Here are the most popular anime songs—the results will only surprise you a little bit

In all fandoms, inconsequential discussions occur. Who is the most popular character, the best episode, or which is the most celebrated song? This is something that anime fans often wonder about. With songs to open and close each episode, putting a great effort into them, there are many that have achieved a mythical status that has transcended even the anime. But which one will be the most popular?

Anime New Network has taken the plunge and decided to find out what the favorite songs are for the public. Differentiating them between a global top 10, a global top 10 excluding the US, and an exclusive top 10 for the US, the results are more or less what you would expect. Although with some surprises. And some surprising absences that have an explanation.

No one will be surprised to discover that the song that has overwhelmingly topped the number 1 spot is A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is one of the most famous songs in anime, which has even transcended the medium in Japan. Only surpassed by Tank!, the opening song of Cowboy Bebop, on the exclusive US list, it still came in second place, following very closely, demonstrating the iconic nature of this song.

The most interesting thing is the rest of the list. Among the most recent ones, Idol, from Oshi no Ko, which was a global sensation upon its release, stands out, but the classics from the 90s and 00s are especially noteworthy. Duve from Serial Experiments Lain, Butter-Fly from Digimon Adventure, Inner Universe from Ghost in the Shell: SAC 1st Gig, and Moonlight Densetsu from Sailor Moon seem to be the songs we all share worldwide. It’s a selection that is nothing short of excellent.

More typical to the US seems to be great themes like Ride On Shooting Star from FLCL or Rinbu Revolution from Revolutionary Girl Utena, which is explained because they are two series that were not easily available globally. Among the great absentees is Naruto in its entirety, but this has an explanation: it has so many different songs, of such quality, that it is likely that its songs have devoured each other’s votes. Demonstrating that, sometimes, too much quality can make you lose a popularity contest.

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Author: Álvaro Arbonés

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