For When You Need a Good Cry: Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics — Life, Love, and Work

Write it as “regret,” read it as “future.”mafumafu

[MV] Regret Written as “Mirai” / Mafumafu

A rock ballad by Mafumafu that gently resonates with the hearts of those carrying sorrow and despair.

Through delicate lyrics and an emotional melody, it portrays the inner cries of a protagonist tormented by anguish so deep they wish for death, yet lacking even the courage to end their life.

Released in January 2021 and included on the album “Yoaiseki Universe,” the song was written for the smartphone rhythm game “Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat.

Hatsune Miku.” It is a track that tenderly embraces those who are exhausted by living or burdened by pain they cannot share with anyone around them.

Only on nights when I want to dieAina ji Endo

Aina the End – Only on Nights When I Want to Die [Official Music Video]

This is a heartwarming song that delicately portrays how the smile of someone precious comes to mind in moments when your heart feels like it might break amid an unremarkably passing everyday life.

Aina the End wrote and composed the song, with production by Shingo Sekiguchi of Ovall.

Her quietly companionable husky voice blends exquisitely with the warm acoustic sound.

Written in February 2020 as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS drama “Shinitai Yoru ni Kagitte” (“Only on the Nights I Want to Die”), Aina the End—who was a fan of the original work—carefully captured the story’s worldview.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you feel lonely, hopeless, or on the verge of breaking.

The presence of someone dear, and the warmth of shared memories, will surely become a source of support for your heart.

I can’t put it into wordsofukōsu

Kotoba Ni Dekinai

A gemlike ballad that gives voice to the ineffable emotions faced at love’s end.

Included on Off Course’s album “over,” released in December 1981, and later issued as their 23rd single in February 1982, this song gently portrays the subtle shifts of feeling that emerge through parting from someone dear.

The “la la la” that threads through the chorus is a striking phrase that reminds us how, at times, it can express the heart more eloquently than words.

Used in a Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance commercial, it has surely lingered in many listeners’ memories.

It’s a song that stands beside you through life’s many moments, embracing the complex emotions we feel—cherishing someone important, tenderness, and a sense of loss.

fireflySazan Ōrusutāzu

Southern All Stars – Firefly [Live at Miyagi Stadium, 2013]

Since their debut, Southern All Stars, a five-member rock band that epitomizes summer in the J-pop scene, have continued to captivate fans.

“Hotaru,” included on their 54th single “Peace and Highlight,” was chosen as the theme song for the film The Eternal Zero.

Its lyrics, evoking farewells with loved ones and prayers for peace, are sure to resonate with many listeners on a personal level.

With a gentle yet heartrending message and melody that stirs the soul, it’s a ballad that feels sentimental while still conveying a sense of positivity.

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Hoshino Takashi

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single bedSha ran Q

Sharam Q “Single Bed” (Music Video)

A melodious ballad that poignantly portrays the feelings of a man who, after heartbreak, can’t bring himself to step into a new love.

The single bed etched with memories of his beloved now stands as a symbol of lonely solitude.

The simple, everyday happiness they once shared, and the aching longing for someone who has now become distant, tighten the chest.

Released by Sharam Q in October 1994, this song was used as the ending theme for the anime D·N·A² and is also included on the album “Inferiority Complex.” It’s a song that gently supports those who are trying to move forward while looking back on a past love, and those who have experienced parting with someone dear.

Twilight NostalgiaNaoto Intiraymi

Naoto Inti Raymi “Evening Nostalgia” Lyric Video

The phrase “unpretentious cool” feels like it was made for Naoto Inti Raymi, doesn’t it? His songs are always packed with positive messages like courage, gratitude, and kindness, and this track, “Yūgure Nostalgia,” seems to hold all of them at once.

With lyrics that gently say things like, “Life can be complicated, but when the sun sets, maybe it’s okay to forget it all for a moment,” it will surely soothe the weariness of your day.

The tender, word-wise opening hook might just make you cry if you hear it unexpectedly.

Where does our sorrow go?Harukamirai

Harukamirai – Where Does Our Sorrow Go (Official Music Video)

Harukamirai’s soul-stirring cries, rooted in their unique worldview, strike straight to the heart.

While reflecting the anxieties and chaos of society, the song carries a strong will to keep moving forward and a desire to protect cherished companions.

Conveying the importance of holding on to hope even amid struggle, this work fuses punk rock with emotional elements to deliver a powerful sound that shakes the listener.

Included on the album “Living Is About Holding Onto a Hope as Small as a Booger,” released in February 2025, it marks a new frontier for a band with a track record that includes theme and insert songs for the film “Rin.” This is a message song that resonates with everyone who, despite feeling loneliness and anxiety, still wants to face forward and live.