(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
Anime song - Wikipedia Jump to content

Anime song

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Anisong)

Anime song
Native name
アニメソング
Other namesAnison (アニソン)
Stylistic origins
Cultural origins1970s, Japan
Derivative forms
Other topics

Anime song (アニメソング, anime songu, also shortened to anison (アニソン)) is a genre of music originating from Japanese pop music. Anime songs consist of theme, insert, and image songs for anime, manga, video game, and audio drama CD series, as well as any other song released primarily for the anime market, including music from Japanese voice actors.

The anime song genre was first defined as a musical category in the 1970s. It later gained popularity from the public when mainstream artists begin releasing songs as tie-ins for anime series. By the 1990s, it became redefined as a separate genre when companies began creating record labels that would exclusively produce anime songs for their series and artists. The increase in voice actors beginning in the mid-2000s led to growing market interest in the genre.

History

[edit]

1930–1970: Early influences

[edit]

The Dull Sword (1917), by Jun'ichi Kōuchi, is regarded as the earliest surviving animated film in Japan. Noburō Ōfuji's Kuroi Nyago (1929) is the first Japanese animated work to include music. The film includes characters dancing to a prerecorded song, retroactively seen as the prototype of anime songs.[1]

Following World War II, the 1950s and 1960s saw a revival in entertainment and cultural development.[1] In 1963, Astro Boy premiered and subsequently, the theme song "Theme of Astro Boy" became well-known to the Japanese public due to it being used as the departure song at Takadanobaba Station.[1] The song was also notable due to the lyrics being written by poet Shuntarō Tanikawa.[1]

1970–1980: Growing popularity of anime songs

[edit]

Japan's economic growth in the 1970s led to more cultural development, and people who exclusively sang theme songs for anime were known as "anime song singers."[1] Despite the lack of public appearances from the singers, theme songs from the series Mazinger Z, Space Battleship Yamato, and Candy Candy became known to the Japanese public, even outside of fans who watched the shows.[1] At the same time, Mobile Suit Gundam voice actors Toshio Furukawa and Toru Furuya gained a large female fanbase with through Slapstick, a vocal unit consisting of voice actors from the show meant to its theme songs.[2][3] While anime theme songs originally used the name and settings from the series of which they were based, this led to the lyrics of anime songs being centered on the characters' thoughts and feelings for more universal appeal and allowing for context outside of the original animated work.[1]

1980–1990: Mainstream recognition

[edit]

At the height of Japan's bubble economy, in the 1980s, musicians outside of the anime industry began performing theme songs for anime.[1] In 1984, the single "Ai Oboete Imasu ka", which was released for Macross under the character Lynn Minmay's name, charted at #7 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.[1][4] Furthermore, Cat's Eye (1983) received widespread media attention for having Anri, a singer whose activities had no connection to the anime industry, perform its theme songs.[1] Likewise, TM Network, a band who were active outside of the anime industry, received media attention when their 1987 song "Get Wild" was released as the theme song to City Hunter.[1] As a result of the song's popularity, TM Network were invited to the 72nd Kohaku Uta Gassen to perform it.[1] From then on, mainstream artists releasing tie-in songs for anime became common.[1]

1990–2000: In-house production and modernization

[edit]

Following the collapse of the bubble economy in Japan, labels exclusively dedicated to exclusively producing anime songs were formed, most notably King Records' Starchild label.[1] This was in part due the "Being Boom [ja]" phenomenon named after Being Inc., which gained a fanbase after their artists Zard and Maki Ohguro released songs that were well-received by the public.[1] Yoko Takahashi, who was part of the Starchild label, released "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" as the theme song for Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995), and the song's popularity led to audiences outside of anime fans to recognize it.[1] In addition, as popular music from Japan shifted from kayōkyoku to J-pop, anime song singers, such as Masami Okui, began incorporating J-pop sounds into her music.[1] Among others, voice actors such as Hekiru Shiina, Mariko Kouda, and Megumi Hayashibara were also active in singing in addition to voice acting.[2] Some voice actors also formed their own groups and perform theme songs to other anime series, such as Minami Takayama with Two-Mix.[5]

2000–2019: Voice actor boom

[edit]
Nana Mizuki (pictured 2018) was the best-selling voice actress in 2011.[6]

