorized as a folk and New Music singer, Saito's June 1980 single though has much more of a mainstream summery pop feel to it. Written by Shigesato Itoi（糸井重里）and composed by Keiichi Suzuki（鈴木慶一）of The Moonriders, the singer delivers this hit as if he were just strumming away at his guitar while sitting by a palm tree and admiring Miss Miyazaki from afar.

I think the song and commercial are pretty much tied at the hip now and forever since whenever I see the latter, I will always hear the former. "Ima no Kima wa Pikapika ni Hikatte" peaked at No. 9 on Oricon.