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[Hip-Hop] A roundup of anime with rap episodes!

With TV shows like Freestyle Dungeon gaining attention, the hip-hop scene has been heating up in recent years.

Hip-hop artists are often tapped for anime theme songs, too.

Hearing a cool flow really amps up the excitement for the series!

In this article, we’ve rounded up anime that feature scenes with characters rapping.

These are what you might call “rap episodes.”

You might even be surprised—“Wait, that anime has a rap episode?!”

Be sure to read to the end and check them out!

[Hip-Hop] A roundup of anime that feature rap episodes! (11–20)

Crayon Shin-chan

Yuzu “Muscat” Music Video
Crayon Shin-chan

Even the now-nationally beloved anime Crayon Shin-chan features rap scenes.

Did you know that in the original manga by Yoshito Usui, references to popular songs and TV shows of the time, as well as parodies of other manga like Dragon Ball, are sprinkled throughout? Both the TV anime and the films share this style.

In the anime’s rap scenes, subtitles are added to the lyrics—likely out of consideration for young children—and those subtitles look just like Freestyle Dungeon’s.

It seems they’re incorporating rap as a parody.

Doraemon

Gen Hoshino – Doraemon (Official Video)
Doraemon

Even the universally beloved anime Doraemon featured a rap scene in a 2019 special.

Since Subaru Kimura—who also voices characters in the rap-themed hit anime Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle—plays Gian, he performed a rap.

Then Tomokazu Seki, who voices Suneo, and Sho Hayami, who played a guest character, followed with their own performances.

It seems Kimura gave Seki and Hayami a lesson on rap vocal techniques.

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

The legendary “Turtle Rap” that anime fans still talk about has exploded onto the scene.

In episode 13 of the TV anime adaptation of Weekly Shonen Jump’s popular gag manga Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, there’s a rap scene performed by the protagonist Bo-bobo and Don Patch that remains a fan favorite.

The scene originally appeared in the manga, and Don Patch suddenly starts rapping out of nowhere.

At first he rides the rhythm and rhymes properly, but gradually it becomes unclear what he’s even talking about.

In the end, he ignores both rhythm and beat, repeatedly shouting bizarre onomatopoeia like “meke meke,” and that’s how it ends.

It really showcased the raw power of Masaya Onosaka, the voice actor for this character!

Prison School

In the bizarre blend of surreal gags and serious moments that is Prison School, Gakuto—voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi—does a rap in episode 4.

That said, it isn’t a scene where he’s “performing hip-hop”; it’s strictly a diversion to help the protagonists’ plan succeed.

Rather than focusing on rhyme or rhythm, he mostly just shouts his head off.

Even so, the prison setting and the way he rattles the chain-link fence to intimidate people might actually bring it closer to the world of real hip-hop.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GO RUSH!!

[TV Anime] Yu-Gi-Oh! GO RUSH!! Episode 1: "This Is the Alien Trouble Consultation Office!" [Missed Broadcast Streaming]
Yu-Gi-Oh! GO RUSH!!

Yu-Gi-Oh!, based on the manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump by Kazuki Takahashi, has spawned a card game loved around the world.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! GO RUSH!!, which has been airing on TV Tokyo since 2022, Yuga Oudou and his younger sister Yuamu perform an adorable rap back-and-forth.

It isn’t presented in a battle style or a street style; instead, rap is incorporated purely as a vocal technique, making it a pleasure to listen to.

Unforced and unedgy, their cute rap has a Japanese pop vibe that’s really charming.

D4DJ

TV Anime 'D4DJ First Mix' OP 'Guruguru DJ TURN!!'
D4DJ

D4DJ is a project that unfolds across various media with a DJ concept.

As you might expect, the anime version includes a rap scene.

Like many other anime, a rap battle kicks off with staging reminiscent of Freestyle Dungeon, but the twist is that the characters engage in a heartfelt dialogue through music, leading to a happy ending.

Rap isn’t only about battles.

Rhyme and flow matter, of course, but there’s also a way to listen carefully to what the other person is saying and respond in a way that truly reaches them.

[Hip-Hop] A roundup of anime with rap episodes! (21–30)

OtonokeCreepy Nuts

Creepy Nuts – Otonoke [Official MV] [Dandadan Opening]
OtonokeCreepy Nuts

A thrilling track from Creepy Nuts where music and the uncanny fuse flawlessly.

Skillfully weaving in elements of the occult and suspense, it draws you into an eerie, mysterious world on the pulse of hip-hop rhythms.

Like a ghost story that lingers in the mind, its spellbinding blend of sound and words feels as if it ensnares the listener.

DJ Matsunaga’s delicate beats and R-Shitei’s meticulous wordplay present the consummate form of a musical anomaly.

Airing as the opening theme for the TV anime Dandadan starting in October 2024, it meshes perfectly with the world of a Jump series.

It’s a must-listen not only for fans of works themed around apparitions and the supernatural, but also for listeners seeking innovative musical expression.

In conclusion

Weren’t there more than you expected? Plus, it feels like there are especially many recent works.

Thanks to artists’ success, TV shows, and online streaming events, rap and hip-hop have probably become more familiar to people! If you know of anything not listed here, please let us know via the contact form!