Lovely anime song

Recommended anime songs for people in their 50s. Classic and popular anime theme songs.

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. After working at a music studio and in wedding sound engineering, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with various instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in middle school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on personal music activities and professional experience, produces daily articles, including song introductions, features on music festivals around Japan, and live reports. Enjoys a wide range of music, from domestic and international rock to, more recently, a broad spectrum of J-pop.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICSasashina
Deputy Editor of the web media RAG MUSIC. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. In my student days, I studied broadly at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, covering sound, lighting, and video technology, and acquired skills from comprehensive stage production to the fundamentals of creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, and have consistently built my career on the production side, taking on diverse tasks centered around music. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting in my own way, as well as insights and discoveries from interacting with my kids every day. I hope I can be of help to you, even just a little!

Many of you probably still remember the theme songs from the anime you watched as children, even after becoming adults, right?

Even if you haven’t listened to them for decades, there are plenty of songs you can still hum along to today.

In this article, we’ll introduce a collection of nostalgic anime songs especially for those in their 50s!

We’ve gathered anime theme songs from the 1970s to the 1980s, so please take a look, and if you find something nostalgic, take your time and give it a good listen!

Recommended anime songs for people in their 50s: Classic and popular anime tracks (31–40)

Fushigi na MelmoChikako Idehara, Young Fresh

Fushigi na Melmo [OP/ED]

Fushigina Melmo, Chikako Idehara, Young Fresh

The theme song of the TV anime Fushigi na Melmo, based on Osamu Tezuka’s work, which aired from 1971 to 1972.

Its sound is reminiscent of a musical film soundtrack, paired with a melody evocative of French girl pop—an enchanting combination.

The vocals by child-actor-turned-singer Chikako Idehara add a certain sense of precariousness to the performance.

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Obake no Q-TaroJunko Hori / New Royal

Obake no Q-Taro - 1971 Edition (Drum Intro Version) / Junko Hori & New Royal

Obake no Q-Taro Ayako Hori / New Royal

The theme song of New Obake no Q-Taro, which aired on the Nippon TV network from 1971 to 1972.

It features a funky sound, with composition and arrangement by Naosumi Yamamoto.

The lead vocals were performed by Ayako Hori herself, who played Q-Taro, and its standout charm lies in her delightfully bubbly delivery.

It’s a classic that has been covered many times since.

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Lover of MöbiusUshirogami Hikaretai

Lover of Möbius

Möbius's Lover Ushirogami Hikaretai

A lyrical love song that layers an endlessly continuing romance over a Möbius strip.

Though it’s an idol song that sings of eternal love, Yasushi Akimoto’s lyrics, infused with philosophical notions like déjà vu and past lives, harmonize beautifully with Tsugutoshi Gotō’s graceful melody.

Ushirogami Hikaretai released the song in November 1987, and it reached No.

4 on the Oricon charts.

It was also included on the album “BAB” and became well-loved as the ending theme for the Fuji TV anime “Tsuideni Tonchinkan.” It’s a recommended track for twilight dates or when you want to sink into memories of first love.

Savor this gem of a pop tune—brimming with the bittersweet ache of youth—in a moment of quiet.

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Song of Sally the WitchThe Three Graces, Kenichi Sonoda and the Dixie Kings

Mahōtsukai Sally 1966_op

Song of Sally the Witch - Three Graces, Kenichi Sonoda and the Dixie Kings

The theme song of Sally the Witch, the pioneering girls’ TV anime that aired in 1966 and is based on a work by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.

Its light, Dixieland jazz-style sound is performed by the Dixieland Kings led by trombonist Kenichi Sonoda.

The tight harmonies are provided by the Three Graces, a female vocal trio who achieved a million-seller with Yama no Rosaria (Rosalia of the Mountain).

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Gutsy FrogSusumu Ishikawa, Arakawa Children’s Choir

[Official] Dokonjō Gaeru OP 'Dokonjō Gaeru' “The Gutsy Frog” (1972)

Dokonjo Gaeru by Susumu Ishikawa, Arakawa Children's Choir

There are probably people who can tell what song it is just from the opening “byo~n.” It’s the theme song of the gag anime The Gutsy Frog, which features the slapstick antics of Pyonkichi, a frog that somehow got stuck to a shirt, and Hiroshi, the owner of the shirt.

If you’re talking about nostalgic anime songs, this is the one! It has that bright, classic Showa-era feel.

Even listening now, it somehow gets you excited! It’s one of those famous tunes you find yourself learning without noticing and humming at random moments.

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Recommended anime songs for people in their 50s: classic and popular anime tracks (41–50)

Ashita no JoeIsao Bito

Opening Collection: Ashita no Joe

Tomorrow's Joe Bito Isao

The theme song of the TV anime Ashita no Joe, based on an original story by Asao Takamori with artwork by Tetsuya Chiba.

The lyrics were written by Shuji Terayama, a poet and playwright.

The vocalist, Isao Bito, debuted as a child acrobat and later became active as a rock singer.

His punchy vocals match the character of Joe Yabuki.

The scat singing by Bito that appears in the middle of the theme song sparked various speculations—some say “Bito forgot the lyrics,” others that “Terayama’s lyrics weren’t finished in time”—but the truth remains unknown.

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Genius BakabonIdol Four

1971 Genius Bakabon Season 1 Opening

Genius Bakabon Idol Four

The opening theme song of the first animated adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka’s original work, Tensai Bakabon.

The Idol Four, who performed the song, were a four-member pop group at the time.

Known for a range that spanned from mood kayō in the Cool Five style to comic songs, this track was their third single and became their signature hit.

With its enka-style vocals and playful interjections, it can be considered a standard in the world of anime songs.

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