The world of Japanese anime is known for many things, from its lovable tsundere characters to its amusing use of hammerspace, as well as its catchy music for the opening and credits. Often, anime studios will choose thematic J-rock and J-pop songs for the credits, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure once even used "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles.
However, in niche cases, an anime studio won't reach out to mainstream artists. Instead, songs will be created that feature the show's own voice actors. Often, these credits songs are sung from the viewpoint of the main characters, and that can make the credits music far more personal and heartfelt for the characters and viewers alike.
The Quintessential Quintuplets Has Five Main Singers
The Quintessential Quintuplets is a popular and surprisingly deep and wholesome harem anime series starring Futaro Uesugi and the five identical Nakano sisters, all of whom need Futaro's help passing their tests. The five sisters are all very close to one another, especially after losing their mother, but they are also competing to see who can win Futaro's heart.
Most credits songs for this anime's two seasons are sung by the voice actresses for the five Nakano sisters, featuring lyrics from their point of view. This might be the case for the upcoming Quintuplets movie as well. These credits songs include "Quintuplet Feelings" and "Gotobun no Katachi." However, the first season's ending credits song was performed by Aya Uchida.
Cells At Work! Features Singing Red & White Blood Cells
Cells at Work! is a beloved "edutainment" anime series with a variety of manga and anime spinoffs, including the darker Cells at Work: Code BLACK. This novelty anime reimagines the human body as a massive city in which uniformed cells of all kinds are hard at work keeping the body functioning, from red blood cells carting around oxygen canisters to white blood cells slaying bacteria and neurons calling the shots upstairs.
This cheerful anime features its main voice actors for each season's opening credits music, starring the red blood cell's voice actor Kana Hanazawa and the white blood fell's voice actor Daisuke Ono of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fame. Season 1's opening song is titled "Mission! Health Comes First," while Season 2's opening song is titled "Go! Go! Saibo Festa!"
A Place Further Than The Universe Has A Bittersweet Ending Song
A Place Further Than the Universe could be considered an edutainment anime, exploring the topic of expeditions to the South Pole. Three of the four main characters are going to the world's coldest continent for the adventure, but the fourth, Shirase, lost her mother in a blizzard there and is determined to uncover the truth of what her fate may have been.
A Place Further Than the Universe is famed for its stunning visuals, unique premise, charming humor and dash of drama, making for a memorable watch, especially when the four main voice actresses sing the ending credits song, "Koko Kara, Koko Kara." It's a bittersweet and catchy song to listen to after a freezing day spent at the South Pole.
My Senpai Is Annoying Features Upbeat Opening Credits Music
My Senpai is Annoying is a josei anime show with one season currently to its name, and it tells the story of the tiny but tough Igarashi Futaba and her quest to become a great office employee and impress her massive co-worker, the kind but loud Harumi Takeda. Futaba finds his patronizing attitude annoying at times, but the two of them make a great team, and they look out for each other when they need a little help.
The anime's ending credits music is standard shojo/josei fare, "The Story Across the Rainbow," while the opening song features four prominent voice actors in the series, including those of Igarashi Futaba and the kind Sakurai Toko. The opening song is "Annoying! San-San Week!", a lively and upbeat tune to get viewers excited for the romantic office shenanigans of each episode.
Zombie Land Saga Is All About Idols
Zombie Land Saga is a humorous but earnest take on the idol anime genre, starring four girls who have already died and somehow come back to life as zombies. Fortunately, their vocal cords haven't rotted away, and Sakura and her six new idol friends must form Saga prefecture's greatest idol group and help put their struggling prefecture back on the map as a pop culture icon, no matter what.
They form an idol group called Franchouchou, named after a sneeze, and the seven voice actresses perform all four credits songs for this anime's two seasons. The seven characters and voice actors are all on point with these exciting tunes, and if they can sing this well onstage, Saga prefecture is in good hands after all. Their songs include "Adabana Necromancy" and "O Saga, Cry With Me," among others.
