Yuuki Hide & Columbia Yurikago Kai -- Go Go Kikaider（ゴーゴー・キカイダー）

I've related over the time of this blog that I had that one month in Wakayama Prefecture in 1972, and that was where I got my education of sorts in the various tokusatsu programming that had the children enthralled. There was "Barom-1"（バロム・1）, "Kamen Rider"（仮面ライダー）and even a couple of representatives from "Ultraman"（ウルトラマン）.

Thing is, though, I never got to see this tokusatsu hero on telly during my summer in Japan or elsewhere, although I did get to read one manga about the android hero "Kikaider"（キカイダー）in the 1970s. His run on TV lasted between July 1972 and May 1973.

Although he won't beat Lieutenant Commander Data in terms of smoothness and elocution, Kikaider was another of those androids that you wanted by your side when justice was desperately needed. Mind you, Kikaider was quite a colourful fellow compared to Data.

Of course, any self-respecting tokusatsu hero needs that hearty opening theme song that melodically kicks all sorts of ass (hopefully just kaiju), and "Kikaider" is no exception. "Go Go Kikaider" was recorded by Yuuki Hide（秀夕木）and the Columbia Yurikago Kai（コロムビアゆりかご会）with the music by Chuumei Watanabe（渡辺宙明）having that mix of brassy kayo, Western twang and even a bit of psychedelic groove in the guitar. Series creator Shotaro Ishinomori（石森章太郎）provided the lyrics exhorting viewers and listeners to support their local android superhero.

Looking out for "Go Go Kikaider", I found out that Hide was the same fellow behind the recording of a beloved tree-based kayo a year later.