Masterpieces of poignant anime songs. Recommended popular tracks.
I think it’s quite common that listening to songs tied in with anime makes you recall the work they’re from.
If the story was a sad one, hearing the song can leave you feeling wistful.
Here, I’ve picked out some Japanese pop songs—melancholic anime tracks—that evoke that feeling.
Masterpieces of bittersweet anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (1–10)
JANE DOENEW!Kenshi Yonezu, Hikaru Utada
This collaborative song, the first time two of Japan’s leading singer-songwriters have joined forces, serves as the ending theme for the theatrical anime film Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc.
Its lyrics capture a longing for someone lost and the fragility of memory.
Written and composed by Kenshi Yonezu, the track features Hikaru Utada’s clear, airy vocals that sweep through like the wind.
Set for release in September 2025, it will come out as a double A-side single, IRIS OUT / JANE DOE, in multiple CD editions, with the cover illustration newly drawn by Yonezu himself.
It’s a song that offers deep comfort to those who have experienced parting from someone dear or who are tormented by indelible memories.
Unchanging ThingsHanako Oku
A piano ballad that lets you sink into a wistful mood, as if longing for the summer that has passed.
The singer is Hanako Oku, a singer-songwriter often praised as someone whose “voice alone can move you to tears.” This work centers on the irreplaceable nature of everyday life and feelings that never fade, even as time goes by.
Its message—yearning to reach someone you may never meet again, transcending time and distance—truly strikes the heart.
Included on the single “Garnet,” released in July 2006, it served as an insert song in the feature-length animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, heightening the emotion of its climactic scenes.
It’s a number you’ll want to listen to on a slightly chilly evening at dusk, as you look back on your summer memories.
Pointillism Song (feat. Sonoko Inoue)Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE captivates listeners with their overwhelming expressive power.
This song, included on their single “Ao to Natsu” released in August 2018, was produced with singer-songwriter Sonoko Inoue.
As an insert track for the film “Aonatsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-nichi,” it depicts the story of a man and a woman sensing an impending farewell at summer’s end.
The swelling emotions despite knowing time is limited, and the frustration of being unable to hold hands, are conveyed achingly through their two voices.
You can almost see memories piling up like scattered points before your eyes.
When you’re troubled by a love that can’t be, or on a sentimental night, listening to it will gently stay close to that helpless feeling.
MöbiusJanne Da Arc
This song portrays the emotions of a protagonist lost in an endless labyrinth of love.
The cosmic sweep of the synthesizer tones blends with Yasu’s heartrending vocals to vividly depict a love you can’t escape—like a Möbius strip.
The structure, which dramatically shifts from digital sound in the verse to a weighty band ensemble in the chorus, is sure to seize listeners’ hearts.
Released in May 2006, the track was also used as the opening theme for the anime Yo-kai Ninpōchō: Yōgyakumon (Ninpū Kamui Gaiden).
On nights when your heart is thrown into turmoil by feelings you can’t possibly sever, immerse yourself deeply in this work’s world.
AitaiMiliyah Kato
It’s a heartrending love song about longing for someone who’s looking at somebody else.
Included on the acclaimed 2009 album “Ring,” this fan favorite became a hit with over 700,000 downloads despite not being released as a single.
It also adds deep resonance to the film “Villain” as an in-film track.
Even if I’m not your number one, even if I know I’ll get hurt, it has to be you… That desperate cry from the heart tightens the listener’s chest.
When you fall for someone, reason can’t do a thing about it.
If you’re suffering from an unrequited love, this is a song that will surely stay close to your heart.
RE:I AMAimer
A grand rock ballad chosen as the ending theme for episode 6 of the OVA Mobile Suit Gundam UC.
Its striking lyrics portray the feelings of people striving to move forward despite deep sorrow and loss caused by war, beginning with a heartfelt call to a loved one who has been lost and expressing a strong will to find hope.
Released in March 2013, it was also a milestone for Aimer, becoming her first single to enter the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart top 10.
This is a highly recommended song for those facing life’s hardships, conveying that the small hopes found in everyday life can serve as signposts to the future.
RIVERTatsuya Ishii
A solo work by Tatsuya Ishii, released in 2003 as the ending theme for the third cour of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
Its lyrics, which sing of the resolve to face hardship, align perfectly with the struggles of characters buffeted by war, leaving a profound afterglow within the world of the series.
This dramatic ballad fuses the expressive power he honed through his activities with Kome Kome Club and a unique aesthetic sensibility informed by his art background.
In the later HD Remaster version, the song was replaced due to rights issues, prompting regret from some fans.
It’s a recommended track for those confronting difficult moments in life or wishing to linger in the afterglow of a grand narrative.