[J-Pop] Dark-themed songs by girl bands: haunting masterpieces that pierce the heart

Goodbye to youKaneyori Masaru

Kaneyori Masaru [Goodbye to You] Music Video

Kaneyori Masaru is a three-piece girls’ band from Osaka.

Released in October 2023, this song vividly portrays the pain of heartbreak.

On a sleepless night, the narrator reads a manga and finds that the protagonist resembles their ex, and in that instant, all the memories come flooding back.

Those bittersweet moments are woven with delicate words.

Its easy-listening guitar rock sound is another draw.

It’s a breakup song that has resonated with many listeners.

Merging into the darknessTogenashi Togeari

melt into the dark

Emotions melt and tear apart in the darkness of night.

This track, which sings that pain straight, is featured on the second album “Toge Nashi” (No Thorns).

Written and composed by Misty mint, its emotional guitars and driving drums capture the turbulence of feeling.

It’s a rock number that stays by your side when you’re burdened with unbearable loneliness or overwhelming emotions.

If you love band-driven sounds, be sure to give it a listen.

AlchemillaRīgaru Rirī

Legal Lily – “Alchemilla” Music Video

A song in which a clear, translucent voice quietly weaves a prayer for sleep and solace.

It is Regal Lily’s first anime tie-in work.

Released in October 2021 as the ending theme for the second cour of the TV anime “86 -Eighty Six-.” Created with a small prayer that people striving to live in a merciless world may at least find peaceful rest, this piece extends a helping hand to those going through difficult days.

untitledtoukyou shoki shoudou

untitled

Opening the EP “pink,” released in March 2024, this track stands out even among the collection of breakup-themed songs.

Written from the perspective of the one who was dumped, the lyrics intertwine a desire to disappear with a desperate wish to remain in the other person’s memory, tightening the listener’s chest.

When the pain of heartbreak feels unbearable, this song is sure to reach out its hand.

I don’t plan to see you again—take care.SCANDAL

SCANDAL "I Don't Plan to See You, Take Care" / Awanaitsumorino Genkidene – Music Video

A quintessentially SCANDAL, hard-hitting, rock-flavored track.

The lyrics, however, are bittersweet—trying to sever feelings for someone they love.

It powerfully sings about the loneliness and dilemmas right before a breakup.

Recommended for those who can’t forget an old love.

secret base ~What You Gave Me~ZONE

secret base ~What You Gave Me~ ZONE (Full)

ZONE’s signature song “secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~” was released in 2001.

Written and composed by Norihiko Machida, this mid-tempo number evokes nostalgia: being called out at an intersection at summer’s end brings back memories of days spent together in a secret base and of sharing dreams for the future.

It’s one of the girl band’s classic tracks, expressing the hope of reunion after parting.

Love and Boredomyonige

I tried playing “Koi to Taikutsu” by yonige

“Koi to Taikutsu” (Love and Boredom) is included on the 2015 mini-album “Coming Spring.” The lyrics and composition were handled by vocalist Arisa Ushimaru.

The song’s lyrics portray the gloomy feelings of a “me” who, swayed by societal norms and the mood of those around them, feels on the verge of losing their place.

While longing to destroy everything amid monotonous days, the protagonist still can’t quite give up on hope—an inner struggle of youth expressed in unadorned words.