Packed with everything from friendship to romance! Youth anthems recommended for Gen Z

Run!Momoiro Kurōbā Zetto

Momoiro Clover - Hashire!

This song overflows with the dynamism of youth and a forward-looking energy.

Released in 2010, it is one of Momoiro Clover’s signature tracks.

It gained wider recognition when it was used in the 2011 film “Moteki,” and later covered for a TV commercial in 2017.

The lyrics portray the feelings of a young person who harbors a crush but struggles to put those feelings into words, while conveying the importance of being honest with oneself and facing one’s emotions wholeheartedly.

This piece is a perfect number for Gen Z listeners who are dedicating themselves to clubs or hobbies and spending precious time with friends, all while trying to confront their own feelings.

Love WindIkuta Rira

Lila Ikuta “Koikaze” Official Music Video

This song gently wraps around a heart that’s become timid about love, like a spring breeze.

It carefully depicts the protagonist, who carries past wounds, meeting someone who looks at them with unwavering eyes and slowly trying to move forward.

The moment when the wish for love to be simpler intersects with the courage to take a step anyway is achingly poignant, and as you listen, it resonates with your own feelings of love.

Lila Ikuta’s clear, translucent voice delicately conveys these wavering emotions and truly strikes a chord.

Released in April 2025, it was chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s dating reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita.

New Zealand Edition.” This marks the third time Lila Ikuta has provided a theme song for the series, following “Romance no Yakusoku” and “Sparkle.” It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you don’t quite have the courage to start a new romance, or when you’re feeling your heart race over a new encounter.

Is that okay?RADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Is It Okay? [Official Music Video]

This RADWIMPS track sets disarmingly straightforward expressions of love—and the jittery feeling that comes from being “too happy”—to a buoyant rhythm.

It’s one of the band’s signature songs, turning live venues into a sea of handclaps and singalongs.

The lyric asking “Is it okay to be this happy?” perfectly captures the joy and gratitude of meeting someone precious.

Though included on the December 2006 album RADWIMPS 4 ~Okazu no Gohan~, it also carries a fiery backstory: the original MV shoot was grueling due to rain and cold, prompting a “revenge” reshoot about ten years later in 2017.

It’s a song that makes you want to say “thank you” to the irreplaceable people in your life—be it a partner, family, or best friend.

Like a warm meal, it’s a classic that soaks into the heart.

I’ll call your name.SUPER BEAVER

SUPER BEAVER “I’ll Call Your Name” MV (Theme Song for the Film ‘Tokyo Revengers’)

Written as the theme song for the film Tokyo Revengers, this piece is a rock number packed with a fiery message! Through the simple act of “calling someone’s name,” the lyrics make us rediscover the certainty of our bonds and the preciousness of encounters, powerfully moving the hearts of listeners.

Released as a single in July 2021, it also marked an important milestone celebrating SUPER BEAVER’s 15th anniversary.

The sound—linked to the film’s worldview—evokes human connection and is a must-listen! Play it while spending time with dear friends or teammates, or in a quiet moment, and you’ll be reminded of how much they mean to you.

It’s the perfect track for feeling gratitude for the people you’ve met and for cherishing the ties you want to nurture from here on.

cold; curt; blunt; unfriendlyRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Aloof [Official Music Video]

A song that captures the frustration of an ambiguous relationship and the ache of unrequited feelings.

The delicate emotions that sway with the other person’s attitude and the uncertain distance where neither can read the other’s heart are carefully woven with the distinctive word choices of Yojiro Noda.

Although it’s a track from the 2018 album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, the music video featuring Nana Komatsu and Fuju Kamio also created a big buzz.

In August 2020, it was chosen as the theme song for the ABEMA show Who Is the Wolf?, once again resonating with many listeners.

Unfolding at a relaxed tempo, this piece is a gentle companion for nights troubled by love or quiet moments of contemplation.

1000 daysnozomi

Noashi (noa) – 1000 Days [Official Music Video]

This is a heartrending song that portrays the brilliance and fragility of youth.

Released in April 2025, it was written specifically for the new web commercial “Seishun Bonus Time” for the vitamin carbonated drink MATCH.

The lyrics, which frame high school life as roughly 1,000 days, carry both a bittersweet nostalgia for those short yet intense three years and a cheer for the future.

While it’s a power song that rides a passionate melody over a high-velocity guitar rock sound, its delicate depictions—like scribbling and erasing the name of a crush in the corner of a notebook or the secrets one has guarded—are deeply moving.

Fully self-produced by Noshi, who handled all lyrics, composition, arrangement, vocals, and artwork, this track resonates with anyone who spent time in high school or wants to cherish their memories of youth.

Pissed Off -another story- feat. Koma Takanashi (CV: Manaka Iwami)HONEY WORKS

Pisses Me Off -another story- feat. Koma Takanashi (CV: Manaka Iwami) / HoneyWorks

A digital single released in November 2025.

Created as an alternate story to the original track “Mukatsuku,” this piece is told from the perspective of Koma Takanashi, voiced by Manaka Iwami.

While struggling with her role as the heroine’s friend, her growing jealousy and possessiveness toward the person she loves are portrayed with aching poignancy.

Set to an up-tempo band sound, the down-to-earth inner conflict should resonate with many who feel inferior to their romantic rivals.

A bittersweet yet forward-looking youth anthem.