Addictive Anime Songs That Use Irregular Time Signatures
First, let me explain odd time signatures in a super simple way.
Most music you often hear, like J-pop, to put it roughly, is basically in 4/4 time.
If you clap along to the song four times, that rhythm lines up and loops nicely with the melody and such.
But odd time signatures don’t line up like that.
“You know, when did it suddenly jump to the chorus?” “I was really grooving and then the timing suddenly shifted and it surprised me.” That kind of disorienting beat… as you listen, it becomes addictive.
This time, we’re doing a special feature on anime songs that use odd time signatures.
Please stick with us to the end.
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Addictive: A Compilation of Anime Songs with Irregular Time Signatures (11–20)
Your characterAnri Kumaki
A song by singer-songwriter Anri Kumaki, whose hallmark is a folk-influenced sound featuring acoustic guitar.
Used as the ending theme for episode 13 of the TV anime Charlotte, this number begins with just vocals and piano and gradually grows in richness—an arrangement that truly stirs the heart.
Despite its complex rhythm that makes the meter hard to follow partway through, its grandeur feels so natural that it’s bound to overwhelm many listeners.
The floating sensation created by the shifting time signatures and the classical ensemble is deeply satisfying, making it a piece you’ll want to keep listening to.
THE LAST PARTY10th Year Black Class
A song by the special class, 10th Year Black Class, that appears within the TV anime Riddle Story of Devil.
It’s a track that amps up the tension by fusing the depth of piano and strings with a gritty rock sound.
From the intro, it suddenly throws in a thrilling, irregular time signature, and although the arrangement that drives forward with a sense of speed is complex, it creates a distinctive pop sensibility.
The relentless vocal work and the intricate beats during the interlude raise the tension even further—an intense, hysterical anison that doesn’t give you a moment to catch your breath.
Along with the sunsetSTARTails☆
A song by STARTails☆, a music unit made up of the four voice actresses who play the main characters in the TV anime Slow Start.
Released as the coupling track to the series’ opening theme “ne! ne! ne!”, it features an introduction with music box and accordion tones that warms the heart.
Despite a tricky arrangement where the verse suddenly shifts into 5/4 time, many listeners may feel it’s the perfect fit once they hear the cute vocals.
It’s an anisong with a gentle atmosphere yet a surprisingly thrilling beat—one where you’ll want to pay attention to the irregular meter as you listen.
Kigurumi PlanetHiiragi (CV: Ayahi Takagaki)
A song performed by Hiiragi, a character from the TV anime Hanamaru Kindergarten, used as the ending theme for episode 2.
Voice actress Ayahi Takagaki delivers a cute, in-character vocal, while a powerhouse ensemble of top-tier musicians from Japan’s rock scene cranks up the energy.
The sub-seven-minute track packs in a weighty, classical-tinged arrangement, and the metal-like irregular time signatures make its personality stand out even more.
It’s an epic number that’s sure to shock anyone expecting a typical anime song.
aporiaYorushika
A quintessential song by Yorushika that unfolds a philosophical, profound musical world themed around the pursuit of questions without answers.
The lyrics, which liken the pure desire to know to the ascent of a hot-air balloon, beautifully depict an unbounded yearning for knowledge and the confusion that accompanies it, quietly moving the listener.
Released in October 2024, the track was chosen as the ending theme for the NHK General TV anime “Chi.
: On the Movements of the Earth,” aligning perfectly with its story about the heliocentric theory in 15th-century Europe.
The alternating 7/8 and 8/8 meters can be interpreted as a musical representation of the seven celestial bodies of the geocentric model and the eight planets of the heliocentric model, with the rhythmic fluctuation skillfully evoking the instability inherent in intellectual inquiry.
It is a song I recommend for nights of deep contemplation or for learners whose hearts race at new discoveries.
Beautiful finSpitz
This song, which celebrates the strength and beauty of swimming against the current, is a quintessentially Spitz masterpiece brimming with clarity, deftly weaving in an irregular 7/4 time signature.
The 7-beat meter used in the A section is incorporated subtly, but it’s a testament to Spitz’s exceptional ensemble skills, creating a distinctive sense of weightless forward pull and taut tension.
Released as the theme song for Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine in April 2023, the track became their 46th single and reached No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart.
With lyrics themed around the courage to face adversity and the importance of staying true to yourself, it’s highly recommended for those at a turning point in life or embarking on a new challenge.
Addictive: A Compilation of Anime Songs Using Irregular Time Signatures (21–30)
RoundaboutYES
A song by Yes, the British rock band known as a leading figure in progressive rock with fans around the world.
Although released in 1971, it drew fresh attention after being used as the ending theme for the TV anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Brimming with highlights—from the Spanish-tinged atmosphere of the acoustic guitar to the groovy bassline—the track’s intricate odd-time signatures scattered throughout heighten the sense of tension.
It’s a highly technical number with exceptional, high-level ensemble work that hardly seems like a song from the 1970s, and it pairs remarkably well with anime.