[Theme Song & BGM] Popular Anime Soundtrack Special

Mushishi Original Soundtrack: Mushioto - CompleteToshio Masuda

Ally Kerr – The Sore Feet Song / Mushishi Opening Theme Song (audio)

Mushishi is a captivating manga with a nostalgic, distinctive worldview that evokes the idyllic scenery of old Japan.

It tells the story of a protagonist who calls himself a “Mushi Master,” traveling from place to place to confront the various phenomena caused by “mushi.” It aired as a TV anime from 2005 to 2006 and, nine years later in 2014, returned as a sequel series titled “Zoku-shō,” cementing its popularity.

The music that colors the series is also highly acclaimed: restrained, serene, and minimal arrangements with wistful, Japanese-style melodies—perfect even as background music for work.

The soundtrack introduced here, “Mushishi Original Soundtrack: Mushin Zen,” is the soundtrack for the first season of the TV anime.

Originally released separately as “Front” and “Back,” it has been compiled into a two-disc set—the definitive edition, so to speak.

Composed by Toshiro Masuda, who has worked on the music for many popular animated works, this album lets you fully immerse yourself in the world of Mushishi as expressed through music.

NEON GENESIS EVANGELIONShiro Sagisu

“Cruel Angel’s Thesis” MUSIC VIDEO (HD ver.) / Zankoku na Tenshi no Te-ze “The Cruel Angel’s Thesis”

Now globally acclaimed as a representative Japanese animated work—and with the blockbuster success of Evangelion: 3.

0+1.

0 Thrice Upon a Time in 2021 still fresh in memory—Neon Genesis Evangelion continues to stand out.

Beyond its fundamental appeal of an inventive, at times enigmatic narrative and compelling characters, many fans would agree that Evangelion is defined just as much by its superb score composed by Shiro Sagisu, a frequent collaborator on Hideaki Anno’s works.

While many Evangelion-related soundtracks have been released, here we’ll spotlight the seminal first soundtrack album, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION.

Released on December 6, 1995, it initially seemed to attract mainly devoted anime fans, but phenomena like soaring prices for the limited first edition on the secondhand market occurred.

As the series’ recognition grew, so did the soundtrack’s popularity, culminating in the third album, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION III, achieving the remarkable feat of reaching No.

1 on the Oricon charts.

Seamlessly traversing orchestral and rock textures, the album’s dazzling sound is by turns beautiful, exhilarating, and unsettling—film score–level quality that has not faded with time.

As an aside, it’s also notable that it includes Yoko Takahashi’s rendition of FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Music CollectionYuki Kajiura

ClariS “Connect” -reformare- Music Video [TV Anime “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” Opening Theme]

Yuki Kajiura, who has composed strikingly distinctive music for works with unique atmospheres such as NOIR, The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyōkai) series, and the Fate/stay night movie, is a highly acclaimed composer.

Although the popular female unit Kalafina has sadly disbanded, she also flourished as their music producer, and more recently, it’s still fresh in our memory that she composed and arranged LiSA’s hit Homura, which won the Grand Prix at the 62nd Japan Record Awards.

Among the soundtracks Kajiura has crafted for animated works is the 2011 anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which became a hot topic for its shocking plot developments.

Speaking of Madoka Magica, including Kalafina, who performed the ending theme, the association with “Kajiura’s music” is incredibly strong, and of course, the score—richly reflecting her style that freely traverses Western and Eastern musical traditions—has been very highly praised.

In fact, the Madoka Magica soundtrack was originally available as bonus CDs included with the Blu-ray and DVD releases, but in 2013 it was officially compiled and released as the Puella Magi Madoka Magica MUSIC COLLECTION.

