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 alert 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!

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

℃ 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!

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.

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.

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.

The new super band FZMZ (pronounced “Fathoms”) brings its 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.

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, a household name in the doujin music scene. Of course, the song gets the treatment of impeccably crafted symphonic instrumentals, and a poignant, powerful guitar solo.

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.

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 main character, unifying anime and music, to capture the true essence. JUNNA shared her hardship and experience when recording this song, read more about Dear in our interview!

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.

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!

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

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 remain!

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.

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 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!

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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