Japanese Music Entrance Song Rankings [2026]

Let there be lightBURNOUT SYNDROMES15rank/position

BURNOUT SYNDROMES 'Hikari Are' Music Video TV Anime 'Haikyu!! Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy' Opening Theme

A song full of light and hope from BURNOUT SYNDROMES.

Released in November 2016, it’s also known as the opening theme for the popular anime Haikyu!!.

Its powerful rock sound and passionate vocals fill listeners with courage and energy.

Singing about the importance of taking on challenges toward your dreams and goals, this piece will gently encourage freshmen who feel anxious in a new environment.

Played at an elementary school entrance ceremony, it’s sure to make children’s eyes shine and heighten their excitement for the school life ahead.

It’s a song we’d love anyone taking a new step to hear.

GOBUMP OF CHICKEN16rank/position

BUMP OF CHICKEN「GO」

It’s a song whose warm lyrics gently embrace the clumsiness and setbacks we encounter in life.

Included on BUMP OF CHICKEN’s February 2016 album “Butterflies,” it explores themes of life’s hardships, hope, and the strength to move forward.

Also featured in the TV commercials for the game Granblue Fantasy and as the opening theme for its anime adaptation, the track powerfully captures a grand and beautiful worldview.

Its dignified sound and lyrics, combining brightness with a touch of melancholy, resonate deeply and gently encourage those about to take a new step—an uplifting anthem of support.

Far, far awayMakihara Noriyuki17rank/position

Tohku Tohku

Since its release in 1992, “Tōku Tōku” has been cherished as a classic school entrance song.

It’s a track that Noriyuki Makihara wrote for a friend living in a distant town.

While it may include terms unfamiliar to teenagers—like pay phones—the song’s portrayal of beautiful friendship makes it easy to relate to.

Incidentally, Makihara has recorded the song twice as a self-cover.

It can be fun to compare those versions.

Also worth noting: a track that sampled this song drew attention at the end of 2022.

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To tomorrowLittle Glee Monster18rank/position

Little Glee Monster “To Tomorrow” Short Ver.

There are times when you just want to feel healed by listening to a gentle ballad, right? In those moments, I highly recommend “Ashita e.” It’s a song by the vocal group Little Glee Monster.

The first half gently expresses feelings of anxiety, while the latter half powerfully conveys the determination to overcome those anxieties.

By the way, in the music video you can enjoy the raw audio as recorded.

It has a different vibe from the CD, so be sure to check it out as well.

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Before the departureWANIMA19rank/position

WANIMA 'Before the Departure' OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

This is a support song from WANIMA dedicated to everyone taking a new step forward.

It warmly conveys the greatness of getting back up again and again, and the importance of turning past failures and regrets into strength for the future.

WANIMA’s hallmark upbeat sound overflows with a refreshing energy that makes your body sway before you know it.

Released digitally in April 2021, the song was also chosen as the theme for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ “Fight! Kyushu” project.

It’s a track that gently gives a push to those starting a new chapter or facing challenges right now.

MasterpieceSCANDAL20rank/position

SCANDAL “Masterpiece” / Masterpiece – Music Video

A SCANDAL track whose powerful rock sound resonates in the heart.

Featured as the ending theme for STV’s show “Netsuretsu! Hot Sand!” and in a commercial for Fashion World Nishimura, this song was released in March 2019 on their own private label, her.

With lyrics about the courage to take on challenges and the importance of self-expression, it’s sure to encourage anyone feeling anxious ahead of entrance ceremonies or a new chapter in life.

The blend of powerful vocals and energetic performance makes it a perfect anthem to give you the courage to dive into a new environment.

In this season when spring is in the air, it’s a song we especially recommend to those taking their first steps forward.

voiceikimonogakari21rank/position

Ikimono-gakari - Koe

Ikimono-gakari, who have kicked off activities under their new lineup and are drawing attention through each member’s individual endeavors, wrote a new song as the anthem for the collaboration project “#CheeringIsASportThatDeliversFeelings” with the student sports support community service ANYTEAM.

The track was produced to coincide with 2023, when vocal cheering—restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic—was finally permitted again.

The lyrics capture both the feelings of those who cheer and the emotions of those being cheered on, making it a perfect fit for a student festival where youths are giving it their all.

With a refreshing melody and beat infused with a message that encourages proactive positivity, it’s a poppy, high-energy tune that adds color to the event.