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Top 20 Anime Songs That Broke the Internet

Top 20 Anime Songs That Broke the Internet
VOICE OVER: Ashley Bowman WRITTEN BY: Garrett Alden
These tracks are such bangers, they cemented themselves within otaku culture. Join Ashley as we look over the songs found in anime shows and films that captured the internet's attention, as seen in series such as "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", "Naruto", "Attack on Titan", and more!

Script written by Garrett Alden

Top 20 Anime Songs That Broke the Internet


Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 20 anime songs that broke the internet.

For this list, we’ll be going over the viral anime tunes that took the internet by storm.

If there’s an anime song the internet obsessed over that we forgot, help us tune in in the comments.

#20: “Merry Go Round of Life”

“Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004)

“Howl’s Moving Castle” is one of many masterpieces by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. While the film itself isn’t one of the most popular in their repertoire, one of its songs has become something of a meme. The film’s main theme is “Merry Go Round of Life,” played throughout the film in various arrangements. However, various TikTok and Instagram videos have used a piano cover of the song frequently. In addition, several covers of the song have earned tens of millions of views on YouTube. I guess everyone finds the song as enchanting and dreamy as Howl himself.

#19: “Mixed Nuts”

“Spy x Family” (2022-)

“Spy x Family” has taken the world by storm this year, and so has its first opening theme. “Mixed Nuts” combines bombastic, fast-paced tempos with smoother jazz sounds to perfectly capture the combo of styles present in the show. It’s fun, it’s action-packed, and it’s
stylish – just like the Forger family. And listeners online can’t stop playing the song, at least if the view counts for both the anime opening and the official music video are anything to go by. “Mixed Nuts,” like the show it opens, is a perfect medley of tones that fans can’t consume enough of – much like Anya with a bag of peanuts.

#18: “Kingdom of Predators”

“Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14)

The soundtrack of “Hunter x Hunter” has some genuinely beautiful pieces of music. But the track that lit the world aflame is “Kingdom of Predators.” The song is usually used in the show to depict a particularly grim or tragic moment. For that reason, it has been a fixture of memes since its debut. While it sees occasional use lending drama to mundane events, “Kingdom of Predators” truly gained fame through its association with the “Wait, it’s all…?” meme. These memes usually see one astronaut realize the world is all full of something ridiculous, only to be told it’s always been that way and get shot by the second astronaut.

#17: “Gurenge”

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019-)

The first opening theme to “Demon Slayer,” “Gurenge” was bound to be a hit. For one, it’s sung by LiSA, whose music has an incredibly devoted following. For another, “Gurenge” opens one of the most popular anime in recent memory. It’s also a certified banger! LiSA’s passionate vocals, the piano, and hard rock all blend together into a spectacular song for any occasion! It’s little wonder why “Gurenge” has been everywhere online, and as well as offline. Japan even played a version of it during the Olympics closing ceremonies! Now that’s patriotic!

#16: “ME!ME!ME!”

“ME!ME!ME!” (2014)

This is an anime music video so whether it’s the song that broke the internet or the animation…it’s more of a “chicken or the egg” situation. A collaboration between electronic artist TeddyLoid and rapper Daoko, “ME!ME!ME!” is a catchy and often thought provoking look at online addiction. And its music video takes viewers on a strange and often erotic trip through the stages of addiction to…uh, let’s say waifus. The surprisingly complex song spawned plenty of discussion, while the attractive character designs led to a metric ton of fan art. Plus, a dance portion of the video helped inspire that famous Zero Two dance meme. Memes on “ME!ME!ME!”

#15: “Nippon Egao Hyakkei”

“Joshiraku” (2012)

“Joshiraku” and its ending theme, which translates to “Hundreds of Japanese Smiles,” basically came and went without much fanfare in the early 2010s. It’s just one among many in the anime genre of “cute girls doing cute things.” But then, in 2021, the song and the
ending exploded in popularity thanks to a TikTok dance trend. The ending’s simple, hip-shaking dance and colorfully dressed characters make it ripe for imitation. Millions of people have viewed these parodies. They got so popular that “Nippon Egao Hyakkei”’s singers, Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z, released a music video for the song almost a decade after its first release! Naturally, it also imitates the “Joshiraku” ending.

#14: “Motteke! Sailor Fuku”

“Lucky Star” (2007)

Speaking of the “cute anime girls doing cute things” genre, “Lucky Star” is one of the pillars of it. The show’s opening theme, “Take It! Sailor Uniform” is a charming, fast-paced bit of earworm that’s sung by the four primary voice actors of the show. It also has a dance that accompanies the opening. Believe it or not, dance trends actually predate TikTok, and fans have been imitating “Take It! Sailor Uniform” since “Lucky Star” first aired, at conventions, in personal videos, and in animations. While none have matched the degree of adorableness of the original, with “luck,” someone may yet succeed.

#13: “Before my body is dry”

“Kill la Kill” (2013-14)

Perhaps better known as “Don’t Lose Your Way,” “Before my body is dry” is the personal theme music of heroine Ryūko Matoi. It’s frequently heard throughout the anime, practically every episode. And it’s always awesome! The drum-heavy rock song’s powerful vocals get us hyped every time. So that’s why “Before my body is dry” has become a meme akin to other songs that “go with everything.” Whether it’s other anime or real-life events, the singer belting out “don’t lose your way” never fails to turn the tides of whatever misfortune it’s played over.