It also includes the cast’s vocal tracks, the opening theme Connect sung by ClariS, and the ending theme Magia by Kalafina, making it a must-have album for anyone who wants to fully immerse themselves in the world of Madoka Magica!

samurai champloo music record departureNujabes、Fat Jon

Samurai Champloo – Departure (Nujabes/fat jon (2004) Original Soundtrack

With his innovative beat-making sensibility, Nujabes influenced track makers around the world and is often called the de facto pioneer of the internet-born genre “lo-fi hip hop.” Although he sadly passed away in February 2010 at the young age of 36, the many remarkable beats he released continue to be loved by creators not only in Japan but across the globe.

The only anime he contributed music to during his lifetime was Samurai Champloo, a TV animation directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, also known for Cowboy Bebop.

A passionate music fan himself, Watanabe approached Nujabes directly, and together they succeeded in creating a work that daringly fused period drama with hip hop—an idea that would be difficult to execute even if one thought of it.

The release covered here is the first soundtrack, Samurai Champloo Music Record “departure,” featuring Nujabes and American music producer Fat Jon.

Now regarded as an early milestone of lo-fi hip hop and popular even in Japan, at the time there were few anime fans in Japan who understood the combination of hip hop and anime, and it was actually more popular overseas—a telling and fascinating anecdote that reflects the subcultural climate of that era.

Original Soundtrack of the TV Anime 'Kemono Friends'Akiyuki Tateyama

TV Anime 'Kemono Friends' Original Soundtrack PV

Speaking of Kemono Friends, its theme song Welcome to Japari Park became a huge sensation! The soundtrack for the series was handled by Akiyuki Tateyama, who is active not only as a composer but also as a musician.

He has also worked on the soundtrack for the anime Laid-Back Camp (Yuru Camp△).

In this work, from tracks with powerful rhythms that evoke a vast savanna to beautiful pieces that conjure images of serene waters, the nature-inspired music sparked conversation among fans as being soothing to listen to.

Of course, the iconic Welcome to Japari Park is included as well!

Anime “Kids on the Slope” Original SoundtrackYoko Kanno

Moanin’ ORIGINAL COVER from “Kids on the Slope”

Speaking of Yoko Kanno, she boasts worldwide recognition for her genre-defying style and is one of Japan’s leading composers, active across a wide range of fields since the success of Macross Plus in 1994, including animation works like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as well as her collaborations with Maaya Sakamoto.

Opinions on Kanno’s best work likely vary from listener to listener, but this time I’d like to introduce the soundtrack to Kids on the Slope, which was adapted into an anime and aired in 2012.

Centered on the theme of jazz, the series was highly praised for its superb visuals that faithfully recreated scenes of the characters actually performing jazz classics.

Naturally, the soundtrack Kanno produced is “jazz”-conscious as well, featuring up-and-coming musicians of the time such as Takashi Matsunaga on piano and Shun Ishiwaka on drums.

From Kanno’s original pieces to famous jazz standards, the album is a striking collection where thrilling, high-tension sessions give rise to spectacular performances.

Kiki’s Delivery Service: Original Soundtrack Music CollectionJoe Hisaishi

Yumi Matsutoya – Rouge no Dengon (Yumi Matsutoya Concert Tour The Universe Library 2016-2017)

Speaking of Ghibli films, Joe Hisaishi’s music is inseparable from them.

Whenever we recall Ghibli masterpieces that continue to be loved across generations, many of us can’t help but hum the melodies of Hisaishi’s wonderful scores.

Every Ghibli soundtrack he composed is a classic, making it extremely difficult to pick just one, but in this article I’d like to introduce the soundtrack to Kiki’s Delivery Service, released in 1989.

While Yumi Matsutoya’s opening theme “Rouge no Dengon” and ending theme “Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara” are well known, the soundtrack itself is also truly outstanding.

Reflecting the film’s richly European atmosphere, it employs European instruments such as the dulcimer—a folk instrument that is a forerunner of the piano—along with guitar and accordion, and features many dance-like pieces in waltz rhythm.

Simply listening conjures up vivid images of unfamiliar, foreign European landscapes.

Of course, it’s delightful as a film soundtrack, but it also seems perfect as background music for an afternoon tea time!