Riichirō Manabe (真鍋理一郎 Manabe Riichirō) (born November 9, 1924)[1] is a Japanese composer who wrote the scores for numerous science fiction, horror, and kaiju films from 1956 to 1979. Among fans of these genre films, his music is has gained a less-than-positive reputation.[2] His scores draw from jazz and dissonant modernism. His scores, particularly the ones he is most famous for in the 1970s, utilize electric guitar, pipe organ, the piccolo, the keyboard synthesizer, and the vibraslap heavily.
For instance, Manabe's score for Godzilla vs. Hedorah has been described as "atrocious".[3] The same source calls Godzilla vs. Megalon's score "more competent" but at the same time, "none pleasant to listen to".[3] Note, however, that Megalon is one of the more maligned entries in the Godzilla canon, and that Manabe's score is only one of several elements that is frequently lambasted. He is often lambasted as one of Toho's worst composers.
Others have described his Hedorah score as "unique" and one that "deserved recognition".[4] Manabe has composed the scores of numerous other films, including some Super Giant films, Oshima's Cruel Story Of Youth (1960), The Vampire Doll, The Lake of Dracula, Evil of Dracula, and the Nikkatsu Roman Porno, Flower and Snake (1974).