Masterpieces of poignant anime songs. Recommended popular tracks.

100% CourageNYC

[Cheering Song] 100% Courage / Nintama Rantarō [covered by Yūki Kuroki]

This is a song that makes you feel like you just have to be brave.

It’s so straightforward that it cheers you up whether you like it or not.

It seems like a song that could lift the spirits of a woman heartbroken after a breakup.

Isn’t it a classic? I’ve been listening to it since I was little, so it’s a song I still want to listen to from time to time.

FIND THE WAYNakajima Mika

Mika Nakashima 'FIND THE WAY' HQ

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.

1/2Kawamoto Makoto

1/2 Makoto Kawamoto - Guitar [Rurouni Kenshin] Cover

It’s a classic song I’ve been listening to since I was little.

The tempo and the lyrics make it super upbeat.

Kawamoto-san’s clear, pure voice makes it one of those songs that brightens your mood.

I think it’s great to listen to after a breakup—it lifts your spirits a bit.

Name of LifeKimura Yumi

[Vietsub] Inochi no Namae – Name of Life

It’s a hidden gem from Spirited Away, a representative Japanese animated film that became a worldwide hit.

It’s sung by Yumi Kimura, who also performs the main theme, Always With Me.

Her clear, pure voice pairs beautifully with lyrics that feel like they’ve stepped out of a work of literary fiction.

RainHata Motohiro

Rain

It’s a song whose sound of rain seeps into the heart.

Sung powerfully by Motohiro Hata, this piece was originally a masterpiece released to the world by Senri Oe on his 1988 album “1234,” with Hata’s version included on his May 2013 single “Kotonoha.” It graced the ending of the animated film “The Garden of Words,” captivating fans.

The ineffable pangs of sorrow and the subtleties of the heart are delicately portrayed alongside rainy scenes, and that frustrating sense of longing tightens the chest.

Perfect for gazing at a summer downpour lost in thought, or for nights when you want to shed tears over a love that has passed.

Galaxy Express 999Godiego

Godiego ♪Galaxy Express 999♪

The anime that chose Godiego—who were at the height of their popularity at the time—to sing its theme song is Galaxy Express 999.

As you know, it’s a space-spanning adventure fantasy, and this song fits its world perfectly; just listening to it makes my heart flutter.

Full of dreamsSeki Yumiko

OP1 – Full of Dreams

Yumiko Seki’s “Yume Ippai” is still a truly wonderful song even today.

It’s also known as the first theme song of the popular anime Chibi Maruko-chan, which is still on the air.

The lyrics are absolutely fantastic and perfectly match the worldview of the early Chibi Maruko-chan.