Anime BGM compilation: background music and insert songs that color the story
When you watch anime, you hear all kinds of music in addition to the opening and ending themes.
These are what we generally call BGM and insert songs, and I bet many of you love the BGM and insert songs from certain shows—like, “I love the BGM in that series!”
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended tracks from the BGM and insert songs that play within popular anime series.
Many of these tracks are included on each show’s official soundtrack, so if you find something you like, be sure to check out the soundtrack as well.
Anime BGM compilation: background music and insert songs that color the story (1–10)
Plan ADISH//
This song blends elements of traditional Japanese aesthetics with rock, celebrating both the courage to face adversity and the importance of knowing when to run.
Its dramatic progression and powerful melody stand out, conveying that retreat can sometimes be a strategic choice for self-preservation.
Released by DISH// in September 2024, it was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime The Elusive Samurai, garnering attention for its seamless synergy with the show’s world.
Whether you should push forward or take a step back, this uplifting anthem offers a supportive nudge at life’s crossroads and has resonated deeply with many listeners.
IllusionMY FIRST STORY × HYDE
A stunning collaborative track by MY FIRST STORY and HYDE that fuses a passionate rock sound with a grand, expansive worldview.
Released in June 2024 as the opening theme for the TV anime Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc.
The strengths of both artists meld beautifully, delivering a powerful portrayal of a heart wavering between weakness and strength over a solid alternative rock foundation.
With lyrics that voice a fighting spirit in search of answers and the resolve to face inescapable fate, the song offers encouragement to anyone standing at a crossroads in life.
It’s sure to resonate as the perfect soundtrack for forging your own path.
CLASSICMUCC
It’s the theme song for the hugely popular anime The Seven Deadly Sins.
Produced by L’Arc~en~Ciel, it’s a very high-quality anime song.
Its fast-paced, rock-driven sound matches perfectly with an anime full of adventure and battles.
Samurai Heart (Some Like it Hot!!)SPYAIR
While it has a passionate, powerful rock tempo, this song still retains a boyish freshness, clearly expressing a cry directed at modern society.
It’s a powerful, message-driven masterpiece that makes you realize, “I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.”
A faint layer of ice over a warm heartHayashibara Megumi
This is the theme song for the anime “Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju,” which is centered on rakugo.
The song is performed by popular voice actress Megumi Hayashibara, with lyrics and composition by Ringo Sheena.
Its distinctive worldview is captivating, and the jazz-inspired melody exudes a level of coolness that hardly seems like an anime theme song.
unnecessary thingsKitanitatsuya ✕ Natori
An emotionally moving song by Tatsuya Kitani and Natori, where powerful rock sounds intertwine with delicate vocals.
Its stirring lyrics and melody convey the resolve to let go of a loved one and the strong determination to move forward while enduring the pain.
Driven by a self-righteous sense of morality, this work is saturated with the resolve to press on even if it means releasing what must be protected, and it has been selected as the opening theme for the first cour of the TV anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story – Kyoto Uprising, airing from October 2024.
A piece that brilliantly captures the protagonist’s feelings as he remains steadfast in his beliefs despite being caught in a bind, it’s a song that powerfully pushes the backs of those who strive to follow the path they’ve chosen.
I want to shout that I love you.BAAD
It’s a timeless masterpiece etched in my heart along with memories of my nostalgic youth.
Beginning with a fresh morning scene, it portrays the protagonist’s emotions as they waver between friendship and romantic feelings, conveyed through a passionate melody and powerful vocals.
A signature work by BAAD, it was released as a single in December 1993 and used as the first opening theme for the TV anime SLAM DUNK.
In March 2021, it won the Users’ Choice Award at the Heisei Anisong Grand Prize, and it continues to be loved across generations.
With lyrics that explore universal themes such as the frustrations of love and the courage to take a step forward, it’s perfect for moments when you want to indulge in sweet, bittersweet memories of romance.