The Best Anime Songs of 2024

There's one song that kept several of our critics' heads bopping this year. Creepy Nuts might as well take the crown for best anisongs of 2024 between their contributions to Mashle and DAN DA DAN, but in between the slices of this nutty sandwich are standouts from hitsujibungaku, Aina The End, Kenichi Suzumura, and more.

This section of the Best Anime of 2024 is dedicated to Nicholas Dupree, whose music taste was impeccable.

"Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts (Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 2 OP)

Opening animation segments are supposed to capture the essence of a show and why they're appealing. They're meant to be a distillation of what a viewer is in for over the course of the next 20 or so minutes. However, coming up with an appropriate and appealing OP can be challenging for an anime like Mashle: Magic and Muscles, which is a satire of both shonen battle manga and Harry Potter-style young adult fiction that's largely straight-faced and genuine in its execution.

However, this proved to be no challenge at all for the musical group Creepy Nuts, who knocked it out of the park with their first hit of 2024, "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born." This frantic, energetic, goofy, but also cool-as-hell song perfectly encapsulates everything that makes Mashle appealing. It's ridiculous but also executed hyper-competently and very self-aware of how madcap it is. While writing this entry, I've listened to it more times than there are episodes of Mashle, and it still hasn't gotten stale!

I'm completely indifferent to the Mashle: Magic and Muscles as an anime, but "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" is far and away the best song in anime this year!

"Love Sick" by Aina The End (Mononoke The Movie: Phantom in the Rain)

There's no song, much less anime song, I've listened to more this year than “Love Sick” by Aina The End. Much of the reason I like it so much stems from the official anime music video, which has a collection of awesomely edited scenes from Mononoke The Movie: Phantom in the Rain. This is one of, if not the most beautiful, anime I have ever seen. How its over-detailed, surreal visuals match the song has had me watch it nearly daily for months.

Of course, the actual song itself is no slouch. It starts with little but vocals, a shamisen, and occasional percussion to keep the beat. This makes for a frantic-feeling start to the song before building to something just this side of discordant.

Yet, just as it seems like everything is crashing down, we get the pre-chorus of a ballad, which shows off how calm and beautiful AiNA's voice can be. Finally, we dive headlong into the chorus, where AiNA is almost screaming, her voice cracking and breaking more and more as the song transitions into hard rock. It's excellently composed and perfectly sung, and it is easily my favorite song of the year.

"The F*ck Song" by Mariya Ise (The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies insert song)

Look, 2024 was a tough year for me. My dad's Parkinson's Disease got worse, my parents' apartment had a fire, my basement flooded twice, and one of my cats had nine teeth pulled…it was bad, and that's not even counting larger world events. All that to say that this silly excuse for an insert song, which is basically just Mariya Ise chanting “fuck” to music, felt like my personal theme song. It also made me laugh, which I desperately needed. Were there better songs? Absolutely; even the theme songs for The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies are musically superior. But sometimes you just need to swear at the world, and boy, does this song deliver.

"Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts (Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 2 OP)

If I were being purely objective, "Otonoke" from DAN DA DAN is probably the better of the two big Creepy Nuts songs we got this year, and it's an absolute banger that's been stuck in my head since pretty much the moment it first graced my ears. However, considering there's a solid chance that Creepy Nuts wouldn't have been picked for DAN DA DAN if not for "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" smashing sales numbers the same way Mash does wizards, it's hard not to recognize its significance. Plenty of anime openings have been great theme songs for the shows that they're attached to. There are some, like "Cruel Angel's Thesis" for Neon Genesis Evangelion or "Guren no Yumiya" for Attack on Titan that are so synonymous with their respective shows that they're largely considered to be an integral part of their cultural identities. However, "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" has the unique distinction of not only being a great song but almost single-handedly serving as the biggest factor in Mashle's meteoric rise in popularity over the past year.

