![[Hip-Hop] A roundup of anime with rap episodes!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/xYuSLieYAcU/maxresdefault.webp)
With TV shows like Freestyle Dungeon gaining attention, the hip-hop scene has been heating up in recent years.
Hip-hop artists are often tapped for anime theme songs, too.
Hearing a cool flow really amps up the excitement for the series!
In this article, we’ve rounded up anime that feature scenes with characters rapping.
These are what you might call “rap episodes.”
You might even be surprised—“Wait, that anime has a rap episode?!”
Be sure to read to the end and check them out!
- A collection of hip-hop/rap anime songs
- [Anison × Rock] A compilation of anime songs performed by rock bands
- A Guide to Vocaloid Rap: A roundup of popular hip‑hop-style Vocaloid tracks
- Anime songs that get you hyped just by listening. Recommended classics and popular tracks.
- Special Feature: Iconic Songs from Anime | Packed with Great Tracks!
- Upbeat Anime Songs Special [Get Hyped]
- [Hot & Cool] Up-tempo, hype-inducing anime song
- A compilation of jazz insert songs and covers from anime
- A special feature on high-energy EDM anime songs that will get you hyped
- Only famous artists! Anime songs that energize the Reiwa era
- Iconic scenes overlap! Anime songs recommended for the yutori generation
- Anime songs themed around friendship. A roundup of friendship songs that color anime.
- [I Want to Get Fired Up!] A Special Feature on Anime Songs That Pump You Up
[Hip-Hop] A roundup of anime episodes with rap segments! (1–10)
Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-
Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- features collaborations with many rappers from the underground scene.
Set in a world where weapons have been outlawed, it’s an anime that gives a clear rationale for rap battles by having characters fight using special microphones with unique powers.
The voice actors perform lyrics written by rappers, and their exceptionally high-level skills—diction, intonation, and vocal delivery—are, I’d say, unparalleled even among rap-themed anime.
Ya Boy Kongming!
“Ya Boy Kongming!” is a story about Zhuge Liang Kongming, the hero of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, time-slipping into the modern day, based on the popular manga serialized in Comic DAYS and Weekly Young Magazine.
The work features KABE Taijin, a freestyle rapper, as a main character, and in Episode 6 you can watch his rap battle with Zhuge Liang Kongming.
In the end, there’s a scene where he quotes a famous saying left by the real Zhuge Liang, and it’s both hilarious and moving! If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely check it out!
Japan Sinks: 2020
Sakyo Komatsu’s 1973 novel Japan Sinks has been adapted into visual works in various forms.
Japan Sinks: 2020 is the anime version released on Netflix in 2020.
The rap scenes there play a role in advancing the story, unfolding as a format where the characters confess difficult-to-say truths through music.
Director Masaaki Yuasa also incorporated rap in DEVILMAN crybaby specifically as a driver of the narrative, which is a very distinctive aspect of his work.
Yatogame-chan
The anime Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki, based on Masaki Ando’s manga, is a slice-of-life series in which the protagonist, Kaito Jin, moves from Tokyo to Aichi Prefecture and the everyday lives of people in Aichi and Nagoya are portrayed.
Characters from all over Japan—not just Aichi—appear, and they face off in rap battles representing their respective hometowns.
The raps, which are based on real cities, feel quite authentic, and it’s a lot of fun to watch how local pride and playful digs at other prefectures get turned into rap.
It makes you want to memorize the rap for your own hometown.
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
In episode 5 of the third season of the hugely popular series Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, there’s a rap scene.
When anime or manga portray rap, it generally falls into two categories: playing it for laughs or presenting it as cool.
This anime offers a perfect middle ground between the two.
While it parodies things like Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle and Beastie Boys music videos to make viewers laugh, if you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll hear a passionate message that echoes the main story—an ideal balance.
The ending of this episode also made waves with its hip-hop track and high-quality animation!
Aharen-san Is Indecipherable
This is the anime adaptation of a slice-of-life manga serialized in the web comic magazine Shonen Jump+.
When an anime includes a rap scene, one might wonder how it fits into the story, but in Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, it’s portrayed as a communication tool the protagonist Raido uses to get closer to Reina Aharen.
Although it appears suddenly, it somehow feels natural and leads smoothly into the subsequent developments.
The way the inner struggles of a shy boy and girl are highlighted through music is almost like a musical.
Love Live! Superstar!!
The Love Live! series has become a massive franchise seen across all kinds of media.
In episode 10 of the TV anime Love Live! Superstar!!, the members each try their hand at a self-introduction rap.
It’s great how the lyrics genuinely reflect each character’s personality.
Although they usually perform music based on idol songs, in the rap scene they’re rapping over a hard-hitting hip-hop track reminiscent of Dr.
Dre.