My Hero Academia has had three seasons of fantastic openings and endings, from “The Day” by Porno Graffitti to “Long Hope Philia” by Masaki Suda, and it’s looking like Season 4 will keep that trend going.
This weekend, the artists for the upcoming season’s opening and ending songs were revealed on the series’ official website. BLUE ENCOUNT will perform the OP song “Polaris”, and Sayuri will perform the ED song “Koukai no Uta”.
Both artists have performed numerous singles for anime series, which may leave some fans who don’t recognize their names wondering: What kind of music have they given the anime world? Let’s take a look.
BLUE ENCOUNT
A versatile J-rock group, BLUE ENCOUNT has performed opening themes for some very notable series, including Gintama and Banana Fish. They’re able to flex their sound to match whatever style the song needs, moving from pop-punk twists to intense, high-tempo jams.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans OP 2 – Survivor
Survivor is a fresh, drum-heavy take on the classic J-rock anime intro style. The song’s upbeat tempo makes it feel like the action series theme it is, while also giving a little extra edge to match the show’s content. The lyrics are a youthfully optimistic look at being the final survivors in a fight, and if that isn’t a perfect summary of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, we don’t know what is.
You can watch all of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans subbed and dubbed on FunimationNow.
Banana Fish OP 2 – Freedom
Lead singer Tanabe Shunichi’s breathy opening is the perfect start to this epic and dark tune about overcoming pain and battling sadness and depression to save a relationship. The song’s lyrics, as well as the musical push and pull between calm moments and intense guitar riffs matches the tone of Banana Fish, especially the series’ second half, to a T.
Gintama OP 19 – VS
A danceable track like this is the perfect fit for Gintama‘s mixture of bright, off-the-wall comedy and dark, serious moments. The lyrics talk all about battling harsh realities by just being yourself and expressing your innocent dreams to the rest of the world.
Sayuri
Enchanting vocals and acoustic guitar intros are the name of the game when it comes to Sayuri. Her songs are usually paired with aesthetic, stylized visuals, giving the entire package a sort of atmospheric, almost haunting feel. Whether it’s a high-tempo tune or a slower ballad, the songs Sayuri has performed for anime all have a similar mesmerizing vibe.
ERASED ED – Sorewa Chiisana Hikarinoyouna
The perfect example of a song that slowly builds in intensity, Sayuri’s performance for ERASED‘s ending theme matches the show’s mysterious vibe well. The lyrics talk about wanting to protect someone from darkness and the passing of time, a melancholy yet relatable take on the concepts the series addresses.
Fate/Extra: Last Encore ED – Moon & Bouquet
Starting once again with Sayuri’s vocals paired with a simple acoustic guitar, “Moon & Bouquet” is all about finding someone encouraging and strong to help you through confusing times. The increasing tempo throughout the song is something that Sayuri’s endings excel at, starting with a ballad feel and ending on an intense wave.
Golden Kamuy Second Season OP (w/ MY FIRST STORY) – Reimei
Reimei is the only OP song that Sayuri has performed, and it’s a little out of her usual style due to it being a collaboration track with J-rock group MY FIRST STORY. Her voice pairs perfectly with lead singer Hiroki Moriuchi’s, though, providing a rough vs. sweet duality that fits Golden Kamuy perfectly.
You can watch all of Golden Kamuy dubbed on FunimationNow.
