Though some series choose instrumental introductions to great effect, the vast majority of anime intros are songs with sung lyrics. Many anime series feature opening or ending songs with lyrics that are surprisingly meaningful and/or relevant to the story, themes, or protagonist of that anime. Alternatively, an anime song might be deceptive or misleading on some level, but it still applies to the main story or characters in some way. In this blog series, which will be at least two parts, I’ll discuss some of my favorite examples of meaningful anime songs. Part 1 deals with examples of songs that are reflective of the protagonist and their character journey.
Note: Spoilers for the following anime: Tokyo Ghoul, Death Note, Vinland Saga, Darling in the Franxx, and Chainsaw Man.
Contents:
- Unraveling Kaneki Ken
- Light Yagami: A Broken Messiah
- The Emptiness of Thorfinn
- Zero Two: When A Monster Falls in Love
- Denji Just Wants to “Kick Back”
Unraveling Kaneki Ken
The songs discussed in this section are those whose lyrics have significant relevance to the protagonist or those that provide insight into the main character’s thoughts. The best example to start with is probably “Unravel” by TK from Ling Tosite Sigure. This is the opening for the first season of Tokyo Ghoul (2014) and its power and beauty made it extremely popular over the previous decade. “Unravel” is clearly about the depression, horror, and trauma of protagonist Ken Kaneki becoming a ghoul. The tone of the song is dark and desperate, reflecting the despair and madness of the quiet, kind-hearted young man as he is plunged into the underworld of violent, flesh-eating monsters.
The lyrics for Unravel can be read here on Genius Lyrics. It starts with the singer making a heartbreaking plea for someone to help him understand the world in which he finds himself. “Oshiete, oshiete yo sono shikumi wo” means “Teach me, please teach me, this system.” The next line shows the fear and terror Kaneki feels about himself and his new hunger for human flesh. He feels like there is a monster inside him that isn’t him – thus, “Boku no naka ni dare ga iru no?” This translates to, “Who is there inside of me?” It’s an eerie hint that the ghoul inside Kaneki will someday win and take over, which is what happens at least temporarily following Kaneki’s torture.
The chorus of “Unravel” is essentially Kaneki’s farewell to friends, family, and humanity. Even as he loses himself, he wants to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone, so he asks that others not look for him and instead remember him how he used to be: a bright and kind young man. The first chorus is below – first in Romanized Japanese and then in English with my personal translation. It’s slightly different from the official English lyrics you’ll find on Genius, but I think it’s more poetic to word it my own way.
Chorus in Romanized Japanese:
“Yureta yuganda sekai ni dan dan
Boku wa sukitootte mienaku natte.
Mitsukenaide, boku no koto wo mitsumenaide.
Dareka ga egaita sekai no naka de
Anata wo kizutsuketaku wa nai yo
Oboeteite boku no koto wo
Azayaka na mama.”
Mono’s English translation:
“In this constantly warping world,
I’ve become so transparent I can’t be seen.
Don’t look for me,
No, please don’t look at me.
In this world that someone sketched,
I never want to hurt you –
So please remember me,
As vivid as I was.“
The end of the second verse is shouted in English: “Unraveling the world!” Kaneki’s entire world is unraveling as his sense of identity and sanity crumble. There are many other interesting and beautiful lyrics in this song, but I won’t go over them all since this post is just meant to be an introduction to the main ideas. Still, my favorite lyric in “Unravel” is probably the last line of the bridge, which goes, “Anata wo kegasenai yo!” It means “I won’t let you be tainted!” This shows the deep shame Kaneki feels over being a ghoul as well as his protective nature. He doesn’t want to taint his loved ones by hurting them or seeing them as food. I think this lyric shows Kaneki’s desperation and self-loathing, both key parts of his psyche in Tokyo Ghoul.
Light Yagami: A Broken Messiah
The next song we’ll discuss is “The World” by Nightmare. This is the first opening song for the anime Death Note (2006). It’s a beautiful emo rock song with strong Vkei influences, emphatic male Japanese vocals and poetic lyrics that provide insight into protagonist Light Yagami. The lyrics can be read here on Genius. The final chorus and post-chorus are some of the most powerful parts of the song. I have included the Japanese lyrics and my own translation below. It shows that Light thinks of grand causes like revolution and the darkness (immorality) of humans. From his love for justice and the world itself, Light’s evil sprouted. Despite opposition, he won’t let anyone change his plan to cleanse the world. And despite everything, he somehow thinks the world he creates will be full of light, because he’s ultimately narcissistic.
Final Chorus and Post-Chorus Romanized Japanese:
“Hirogaru yami no naka kawashiatta kakumei no chigiri.
Aishita yue ni mebaeta aku no hana.
Kore kara saki otozureru de arou subete wo
Dare ni mo jamasaseru wake ni wa ikanai!
