Songs That Bring Back the Shows: Beloved Drama Theme Songs
Dramas that make people’s hearts race with excitement, no matter the era.
Whether it’s the flutter of a love story or the nail-biting tension of a suspenseful plot, many of us can’t wait for the day our favorite drama airs each week!
And what’s indispensable to those dramas are the theme songs that embody their worlds.
In this article, we’ll introduce some nostalgic drama theme songs.
We’ve gathered a selection of masterpieces that will make you want to watch those dramas all over again the moment you hear the music.
Whether you watched them when they first aired or are discovering them for the first time, give them a listen and immerse yourself in the world of the dramas!
Recall the works! Nostalgic drama theme songs (1–10)
EverythingMISIA
This is MISIA’s seventh single, also known as the theme song for the 2000 hit drama “Yamato Nadeshiko” starring Nanako Matsushima.
Many listeners were likely captivated by this grand ballad delivered with her powerful vocals.
It is also renowned as a classic that set numerous records, including the best-selling track by a female artist in the 2000s and the last million-selling song of the 20th century.
The famous chorus line is said to be lyrics MISIA naturally hummed when she first heard the original composition.
As a gem of a love song, it remains hugely popular at weddings even today.
POISON ~In a world like this where you can’t even say what you want~Sorimachi Takashi
GTO is the TV drama that aired in 1998 and became a massive hit, with actor Takashi Sorimachi playing Eikichi Onizuka, a social studies teacher and former biker gang member.
Sorimachi himself sang the theme song, which was also a hit! The punchy intro and the lyrics of the chorus really hit you in the heart.
The song’s worldview evokes the outrageous Mr.
Onizuka, and Sorimachi’s gritty, masculine singing and voice give you a push on the back.
It’s a track I want people to listen to now, in these stifling times—both those who watched the drama back then and those who didn’t.
Things that have formShibasaki Kou
Released in 2004, this is Kou Shibasaki’s sixth single.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World,” it became a massive hit, enjoying a long run on the charts and reaching her personal best of No.
2 on the Oricon singles chart.
The drama was produced following the film’s huge success.
In fact, the catalyst for the original novel’s hit status was a review by Kou Shibasaki herself: “I read it all in one go, in tears.” It may have been inevitable that she would sing the theme for the drama adaptation.
“I will always be watching over you”—it’s a heartrending love song about feelings that cannot be conveyed directly.
Just by you being herekome kome CLUB
This is the 13th single by Kome Kome Club, used as the theme song for the 1992 drama “Sugao no Mama de.” Boosted by the drama’s huge success, starring Narumi Yasuda and Akina Nakamori, the single sold 2.895 million copies.
It was also performed at that year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, becoming a hot topic.
Its popularity shows no sign of fading, with many renowned artists covering it almost every year.
After a short intro, the sweet vocals begin immediately, irresistibly enchanting listeners.
It remains a timeless classic that doesn’t feel dated and continues to be loved by people of all ages.
Kiss meKOH+
The first single released by Kou Shibasaki as KOH+.
It was produced as the theme song for the drama Galileo, in which she stars.
The lyrics, composition, and production were all done by Masaharu Fukuyama—singer, actor, and the drama’s lead.
Taking into account the producer’s wish to end a drama themed around death with an upbeat song, as well as impressions drawn from Shibasaki’s live performances, the track was created and completed after two days of recording.
Masaharu Fukuyama also played guitar and provided backing vocals.
A collaboration between a top actress and a top actor—such a lavish pairing might be something we’ll never see again.
LOVE LOVE LOVEDREAMS COME TRUE
Released in 1995, this is DREAMS COME TRUE’s 18th single.
It was chosen as the theme song for the hit drama “Say You Love Me,” which portrays a poignant romance between a painter with a hearing impairment and a woman aspiring to be an actress, and it sold 2.489 million copies.
It became DREAMS COME TRUE’s biggest hit.
The song expresses the aching feelings of someone who can’t forget a beloved ex, wishing, “Even if it’s only in a dream, I want to see you.” Anyone who’s been through a painful love will surely relate from the very first lines.
When you want to fully sink into sadness, why not softly hum along?
I want to be kinder.Saitō Kazuyoshi
This is Kazuyoshi Saito’s 39th single, which became a major hit as the theme song for the 2011 drama “I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper,” a show that recorded over 40% viewership.
The electric guitar intro starts just as the unsettling expression of the housekeeper played by Nanako Matsushima appears on screen.
Many listeners likely couldn’t get that perfectly languid, natural vocal out of their heads.
“So I can make you smile, I want to become stronger and kinder”—the lyrics carry that sentiment, as if they’re words directed at the drama’s protagonist who has lost her smile.
It’s a classic worth revisiting while savoring the lyrics.
Maru-Maru-Mori-Mori!Kaoru to Tomoki, tama ni Mukku.
This song was a huge hit in 2011 as the theme for the drama “Marumo no Okite.” The Marumori Dance by Mana Ashida and Fuku Suzuki, who were six years old when the show aired, melted the hearts of adults.
The easy-to-copy choreography became a hot topic among children as well, and it was hugely popular as a performance piece at kindergarten recitals.
Both of them are now thriving as an actress and an actor.
Even when you see them as adults, many people probably find that their adorable voices from back then somehow resurface in the corner of their minds.
The world calls it love.Sambomasutā
This is Sambomaster’s fifth single, a song written specifically as the ending theme for the 2005 TV drama Densha Otoko.
The drama portrays the romance between a kindhearted Akihabara-style otaku and a beautiful office worker at a trading company.
“Love will change the days to come—your past doesn’t matter!” Backed by the internet community’s support, the protagonist bravely takes on unfamiliar territory in love, and many listeners have said they themselves were encouraged by Sambomaster’s powerful sound that plays as if cheering him on.
It’s an uplifting anthem to listen to when you want to break free from the fog and feel more positive.
rainbowFukuyama Masaharu
This is Masaharu Fukuyama’s 18th single, chosen as the theme song for the drama WATER BOYS.
The song, which evokes a bright summer sky and a refreshing breeze, perfectly matched the drama depicting a summer in the lives of high school boys in the swim club who, while clashing with one another, grow as they strive toward a single goal: a successful synchronized swimming performance.
With lyrics that seem to push you forward—“Let’s spread our wings beyond our ideals”—it’s a refreshing cheering anthem I’d like to dedicate to those working hard toward their dreams and goals, or those mustering the resolve to bloom once more.