Lovely anime song

Iconic scenes overlap! Anime songs recommended for the yutori generation

Music writer / guitarist / Certified web writing practitionerTakashi Hoshino
Drawing on over 30 years of experience with guitars and bands since my high school days, I specialize in music-related articles and have handled many feature pieces to date. While my tastes lean toward genres like hard rock and heavy metal since I first picked up the guitar, I make a point of listening to a wide range of styles, both Japanese and Western, on a daily basis. I began working as a freelance writer in 2018. I hold a Web Writing Practical Certification, and in addition to writing, I’m also studying video editing. In my private life, I’m raising an elementary school child and stay active while supporting their extracurriculars, such as parkour and dance.

Japanese animation has now become a cultural asset Japan can proudly present to the world.

Back in the Showa era, songs made for anime works were simply called “anisong,” but in recent years it’s become commonplace for famous artists to handle anime theme songs, and it’s no longer unusual for global hits to be born from those themes.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of classic anisong tracks recommended for the yutori generation.

Every song on the list helped define its era, so be sure to check them out!

Iconic scenes overlap! Anime songs recommended for the Yutori generation (21–30)

peace signKenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu – Peace Sign

Peace Sign Kenshi Yonezu

A single by Kenshi Yonezu released in June 2017.

Chosen as the opening theme for the first cour of season 2 of the TV anime My Hero Academia, it kicks off with a catchy guitar riff that instantly lifts the energy.

Its uplifting, supportive message seems sure to give the younger generation—racing through their youth—the courage to move forward.

With its exhilarating drive, this modern rock tune would no doubt get the crowd going if performed on a school festival stage.

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The Kouga Ninja ScrollsOnmyo-za

Koga Ninpōchō (MV)

Koga Ninja Scrolls Onmyo-za

This song, themed around deep love and a heartrending fate, was chosen as the opening theme for the anime Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls in April 2005.

Positioned as part of Onmyo-za’s “Ninpouchou” series, it was created according to specific rules.

It portrays a story of dark, fierce passion and tragic love, brimming with expressions of beauty and sorrow.

Paired with Onmyo-za’s unified visual aesthetic—traditional Japanese attire, long black hair, and other classical elements—it’s recommended for those who enjoy music rooted in Japanese traditional culture and yokai themes.

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It's nothing.RADWIMPS

Nandemonaiya (Movie Version)

It's Nothing by RADWIMPS

This song, which graces the ending of the film “Your Name.”, brought many to tears as it plays during the story’s climax.

Included on the soundtrack album “Your Name.” released in August 2016, it is crafted as a lyrical ballad centered on piano and strings.

The lyrics, in which words left unsaid and feelings that never reached their destination intersect with the bittersweet resolve and hope to keep moving forward, resonate deeply as they overlap with the story of two people separated from one another.

Winning Soundtrack Album of the Year at the 31st Japan Gold Disc Awards, this piece offers a gentle warmth that stays by your side when you’re struggling with work or relationships, or when you’ve gone through a parting with someone important.

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Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA

LiSA “Gurenge” -MUSiC CLiP- (Anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” Tanjiro Kamado: Unwavering Resolve Arc Opening Theme)

Gurenge LiSA

This is a song by LiSA, a leading singer in the anison world, chosen as the opening theme for the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

With powerful rock sounds and piercing high vocals, it expresses the indomitable spirit of the protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, as he faces adversity.

Released in 2019, the song achieved the remarkable feat of topping the Oricon charts as both the “last No.

1 of the Heisei era” and the “first No.

1 of the Reiwa era.” In 2020, LiSA also performed at NHK’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen, and the song became a social phenomenon that transcended the anison genre.

It’s a track that gives courage to everyone striving to move forward without being defeated by hardship.

Listen to it on your way to school, and it’s sure to lift your spirits!

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My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Zenzenzense (movie ver.) [Official Music Video]

Zenzenzense RADWIMPS

It’s a rock number by RADWIMPS, released in July 2016 as an insert song for Makoto Shinkai’s feature-length animated film Your Name.

It expresses a grand love story—of someone who has continued searching for their other half since even before their previous life—through a driving, exhilarating sound.

The lyrics, perfectly aligned with the film’s worldview, directly portray a fated bond that transcends time and space, and Yojiro Noda’s passionate vocals are deeply moving.

The song was also performed at the 67th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2016.

Many people likely have memories of listening to it repeatedly on their way to school or belting it out with friends at karaoke.

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Butter-FlyKoji Wada

Butter-Fly / Koji Wada [Animelo Summer Live 2014 -ONENESS- Day 1]

Butter-Fly Wada Kouji

Koji Wada’s debut song was chosen as the opening theme for the anime Digimon Adventure, which began in 1999.

In harmony with the story of boys and girls adventuring with digital monsters in a virtual world, the song celebrates the courage and hope to take flight toward one’s dreams.

Its positive message—that even unreliable wings can fly—is the very essence of a coming-of-age tale.

Wada’s powerful yet warmly resonant voice feels like a gentle push to set off on an adventure.

For those who listened on their way to school to boost their spirits, or have memories of belting it out at karaoke, it likely remains a special presence that still stirs the heart today.

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PaleduskHUGs

Paledusk / HUGs (Official Music Video)

PaleduskHUGs

A soul-stirring track from the metalcore band Paledusk.

Imbued with a fierce resolve to overcome life’s absurdities and despair and turn them into strength, this piece was created as the opening theme for the TV anime Gachiakuta and will begin streaming in July 2025.

Its sound—where ferocious shouts intertwine with beautiful clean passages—perfectly embodies the protagonist searching for light in a chaotic world.

If you’re up against a towering wall, this music might just give you the courage to push through.

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