Itsuka boku ga misete ageru
Hikarikagayaku sekai wo!”
Mono’s English translation:
“In the expanding darkness, we exchanged promises of revolution.
From my love, there sprouted a flower of evil.
For everything that is to come after this,
I won’t let anyone interfere!
Someday, I will show you
The world that shines with light!”
Light is an anti-hero, and anyone who isn’t an edgelord condemns his actions. That’s why my favorite lines in this song are the ones from the pre-chorus: “Doushite? Boku wa kowareta messiah?” This can be translated as, “Why? Am I a broken Messiah?” (Another translation would be, “What’s wrong? Am I a broken Messiah?”) These lyrics reflect the fact that although Light sees himself as a savior God, he also knows he’s wrong and fundamentally broken on some level. But instead of taking the hint, Light doubles down and becomes more evil over time. Moments of self-awareness and the resulting emotional turmoil do nothing to redeem Light, but they do provide another layer to his character, especially early in the anime, when he still struggles over his choices.
The Emptiness of Thorfinn
Leaving Death Note, we go to a more recent classic for our next song: Vinland Saga (2019). We’ll talk about the first opening song, “Mukanjyo” (“Emotionless”) by Survive Said the Prophet. The lyrics can be read here on Genius. Survive Said the Prophet is a band that sings in both Japanese and English, using elements of alt rock and metalcore in addition to more pop-like aspects. They are often considered “melodic hardcore” in terms of style and are famous for metal-esque screamy vocals. “Mukanjyo” is a heart-breaking song about a person who has lost the ability to feel anything in a violent world where he must prioritize survival. It’s a perfect fit for Vinland Saga, wherein the child Thorfinn is forced to join a group of savage vikings after they murdered his father.
Pre-Chorus and First Chorus Romanized:
“I’ve paid my dues
I’ve sold my soul
So tell me, what is left for me
When I’ve given up everything?
Nee, dou egaitetan darou?
Dono keshiki wo mitemo
Nanimo kanjinakunatta yo
Nee, kangaenaoshitemo
Ano keshiki wo motometeita
Boku wa mu kanjou na no?“
Mono’s English Translation
“I’ve paid my dues
I’ve sold my soul
So tell me, what is left for me
When I’ve given up everything?
Hey, how did I picture it before?
No matter the scenery I behold,
I can’t feel anything.
Hey, even though I made up my mind,
Am I, who longed for that scenery,
now emotionless?“
One of my favorite moments in the song is when the following lyrics are screamed by the vocalist. “Korosu ka, korosareru ka no – Chippoke na sekai nano ka yo? Dareka kotaete mite kure!” This means, “Kill or be killed – is the world really that small? Someone show me the answers!” Even in his childhood, fueled as it was by violence, Thorfinn wanted there to be more. He was always a person full of longing and heart, which is why it disturbed him in the first place that he became so numb to the violence. When I hear this song, I imagine Thorfinn as a young teenager looking at some beautiful scenery that used to make him think of adventure. It now felt completely empty. The joy and wonder of life was drowned in apathy so that Thorfinn could survive a harsh environment.
Zero Two: When A Monster Falls in Love
Let’s change gears with a love song. “Kiss of Death” by Mika Nakashima is the opening song for Darling in the Franxx (2018) and one of the best anime openings of all time. (This and “Unravel” are my personal favorites of the songs discussed in this post.) In terms of sound, “Kiss of Death” is J-pop with strong female vocals and an upbeat pop-rock sound that makes me want to dance. The background keyboard melody is so beautiful and I love the deeper-pitched singing of Mika since it’s uncommon in what I’ve heard of J-Pop so far. The song’s lyrics, which are the focus of my analysis, are written from the perspective of female protagonist Zero Two. (Some people write it as 02, but I’m weird and prefer to write it out longer.) Before I talk about the lyrics, let me refresh your memory about the unusual monster girl.
Zero Two is a hybrid between a human and an almost extinct race of semi-reptilian anthromorphs called the Klaxo Sapiens. She was born in a lab as a tool to be used by humans against the remnants of her people. The humans ran cruel experiments on her as a child and kept her isolated from others. They even erased parts of her memory. Despite feeling justified hatred toward humans, Zero Two also experienced a deep hunger to become human. She deeply internalized the idea that she was less than human and that you need to be fully human in order to be loved.
In her training as a mech pilot, Zero Two was so careless about human life that at least one pilot died because of her. There were also rumors that she stole the lifeforce of her battle partners, though it’s more likely that her callousness and hate led her to treat them badly, resulting in low teamwork and poor decisions that might have led to their deaths. And so, this ostracized girl with horns and sharp teeth wanted desperately the one thing it seemed she could not have: humanity. The thing that finally changed her was being loved by a boy named Hiro and falling in love with him in return.
