Heisei-era graduation songs roundup: iconic youth anthems from the ’90s to the 2010s

Tsubasaandāgurafu

Tsubasa

This is one of Under Graph’s signature songs, expressing the loneliness of parting that accompanies a departure and the vow to meet again with a smile.

From the introductory guitar phrase onward, the overall sound conveys feelings of loneliness and poignancy.

The lyrics depict a call to walk resolutely along each of our own paths, and it also feels as though the vow to reunite helps to ease the sadness.

It’s a song that emphasizes a bittersweet sense of longing, carrying a message that to move forward into the future, it’s also important to look back and feel that loneliness.

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kappamaki

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10-year cherry blossomsAKB48

[MV full] 10nen Zakura / AKB48 [Official]

A song themed around graduation, parting, and reunion has arrived from AKB48 with the coming of spring.

Centered by Atsuko Maeda and Jurina Matsui, it weaves a story of farewells and reunions with fresh, vivid expression.

Set to an upbeat rhythm, its wishes for the future offer a reassuring message that resonates with the graduation scenes everyone experiences.

Released in March 2009, the single reached No.

3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to during this season when partings and encounters intersect, as you reflect on memories with someone special.

Photo of three peopleKiroro

Photo of three people

Kiroro is a two-person music unit that captivates a wide range of listeners with gentle vocals and piano-centered songs.

Their track “Three of Us in a Photo,” included as the B-side to their major debut single “Nagaimo,” opens with a distinctive, airy slide guitar intro.

The lyrics, which seem to reaffirm a relationship that won’t change even after graduation, evoke the feeling of a fresh start.

With its light, lively ensemble and warm melody that resonates deeply, it’s a heartfelt graduation song.

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Hoshino Takashi

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That paper airplane splits the cloudy sky19

That paper airplane splits the cloudy sky

This is the 19’s signature work, where the pure feelings entrusted to a paper airplane strike the heart.

With lyrics that evoke youthful days and a melody that resonates deeply, it captivated many listeners.

Released in July 1999, it quickly drew attention after being selected as a TBS campaign song.

The group also appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen that same year, making it a hot topic among young people at the time.

The gentle intro, carried by acoustic guitar and blues harp, softly envelops the listener.

Heard with the arrival of spring, it vividly brings back nostalgic scenes from student days—a song just like that.

Highly recommended as a heartwarming youth anthem to play during graduation and farewell season.

GRAND FINALEBREAKERZ

GRAND FINALE

A song by BREAKERZ that powerfully yet poignantly expresses memories from school days and the emotions of parting through its lyrics and melody.

Released in February 2009, it also ranked high on the Oricon charts.

The track was selected as the ending theme for TBS’s “J-SPORTS SUPER SOCCER PLUS” for the month of November.

It portrays the complex feelings of students approaching graduation, reflecting on the past while conveying hope for the future.

With lyrics about the bonds of friendship and the brilliance of youth, it resonates even more deeply when listened to during the graduation season.

It’s a highly recommended song not only for students about to graduate, but also for adults who feel nostalgic about their school days.

Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster

[Little Glee Monster] Youth Photograph [Litoguri]

As the title suggests, this song—hugely popular as a graduation anthem—is a track that instantly takes you back to your student days in the thick of youth.

The lyrics depict the very day of the graduation ceremony, and listening to it makes you feel as if you’ve time-traveled back to that moment.

Lines like “Even after we graduate, we’ll always be friends” can hit hard and move listeners to tears, even as adults.

With Little Glee Monster’s beautiful harmonies, the song—released in March 2015—was also used as the ending theme for MBS’s ‘Hayashi-sensei ga Odoroku Hatsumimigaku!’ While it mourns the parting from friends, it also carries a hopeful outlook on new beginnings, making it a perfect pick for graduation season.

Don’t bloom.WIHTE JAM

[This Year’s No.1 Graduation Song] [MV] Don’t Bloom / WHITE JAM

WHITE JAM is a three-member music group that made their major debut in 2014 and has gained popularity for their inventive production work and live performance style.

Their fourth single, “Sakanaide,” was chosen as the theme song for the film The Crybaby Pierrot’s Wedding.

The lyrics tell a story of realizing that the time we took for granted was truly irreplaceable—an emotion many may have shared on their graduation day.

Featuring a rich, string-forward ensemble and a sentimental melody that stirs the heart, it’s a pop tune perfectly suited to the scenes of a graduation ceremony.

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Hoshino Takashi

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