Earlier this week, TV Asahi hosted a special program ranking favorite anime songs by non-Japanese and foreign anime fans. The program’s staff members first announced the ranking this past March, saying that they would list out the top 20 favorite anime songs.
Around 1,740 people were polled for the rankings, according to TV Asahi’s homepage.
4月21日（日）よる6時～3時間SP‼️
— 【テレビ朝日公式】外国人が選ぶ！好きな日本の温泉地総選挙29日（月）よる7時〜3時間SP (@sousenkyo6) March 26, 2024
外国人がガチで投票🗳️✨
世界🌍#アニソン総選挙 開幕🤗‼️
日本が誇るアニメ✨
それに欠かせないアニソン🎶
外国人はどのアニソンが好きなのか💓
禁断ベスト20を大発表🥳㊙️
人気の秘密も徹底調査🕵🏻♂️
あなたの好きなアニソンも教えて下さい😊#爆笑問題 #ウエンツ瑛士
The ranking list is as follows:
- 1. “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
- 2. “Idol” by YOASOBI (OSHI NO KO)
- 3. “Voltes V no Uta” by Mitsuko Horie (Voltes V)
- 4. “Unravel” by TK from Ling Toshite Sigure (Tokyo Ghoul)
- 5. “Kick Back” by Kenshi Yonezu (Chainsaw Man)
- 6. “Blue Bird” by Ikimono-gakari (Naruto Shippuden)
- 7. “SPECIALZ” by King Gnu (Jujutsu Kaisen)
- 8. “We Are!” by Hiroshi Kitadani (One Piece)
- 9. “Again” by YUI (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
- 10. “Ao no Sumika” by Tatsuya Kitani (Jujutsu Kaisen)
- 11. “Samurai Heart (Some Like it Hot)” by SPYAIR (Gintama)
- 12. “Gurenge” by LiSA (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
- 13. “Cha-La Head-Cha-la” by Hironobu Kageyama (Dragon Ball Z)
- 14. (Tie) “Butter-Fly” by Koji Wada (Digimon Adventure)
- 15. (Tie) “Silhouette” by KANA-BOON (Naruto Shippuden)
- 16. “Kaikai Kitan” by Eve (Jujutsu Kaisen)
- 17. “Tank!” by SEATBELTS (Cowboy Bebop)
- 18. “Akuma no Ko” by Ai Higuchi (Attack on Titan)
- 19. “Shinzo wo Sasageyo” by Linked Horizon (Attack on Titan)
- 20. “Guren no Yumiya” by Linked Horizon (Attack on Titan)
Unsurprisingly, Yoko Takahashi’s iconic opening song for Evangelion “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” still reigns supreme all these years later.
Some recent hit songs that also made it into the list include YOASOBI’s “Idol,” Kenshi Yonezu’s “Kick Back,” and King Gnu’s “SPECIALZ.” Other fan favorite anime songs that have been popular on the internet the past decade have also been included, such as TK’s “Unravel,” Ikimono-gakari’s “Blue Bird,” KANA-BOON’s “Silhouette,” and LiSA’s “Gurenge.”
The most surprising entry is Mitsuko Horie’s “Voltes V no Uta” for the 1977-1978 TV anime series Voltes V. The series is very popular in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cuba, and has even inspired a Filipino live-action TV drama titled Voltes V: Legacy.
For those interested in rewatching TV Asahi’s special, it unfortunately isn’t available on any streaming service in Japan or abroad. However, most of the songs listed in the rankings are available on many music streaming platforms.
