[Departure] A Special Feature on Anime Songs to Hear at Graduation Ceremonies [Tearjerkers]

MemoriesNakanoke no Itsutsugo

Memories

If you’re looking for an anime song to stay by your side in that heart-swelling moment on graduation day, I recommend this one.

Featured on the EP “Quintessential Smiles EP,” released in September 2024 as a theme song for The Quintessential Quintuplets*, it’s sung by the five Nakano sisters.

Their layered harmonies are packed with the bonds forged by friends who have shared the same time together.

This song doesn’t just dwell on nostalgia—it warmly affirms that the days you’ve accumulated have shaped who you are now.

After-school laughter with friends, the challenges you overcame together, each casual conversation—while holding those treasure-like memories close, you’ll find the courage to take a new step forward.

For everyone standing at the milestone of graduation, give it a listen when you want to savor the preciousness of the time spent with your companions.

Sketchaimyon

AIMYON – Sketch [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A ballad penned by Aimyon as the theme song for Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Picture-World Story, released in March 2025.

Resonating with the film’s motif of a “world of pictures,” it gently portrays the warmth of the days Doraemon and Nobita have shared.

The lyrics carefully capture quiet, everyday moments not shown in the film, such as Nobita dozing off with his glasses still on, and Doraemon watching over him with a tender gaze.

Released as the title track of her 17th single, the single also includes an insert song.

With Aimyon providing both the theme and the insert song, the film is richly colored by her music.

It’s a perfect song for those looking to reflect on irreplaceable days with a dear friend at the milestone of graduation.

Song Not to Forgetmakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu 'Wasurena Uta' MV

Graduation is a send-off—meaning it’s also a new starting line.

At such a milestone, I highly recommend the ending theme of the TV anime “Oblivion Battery” by Macaroni Empitsu.

It was surprise-released in April 2024 alongside the start of the broadcast, and later included on the EP “Bokura no Namida nara Sora ni Umeyou.” Its appeal lies in a perfect balance: it raises the heat of youth head-on without forcing emotion.

Written and composed by vocalist Hattori, it’s a poignant yet powerful track that holds both the memories we never want to forget and the cruelty of time that will inevitably fade them.

Though it’s a tie-in for a series about high school baseball, it’s recommended for anyone who wants to etch their irreplaceable days into their heart.

Listen as you linger in the afterglow of graduation, and you’ll likely find tears falling.

piece of youthChouCho

ChouCho – piece of youth (Acoustic ver.) (Girls und Panzer: The Movie theme song)

A moving number featuring ChouCho’s gentle vocals, used as the theme song for the anime film Girls und Panzer: The Movie.

Every day up to graduation was so intense that we could hardly think about tomorrow—tough, yet full of joy.

This is a song that lets you believe those days will shape the future starting tomorrow.

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ContrastTOMOO

TOMOO – Contrast [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A mid-tempo ballad centered on piano and vocals that tenderly captures the complex emotions of youth.

Created by TOMOO, this piece was written as the ending theme for the second cour of the TV anime “Blue Box,” airing in January 2025.

Joy and loneliness, the frustration of being close yet out of reach, feelings swaying between bravado and true thoughts—these conflicting emotions are depicted as they coexist, unfolding with the passage of time.

As TOMOO herself says, it was made “as if co-written by my teenage self and my present self,” blending past impulses with a current perspective to gently resonate with listeners’ memories.

It’s perfect for graduation season, when you find yourself wanting to revisit feelings you couldn’t put into words and the person you used to be.

Recommended for anyone who wants to softly illuminate the light and shadow in their heart before stepping into somewhere new.

So PreciousAsaka

Asaka “So Precious” Music Video Full ver. (TV Anime “Laid-Back Camp Season 3” Ending Theme)

Asaka’s 15th single, released in April 2024 as the ending theme for the TV anime Laid-Back Camp Season 3.

Having previously handled the series’ opening themes, this is her first challenge as an ending theme.

The lyrics and composition were created by Eri Sasaki and Hiro Nakamura, who have both been involved with the series’ endings.

It evokes a calm, gentle atmosphere—like the quiet feeling on the way home from a camping trip—that sinks into your heart.

The song expresses “the warmth that lingers at the end of a journey,” and Asaka’s restrained yet resolute vocals gently nudge you toward your next step.

When you reach a milestone like graduation, there’s that moment when the sadness of parting and the excitement of a new departure well up at the same time.

This track tenderly accompanies those complex emotions, making it a recommended listen for anyone who wants to quietly reflect on memories with friends.

Dwelling of LightYasuda Rei

Rei Yasuda “Hikari no Sumika” Music Video — TV Anime “The Blue Jewels” Opening Theme

Just as gemstones are formed over eons, people too spend long years discovering a brilliance that is uniquely their own.

Carrying that message, Rei Yasuda’s track has been selected as the opening theme for the TV anime “Ruri no Houseki” starting in July 2025.

Interweaving natural motifs like wind and rain, the song expresses a determined desire to seek what one lacks and someday reach a place filled with light.

Her clear, transparent vocals ride atop a grand soundscape, resonating with a warmth that gently encourages the listener.

It’s a song we especially want to share with those facing the milestone of graduation and about to set off on a new path.

Why not walk your journey of slowly discovering your true self together with this piece?