A panel of music experts from around the world have chosen the top 10 anime songs of all time, and many in the community have a hard time questioning their choices. As the medium has become more popular around the world over the past decade, so has Japanese music, as many anime viewers have been introduced to a variety of popular artists through their favorite shows and movies. Everyone has their favorite opening themes, but a select few have (and will) stand the test of time, with a few entries on this coveted list dating back decades.
While anime began to find its footing in the West in the late 80s and early 90s, it has exploded in popularity over the past decade, with several high-impact shonen series getting more people interested in Japanese animation than ever before. Earlier this year, it was announced that the anime market had reached a staggering $2.1 billion by 2025, but this number is far from peak. According to market research firm Imarc, the anime market is projected to reach $4.1 billion by 2034, with readily available subscription services and more accessible merch making it easier for international audiences to engage with the medium. Anime music has also achieved incredible success, and every year more and more Japanese artists hold concerts abroad.
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Music professionals from around the world choose the 10 best anime songs of all time
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A Cruel Angel's Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
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Blue Bird (Naruto: Shippuden)
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CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA (Dragon Ball Z)
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Gurenge (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
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Moonlight Densetsu (Sailor Moon)
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Tetsujin 28-go (Tetsujin 28)
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Astro Boy (Astro Boy)
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Zenzenzense (your name.)
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We are! (One Piece)
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Always With Me (Spirited Away)
On June 22, the Japanese variety show airs Professional ranking announced the top 10 anime theme songs of all time, as chosen by 166 musical professionals from around the world. This included singers, music producers, musicians and composers from 41 different countries, with the top spot going to the ever popular 'A Cruel Angel's Thesis' from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Sung by Yoko Takahashi, the song recently celebrated its 1,000th week on the Oricon Weekly Karaoke Ranking Chart, making it the fourth song in history to do so. Blue Birdthe third opening theme for Naruto: Shippudenn, took second place, while Dragon Ball Zis iconic CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA appears third.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout 2026, with several special events and crossovers announced in recent months. A new one The Gospel anime project was announced in February, which will be written by Yoko Taro (Nier) and directed by Hideki Anno's protégé, Kazuya Tsurumaki. In addition, the beloved anime series will invade the world of video games, with a The Gospel-themed raids are coming Final Fantasy 14 in its next expansion and a crossover that was recently announced for Sonic Racing CrossWorlds in the near future.
Several of the entries on the list will resonate with those who discovered anime in the 90s and 2000s, with Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, One Pieceand Spirited Away still loved by fans who grew up with these ever-popular releases. The latter remains one of the most beloved Studio Ghibli releases, hitting theaters in 2001 and grossing nearly $400 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in Japanese history for 19 years until it was surpassed by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train year 2020.
Guess the anime from the emojis.
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Guess the anime from the emojis.
Light (120s) Medium (90s) Hard (60s)
Both Astro Boy and Tetsujin 28 remain timeless classics, with the former helping to develop the anime and manga industry as a whole. The manga series was written by legendary animator and cartoonist Osamu Tezuka and inspired its first anime adaptation in 1963, which quickly became popular in both Japan and the United States. Mitsuteru Yokoyama wrote and illustrated Tetsujin 28 from 1956 to 1966, with its 1963 anime adaptation (known as Giants in the USA) is one of the first with a giant robot.
- Release date
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1995 – 1996
- Network
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TV Tokyo
- Directors
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Keiichi Sugiyama, Masahiko Otsuka, Tensai Okamura, Shoichi Masuo, Minoru Ohara, Seiji Mizushima, Tetsuya Watanabe, Ken Ando
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Megumi Ogata
Shinji Ikari (voice)
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Kotono Mitsuishi
Misato Katsuragi (voice)
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Megumi Hayashibara
Rei Ayanami (voice)
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Yuko Miyamura
Asuka Langley Soryu (voice)
Source: Livedoor
