Yuzo Kayama -- Nihon Ichi no Wakadaisho（日本一の若大将）

 

Although I didn't get to see the actual segment on NHK News earlier today, I did see the blurb stating that actor/singer Yuzo Kayama（加山雄三）would be retiring from touring. I'm pretty sure that his fans are sorry and disappointed but considering his age of 85, I think that they would also be understanding if he decided to finish his time with concerts and be grateful for the decades of joy that he has given them.

So, today I wanted to start off this batch of KKP articles with his third single "Nihon Ichi no Wakadaisho" (Japan's No. 1 Young Ace) released in July 1962, which also happens to be the theme song for the movie of the same name. In fact, "Nihon Ichi no Wakadaisho" is the third in the long-running "Wakadaisho" film franchise starring Kayama. Written by the late entertainer and future Tokyo governor Yukio Aoshima（青島幸男）and composed by veteran composer Hachidai Nakamura（中村八大）, it seems to be a combination of a swinging Rat Pack-friendly jazz boogie and something that I once heard from Elvis Presley. It did have me thinking about snapping my fingers.

Naturally, Kayama was always the Young Man on Campus in each of these "Wakadaisho" movies, and from looking via the link at the Wikipedia list of them that's in the previous paragraph above, the star was always focusing on one particular sport. With "Nihon Ichi no Wakadaisho", it was actually two of them with the main focus being on marathon running and then water skiing. But I'm sure that the good lad also had his eyes on the ladies.

There is also my article on the theme for the very first in the "Wakadaisho" series, "Daigaku no Wakadaisho"（大学の若大将）.