I will say that for most of my life, I have been a big fan of anime, especially shonen anime. Everything about it is pure excitement, from the thrilling fights, to the complex world building, the unique premises each series has, and of course, the music. Anime tends to have some of the best original soundtracks of any medium. In this article, I am going to share with you a few of my favorite ones that I think you should go and check out.
1. Naruto/Naruto Shippuden
I’ll start with Naruto. I’ll include Naruto Shippuden in with this as well. Every anime tends to have an opening sequence, as well as an ending sequence, that feature songs from Japanese artists. Naruto, as well as Naruto Shippuden, both have some of the most iconic opening and ending sequences in all of anime. From Naruto’s second opening, which features “Seishun Kyousoukyoku” from Sambomaster, to Naruto Shippuden’s third opening, which features “Blue Bird” from Ikimonogakari.
The original songs created by composers Toshio Masuda (Naruto) and Yasuharu Takanashi (Naruto Shippuden) are truly iconic as well, especially that of the former. The theme that Naruto uses through out the show is an epic song that always helps set the seriousness of a scene. The silliness of songs like “Afternoon of Konoha” and “Fooling Mode” help give a more lighthearted slice of life feel to the show as well. At the same time, there are songs that help show off a more serious side to the show as well, like “Grief and Sorrow” and “Hokage’s Funeral”. Naruto/Naruto Shippuden will go down as one of the greatest anime of all time, and the amazing soundtracks that were used in both of these shows will only help to solidify that.
2. Attack on Titan
One of the most thrilling and impactful anime of the past ten years has been Attack on Titan, which some are even referring to as the greatest anime of all time. The selection of music used in this show helps that case. The opening songs used in this show were made for the show, and help give the openings the vibe that the show itself gives off.
The first two song openings were done by a band named Linked Horizon. The two songs, “Guren no Yumiya”, and “Shinzou wo Sasageyo”, are epic fight songs that help illustrate the fight for humanity that the characters are enduring in the show. The original soundtrack for the show was done by a composer named Hiroyuki Sawano. His blend of rock and electronic elements used in the show’s self titled theme, as well as the use of the German language in much of the music the show helps give many of the scenes in the show that epic feel (everything about this show is epic). Whether Attack on Titan is the greatest anime of all time is up for debate, but the soundtrack the show provides is unquestionably one of the best there have ever been.
3. Bleach
Bleach may possibly be my favorite anime of all time. I love the characters, their powers, and their designs. I love the story the show tells. And I also love the music. Shiro Sagisu did an incredible job with this soundtrack. Ichigo’s theme, “Number One”, is my favorite character theme of any anime. Many of the other character themes in the show is great as well.
One thing that makes Bleach so special, is the usage of other languages in the show. Not only are many of the characters and their powers’ names in Japanese, but also English, Spanish, and also German. Sagisu tries to incorporate this into the soundtrack with many of the songs as well. Between Bleach and my next pick and this list, the openings of the show are possibly my favorite of any anime. So many great anthems in this show. SID’s “Ranbu no Melody”, Miwa’s “chAngE”, and Aqua Timez’ “ALONES” as well as “Velonica” are nothing short of absolute bangers. Even the ending sequences are amazing as well. My favorite one is probably the first one, which features the song “Life is Like a Boat” by Rie fu. An incredible list of songs for one of the biggest anime of all time.
4. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is probably the wackiest anime that I’ve ever watched. And that is what makes it so beloved. The large community that the series has is evidence of that. While Bleach may have my favorite openings of any anime, my favorite anime soundtrack has to belong to this incredible show. Yugo Kanno, the second through fifth season’s composer, is an absolute genius. Giorno’s theme “il vento d’oro” is one of the most popular anime tracks ever, given it has over a 100 million views on YouTube as well as its place in pop culture.
Every track is so distinct and different and is just outrageously good. I love every single opening song for this show. Usually with anime, there are like a few that I feel indifferent towards, but not for this one. Every single track used is phenomenal. Just like Attack on Titan, the songs in the openings were made for this show, just like Attack on Titan. The first four were done by the JO☆STARS, each member getting their own song, and then all coming together on the fourth one. It’s all simply fantastic and I love everything about this show.
I love music, and thanks to anime, I’ve learned more about Japanese music and have been able to get into something I probably would not have found out about otherwise. If you’re reading this article, you should definitely go and check out some of the music I talked about in this article. Most of it can be found on Spotify.
What are some of your favorite anime soundtracks? Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