It's not hard to see why. Its catchy beats make for one heck of an earworm, and some equally impressive visuals aid the song as it starts with Mash going through his daily routine in his usual over-the-top fashion before closing on every character dancing to the beat of the song before he takes out a giant monster. The song is a real delight, and it helps that its lyrics are a great match for the show, as they're all about how awesome it is to be yourself, which feels plenty appropriate for a series that's all about punching people who deny your right to exist. "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" is worth every ounce of its success, and while Mashle is a solid show in its own right, Creepy Nuts deserves just as many flowers for giving it such an amazing new anthem.

"Ba-Bang to Suisan! Bang Bravern" by Kenichi Suzumura (Brave Bang Bravern! OP)

Why did we ever stray from the path of corny anime openings that repeat the name of the show over and over again? Anime openings peaked all the way back in 1979 with "Tobe! Gundam". Proving my point: I don't even need to tell you what show it's from—the title tells you. That's beautiful. Why did we, in our vast arrogance, ever cast this convenience to the side?

In any case, mecha anime tends to have the best openings. They just do. I don't make the rules. Bravern is nothing if not pure, unfiltered super robot ham and cheese. Anyone who's watched any amount of super robot shows will tell you that the openings of such shows tend to have a certain vibe about them, which this opening theme captures perfectly. If it sounds like it could be a JAM Project song, it's a win in my book. They're far from the power metal sound, but when done right, your typical mecha opening will tend to have the same effect as power metal insofar as it'll make you feel ready to punch a mountain in half. The difference is that power metal will make you feel like you're doing it—emerald sword in hand, of course—whilst riding atop a dragon, whereas a mecha theme will make you feel like you're doing it whilst piloting a mech.

In any case, it is worth mentioning that Bravern doesn't just have the best opening theme of the year and the best ending theme of the century. Or, let me be more specific: the ending song itself is nothing terribly special on its own—if I heard that song in a vacuum, I wouldn't think anything of it one way or the other. What makes it so prime is what's happening on-screen: it starts with our protagonists in the rain, on what appears to be an empty battlefield of some sort, while this obviously sad song is playing. And then, oh, what's that? They're singing the song. Our protagonists are singing a duet in the rain. How cute. But then, suddenly, we see that the battlefield is set on what looks like it could be a middle school auditorium stage. And our men—still singing—are taking their shirts off, walking toward each other with their magnificent racks in full view. We're then treated to the most downright indulgent rotating shot of Isami and Smith singing this shirtless ballad.

You know when people talk about hearing songs and imagining their OCs dramatically performing them, or doing music videos to them? That's what this feels like. Well that, or the gayest school talent show performance of all time. And after a few homosexual seconds lingering on Isami's fat tits, he and Smith join hands, reach for the sky together, and the song ends. Even now, scientists are still in search of a metric large enough to quantify the vast amounts of unwavering homoeroticism that can be mined from this sequence. It's so campy and unapologetically gay, and I love it. Five stars, no notes, wouldn't want it any other way.

"Gimme Gimme" by Fairouz Ai, Yuina Itō, Hina Yomiya, Hitomi Ueda, and Ai Kayano (Mayonaka Punch OP)

There was no shortage of great anime music this year, from the epic intro to Bang Brave Bravern to all the songs in Girls Band Cry to multiple bangers from Creepy Nuts—here's looking forward to Call of the Night Season 2 next year! But speaking of offbeat vampire romances, I think my favorite opening of the year came from summer's Mayonaka Punch. This ultra-modern tale of vampire YouTubers has those all-over-the-place vibes embodied in the intro, frantically cycling through shots of the girls tackling different viral video subjects while an absolute belter of a chorus plays in the background. It flows by with fabulous edits that do what these kinds of videos are supposed to do, making just camping outside or eating big beef bowls look like an outlandishly good time. There's a funny little group dance move that, appropriately enough, feels tailor-made for viral TikTok trends. I could watch these idiots all day.

