In 2023, we witnessed long-awaited anime continuations, such as the six-year-awaited Masamune-kun no Revenge R, alongside impactful conclusions, i.e., Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). As a spoiler though, while these two anime had some great contending songs, they didn’t make the cut. So which songs did?

As we bid farewell to the year, let’s celebrate the top 25 anime opening and ending songs, presented in no particular order!

slash

yama

CDJapan

yama’s explosive song provides a powerful blend of emotional depth and unwavering determination. Experience the duality of yama’s excellent voice for one of the most progressive Gundam series.

The Book 3

YOASOBI

CDJapan

As the flagship of the spring anime season, YOASOBI undeniably stole the spotlight with their electrifying song, Idol. It also hit the top spot on Apple’s global music charts, serving as the anthem for the equally popular anime, Oshi no Ko.

NEW DAWN

coldrain

iTunes

coldrain brings a real heavy-hitter that seamlessly complements the intensity of the “Bastard!!” series.

SEIEN

Lenny code fiction

CDJapan

The rebellious band Lenny code fiction contributes the exceptionally stylish rock song SEIEN, making it a great match for the personality of the anime’s misfit protagonist.

Endroll

Kamiyama Yoh

CDJapan

Endroll, which normally is referred to as the rolling end credits, is a chaotic and spooky piece with a comedic music video.

innocent arrogance

BiSH

iTunes

The rebellious punk idol group, BiSH, hits with the dramatic and emotional opening theme song, innocent arrogance.

NOIXE

NANO

CDJapan

NANO never fails to deliver empowering and determined songs, and with Evolution, this is no exception! Don’t forget to catch our in-depth interview with NANO, where we unravel NANO’s mysterious dark side.

Kizuna no Kiseki / Koi Kogare

MAN WITH A MISSION , milet

CDJapan

The energetic collaborative song Kizuna no Kiseki, featuring MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, was created to embody the male and female protagonists of the series. You can learn more about the song through our interview with MAN WITH A MISSION.

Sarracenia

SKY-HI

CDJapan

Accommodating the fighting spirit of Baki, SKY-HI’s Sarracenia is about embracing life to the fullest, rejecting halfheartedness, and portrayed with a comedic, old-school martial arts movie flair.

Catch Up

WANIMA

CDJapan

WANIMA’s full-spirited song Natsuake is such an uplifting rumble. You can experience this song in a one-take performance over at THE FIRST TAKE.

LUCK LIFE

Luck Life

CDJapan

℃ is a coming-of-age song that explores confronting challenges, learning, and discovering strength and support in the company of a significant other. This song captures all the feel-good emotions!

10/4

LONGMAN

CDJapan

Spiral, an emotionally charged and heartwarming composition, taking a similar underlying motif to the Mushoku Tensei anime. In the anime, this song seamlessly integrates itself, both with the accommodated visuals and in terms of timing.

01

QUEEN BEE (Ziyoou-vachi)

CDJapan

Zero ichi (01) offers melancholic tunes with a sense of desperation. It delves into change, mortality, and love’s complexities, blending poetic reflections with a determination to embrace new beginnings amid life’s unpredictable twists.

PLAYDEAD

SiM

iTunes

SiM’s piece RED does an excellent job in capturing the essence of the martial arts anime Kengan Ashura; the song is powerful and confidently arrogant. Catch our report of SiM’s recent prestigious performance during their US Tour, or our interview with the band last year.

BROKEN GAMES

FZMZ

CDJapan

The new super band FZMZ (pronounced “Fathoms”) brings their first single BROKEN GAMES to the market. They’re mysteriously comprised of “five artists at the forefront of the music scene, who have created big hits both domestically and internationally”. The main vocalist sure remind us of a certain someone.

salvia

Nornis

CDJapan

Nornis, a duo featuring Nijisanji members Inui Toko and Machita Chima, presents the enchanting song salvia. It is composed and mixed by the renowned Masahiro “Godspeed” Aoki. Of course, the song gets the treatment of impeccably crafted symphonic instrumentals, and a poignant, powerful guitar solo.

Ureshii Koe wo Honno Chotto

嬉しい声をほんのちょっと

Chiai Fujikawa

CDJapan

Chiai Fujikawa’s performance of Ai no Uta (Song of Love) delves into the intricate layers of love, exploring its cruel aspects and posing unanswerable questions. It ties well into the anime My Home Hero, which touches on family relationship, in a dramatic fashion.

Dear

JUNNA

CDJapan

iTunes

HMV

The song Dear is a vocally intricate and demanding masterpiece, evoking a sense of wonder and an enchanting atmosphere. For this song, JUNNA put herself into the shoes of the anime main character, unifying both anime and music, to capture the true essence. In JUNNA’s first-ever interview conducted in English, she shared how she overcame the hardship of recording this difficult song.

Shinda!

死んだ!

Oishi Masayoshi

CDJapan

With a straightforward reference to the anime, the song “Shinda!” (Dead!) serves as opening theme for the anime “Yuusha ga Shinda!” (The Legendary Hero Is Dead!). Oishi Masayoshi takes the opportunity to create a spooky Halloween song that touches on life struggles, where one is falling apart, both physically and emotionally.

Loud Hailer

ラウドヘイラー

Uchida Maaya

CDJapan

The ending theme song Loud Hailer is a fast-paced, energetic rock song with formidable composition and arrangement by Watanabe Sho, who previously has provided his work for top anisong singers such as LiSA. While the anime itself is nothing to brag about, the theme songs the anime is joined by are exceptionally superb…which is why the next song on the list comes from the same anime!

Dystopia

Sizuk

iTunes

The song Dystopia captivates with a poignant sound, driven by the beautiful piano and the soulful vocals of AYAME from the band Alia.

Flashback

フラッシュバック

saji

iTunes

saji delivers mellow yet strong vocals for the catchy and jazzy rock song, Flashback, serving as the ending theme song for the fantasy anime Ayaka. Formerly known as phatmans after school, the band’s infectious sound still remains!

Hakai Zenya no Koto

破壊前夜のこと

asmi

iTunes

With charming and bittersweet vocals, asmi tells a story about the desire for genuine and meaningful connection, beyond the surface of what people see about oneself on social media—a futile love unfolds.

Red Liberation

fripSide

CDJapan

fripSide’s two new vocalists are in perfect harmony with the powerful voice of Mao Uesugi, and the gentle voice of Hisayo Abe. Together, their vocal blend makes a strong impact with Red Liberation.

Tetsu no Ori

鉄の檻

GRANRODEO

CDJapan

Tetsu no Ori is perhaps GRANRODEO’s heaviest song to date and brings a lot of attitude to the table! With a mix of heavy metal and Indian musical scales, it screams power! We wouldn’t mind catching their concert again! If you don’t mind walking down the memory lane, you can read our interview with the band from 2019.

Alea jacta est

Ave Mujica

CDJapan

OTOTOY

iTunes

Ave Mujica from the BanG Dream! franchise, is a band existing in both fiction and reality, centering around a dark theme. In episode 13 of the anime, they performed the self-titled track “Ave Mujica”, part of the amazing EP Alea jacta est. Despite the EP only consisting of five songs, it’s a CD we’ve put on repeat far too many times!

We hope you liked our picks! Leave a comment below if we missed your favorite anisong!

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