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Kenshi Yonezu Ballad Songs: Popular Song Ranking [2026]
I’m a singer-songwriter and videographer who has been active since 2009.
I’ve also released songs under the name “Hachi” on sites like Nico Nico Douga, and I’ve become one of Japan’s leading male singers, winning the Excellence Album Award at the 57th Japan Record Awards, among other honors.
His talent was evident even back when he was making Vocaloid songs, and both his popularity and YouTube views are incredible.
This time, we take a closer look at him.
Based on authentic feedback from fans submitted to our site so far, we researched his most popular songs.
Here, we present a ranking of the tracks that received especially high praise.
Please enjoy.
Kenshi Yonezu Ballad Songs: Popular Song Rankings [2026] (1–10)
Ghost of the SeaYonezu Kenshi1rank/position
The song “Umi no Yuurei” (Spirits of the Sea) by Kenshi Yonezu was written as the theme for the 2019 theatrical anime film Children of the Sea.
It came about through an offer from Yonezu, who had loved the original manga since childhood.
This ballad evokes the grandeur and mystery of the ocean and reached No.
1 on both the Oricon and Billboard charts.
The single’s cover features artwork by Daisuke Igarashi, the creator of Children of the Sea.
LemonYonezu Kenshi2rank/position
Since its release in 2018, this mid-tempo number has been a long-running hit that cemented Kenshi Yonezu’s popularity.
Though it’s a song that depicts deep sorrow with the theme of parting, it continues to captivate listeners’ hearts even now.
Yonezu’s slightly languid vocal style is distinctive; to bring out the mood, the trick is to connect notes smoothly rather than cutting clearly between them.
Try delivering this dramatic, well-known masterpiece with cool confidence.
Eine KleineYonezu Kenshi3rank/position
Included on Kenshi Yonezu’s major-label debut album and still beloved by fans today is “Eine Kleine.” It’s also known as a karaoke staple.
This song is a bittersweet ballad that voices the fear of a relationship with a loved one falling apart.
It isn’t quite a breakup song; its subtly nuanced lyrics are likely why so many people relate to it.
Incidentally, the title “Eine Kleine” is German and carries the sense of “a girl who is not loved.” Knowing that gives the lyrics’ story a different hue, doesn’t it?
Horse and deerYonezu Kenshi4rank/position
Kenshi Yonezu is a singer-songwriter who enjoys immense popularity as a Vocaloid producer, and he garnered nationwide support with the massive success of his 8th single, “Lemon.” His 10th single, “Uma to Shika,” was created as the theme song for the TV drama “No Side Game,” and became a major hit, boosted by its collaboration with the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Though catchy, the melody is also complex, so you might only realize how challenging it is when you actually try singing it.
It’s a recommended ballad for men—one that delivers a heart-stirring message in a key that suits your own vocal range.
MetronomeYonezu Kenshi5rank/position
A gemlike ballad that gently captures the subtleties of meetings and partings.
It likens the relationship of two lovers to a metronome, meticulously portraying how hearts that once beat in unison gradually fall out of sync.
Kenshi Yonezu’s delicate vocals and memorable melodic lines convey the ache of love with nothing left unsaid.
Included on the album Bremen, released in October 2015, the song also garnered attention for its distinctive music video composed of hand-drawn illustrations.
It is a track that will surely resonate deeply with anyone suffering the pain of heartbreak or struggling with growing distance from someone dear.
orionYonezu Kenshi6rank/position
This song, which was used as the ending theme for the anime March Comes in Like a Lion, is a work by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu—also known for songs like Lemon and Kanden—and was released in 2017 as his sixth single.
As the title suggests, one of its charms is a clear, transparent sound that evokes a winter night sky.
And the lyrics overflow with the feeling of “I want to see that person”… it really hits you in the heart.
It’s a masterpiece where deep emotion and bittersweet sorrow surge in at the same time.
I was looking at the moon.Yonezu Kenshi7rank/position
Kenshi Yonezu, the singer-songwriter whose 2018 release “Lemon” was a huge hit.
His 2023 release “Tsuki wo Miteita” (“I Saw the Moon”) opens with a very striking, emotional intro featuring only soft vocals and piano.
The highlight is when the chorus arrives: the strings come in all at once, and his singing shifts to a more powerful tone.
Another must-hear moment is the development right after the chorus, where it pares back to just strings and piano.
Overall, there are many sections where you can enjoy the harmony between the piano and the other parts, so be sure to listen with that in mind!
fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi8rank/position
A single, fleeting yet beautiful song where DAOKO and Kenshi Yonezu’s talents resonate with each other.
It portrays a heart-wrenching sense of longing, as the fleeting brilliance of summer overlaps with memories of someone dear.
Released in August 2017 and beloved by many as the theme song for the animated film “Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?”, this track is perfect for moments when you want to reflect on days gone by—by the seaside at dusk, or under a starry sky.
Please give it a listen.
canaryYonezu Kenshi9rank/position
Released in August 2020, this gentle, heartwarming ballad closes out the landmark album STRAY SHEEP, which set the record of selling over two million copies.
It affirms the distance that unexpectedly came between people and the bewilderment of a changing everyday life, while portraying the resolve to keep moving forward through the image of birds letting their songs ring out.
The song was also chosen as the theme for NHK’s documentary program “Futari no Distance” (Two People’s Distance).
When you find yourself feeling a vague anxiety—wondering, “What’s going to happen from here?”—give it a listen.
It will surely wrap your heart in a softly glowing warmth.
globeYonezu Kenshi10rank/position
Kenshi Yonezu is a singer-songwriter whose immense presence has been indispensable to any discussion of J-POP since 2010.
Released in July 2023 as his 14th single, this song was written over the course of four years as the theme for Studio Ghibli’s film The Boy and the Heron (original title: How Do You Live?).
From the beginning of life to the profound sense of loss in parting from someone dear, its lyrics evoke an epic journey, reflecting a vision of hope that looks beyond sorrow toward the future.
It is a moving number that stays close to hearts sunk in the pain of despair and gives the strength to walk forward once again.