[2025] Stylish Anime Songs — Perfect for Driving BGM

Summer MirageKanako Wada

[Anison] Summer Mirage / Kanako Wada (with lyric subtitles) Kimagure Orange Road, Ending Theme

Kanako Wada is a singer-songwriter whose urbane, sophisticated sound and clear, translucent vocals helped support the rise of city pop in the 1980s.

This song, used as the ending theme for the TV anime Kimagure Orange Road, was released as a single in May 1987.

Like a summer mirage, it captures the elusive flutter and bittersweetness of love, and its echo-drenched production gives it a dreamlike quality.

The arrangement unfolds from a melody where slide guitar resonates with a touch of melancholy into a sentimental chorus, making it perfect for a wistful drive at dusk.

As a quintessential classic of ’80s city pop, it’s also beloved by music fans overseas—truly an indispensable pick for this theme!

Angel's paintMari Iijima

Mari Iijima – Angel’s Paint (Music Video)

You might have had the experience where just thinking about someone you love makes the world look more vibrant.

This piece was written and composed by singer-songwriter Mari Iijima, who has been familiar with the piano since childhood.

It portrays a growing love that seems to repaint the world with beautiful colors, drawing you into the pure universe of its lyrics.

The song was included on a single released in June 1984 and is well known for being used as the ending theme of the theatrical anime The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?.

While it has an idol-pop flavor, its refined melody and production make it perfect for a drive along the coastline at dusk.

It’s a song I recommend when you want to create a romantic atmosphere.

Sugar Song and Bitter StepUNISON SQUARE GARDEN

UNISON SQUARE GARDEN “Sugar Song and Bitter Step” MV

A colorful, stylish pop tune that gets your heart bouncing from the very first listen.

Released in May 2015 by the three-piece rock band UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, this track brims with playful spirit—inviting you to enjoy life’s sweetness and bitterness alike with a light, upbeat step.

Even amid the chaos of everyday life, its message of moving toward the future in your own way rings pleasantly through Kosuke Saito’s high-toned vocals.

The song was used as the ending theme for the TV anime Blood Blockade Battlefront and debuted at No.

5 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.

The video featuring the characters dancing also became a hot topic.

It’s the perfect track to boost your mood on a feel-good drive.

When the Sun Shines AgainHiro Takahashi

Hiro Takahashi “When the Sun Shines Again” MV

When you want to sink into a sentimental mood on a rainy day drive, Hiro Takahashi’s polished masterpiece of a ballad will be right there with you.

Released in June 1994, many may know it as the ending theme of the TV anime Yu Yu Hakusho.

Its jazz-tinged piano and subtly nostalgic city-pop sound are effortlessly stylish.

The lyrics paint a poetic world that mirrors a heart weighed down by the endless rain, yet still believes in the moment when the sun will shine again.

The track is also included on the album WELCOME TO POPSICLE CHANNEL.

Hiro’s gentle voice, kindling hope within melancholy, lends a soft, graceful hue to the quiet interior of a car at night.

It’s an essential number for background music when you want to get lost in your thoughts.

Neko Mimi ModeDimitri From Paris

Neko Mimi Mode

How about a track like this to accompany a stylish drive? It’s a piece produced by Dimitri from Paris, a French music producer who’s also active in the fashion scene.

Released in October 2004, the track was used as the opening theme for the anime “Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase.” Over a sophisticated French house production, the heroine’s voice samples are sprinkled throughout like a collage.

There are no lyrics, but the sweet, whispering voice captivates the listener like a mischievous cat.

At the time of its release, it drew attention for the way its supremely chic sound design fused perfectly with the “moe” charm of Chiwa Saito’s voice.

It still sounds incredibly fresh in the 2020s, so be sure to give it a listen.

Tip Taps TipHALCALI

HALCALI – 「Tip Taps Tip」

HALCALI, known for their style that fuses J-pop and hip-hop.

The single they released in December 2005 is a perfect number for a breezy drive.

It was chosen as the ending theme for the anime Eureka Seven.

The track is a melodious pop-rap that captures a buoyant, step-like heartbeat.

Enjoy the sparkling, feel-good production by Yusuke Tanaka, the creator behind YUKI’s “JOY.” The release peaked at No.

27 on the Oricon charts and was later included on the acclaimed album Cyborg Oretachi.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to lift their mood while driving to a stylish café.

The magic spell of love is ‘Sukitokimekitokisu.’Sayaka Ito

The magic spell of love is ‘Sukitokimekitokisu.’

Among 80s anime songs, this number shines with an especially cool, stylish glow.

Sung by Sayaka Ito—who called herself a rock ’n’ roller—it was released in October 1982 as her third single.

Its sophisticated sound, a fusion of disco and hard pop, is beautifully complemented by her clear, soaring high tones.

The lyrics bottle the exhilaration of being under love’s spell into a catchy incantation, giving you a buoyant, heart-lifting feeling as you listen.

The track was used as the opening theme for the anime Sasuga no Sarutobi, and in Oricon’s 1983 year-end charts it ranked fifth in the TV Manga/Children’s Songs category.

Beyond the playful, anime-style lyrics, the exquisitely crafted, ultra-stylish production—just as noted above—makes this a quintessential “city pop” masterpiece in the world of anime songs.