Hello dear readers and welcome to part three of my Anime Jukebox series where I’ll be introducing you to another five of my favourite musical tracks used in anime. This month’s selections once again feature a wide range of musical genres, so get your headphones on and join me for a listen to some top tunage!
This is now the third of these posts and I have to say I’m really enjoying writing them. One of the reasons for this is that I have spent so long putting together anime playlists that it makes me really happy to be able to finally share them with you. Just in case you missed part one, you can check it out here, and part two here.
As I’ve said in these posts before, you don’t have to be into anime to get something from the music, and there are so many different styles and genres here that there’s probably something for everyone. Before I started paying attention to anime music I didn’t listen to much Japanese stuff, but it has actually provided an excellent place to start exploring the country’s music that I never would otherwise have had, so I really hope you’ll give some of these tracks a listen and maybe even find a new band to get into as a result!
Now on with the music!
Life by Rude-α
Featured in Dr Stone
More Dr Stone music for you today and this time it is a really cool, laid back rap track that fits with the series weirdly well. I’m not particularly a fan of rap but I do think it works well with the Japanese language. I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a classic song, and nor is it the best track to feature in the series, but its inclusion was timed perfectly to fit with a particular plot line in the show’s first series which for me gave it a notable emotional weight, and when I hear it now it always reminds me of that stuff. Plot points aside I just really like the vibe of it and it definitely brings with it a feeling of summer and lazy days in the sunshine combined with a bit of low-key melancholy.
Re:Re: by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Featured in Erased
This was I think quite a big hit before it featured in Erased, and was used in the show to reflect the period of time in which the majority of the show is set. It’s pretty easy to see why this was a popular indie song back in the early 2000’s. It has a nice guitar hook and super catchy verses, plus a nice beat that I think would be great to bop along to at a gig or a nightclub. The video I’ve included here is in fact a live performance of the song and you can see how into it the audience get. For me this song is a bit of a funny one because it makes me really happy every time I hear it despite me having no idea what it’s about. It’s not like the anime is a particularly happy one, so I think it is the music itself that puts a smile on my face.
H.T by Tsuneo Imahori
Featured in Trigun
A classic anime theme from my favourite anime series of all time, this just has such a drive to it. It kicks in straight away with an awesome heavy guitar riff and then slows down into a cool groove. It is almost entirely instrumental, with guitars wandering between rock, prog and maybe jazz, with the occasional little “woah” thrown in for good measure that somehow make it catchy despite mostly being a big awesome barrel of noise. Trigun doesn’t really do anything by halves and this really suits the show’s energy and eccentricity.
Mouretsu Space Symphony in Seven Movements “Infinite Love” by Momoiro Clover Z
Featured in Bodacious Space Pirates
Fitting a whole seven movements into less than six minutes was always going to make this song somewhat bonkers, but thankfully it is bonkers in the best possible way. One of my favourite ever anime themes, it is fast, furious and absolutely all over the place, but it is so massive that it is hard not to love it. It is hard to define what genre it is, crossing space metal with a ghost choir and adding a sprinkling of awesome guitar (provided by former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman), I think you really do need to hear it to believe it – and luckily I’ve provided you with a link so you can do just that!
Gurenge by LiSA
Featured in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Seemingly one of the most popular songs in modern anime, this is another absolute belter by the ever-amazing LiSA. She has an incredible knack for coming up with songs that are both powerful and catchy and this one couldn’t be more perfect for Demon Slayer. I love how it starts slowly and then absolutely kicks off, and then when it gets to the chorus it really starts to fly. I may have said this before but I have no idea why LiSA isn’t regularly topping worldwide charts with songs like this – I feel like no one combines the powerful elements of rock with the catchy elements of pop so effectively and as this video shows she is just as impressive live as on record.
So there it is – another five tracks for the Anime Jukebox! What did you make of these tracks? Anything in there that you might put on yourself? Maybe you’ve got some favourite tracks from anime that you’d like to share with me and the other readers? Either way, let me know below in comments and make sure you check back soon for more anime and video game ramblings.
Thanks for reading (and listening!),
Pix1001 x
Shoot the Rookie 