As more late-night anime series were being produced in the 2000s, Yui Horie, Yukari Tamura, and Nana Mizuki, who were signed with King Records, were produced and marketed as idol singers and voice actors by the record label.[2][7] During the mid-2000s, there was a "voice actor boom",[1] in addition to a period known as the "Idol Warring Period", a phenomenon named after a rapid growth in the idol industry.[8] Mizuki's "Eternal Blaze" reached #2 on the Oricon Weekly Single Charts in 2005, and shortly after, the release of "Hare Hare Yukai" in 2006 led to the "Haruhi boom" mainly because of the animated dance sequence in the show's ending.[1] In the following years, there was a substantial increase of voice actors in anime, and anime songs as a whole became more widely known to the general public.[1] The anime song industry shifted to recruit young girls who were able to have an "idol" presence, naming Riisa Naka, Koharu Kusumi, and Aya Hirano as examples.[7]

In 2010, Ho-kago Tea Time, a fictional band from the series K-On!, became the first anime characters to receive simultaneous #1 and #2 rankings on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart with the release of both their singles.[9] In the following years, idol-themed multimedia projects, such as Love Live!, The Idolmaster, and Uta no Prince-sama, became popular.[10][11] Billboard Japan launched the Billboard Japan Hot Animation chart on December 1, 2010 exclusively for anime and video game music releases.[12]

2020–present: Global expansion

[edit]

Since the 2020s, anime songs have experienced a rapid growth in global online popularity due to their widened availability on music streaming services like Spotify and promotion by fans and artists on social media.[13][better source needed] In 2020, "Homura", a theme song for animated film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, rose to number eight on the Billboard Global 200.[14] In 2023, the opening theme of the anime series Oshi no Ko, "Idol" by Yoasobi, topped the Billboard Global Excl. US, becoming the first Japanese song and anime song to do so,[15] alongside reached number seven on the Billboard Global 200, the highest peak by Japanese act.[16] "Idol" also topped on the global charts of Apple Music and YouTube Music.[17][18] In the same year, Kenshi Yonezu's "Kick Back", an opening theme for Chainsaw Man, became the first-ever song with Japanese lyrics to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[19]

Derivatives

[edit]

The anime song genre became the direct influence of genres such as denpa song and moe song.[5]

Media

[edit]

Record labels

[edit]

The following record labels are exclusively for anime song music:

Concerts

[edit]

Artists

[edit]

Performers

[edit]

This is a list of singers and bands who primarily perform anime songs, including groups created from media mix anime projects. This list does not count singers or bands who release incidental songs for the genre, nor group names that the voice actors are credited under solely for performing the theme songs in the anime they are starring in.

Soloists

[edit]

Groups

[edit]

Composers

[edit]

