Kpop Anime Opening

Soundtracks are one of the best parts of anime, especially the openings and endings. The recent release of adaptations of webtoons like The Tower of God and The God of High School has highlighted the fact that K-pop artists lend their voices to anime music, which was almost unknown until recently. But, with the rise of K-pop in the early 2000s and its breakthrough in the international market, more and more Korean singers are performing the themes of the latest anime epics, and it fits very well whether it's a fierce battle with a Japanese katana, superpowers, or a romantic scene..

Here is a little overview of the different anime opening and ending themes sung by some of your favorite K-pop artists:

1. "Slump" - Tower Of God

 

The opening music "Top" and the ending theme "Slump" are both sung by Stray Kids, a K-pop boy band composed of eight members. Stray Kids is still a relatively new group in the K-pop industry, having debuted in 2017 but already making a name for themselves with their singing in Tower of God. Compared to the more optimistic and rock-inspired opening, the final theme is more subdued. It is particularly moving when played towards the end of episode 12, after a major revelation and some moments of complete silence. The transition between the scene of Bam falling and the dark opening with solo guitar and the scenes with the other characters when Felix starts singing is particularly successful.

2. "Every Heart" - Inuyasha

 

Inuyasha is known for its iconic opening and ending themes, like "Change the World," the first opening song of the series, sung by the Japanese boy band V6, or "Fukai Mori" by Do As Infinity, the second ending. But another song that has won everyone's heart is "Every Heart," by the K-pop solo artist BoA. It is the fourth ending theme of the anime, released when she was only 15 years old.

BoA is known as the queen of K-pop for her extraordinary dancing talents, multilingualism, and numerous achievements as an artist. She is a well-known name in Japan, being the first K-pop singer to appear on the Oricon chart and the first and only Korean artist to have six consecutive number one albums on the Oricon chart since her debut.

3. "Neverland" - OZMA

 

F.T. Island sings the opening of "Neverland" by OZMA, a 2012 anime based on the unwritten scenario by Leiji Matsumoto, about a Earth covered in sand and the journey of a wanderer named Sam. The anime is short, with only six episodes, half the standard number of episodes.

F.T. Island, short for Five Treasure Island - "Five" for its five original members - is one of the first K-pop rock groups to debut in the 2000s. Known for the powerful singing of its lead vocalist, the group also sang for Shiawa Theory and Toriko.

4. "Brand New Days" - Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Yousei No Door

 

This joyful opening and sweet to Rilu Rilu Fairilu: Yousei no Door perfectly matches the voices of the girl group K-pop Apink. Rilu Rilu Fairilu is a character franchise created by Sanrio and Sega Sammy Holdings before receiving an anime adaptation in 2016. The series follows a group of little fairies called Fairilu who love to go on adventures and make new friends. A second series was adapted a year later, with the third ending in 2019.

The six-member group has been in the music industry for 9 years and is known for its cute aesthetic but, in recent years, it has diversified into more mature concepts. In 2019, the group went to the Anime Matsuri convention in Houston, Texas, to showcase their latest creation.

5. "Change" - Hanasakeru Seishounen

 

 

At first glance, Hanasakeru Seishounen looks like a shojo anime where the protagonist participates in a "marriage game" to choose her future husband, but there is a greater mystery at play involving drama and politics. "Change," the anime's opening, is sung by J-Min, a solo singer who released this single two years after her debut.

What is unusual about J-Min's debut is that she made her first steps in the music entertainment industry not in Korea, but in Japan in 2007. She released several soundtracks for Korean dramas, but it was only in 2014 that she officially debuted in the domestic market.

6. "Share The World" - One Piece

 

Imagine the joy and excitement of K-pop anime fans when it was announced that the boy band TVXQ (or Tohoshinki, as they are known in Japan), a five-member boy band, would sing the 10th opening of One Piece. The group sang not one, but three songs for the anime: "We Are!", the 17th ending "Asu Wa Kuru Kara" and "Share the World." "Share the World" is by far the most popular song of the group for One Piece, reminiscent of the early 2000s with its instrumental and chorus rhythm. But it also recalls the time when a One Piece figurine was so rare that you couldn't even get one...

TVXQ was extremely popular at its debut but, due to a lawsuit filed against their company in 2009, three members argued that their 13-year contract was too long and that profits were unfairly distributed among the group members. As a result, these three members left TVXQ to form a new group called JYJ, while the other two remained under the name TVXQ.

7. "Win" - The God Of High School

 

The God of High School has only three episodes, but it has already attracted a lot of attention thanks to its amazing fight sequences. It's exciting and gets everyone's heart racing. But the ending is a whole different story. "Win" has a relaxed and laid-back vibe, reminiscent of a summer hit, giving fans a pleasant break from the fast-paced action of the anime.

CIX, the group that sang the ending, is one of the newest rookie groups to burst onto the K-pop scene, but they are already proving how talented they are with the release of this ending and will surely gain popularity over time.

8. "Houkiboshi" - Bleach

 

Most of the time, opening themes hit harder than ending themes because they are meant to make an impact on the audience for the upcoming episode. Ending themes usually complement the episode with a calmer sound and slower tempo. But the third ending of Bleach, performed by Younha, breaks this status quo. This ending has a total of 13 versions, with one version for each Gotei 13 squad.

Younha is a singer-songwriter who, like J-Min, started her career in Japan before debuting in Korea. The second artist, after BoA, to enter the Top 20 of the Oricon Chart albums, she is highly sought after for her songwriting talents and has collaborated with several K-pop groups such as SHINee's Jonghyun, Epik High, and BTS's RM. Her collaboration with RM made her the first Korean female soloist to top the American iTunes chart.