10 Masterpieces That Moved My Heart (Anime Edition)
Time for a short break. I'm going to change things up completely and present the Anime Edition as the third installment in my "10 Masterpieces That Moved My Heart" series.
U (Belle)
This is an insert song from the 2021 film "Belle". The singer is Kaho Nakamura, who provided the voice for the protagonist, Suzu Naito/Belle. She also wrote the lyrics. It is filled with a deep longing for a loved one who has gone (passed) far away.
Ruri-iro no Chikyu (Seiko Matsuda)
This is a song by Seiko Matsuda released in 1986. It was covered by the protagonist, Nazuna Oikawa (voiced by Suzu Hirose), as an insert song for the film "Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?". It is a hymn full of reverence for the ship called Earth that we live on, and for the travelers who live there.
Kokoro ga Sakebidashiteru ~ Anata no Namae Yobu yo
This is an insert song from the film "The Anthem of the Heart." It is a medley of two different songs: "Kokoro ga Sakebidashiteru," set to the melody of Beethoven's "Pathétique," and "Anata no Namae Yobu yo," set to the melody of the musical classic "Over the Rainbow," with their respective choruses matching perfectly.
Kanashikute Yarikiranai (Kotringo)
This was used as the opening theme for the 2016 film "In This Corner of the World." The original song was released by The Folk Crusaders in 1968, but in this film, it was covered by Kotringo (real name: Rieko Miyoshi), who was in charge of the music. It was a difficult time before and after the war. The feelings of the protagonist, Suzu Urano, who tries to live earnestly but finds things just don't work out, leaving her feeling sad and helpless, come through vividly.
Now, from here on, we'll go back in time quite a bit.
Meguriai (Daisuke Inoue)
This song was used as the ending theme for "Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space," one of the three "Mobile Suit Gundam" theatrical films (the so-called "First Gundam"). It evokes the sorrow of the warriors fighting in outer space and a sense of Showa-era nostalgia.
Honoo no Takaramono (Bobby)
This is the ending theme for "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro," released in 1979 as the first film directed by Ghibli master Hayao Miyazaki. Not only was the scene where Lupin parts ways with Clarice well-executed, but Inspector Zenigata's signature line was also very dashing.
Yasashiku Shinaide (Kumiko Kaori)
This is an insert song from the 1979 film "Galaxy Express 999." The protagonist, Tetsuro, is captivated by the gentle singing voice of a woman named Claire in a deserted bar on the planet Heavy Melder. Although Claire obtained a mechanical body just as Count Mecha told her to, she eventually remembers her true self and, in the end, rusts and decays along with Count Mecha... Memories of feeling the sorrow of life even as a child come flooding back.
Ai yo Sono Hi Made (Akira Fuse)
This is a single by Akira Fuse released in 1980, used as the ending theme for "Be Forever Yamato," the sixth installment in the "Space Battleship Yamato" series (the third as a theatrical film). The straightforward, passionate lyrics and melody make one feel the paradise of 100 years later.
Love Supreme (Junko Yagami)
This is a single by Junko Yagami released in 1983, used as the ending theme for "Final Yamato," the eighth installment in the "Space Battleship Yamato" series (the fourth as a theatrical film). It is a slow ballad with an impressive, beautiful singing voice.
Ai Oboete Imasu ka (Mari Iijima)
This is a single by Mari Iijima released in 1984, which became the theme song for the theatrical anime "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross." Many young people were captivated by the catchy melody, the bittersweet lyrics that tickle the heart, and the clear singing voice.
♬ This is an "eternal divine song" ♬
That concludes the 10 Masterpieces That Moved My Heart (Anime Edition). Regardless of time, place, age, gender, era, or genre, I want to continue searching for wonderful songs.