Carefully selected recommendations of Kenshi Yonezu’s songs and unforgettable masterpieces

peace signYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Peace Sign

Peace Sign was written as the opening theme for the TV anime My Hero Academia.

Set to a driving guitar-rock sound, it depicts the resolve to become stronger for someone important while confronting past inadequacies and weakness.

Its straightforward message resonates in the chest, as if giving listeners a powerful push forward.

Released as a single in June 2017, the song was crafted with a classic, anison-inspired feel, reflecting Kenshi Yonezu’s childhood admiration for anime songs.

In October 2024, its music video surpassed 300 million views, a testament to its lasting popularity.

It’s an energetic number perfect for when you want to shift your mindset positively or need a boost of courage.

MetronomeYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

A singer-songwriter who continues to captivate music fans with overwhelming artistry, Kenshi Yonezu’s songs never fail to impress.

Featured on his third album, Bremen, released in October 2015, this track enjoys strong popularity among fans as a hidden gem.

Its worldview likens the gradual misalignment of two people’s rhythms to tools that mark time, packing into it the bittersweetness of human relationships that everyone experiences.

The music video—featuring around 200 illustrations drawn by Yonezu himself—is also striking, visually pulling you into its heartrending story.

It’s a gentle yet earnest ballad that offers solace to those who know the pain of growing apart, or who still carry lingering feelings for a past love.

I was looking at the moon.Yonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – I Was Looking at the Moon / Moongazing

Written as the theme song for the popular RPG FINAL FANTASY XVI and released digitally in June 2023, this piece captivates with a profound immersion in the game’s world and a solemn resonance that stirs the heart—refined over roughly three years in collaboration with the game’s producer.

The weighty orchestral sound and Kenshi Yonezu’s emotionally wrung vocals leave a strong impression, making it the kind of song you’ll want to sit with alone on a quiet night.

Its dramatic melodic contours demand delicate expressive control, so it might be a bit challenging to sing at karaoke—but that only heightens the catharsis when you manage to carry it through.

It’s an emotional masterpiece, perfect for savoring the afterglow of an epic story or for quietly engaging with music on a deeper level.

Horse and deerYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Horse and Deer

It’s a grand number also included on the 5th album STRAY SHEEP, where weighty strings entwine with an earthy, tribal beat.

The sound, which conveys a gritty determination to push forward through adversity, really shakes the listener’s heart.

Released as a single in September 2019, the song was written as the theme for the drama No Side Game.

Its lyrics, depicting the struggle to keep fighting even while hurt, carry a universal power that resonates not only in sports scenes but with anyone holding on in everyday life.

When you need to fire yourself up or face a moment you absolutely can’t lose, it will undoubtedly give you a powerful shove from behind.

With Kenshi Yonezu’s emotional vocals echoing in your chest, it’s a soul-stirring track through and through.

AzaleaYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Azalea

This song was written as the theme for the Netflix series “Sayonara no Tsuzuki.” Released digitally in November 2024, about three months after the album LOST CORNER, it drew attention for earning the artist’s 16th No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Digital Singles chart.

Its bittersweet yet warm world, themed around the distance between loss and love, seeps into the heart, complemented by a calm sound co-arranged with Yaffle.

The gentle piano tones and restrained beats are soothing—perfect for immersing yourself in the quiet before dawn or for nights when you’re thinking of someone special.

Rather than flashy developments, the song cherishes delicate emotional nuances, so take your time to savor the subtle feelings woven into the lyrics.

POP SONGYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – POP SONG / Kenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu is a creator who not only works as a singer-songwriter but also handles illustration and video production.

Written specifically as a song for a PlayStation commercial, this track captivates with its distinctive sound—comical yet tinged with an unsettling atmosphere.

It was released digitally in February 2022 and was later included on the single M87 and the album LOST CORNER.

Over an extremely emphasized shuffle beat, the freely roaming melody line is nothing short of breathtaking.

In the commercial, Yonezu himself transforms into a character he designed, embodying a game-like world, which also became a major talking point.

Give it a listen when you want to add a bit of playfulness and excitement to your everyday life.

Donut holeYonezu Kenshi

Doughnut Hole (Cover)

This track is included on the album “YANKEE.” Originally released in October 2013 under the Vocaloid producer name “Hachi,” it was later self-covered by Kenshi Yonezu himself with a full band sound.

The way it channels a sense of loss through the motif of a donut hole, set against a propulsive, fast-paced beat, is masterful.

Unlike the Vocaloid version, Yonezu’s own voice layers bring the lyrics’ poignancy across more directly.

In 2024, a new music video was released in collaboration with GODIVA, but the album version, released in April 2014, has continued to be loved for years.

The contrast between the complex rhythms and the soaring, liberating chorus is deeply satisfying—an uplifting tune you’ll want to play when you need a boost.