[Top 20] Anime Song Sales Ranking of the Heisei 30 Years!
Songs used as anime opening and ending themes are often tightly bound to our memories.
When you watch an anime, the corresponding song comes rushing back—and sometimes it works the other way around, too.
In this article, we’ve investigated the all-time sales rankings of those nostalgia-packed anime songs!
Because many older Showa-era anime songs don’t have clear figures, we’ve focused on CD sales rankings from the 30 years of the Heisei era.
What kind of ranking did we end up with? Check it out with your own eyes—and ears!
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[Top 20] Anime Song Sales Ranking of the Heisei 30 Years! (11–20)
1/2Makoto Kawamoto
Ranked 15th in anime song sales over the Heisei 30 years is singer-songwriter Makoto Kawamoto’s “1/2.” Selling approximately 731,000 copies, this track was used as an ending theme for the anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story.
Featuring Kawamoto’s charmingly cute vocals, the song captures the overwhelming feeling of loving someone so, so much you can’t contain it.
The title “1/2” carries an adorably girlish meaning: when I’m together with the one I love, we become “1,” but alone, I’m only half.
rainbowL’Arc〜en〜Ciel
A track that sold approximately 723,000 copies, its title “Niji” (Rainbow) also reflects the meaning of the band name L’Arc〜en〜Ciel.
Released as their 7th single, matching the number of colors in a rainbow, the song was used as the opening theme for the film Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture.
It ranked 16th in anime song sales over the 30 years of the Heisei era.
Even when facing hardships as if the rain will never stop, a rainbow appears after the rain.
The song carries the hope that precisely because times are tough, believing in the hope that follows will convey something meaningful to others.
A third of pure-hearted feelingsSIAM SHADE
A song by SIAM SHADE that was used as the ending theme for the anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story.
It ranked 17th in anime song sales over the 30 years of the Heisei era, selling approximately 699,000 copies.
In Sony’s 2019 “Heisei Anisong Grand Prize” popularity campaign, it was also selected by user vote for the 1989–1999 period.
The band’s biggest hit, the song has been covered by many artists, including FLOW and Acid Black Cherry.
With a refreshing, familiar melody and lyrics about bittersweet love, it has continued to be embraced by many people for years, even after the band’s breakup.
ROCKET DIVEhide with Spread Beaver
Hide of X JAPAN released “ROCKET DIVE” as his first single after X JAPAN disbanded in 1997.
Created in part to cheer up fans saddened by the breakup, the song was chosen as the opening theme for the anime “AWOL -Absent Without Leave-.” Over the 30 years of the Heisei era, it ranked 18th in anime song sales, selling about 692,000 copies.
Beyond encouraging fans, the song also carries the message of boldly taking on challenges—like a rocket taking off—without fear of failure.
True to that spirit, the melody conveys a powerful energy and the feeling of leaping forward with a decisive “Here we go!”
RomancePENICILLIN
Ranking 19th in anime song sales over the Heisei era, with about 658,000 copies sold, is PENICILLIN’s “Romance.” It was used as the opening theme for the anime “Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san.” The song also drew attention when a popular University of Tokyo student sang it in a segment of the variety show “Gakkō e Ikō!” HAKUEI’s distinctive, mannered vocal style gives the track a unique flavor, and it’s the kind of performance that makes you want to imitate the way he sings.
Refrain of SoulsYoko Takahashi
Alongside A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, Soul’s Refrain is a beloved classic from Evangelion.
Sung by Yoko Takahashi, just like A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, the track was used as the theme song for the film Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth.
It ranked 20th in anime song sales over the 30 years of the Heisei era, selling approximately 631,000 copies.
Esteemed artists such as Megumi Hayashibara, Shoko Nakagawa, and Namie Amuro have covered the song.
Centered on the theme of “rinne” (the cycle of reincarnation), its title “Refrain” is the French word for “refrain,” meaning repetition.
In conclusion
In terms of sales for songs used in anime, it turns out the 1990s—when CDs sold the most—were overwhelmingly dominant.
While some of the ranked tracks might not be pure “anisong,” the list could still be enjoyed as a nostalgic ’90s J-pop playlist.
You might even discover, “Wait, this was used in an anime!”