Yoko Maekawa

Yōko Maekawa
(前川 陽子, Maekawa Yōko)
Born
前川 陽子

(1950-12-18) December 18, 1950
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
EducationFaculty of Letters, Atomi University
Genres
OccupationsSinger
Works
Years active1963–present
LabelGourd Records Ltd. MGC
WebsiteYōko Maekawa Official Website (in Japanese)

Yōko Maekawa (前川 陽子, Maekawa Yōko) is a Japanese singer and jazz singer born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. She graduated from the Faculty of Letters at Atomi University.

She is best known for performing various anison songs, particularly the opening for Cutie Honey. In 2008, she rerecorded the openings for Cutie Honey and Megu the Little Witch, titling them "21st century" versions.[1] The Cutie Honey opening was originally intended to be performed by Linda Yamamoto.

At NHK, she is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Anime Songs" along with Mitsuko Horie[2], Isao Sasaki and Ichirou Mizuki.[3] She is also widely hailed as "the Goddess of Magical Girl Songs".[4]

History

Born on December 18, 1950 in Osaka Prefecture and raised in Saga Prefecture[5], Maekawa was a graduate of the Toei Children's Theater Training Institute.

During her first year at Nerima Municipal Nerima Junior High School, her ability to sing with her beautiful voice grabbed the attention of Seiichiro Uno, which lead to her debut as a singer. The very first singing performance she did was for "Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima", the opening theme song of the NHK puppet show Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima.[5] At the time, it was customary for kids program theme songs to be sung by either a children's choir or vocal group, so Maekawa became Japan's first solo artist who specialized in Japanese anime and children's programs.

She went on to sing nearly over a thousand songs, including the Sally the Witch and Princess Knight theme songs, as well as commercial jingles for Kappa Ebisen.[6]

At a certain period of time, she was part of Young Fresh, as her vocals can be heard with the group in songs like Ninja Akakage and Gokū no Daibōken.[7] Wishing to study music in earnest at university, she decided to take a hiatus, which lasted from the late 1960s to the early 1970s.

In 1973, she returned to singing with performing "Cutie Honey", the opening theme song for Cutie Honey. The song's combination of its sexy lyrics with Maekawa's powerful vocals left a massive impact to those who heard it.

Takeo Watanabe, composer of the Cutie Honey opening theme song, took a huge liking towards Maekawa's singing, so composed the Megu the Little Witch opening and ending themes with the intention of having her perform them.[8]

In her own words, "for personal reasons", and after taking a few years off of doing singing work in order to marry and raise her children, made a comeback with Asari-chan.

After taking yet another extensive break, she returned again in 2001 as a jazz singer. In recent years, Maekawa has made multiple public appearances at anime-related events, such as the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2017, where she and voice actress Eiko Masuyama were awarded the "Anime Achievement Award" that year for their many contributions to the indutsry.[9]

Discography

Anime and tokusatsu

Kayōkyoku

Commercial jingle

and many others

Kikaku-kyoku

  • Momo the Caterpillar (From "Pakupaku Pocket Records", a children's record series by Yū Aku and Nippon Columbia, 1977)
    • Was included on the B-side of "Sensei from Akita". Although a song with the same title by Kimihiko Satō was in Hirake! Ponkikki, this is a different song with the same title.
  • Let's Wash Our Hands with Soap I (Hey! Let's Wash Our Hands with Soap) (Performed with Honey Knights, recorded on flexi-disc, and distributed to elementary schools by the Handwashing Promotion Headquarters.)
    • Included on "Scat, Bossa & Singing Instrumental: Hidehiko Arashino CM Works (Original Recording, Remastered)", released in 2011.
  • Matsumoto Bon Bon (Music: Tadatoshi Miyagawa, Lyrics: Hiroshi Ueno, Choreography: Nishida Takashi, 1975)

Albums

Reference

  • "Gendai Net" (『ゲンダイネット』), October 1, 2006 (from Nikkan Gendai, September 28)

References

  1. ↑ "MAEKAWA Yōko "Cutey Honey (21st century ver.)" – Tokyo's Coolest Sound". coolestsound.jp. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  2. ↑ 5月20日の「うたコン」は「放送100年！懐かしのアニメソング特集」！ 天童よしみが「いなかっぺ大将」の『大ちゃん数え唄』を披露、高橋洋子が『残酷な天使のテーゼ』を歌唱 (in Japanese), docomo.ne.jp, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  3. ↑ ささきいさお、水木一郎、​堀江美都子、大杉久美子らアニソン界のレジェンドが​集結した記念すべきライブレポート (in Japanese), spice.eplus.jp (September 28, 2015), Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  4. ↑ 【インタビュー】Rainbow☆MAG!C、アニソン&特撮レジェンドナンバーが聴けるスペシャルライブ開催 (in Japanese), BARKS, BARKS official website, October 7, 2021, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  5. 1 2 PROFILEプロフィール 前川陽子 (in Japanese), Nippon Columbia Co. Ltd. official website, Yoko Maekawa profile info, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  6. ↑ 前川陽子45周年記念コンサート『前川陽子in浜離宮Guest前田憲男』 (in Japanese), Yoko Maekawa News MGC Co. ltd (September 11, 2008), Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  7. ↑ From the liner notes written by Hirooki Ogawa for The Masked Ninja Akakage: Music File (VAP)
  8. ↑ From the liner notes of "Yōko Maekawa: Super Best: Cutie Honey / Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima" (「前川陽子 スーパー・ベスト キューティーハニー/ひょっこりひょうたん島」) (in Japanese) (Nippon Columbia)
  9. ↑ 前川陽子：伝説のアニソン歌手が増山江威子と「ひょっこりひょうたん島」熱唱 (in Japanese), Mantan Web official website (March 13, 2017), Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  10. ↑ Despite sharing the same title, it is a completely separate song from the one used in the 1966 Ninja Hattori-kun series.
  11. ↑ 前川陽子 – 暗い夕陽 (in Japanese), Discogs, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  12. ↑ 前川陽子 – 夕陽の渚 (in Japanese), Discogs, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  13. ↑ Jazz CDアルバム 前川陽子 CUTE JAZZ (in Japanese), Tower Records website, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ Jazz CDアルバム 前川陽子、前田憲男 ひょっこりひょうたん島 ANOTHER WORLD (in Japanese), Tower Records website, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  15. ↑ LOVE 前川陽子 Format: Audio CD (in Japanese), Amazon, Amazon Japan website, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  16. ↑ VINTAGE BLUE 前川陽子 Format: Audio CD (in Japanese), Amazon, Amazon Japan website, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  17. ↑ "CD, スーパー・ベスト: キューティーハニー / ひょっこりひょうたん島, Yoko Maekawa, Favorites" (in Japanese and English), HMV & BOOKS online, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  18. ↑ [ALBUM] 2005/07/20発売前川陽子 スーパー・ベスト 〜キューティーハニー/ひょっこりひょうたん島〜 (in Japanese and English), Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd, Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd official website, Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  19. ↑ 関連作品：キューティーハニー,セルフカバーCDシリーズ タイトル：キューティーハニー（21st century ver.）アーティスト： 前川陽子 (in Japanese), Team Entertainment Inc., team-e.co.jp, Team Entertainment Inc. official website, February 27, 2008,
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