#12: “Guts’ Theme”

“Berserk” (1997-98)

Guts is among the most badass anime protagonists to ever swing an oversized sword. However, he’s also a deeply, deeply tragic character. It’s fitting then that his theme music from the original “Berserk” anime is a soft, melancholy piano song. “Guts’ Theme” can deliver all the feels, so the internet has decided to play it over already tragic moments to make them even sadder or else to make scenes that aren’t particularly sad seem that way. The music has especially become associated with the “I just wanna be happy” meme, also known as “silence, wench!” Wonder how Guts himself would react to them…

#11: “Unravel”

“Tokyo Ghoul” (2014-18)

“Unravel” slaps everybody. If you don’t know that by now, we don’t know what to tell you. The first opening of “Tokyo Ghoul” has been a genuine smash for years, with its breathy, fervent singing and eclectic musical sound. It has become a sort of anthem for any emo-related memes, particularly related to series protagonist Ken Kaneki or for people experiencing misfortune in love. “Unravel” has also received a metric truckload of covers in various languages and with new instrumentals. It has practically “unraveled” the internet with how popular it is.

#10: Lost in Paradise

“Jujutsu Kaisen” (2020-)

Honestly, it would be easier to point out what this anime didn’t succeed in upon its debut. From the world building to the fight scenes to the unprecedented ovary explosion that is Satoru Gojo, this modern shounen was firing on all cylinders from the get-go. It also had one hell of an outro. Chill, suave, and packed with some killer dance moves, Lost in Paradise is the best kind of vibe, providing a little levity among the grim, supernatural brutality the show is famed for. It’s pretty much the epitome of smooth, and the internet ate it up.

#9: Libera Me From Hell

“Gurren Lagann” (2007)

Granted, anything from Studio Trigger has plenty of meme-potential already baked into it, especially when it comes to giant robots helmed by disproportionally busty waifus, which is pretty much Gurren Lagann’s bread and butter. But it’s undoubtedly its soundtrack that got fans truly pumped. More commonly recognised by its signature line of “row row, fight the power”, this blend of opera, rap, and metal was a Frankenstein of awesomeness that welcomed endless parody, while still holding itself up proudly as the most unusual of hype anthems.

#8: Renai Circulation

“Monogatari” series (2009-19)

This franchise might still be considered something of a cult favorite, but there is no getting around the magnitude of this one opening track from Bakemonogatari. It damn well exploded, and not just because of Nadeko gliding across the screen with beautifully fluid animation. The sweetness of the vocals and disarmingly poppy nature of the song warranted an endless parade of covers and remixes. If there’s one thing that this series is going to be remembered for, it’s Araragi brushing his sister’s teeth, and this goliath of a song.

#7: The Rumbling

“Attack on Titan” (2013-)

As if the Final Season of this monstrous masterpiece wasn’t doing enough with its onslaught of twists, character resolutions and gruesome fights, it also got itself some of the most hard-hitting rock tracks this side of the walls. Everyone enjoyed My War, but the Rumbling is a whole different beast. The unapologetic metal, English lyrics, and chilling chorus hit their mark so well that not only did it inspire a torrent of covers, but it reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Chart. Holy shit. We knew anime was transcendent but not even we saw that coming.

#6: Ultra Instinct

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

We won’t deny that Ultimate Battle is a legendary track, especially since it was the backing tune to Super’s most defining fight. But when it comes to being meme’d to hell and back, nothing tops the time that Goku traded in gold for the silver, and with it, this all too imposing track. Building and building, this is one of Dragon Ball’s most ominous songs, until it swells to become a herald of triumph, which given how it plays the moment Goku attains a level that even makes the Gods quake…yeah, we’d say it's appropriate.

#5: Running in the 90s & Déjà Vu

“Initial D” (1998-2014)

The one anime where Eurobeat is king. We didn’t have it in us to separate these two, on account that together they stand as the crux for countless memes continuing to this very day, not to mention have earned hundreds of millions of views the world over. Whether you consider them guilty pleasures or unironic hits deserving of celebration, the sheer joy that fans feel when these songs start blaring as the absurd street racing starts is incomparable. That being said, best not to blare them out while driving…otherwise you might be tempted into some dangerous drifting.

#4: Il Vento D'Oro

“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” (2018-19)

JoJo fever exists for a reason people, and Giorno Giovanna is just another contributor. While his origin, journey, banter with his fellow gang-stars and overall aesthetics made him an instant stand-out, the Italian stallion’s secret weapon is his personal theme. With just a few piano notes, you already know it's about to go down. JoJo’s music has and always will be spectacular, but it’s exceedingly rare for a character’s personal theme to overshadow literally everything else. It’s the best kind of requiem.

#3: Silhouette

“Naruto Shippuden” (2007-17)

The amount of openings this ninja has to his name is criminal, especially when so many of them are legitimately great, though if there’s one that hit the otaku sweet spot, it’s this one. It’s not hard to see why either; Naruto and hard-hitting J-rock are a treat when layered together, and this one just happens to showcase Madara for the majority of its runtime, As if the ultimate Uchiha would settle for a low-key waste of space like Jitensha!

#2: Guren No Yumiya

“Attack on Titan” (2013-)

While the argument can be mad that The Rumbling is the superior song, Attack on Titan’s first opening has had a decade to ferment in the minds of fans. It kicked off the carnage and sorrow of the first season in such a high-octane way, riding the high from when the series went through its explosive debut. You know, back when Eren was committed to saving humanity instead of stomping all over it. Even without the nostalgia goggles, it’s a staple of anime’s music scene that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

#1: Roundabout

“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood” (2012-13)

You want to talk about a piece of music that leapt straight from an anime into the public zeitgeist? Nothing compares to this closer. It’s not so much the full track as it is just a few of its opening notes! The song was used to bring about the now iconic “to be continued” screen that propped up at the ending of each episode during the franchise’s first entry. Given its simplicity and catchiness, the whole thing caught on like wildfire, to the extent that even Family Guy used it! Does that make Brian and Stewie JoJo references?
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