Masterpieces of poignant anime songs. Recommended popular tracks.

DearestAyumi Hamasaki

Inuyasha & Kikyo “Dearest”_ One Last Tribute to Kikyo

It’s the ending theme of the anime Inuyasha.

It features a weighty accompaniment and Ayumi Hamasaki’s resonant vocals.

The melody is sorrowful, and the lyrics are on the heavier side.

The song’s worldview seems to connect with the work itself, and it brings tears to your eyes.

By all means, watch the anime first and then give it a listen.

frecklesJUDY AND MARY

Freckles – JUDY AND MARY (Full)

It’s a slightly bittersweet yet catchy anime song about how, no matter what, you just can’t remember the face of someone who should have been important.

It’s one of the signature tracks by JUDY AND MARY, the rock band that led Japan’s music scene in the late ’90s, released as their ninth single in 1996.

Chosen as the opening theme for the anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story, it became a big hit.

YUKI’s buoyant vocals are truly wonderful, aren’t they? It’s still a classic that ranks high on karaoke charts today.

Your Memorymao

Hakuoki: Your Memory [Recollection, Part Two] Hijikata × Chizuru YouTube via torchbrowser.com Monarudo

It’s a heart-wrenching number that blends pure love and heartbreak, singing, “No matter how much time passes, I’m thinking of you.” The song is by mao, a singer also known for performing “Yume o Kanaete Doraemon,” and it was released in 2010 as her third single.

It was used as the ending theme for the anime Hakuoki, which is based on a romance game.

The melody carries a traditional Japanese atmosphere that suits the work, and mao’s gentle vocals fit perfectly, stirring the emotions.

We all want to stay happily in love with the person we care about forever, don’t we…?

A Naked HeartAimyon

Aimyon – Naked Heart [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This is a work that teaches you the importance of being honest with your feelings.

It’s a hit number by Aimyon, a singer-songwriter from Hyogo Prefecture, released in 2020 as her 10th single.

It was chosen as the theme song for the drama “My Housekeeper Nagisa-san.” The lyrics and vocals seep into you, as if the emotions in your heart are spilling out one by one—simply irresistible.

Even when you think “I won’t do it again,” love makes you do it anyway.

If you’re in love right now, or nursing a crush, this song will resonate with you all the more.

You are... not here.Minami Kuribayashi

School Days - You... Aren’t Here (original Japanese lyrics, Chinese adaptation)

It’s a sad unrequited love song about liking someone who likes someone else—not me.

The track was used as the ending theme for the anime based on the game “School Days,” and it’s sung by Minami Kuribayashi, who is also active as a voice actress.

It’s included on her second album, “passage,” released in 2006.

Her heartrending vocals, so fragile they seem like they might fade away, really tug at your heartstrings.

It’s painful when your feelings don’t reach the person you care about, isn’t it? Give it a listen when you want to have a good cry.

The forest where you wereSea of Trees

The Forest Where You Were - Fate/stay night ED with lyrics

This song was used as the ending theme for the anime Fate/stay night.

It’s the debut single of Jukai, a music duo from Osaka, released in 2006.

No matter how far you reach, your image fades away… The lyrics portray such fleeting scenes and feelings, tugging at the heartstrings.

No matter how much you think about it, you can’t do anything, and nothing goes back to the way it was.

Listening to it right after a breakup will likely draw you even deeper into the song’s world.

Deep loveNana Mizuki

Deep Affection / Nana Mizuki

A track by Nana Mizuki, a queen of the anison world and an accomplished voice actress.

It was used as the opening theme for the first season of the anime WHITE ALBUM.

Written specifically to match the anime’s imagery, this song is a ballad that conveys Nana Mizuki’s beautiful artistic world.

It tells of a sudden parting from someone you thought you’d always be with.

Yet the love for that person never fades and will continue on forever—just as the title suggests, it sings of deep, enduring love.

Even after a breakup, the love for the other person doesn’t disappear—something many people experience in heartbreak.

This song gently embraces those feelings.