[Nostalgic] Classic and Popular Anime Songs Recommended for People in Their 30s
Do you have any anime you used to watch all the time? I think many people had anime close to their daily lives—like tossing down your school bag the moment you got home and waiting in front of the TV, or getting excited talking about shows with friends.
Just those 30 minutes could whisk us away to a world of dreams.
As adults, we sometimes suddenly remember, “Oh yeah, I used to watch that back then,” or find ourselves humming the theme song without thinking—there are many ways we look back.
In this article, we’ll introduce a collection of nostalgic works for people in their 30s, focusing mainly on anime songs from the 1990s to the 2010s.
Be sure to read to the end!
- [Anime Songs] Anime tracks recommended for men in their 30s to sing at karaoke
- [Collection of Epic Songs] A compilation of cool anime songs chosen by anime fans
- Anime songs that were hits in the 1990s. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- Anime songs recommended for people in their 40s, from nostalgic classics to the latest hits.
- Anisongs that were hits in the 2000s: a nostalgic collection of legendary tracks
- [Nostalgic & Latest] A Special Feature on Anime Songs Recommended for People in Their 20s
- [Top 20] Anime Song Sales Ranking of the Heisei 30 Years!
- A Special Feature on Easy-to-Sing Anime Songs for Karaoke [100+ Songs]
- [Nostalgic] A roundup of anime songs and theme songs that were hits in the 1980s
- Recommended anime songs for people in their 50s. Classic and popular anime theme songs.
- Iconic scenes overlap! Anime songs recommended for the yutori generation
- Masterpiece anime that Heisei-born people feel nostalgic about
- Including global smash hits! Anime songs recommended for Gen Z
[Nostalgic] Recommended Anime Song Masterpieces and Popular Tracks for People in Their 30s (41–50)
Smile BombMasako Mawatari
It’s Matsuko Mawatari’s second single and the opening theme for the anime Yu Yu Hakusho.
It was also used as the ending theme for the theatrical film.
The coupling track, “Homework ga Owaranai,” was likewise an ending theme for Yu Yu Hakusho.
Her cool, distinctive vocals stand out.
The final lyrics of the chorus and the sense of rhythm make this a particularly memorable song.
I'm a popular kid.Shinnosuke Nohara
The voice actor for the protagonist Shinnosuke, Akiko Yajima, sings this song.
It was included on her debut single released in July 1993 and was used as the third opening theme for the TV anime.
With bold lyrics proclaiming herself a star, it feels like the song perfectly captures Shin-chan’s relentlessly cheerful personality.
Just listening to it brings to mind Shin-chan’s powerful, laid-back daily life.
This track became the first character-name single to break into the Oricon Top 10.
Give it a listen when you want to lift your mood, or when you want to feel energized without sweating the small stuff—just like Shin-chan.
It might also be fun to sing along together as a parent and child.
Ojamajo Carnival!!MAHO-do
It’s the opening theme of the anime Ojamajo Doremi.
The singers are three characters from the show: Doremi Harukaze, Hazuki Fujiwara, and Aiko Senoo.
The manga ran in Nakayoshi, and when it was adapted into an anime, it became a massive hit that aired across six series.
Back then, most girls watched it every Sunday without fail.
There were even parents who rushed out to buy toys related to the anime.
The radiance is within you.Yume Suzuki
Kagayaki wa Kimi no Naka ni, which enriched the world of the anime NINKU, captured many hearts with Yume Suzuki’s warm vocals.
Released on February 1, 1995 and selling 220,000 copies, the song won a Gold Disc Award and became a defining hit of its era.
Its melody evokes the strength and kindness to keep moving forward amid life’s complex emotions and hardships, and it still feels fresh no matter when you listen.
For listeners in their 30s, it recalls an unforgettable page of youth—a timeless classic that still resonates today.
Aim to Be a Pokémon Master - 20th Anniversary -Rika Matsumoto
This is the 20th-anniversary version of the original opening theme from the anime Pokémon.
It’s sung by Rica Matsumoto, who voices the protagonist Ash, and her powerful vocals are as strong as ever.
On top of the original’s momentum, the live-instrument performance gives the sound an extra boost that’s enough to get your heart racing just by listening.
The music vividly conveys the excitement of the beginning of an adventure chasing dreams with your friends, as depicted in the lyrics.
Marking twenty years since the original song’s 1997 release, this version was used as the theme song for the movie Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! Incidentally, at a commemorative event in December 2017, about a thousand fans gathered and the venue was filled with a sense of unity.
It’s an uplifting track that I think gives a push to anyone taking on a challenge.
Blue waterMiho Morikawa
The opening theme “Blue Water” from the anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water is an upbeat tune with a refreshingly pleasant melody.
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water is a grand adventure tale based on novelist Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.
Episodes that play on Genesis and mythology, an ultra-ancient civilization, and a girl wearing a mysterious gemstone… it sounds fascinating no matter how you look at it, doesn’t it? Don’t you start to feel excited just from hearing the intro?
STORYWRITERSUPERCAR
This is “STORYWRITER” by SUPERCAR, which was used as an insert song in the anime Eureka Seven.
For those who watched the show—especially men—it’s one of those tracks that gets your energy up the moment that refreshing intro hits.
It’s an anime song I’d love for you to listen to again, like when you’re tired from work or driving home.