If there's one thing the global otaku community
can agree on, it's that the opening of Neon Genesis
Evangelion is a hymn that transcends generations. Now, this isn't just
an opinion of fans sweating at a convention; a new professional ranking
worldwide has handed down the sentence and crowned "A Cruel Angel's
Thesis" as the greatest anime song of all time.
The results come from a global macro-survey
that brought together 166 singers, musicians, songwriters, producers and true
heavyweights of the music industry from 41 countries. When recounting which
theme song impacted the most in history, Yoko Takahashi's iconic 1995 track
crushed the competition mercilessly.
To add salt to the wound of its rivals, the
song has just marked a monstrous milestone: on May 4, 2026, it reached a
cumulative total of 1,000 weeks on Japan's weekly karaoke chart, becoming the
fourth song in the country's history to achieve such a feat. She is the
absolute owner of the record for weeks within the coveted Top 10, proving that
her melody continues to reverberate in every Japanese bar as if it had been
released yesterday.
Although Evangelion took the
undisputed crown, the podium is full of nostalgia, shonen power
and pure musical "Cinema". Here is the detailed Top 5:
5. Moonlight Densetsu (Sailor Moon)
The definitive anthem of the magical
girls. An untouchable classic that defined the 90s and remains a
masterpiece of Japanese pop culture. If you haven't ever sung this at the top
of your lungs, you probably didn't have a childhood.
4. Gurenge (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
LiSA revolutionized modern industry with this
theme. It is the only song of the new generation that managed to sneak into the
absolute elite of the Top 5, driven by the brutal animation quality of Ufotable
and the worldwide phenomenon that Koyoharu Gotouge's work became.
3. Cha-La Head-Cha-La (Dragon
Ball Z)
Hironobu Kageyama gave us the song that we all
shouted in front of the TV raising our hands to give Goku energy. It's more
than a song; It is a cultural heritage of humanity that exudes pure energy.
2. Blue Bird (Naruto Shippuden)
The legendary Ikimono-gakari song takes the
silver medal. For millions, it's the pinnacle of Naruto's music,
managing to perfectly convey the drama, action, and melancholy that defined the
ninja franchise's best arcs.
1. A Cruel Angel's Thesis (Neon Genesis
Evangelion)
The undisputed first place. The majestic voice
of Yoko Takahashi continues to invite us to "become legends". A song
that mixes energy, existentialism and melancholy in such perfect proportion
that, more than three decades later, it is still the unattainable pinnacle of
anime music.
The rest of the final Top 20
The full list is a mind-blowing journey through
the history of the medium, spanning from anime's roots to modern, viral
blockbusters (yes, the incredible "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" has already
secured its place in the history books):
- 6. Tetsujin 28-go (Tetsujin 28-go)
- 7. Astro Boy (Astro Boy)
- 8. Zenzenzense (Your Name)
- 9. We Are! (One Piece)
- 10. Always With Me / Itsumo
Nando Demo (Spirited Away)
- 11. Idol (Oshi no Ko)
- 12. Guren no Yumiya (Attack
on Titan)
- 13. Bling-Bang-Bang-Born
(Mashle)
- 14. GeGeGe no Kitaro (GeGeGe no Kitaro)
- 15. Obake no Q-Taro (Obake no Q-Taro)
- 16. Kick Back (Chainsaw Man)
- 17. Nausicaä of the Valley of
the Wind (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
- 18. Ponyo on the Cliff by the
Sea (Ponyo)
- 19. Sally the Witch Song
(Sally the Witch)
- 20. Stroll / Sanpo (My
Neighbor Totoro)
Although Neon Genesis Evangelion took the top honor thanks to its legendary musical section, the series seems to be far from forgotten. The franchise will have a new opportunity to break the internet in the near future, as a new anime project connected to this universe has been officially announced, which will feature the creative participation of the eccentric genius Yoko Taro (creator of the NieR saga). The mixture of these two titans already has the "hype" and fan theories through the roof.
