Mass-a Tidbits #1

 I wanted to put in some interesting trivia bits based on Yamamoto-sensei himself. Introducing....Mass-a Tidbits!

For the first tidbit, let's travel to the city of Nishio, in Aichi Prefecture. This was where Yamamoto spent his secondary and high school years. Every July, the people of Nishio celebrate the Gion Matsuri with a huge parade, colorful decorations, and festive dances. All fun's not enough with ondo music to keep it swingin'!

One of Yamamoto's friends, a Nishio native who would later become a renowned painter, wrote and composed Nishio Matsuri Ondo and asked him to arrange the song for that occasion. Although older than Yamamoto, Goroh Saitoh helped set up the song and had another Nishio native, a voice actress, to provide vocals.

What is surprising is that Mami Koyama (who sang in Arale-chan's voice), Saitoh and Yamamoto were graduates from Nishio High School. The song was then released in 1985.

Album cover for Nishio Matsuri Ondo; top right image shows Goroh Saitoh, Mami Koyama and Masayuki Yamamoto on the piano

This is an interesting one, since it would be the only time Yamamoto provided arrangement to a song he didn't create. Hopefully when he does covers to anime songs he didn't contribute for, he could do both the singing and arranging.

And that's just one of those rarities I discovered!