Lovely anime song

Addictive Anime Songs That Use Irregular Time Signatures

A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerWakachan Araki
I started playing guitar in middle school and focused on band activities during my student years. I’ve been a hobbyist Vocaloid producer for over 15 years. After entering the workforce, I gained experience in various roles, including event sound engineering and videography/photography. As a writer, I’ve contributed introduction articles for music and manga websites, and in 2022 I had the opportunity to write the bonus liner notes for IA SUPER BEST. My specialties are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.

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.

Addictive: A Compilation of Anime Songs Using Irregular Time Signatures (21–30)

At the time of MusuhiHaruka Tomatsu

Haruka Tomatsu / Time of Musubi (Short Ver.)

Haruka Tomatsu at the time of Umusubi

This is the third single by singer Haruka Tomatsu, who has been active in numerous works as a voice actress.

Used as the ending theme for the TV anime Kannagi, the song’s majestic atmosphere—created by a dreamlike ensemble—feels wonderfully soothing.

While based on triple meter, its irregular time-signature changes follow the flow of the melody, creating a distinctive sense of weightlessness alongside her vocals.

The spacious chorus smooths out any sense of rhythmic oddity, resulting in a track that feels almost divine.

Raise the rankinglower

In conclusion

I think it was a collection of nothing but great pieces that stick in your head precisely because of their unique rhythms.

It’s strange, but just hearing an irregular time signature makes me feel the creators’ passion for the music.

I’m sure we’ll see more irregular-meter anime songs in the future, so I’ll keep updating this as they come! Thanks again for your support!