This is a list of songwriters who primarily compose and produce anime songs. This list does not count composers who produce incidental releases for the genre.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Ito, Taisei. "日本にっぽんで最初さいしょのアニメが誕生たんじょうした大正たいしょう時代じだい". 70 Seeds (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "「アイドル声優せいゆう」のブームは継続けいぞく中ちゅう！ その歴史れきしは意外いがいと深ふかいって本ほん当とう？". Tokyo School of Anime (in Japanese). January 4, 2019. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  3. ^ Anu; Katrin (March 8, 2009). "Toru Furuya at Desucon". Japan Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  4. ^ Eisenbeis, Richard (September 7, 2012). "The Fictional (Yet Amazingly Popular) Singers of Japan". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Murakami, Reina (February 16, 2020). "TWO-MIX、fripSide、GRANRODEO、Sir Vanity……声優せいゆうが属ぞくする音楽おんがくユニットの歴史れきしを辿たどる". Real Sound (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  6. ^ Loo, Egan (December 2, 2011). "Top-Selling Voice Actresses/Actors: 2011". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "角川かどかわとアップフロントがアイドル声優せいゆうオーディション開催かいさい". Oricon (in Japanese). July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  8. ^ Sevakis, Justin (September 3, 2018). "Why Isn't Idol Culture Bigger in America?". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  9. ^ Loo, Egan (May 3, 2010). "K-On!! Puts 1st Anime Band at #1 on Weekly Singles Chart (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  10. ^ Tai, Hiroki (February 15, 2015). "最近さいきんよく聞きく"2.5次元じげん"、その定義ていぎとは？". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  11. ^ Itabashi, Fujiko (September 1, 2016). "「うたプリ」「Bプロ」…女性じょせいターゲットのアイドルアニメ大だい豊作ほうさく！ 新しん時代じだいの覇者はしゃは生うまれるか". Real Sound (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  12. ^ "ビルボードジャパン新しんチャート提供ていきょう開始かいしのお知しらせ" [Announcement regarding the beginning the Billboard Japan Charts]. Kyodo News (in Japanese). December 1, 2010. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  13. ^ "What are Anisongs? How Music for Anime Became a Growing Global Sensation". Chartmetric. June 28, 2023.
  14. ^ "LiSA、「炎ほのお」が米べいビルボード・グローバル・チャートTOP10入いり". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). October 27, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  15. ^ Trust, Gary (June 5, 2023). "YOASOBI's 'Idol' Surges to No. 1 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Chart". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "【推おしの子こ】: YOASOBI「アイドル」 米べいビルボード「Global 200」日本にっぽんのアーティスト歴代れきだい最高さいこう7位いに". Mantanweb (in Japanese). June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  17. ^ Harding, Daryl (June 21, 2023). "YOASOBI's Oshi no Ko Anime Theme Song 'Idol' Tops Apple's Global Music Charts". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Ryō, Jozuka (July 12, 2023). "YOASOBI「アイドル」世界せかい1位い YouTube楽曲がっきょくランキング". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  19. ^ Shiba, Tomonori (October 28, 2023). "米津よねつ玄げん師し「KICK BACK」、米べいレコード協会きょうかいゴールド認定にんていが持もつ歴史れきし的てき意味いみ 本人ほんにんコメントも踏ふまえて考察こうさつ". Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "人気にんき"アニソンレーベル"6社しゃの個性こせいを徹底てってい比較ひかく! 今後こんごの注目ちゅうもくアーティストは?". Pia [ja] (in Japanese). April 27, 2018. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c d e f "寒さむさも吹ふき飛とばす大だい熱狂ねっきょうのアニソンのパワー「ANIMAX MUSIX 2021」Part2ライブレポート". Spice (in Japanese). November 24, 2021. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "『KING SUPER LIVE』オンラインで30日にち開催かいさい 過去かこライブ映像えいぞう使用しようしセットリスト組くむ". Oricon (in Japanese). May 26, 2020. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  23. ^ a b c d "2019年ねん、アニソンアプリ「アニュータ」で最もっとも再生さいせいされたのは誰だれだ!? 年間ねんかんランキング大賞たいしょう「ANiUTa AWARD」発表はっぴょう" [Who was replayed the most on the anime song app AniUta in 2019?! Announcement of the yearly ranking award Aniuta Award]. Anime! Anime! (in Japanese). December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  24. ^ Oda, Junji (November 3, 2021). "水樹みずき奈々なな、上坂かみさかすみれ、内田うちだ真しん礼れい……貫禄かんろくの歌声うたごえとクリエイターの手腕しゅわん味あじわえる女性じょせい声優せいゆうの最新さいしん作さく" [Nana Mizuki, Sumire Uesaka, Maaya Uchida... the latest works where you can taste the voice actresses' dignified singing and the creative skills]. Real Sound (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  25. ^ "和田わだ光司こうじ" [Kōji Wada]. Solid Vox. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  26. ^ "アニサマ2021：i☆Ris 幹みき葉は、犬いぬ寄よせしのぶ（高木たかぎ美佑みゆ）とコラボ 「こどちゃ」OP「ウルトラ リラックス」披露ひろう テンション爆ばく上あげ！". Mantan Web (in Japanese). August 27, 2021. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  27. ^ "アニソン界かいのパイオニア JAM Project、待望たいぼうの有ゆう観客かんきゃくライブ映像えいぞうリリース「120%の力ちからで臨のぞんだ」". Oricon (in Japanese). January 28, 2022. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  28. ^ a b "Mia REGINA×Arte Refact 桑原くわばら 聖きよし＆本多ほんだ友紀ゆきが考かんがえる、"アニソン"の定義ていぎと2010年代ねんだいの展開てんかい". Real Sound (in Japanese). January 3, 2017. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  29. ^ "声優せいゆうユニットTrefle、デビュー作さくで「チェンクロ」とコラボ" [Voice actor unit Trefle collaborates with Chain Chronicle for their debut work]. Natalie (in Japanese). October 22, 2013. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  30. ^ a b c "田中たなか秀和ひでかずさん ジャンルを超こえる！アニソンシーンを驚おどろかせた作さく編曲へんきょくとは？". NHK (in Japanese). December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  31. ^ a b "アニクラ文化ぶんかを世界せかいへ届とどけたい！Elements Garden上松うえまつ範はん康やすし・竹田たけだ祐介ゆうすけとD4DJ Peaky P-keyが企たくらむ世界せかい征服せいふくへの道みちのりとは！？". Spice (in Japanese). April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anime_song&oldid=1229802990"