Honorable mention to Mayonaka Punch's ending, "Henshuten" as well, with its chilled-back song incorporating dialogue that I'm really mad isn't subtitled alongside a cool animation style and directorial references to video editing. Like the opening, it also fits the show perfectly, just in a completely opposite way.

"Otonoke" by Creepy Nuts (DAN DA DAN OP)

BUMP OF CHICKEN's “Sleepwalking Orchestra” for Delicious in Dungeon should have been a lock. It's a beautiful song by one of my favorite Japanese bands for one of my favorite anime of the year, accompanied by beautiful visuals. But then a song in a genre I rarely care for by a duo I'd never heard of came and blew it out of the water, and here we are: my song of the year is “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts.

It's simply the whole package. The throbbing intro and verse get my heart thrumming in anticipation for what's to come, the lyrics referencing Japanese folklore and creepypasta in a way that's perfectly suited for a series about modern teenagers coming into contact with ghosts, ghoulies, and aliens. From there, it transitions to a more comforting message about life continuing after death through our connections to others, feeding into the themes of interconnectedness that drive the characters and their relationships. It's nothing new; it's an ancient concept that pops up in cultures around the world, including the Shinto and Buddhist philosophy that informs the show's world. But every time I hear R-Shitei sing,

“Kokoro, karada, atama,” and “Mune no oku ni itsuiteru melody/rhythm ni,” I feel my heart settle a bit. The visuals sync perfectly with the song, directed by the extremely talented Abél Gongorra. Not only do the characters dance along with the rhythm, but the blending of street stencil art, traditional Japanese techniques, haunting landscapes, and more standard animation manage to represent all of the show's myriad aspects. The spookiness, the silliness, the action, the deep connection between Momo and Okarun are all there, represented. When there's such a perfect opening that speaks to me so deeply, I simply have no choice but to make it.

"Kirakira no Hai" by Regal Lily (Delicious in Dungeon ED2)

There are three reasons why "Kirakira no Hai" is my anime-related song of the year. First, it's a great song on its own merits. Regal Lily adeptly wields the sounds of shoegaze and '90s alternative rock, and I also hear a little sprinkle of indie texture in there. The tone on that lead guitar, in particular, is lovely—I just want to cozy up with it. That strumming introduces the song and keeps driving it all the way through its climactic and noisy interpolation of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” That's a wild journey for any song to take, but Regal Lily makes it work.

Second, the track functions perfectly as the ED of Delicious in Dungeon's second half. It's quite the departure from the upbeat funkiness of the first ending, but the more somber mood here fits the heightened drama and stakes after the chimerization of Falin. The lyrics also fit if we imagine them coming from Marcille. In a literal sense, the references to magic, stars, and a vast distance line up with the long dungeon crawl she embarks on with Laios and the others. However, the overarching melancholy, yearning, and regret are the most important parts here, especially as it pertains to her feelings for Falin.

And that brings me to my third and final point, which is the thing that truly makes "Kirakira no Hai" earn its place among the year's best: the official Farcille AMV. They didn't even wait for the fan community; Regal Lily cut out the middleman and used their own YouTube channel to drop the full-length version of the song, set to an unmistakably sapphic concatenation of important scenes between Falin and Marcille. That's what I call knowing your audience. They successfully turned "Kirakira no Hai" into the yuri pining anthem of the year, and I haven't stopped singing it.

“Void” by Togenashi Togeari (Girls Band Cry Insert Song)

I'm a sucker for a story about getting a band together. Idol anime tends to leave me feeling cold, and I think a big reason for that is that the immaculate pop veneer of the song-and-dance routines can sometimes feel just a little too sterile for my tastes. If you get a group of anime girls and stick a bunch of real instruments in their hands so they can rock out together on stage? It's over, man. I'm cooked. My fervent love for DAN DA DAN made it almost feel like a betrayal not to include its sinfully catchy bop of an OP at my pick. Still, at the end of the day, there's only one anime that delivered entire albums' worth of infectious jams that I still obsessively and terribly sing along to whenever I am in the shower, or doing chores, or commuting to work, or cranking out articles for Anime News Network.

