Japanese Anime Songs: Generation Z's New Craze

Japanese Anime Songs: Gen Z's New Craze. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Japanese anime music has seen a clear boom on Spotify, at concerts, and at night events, particularly among young people who find its distinctive melodies and emotional appeal.

On a summer night, some 20,000 enthusiastic fans packed into London’s iconic O2 Arena, where glowsticks pulsated throughout the venue. On stage, J-pop sensation Adu appeared in a dark silhouette and began performing “Kora Kora,” a song the entire audience knew, inspired by the anime series Spy X Family.

This song is characterized by its unpredictable yet highly engaging style, shifting between classic 1960s pop rhythms, jazz notes, and a dramatic style inspired by rock opera, making it a contemporary example of an anime anthem, in a scene that is becoming increasingly prevalent.

Japanese animation, or anime, has a cultural heritage dating back to the early 20th century and is characterized by a creative breadth that encompasses a wide range of stories and genres, from pirate epics and futuristic wars to tales of magic, martial arts, mythology, and tragic romance.

The music accompanying these works is no less diverse and bold. The songs vary in musical genres and rhythms, and often change within a single piece. However, they share fundamental characteristics, most notably their ability to enhance the visual scene and strengthen our emotional connection to it.