Masterpieces of poignant anime songs. Recommended popular tracks.
I think it’s quite common that listening to songs tied in with anime makes you recall the work they’re from.
If the story was a sad one, hearing the song can leave you feeling wistful.
Here, I’ve picked out some Japanese pop songs—melancholic anime tracks—that evoke that feeling.
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Masterpieces of melancholic anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (11–20)
Your SongYasuda Rei
One song that has been drawing attention for its strong storytelling is “Kimi no Uta.” This track was released by Rei Yasuda in 2020 and is also known as the theme song for the anime Natsume’s Book of Friends Roku.
The lyrics express a longing for a lover who has passed away.
In the music video, the deceased boyfriend returns to life, and the story depicts the couple spending a brief moment together.
The appeal lies in how viewers of the anime can listen while overlaying its story, and others can become emotionally invested in the MV’s narrative as well.
FIND THE WAYNakajima Mika
This is the song that was used as the ending theme for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
It’s a very popular track, beloved not only by anime fans but also by Mika Nakashima’s fans as a moving ballad.
It’s a song I especially want people who’ve experienced heartbreak to listen to.
WALTZryūgūjō
Guided by a waltz-like, otherworldly melody, this is a fleeting yet beautiful song.
As the first installment of Ryūgū-jō’s anime tie-in projects, it will be released in April 2025.
It has been chosen as the ending theme for the anime Black Butler: The Green Witch Arc.
Its poetic, multilayered worldbuilding and dramatically unfolding soundscape are all captivating and immersive.
Producer Ave-chan’s deft touch truly shines here.
It’s a track that makes you feel as if you’ve slipped into a different world from the one you know.
The Last Petal (The Meaning of Love)EGOIST
A song by EGOIST that tenderly sings of a bittersweet yet warm bond, as if overlaying the true meaning of love upon the last petal as it falls.
With its otherworldly piano melody and Chelly’s delicate yet resolute vocals, it portrays the preciousness of love that shines precisely because it has an end.
Released in April 2020 to celebrate vocalist Chelly’s birthday, this track also showcases a new side of the unit through a collaboration with Korean creator M2U.
On a night when you want to reflect on your relationship with someone important, listening to this piece may quietly lead you to recognize a steadfast form of love.
monologueOmoinotake
It’s a mid-tempo ballad with an oriental atmosphere, created by the band Omoinotake and released digitally in April 2025.
It was selected as the ending theme for the second cour of season 2 of the anime The Apothecary Diaries.
With its beautiful sound arrangement and Leo Fujii’s soaring vocals, it conveys sorrow and a sense of loss for one’s dearest person.
It’s a song I especially recommend to those who cherish the feelings they keep in their hearts.
single-minded; wholehearted; devoted; earnestKing Gnu
A masterpiece that brilliantly fuses fierce passion with fleeting poignancy.
Released in December 2021 as the theme song for the film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, this work powerfully conveys a pure, unwavering love.
Its devoted resolve—to sacrifice everything for the one you love—is portrayed through a dynamic progression that shakes the listener to the core.
It’s also striking how the relationship between the film’s protagonists, Yuta Okkotsu and Rika Orimoto, is sublimated into a uniquely crafted lyrical world.
An undying classic that resonates deeply with anyone in love.
Masterpieces of melancholy anime songs. Recommended popular tracks (21–30)
Boogie BackInoue Miyu
This is the ending theme of the Universe Survival Arc from the 2017 broadcast of the anime Dragon Ball Super, which became a hot topic thanks to the major breakthrough of then-newcomer Miyu Inoue.
Released in April of the same year as her memorable debut single, it sings of a bittersweet love set against the backdrop of the city streets.
The strong desire to see the one you love once more rides on her voice and reaches straight to the heart.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you’re looking back on the past yet hoping for the courage to step into tomorrow.