I could probably have put the entire collection of tracks from Togenashi Togeari's two LPs into a hat and drawn one at random to pick a winner for the best song of 2024, but of course, there was always only ever one truly correct pick. The first song we hear from the fledgling rock stars of Girls Band Cry remains my favorite, because it exemplifies everything that makes their music so great. I love the energetic pop-punk guitar riffs, and the rhythm of the song simply demands that you get up on your feet and dance along with the music. Most important of all, though, are the raw and vibrant vocals from lead actress and vocalist, Rina, who gives all of the band's music that little bit of genuine edge that is so lacking from most anime musical groups that we get introduced to every season. I was raised on Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore, so you better believe that I'll be fanatically spreading the gospel of Togenashi Togeari to anyone foolish enough to ask me what I've been listening to lately.

"Burning" by hitsujibungaku (Oshi no Ko Season 2 ED)

While Oshi no Ko's superb first season opener “Idol” by YOASOBI became a breakout pop hit worldwide, I was always more partial to Queen Bee's closer “Mephisto,” with its evocative strings and seductive groove. Unfortunately, the second season opener, “Fatal” by GEMN just wasn't my jam – whereas hitsujibungaku's emotionally devastating “Burning” hit me right where it hurt at the close of every episode, with singer Moeka Shiotsuka's effortlessly cool vocals expressing the deep emotional pain at the core of Oshi no Ko's dual protagonists. Backed by grungy, crunching guitars and spine-tingling harmonies, “Burning” reminds me of the melodic alternative rock I adored growing up and the kind of music I still love today.

Lyrics like “But I'm crying. Now, in the dazzling light, Turning any pain into brilliance, I burn my life” exemplify Ruby's drive to become an idol to equal her murdered mother, while “Yeah, I'm crying. Before the indelible scars swallow up tomorrow, I burn my life from the depths of darkness,” perhaps references Aqua's far murkier revenge-based motivations. Oshi no Ko tells the story of Ruby's ascent into the light of fame juxtaposed against her brother's eventual descent into darkness, and this song does justice to these opposing yet inextricably linked character trajectories.

Oshi no Ko's manga ended on a controversial note (for some) recently, and it will likely take the anime a further two full seasons to adapt the entire twisted story. It's very fitting that an anime based heavily on the darker side of the Japanese idol and entertainment industry should be blessed with such excellent, atmospheric music. I can't wait to hear the tracks chosen for those upcoming seasons. They'll need to be pretty special to equal the dark, yet sparkling, allure of “Idol,” “Mephisto,” and “Burning,” though.

Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts (Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 2 OP)

Sometimes, it feels like a lot of anime songs follow a specific formula. Some of them gradually get bigger to reflect the larger scale of the narrative they are attached to, while others might go for something more catchy, like a pop song. "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts stands out a bit differently than many other songs because, while it is catchy, it feels as if it dominated people's brains by doing whatever the heck it wanted. There's a rhythm and addictiveness to this song that a lot of other anime openings have attempted to do recently, and despite not being a diehard fan of the series Mashle itself, this opening alone was enough to get me interested in checking out more of the show.

The fast-paced, lyrical mashups in "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" draw you into the pace, almost as if it's confident that you'll follow along even if you can barely understand the words running by at the speed of light. It reminds me of some of Lin-Manuel Miranda's stronger lyrical verses. The way that all this contrasts with the fast-paced visuals that are juxtaposed alongside Mash's incredibly neutral face I think is the cherry on top. The image of him bobbing back and forth with his arms while he maintains his iconic neutral face perfectly represents what this song is trying to do. It does its own thing, doesn't care if you want to follow along with it, but happily welcomes you to jam out with it when you're ready. It's no surprise if this song became a viral sensation for a couple of months because I was there with everybody, dancing along with it.

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