All that to say, the lyrics to “Kiss of Death” show the romantic and lustful feelings of Zero Two as she enjoys her first love. The Romanized Japanese lyrics for the song can be read here on Genius. I think the title of the song and the lyrics “Kiss of Death” are nods to the in-universe rumors about Zero Two being dangerous and taking the lives of her partners. There’s the added dimension that Zero Two is part “monster” and you know what they say about monsters devouring humans. My favorite line in the song is definitely “Boku wo kowagaranaide,” or “Please don’t fear me.” It’s so genuine and vulnerable. That line appears several times in the song, including in the chorus that can be read below. There’s more to say about this song, but that’s enough to get you started.
Chorus in Romanized Japanese:
“Daarin unmei ga kekkan wo hashiru yo
Ugoki hajimeta sekai, ai?
Dare yori mo tokeaitai yo darling
Boku wo kowagaranaide
Kiss me now!“
Mono’s English Translation:
“Darling, destiny runs through our veins
The first movement of the world… Is it love?
More than anyone, I want to melt into you, Darling
So please don’t fear me.
Kiss me now!“
(Note: I doubt I will re-watch Darling in the Franxx in full, since the heavy sexualization of the the teenage cast makes me uncomfortable now. If I do re-watch it for a review, it might be difficult to enjoy. That being said, I will always remember the first time I watched this anime, unaware of the potential icky issues. I loved the characterization of Zero Two and Hiro as they learn about the beauty of love. That core element was moving and meaningful for me at the time.)
Denji Just Wants to “Kick Back”
The last song we’ll talk about today is “Kick Back” by Kenshi Yonezu. It’s the famous opening song for Chainsaw Man (2022). The Romanized lyrics can be read here at Lyrical Nonsense and there are easily accessible translation options on the site. “Kick Back” is an insanely catchy and popular song in the J-pop genre. The song features a heavy bass, eletric guitar, and even orchestral-like strings at some points. I love the strong yet emotional voice of Kenshi Yonezu in all of his songs. In “Kick Back,” the lyrics show the mindset of the Chainsaw Man protagonist, a teenage boy named Denji.
In general, the song is about someone overwhelmed by mundane work and stress who just wants an easier life. Denji grew up always struggling and working to pay off his father’s debt, so the song fits (even though Denji’s work is not mundane at all, since it’s hunting Devils). Throughout the song, we also see that the lyrics are addressed to someone in particular – a person Denji has powerful romantic feelings for – his new boss, an incredibly sexy woman named Makima. Despite his desire for freedom and peace, Denji also wants to be dominated by Makima in a psychological and sexual way. With all that in mind, take a look at this section of the lyrics.
Pre-chorus and Chorus in Romanized Japanese:
“Shiawase ni naritai rakushite ikiteitai.
Kono te ni tsukamitai anata no sono mune no naka.
Happii de umetsukushite, resuto in piisu made ikou ze.
Itsuka mita jigoku mo ii tokoro, ai wo baramaite.
Ai rabu yuu – kenashite kure! Zenbu ubatte waratte kure mai hanii!
Doryoku mirai, a beautiful star
Doryoku mirai, a beautiful star
Doryoku mirai, a beautiful star!
Nanka wasurechatten da.”
Mono’s English Translation:
“I just want to be happy living an easy life.
With these hands, I want to grasp what’s inside your chest.
Let’s fill it with “happy,” until we rest in peace.
Someday seeing hell is fine, so scatter it with love.
I love you – please humiliate me! Steal my everything and laugh, my honey!
The grind, the future, and a beautiful star
The grind, the future, and a beautiful star
The grind, the future, and a beautiful star!
I feel like I’m forgetting something important.”
Besides the main chorus, I have two other favorite lines from this song. The first one is during the bridge of the song and it goes, “Zenbu mechakucha ni shitai, nanimokamo keshisaritai!” The meaning is, “I want to mess up everything and erase every last thing!” This shows Denji’s desperation, frustration and wild desires that flare up due to overwork and not having his basic needs met. As someone with a tendency to self-sabotage and anger, this line is very relatable.
My second favorite line is this one from the post-chorus: “Yoi ko de itai, sorya tsumaranai.” The translation for that would be, “I want to be a good boy, but that’s boring.” If this sounds weird, it should. In Chainsaw Man, Makima refers to Denji as a dog. So the “good boy” phrase sounds juvenile and pet-like intentionally. Denji’s clashing desires are a central point in the anime.
That wraps up some of my favorite examples of meaningful anime songs that focus on protagonist reflections. The next post will provide some examples of songs that are more relevant to the overall plot and themes of the anime. What are some of your favorite anime songs with meaningful lyrics?
~Thanks for Reading~
Written by 7Mononoke (Mono)
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