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.
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Masterpieces of bittersweet anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (71–80)
Lost WordsNo Regret Life

It’s a rock ballad that was used as an ending theme for the anime NARUTO.
The song is by No Regret Life, a rock band from Kagoshima Prefecture, and it was released in 2005 as their second single.
The emotional sound paired with vocalist Waka Oda’s raw, growling voice—it really gets your heart burning.
When you listen, feelings you’d forgotten might quietly come back, like, “Come to think of it, I really liked that person back then.”
Your Memorymao

It’s a heart-wrenching number that blends pure love and heartbreak, singing, “No matter how much time passes, I’m thinking of you.” The song is by mao, a singer also known for performing “Yume o Kanaete Doraemon,” and it was released in 2010 as her third single.
It was used as the ending theme for the anime Hakuoki, which is based on a romance game.
The melody carries a traditional Japanese atmosphere that suits the work, and mao’s gentle vocals fit perfectly, stirring the emotions.
We all want to stay happily in love with the person we care about forever, don’t we…?
A Naked HeartAimyon

This is a work that teaches you the importance of being honest with your feelings.
It’s a hit number by Aimyon, a singer-songwriter from Hyogo Prefecture, released in 2020 as her 10th single.
It was chosen as the theme song for the drama “My Housekeeper Nagisa-san.” The lyrics and vocals seep into you, as if the emotions in your heart are spilling out one by one—simply irresistible.
Even when you think “I won’t do it again,” love makes you do it anyway.
If you’re in love right now, or nursing a crush, this song will resonate with you all the more.
Masterpieces of wistful anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (81–90)
You are... not here.Minami Kuribayashi

It’s a sad unrequited love song about liking someone who likes someone else—not me.
The track was used as the ending theme for the anime based on the game “School Days,” and it’s sung by Minami Kuribayashi, who is also active as a voice actress.
It’s included on her second album, “passage,” released in 2006.
Her heartrending vocals, so fragile they seem like they might fade away, really tug at your heartstrings.
It’s painful when your feelings don’t reach the person you care about, isn’t it? Give it a listen when you want to have a good cry.
The forest where you wereSea of Trees

This song was used as the ending theme for the anime Fate/stay night.
It’s the debut single of Jukai, a music duo from Osaka, released in 2006.
No matter how far you reach, your image fades away… The lyrics portray such fleeting scenes and feelings, tugging at the heartstrings.
No matter how much you think about it, you can’t do anything, and nothing goes back to the way it was.
Listening to it right after a breakup will likely draw you even deeper into the song’s world.
Deep loveNana Mizuki

A track by Nana Mizuki, a queen of the anison world and an accomplished voice actress.
It was used as the opening theme for the first season of the anime WHITE ALBUM.
Written specifically to match the anime’s imagery, this song is a ballad that conveys Nana Mizuki’s beautiful artistic world.
It tells of a sudden parting from someone you thought you’d always be with.
Yet the love for that person never fades and will continue on forever—just as the title suggests, it sings of deep, enduring love.
Even after a breakup, the love for the other person doesn’t disappear—something many people experience in heartbreak.
This song gently embraces those feelings.
HeyMaiko Fujita

It’s the opening theme of the anime “Hiiro no Kakera.” The song is by Maiko Fujita, a singer-songwriter from Aichi Prefecture, and it was released in 2012 as her seventh single.
The ethereal sound pairs beautifully with her delicate vocals, and that alone makes your heart tighten.
The lyrics express overflowing feelings for someone you can’t meet no matter how much you think of them, which really hits home.
It’s recommended both as a heartbreak song and as a song for unrequited love.





