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 poignant anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (41–50)
sealLiSA
This is the song chosen as the ending theme for the anime Sword Art Online II.
It really showcases LiSA’s powerful vocals.
It’s a very gentle song that I’d like people who’ve gone through hard times or heartbreak to listen to.
100% CourageNYC
This is a song that makes you feel like you just have to be brave.
It’s so straightforward that it cheers you up whether you like it or not.
It seems like a song that could lift the spirits of a woman heartbroken after a breakup.
Isn’t it a classic? I’ve been listening to it since I was little, so it’s a song I still want to listen to from time to time.
FIND THE WAYMika Nakashima
This is the song that was used as the ending theme for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
It’s a very popular track, beloved not only by anime fans but also by Mika Nakashima’s fans as a moving ballad.
It’s a song I especially want people who’ve experienced heartbreak to listen to.
1/2Makoto Kawamoto
It’s a classic song I’ve been listening to since I was little.
The tempo and the lyrics make it super upbeat.
Kawamoto-san’s clear, pure voice makes it one of those songs that brightens your mood.
I think it’s great to listen to after a breakup—it lifts your spirits a bit.
Name of LifeYumi Kimura
It’s a hidden gem from Spirited Away, a representative Japanese animated film that became a worldwide hit.
It’s sung by Yumi Kimura, who also performs the main theme, Always With Me.
Her clear, pure voice pairs beautifully with lyrics that feel like they’ve stepped out of a work of literary fiction.
I won't fall in love anymore.Noriyuki Makihara
A gem-like ballad that delicately portrays the pain of heartbreak and the hope of taking a new step forward.
Noriyuki Makihara’s gentle vocals tenderly envelop the protagonist’s complex feelings as they struggle to accept a breakup with their lover.
While carefully depicting the loneliness and confusion felt in everyday life, it also resonates with the positive resolve hidden behind the words “I won’t fall in love anymore.” Released in May 1992, the song was used as the theme for the drama “After the Children Are Asleep,” reaching No.
2 on the weekly Oricon chart and No.
7 for the year.
It’s a song that stands as emotional support, accompanying you through the healing process of a broken heart.
Galaxy Express 999Godiego
The anime that chose Godiego—who were at the height of their popularity at the time—to sing its theme song is Galaxy Express 999.
As you know, it’s a space-spanning adventure fantasy, and this song fits its world perfectly; just listening to it makes my heart flutter.