Top 3 Anime End-Themes of All Time (Not Clickbait)

I cannot believe you fell for the clickbait. Kind of.

I am going to be ranking top three anime end-themes, except it’s just my personal opinion from the media I have watched. Expectedly, the songs I’ve picked are from my two favorite animes as of now! Yes, yes, I know, “Two? You have three songs; get yourself some variety.” To that I say I already have variety, especially in my ominous bone collection. Though I am very open to discovering new media, when the songs are good, they’re good. So, let’s move on, shall we? But first!

This blog includes MAJOR SPOILERS for Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Land of the Lustrous, which is also known as Houseki no Kuni. I usually refer to it as Houseki no Kuni.

If you have not checked out either of these stories and love psychological horror, phenomenal soundtracks, flavorful visuals, and absolutely superb plots, I highly recommend closing this blog in favor of watching/reading the aforementioned stories. They are incredible to go into blind.

Alright, warning given! Now we can actually get into the list.

1.                    And I’m Home (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

This song, fueled by what happened in the singular episode it played, wrecked me when I heard it. A large part of its emotional value comes from context gained via watching the series, but that isn’t to say that the song itself isn’t beautiful. The instruments and vocals itch my brain just right, and everything sounds so smooth and blue! Which is fitting, considering what the song plays for. 

And I’m Home, sung by two characters within the series- their actual characters, judging from the lyrics, voice actors, and the ending art (shown above)- plays at the end of episode 9. It’s fittingly centered around the emotions of Kyoko Sakura (VA: Ai Nonaka) and Sayaka Miki (VA: Eri Kitamura), detailing struggle but also love. Some of the lines are:

“(Duet) No matter how many times you feel that way,

there will always be warmth here.

Even if it was a mistake, I don’t care, I’ll always be by your side.”

(Content Warning: Unsubscribing to Life)

What hurts the most is that episode 9 is the episode where both of these characters die. Sayaka is transformed into another being, dying in the process, and Kyoko spends her last moments trying to call out to “Sayaka.” However, Kyoko ends up realizing it’s useless, and kills both herself and “Sayaka” at the end of a heartfelt speech. I could talk about the writing of that scene for forever- just these words don’t do it justice.

1.               Magia by Kalafina (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

The tone shift of going from Madoka Magica’s previous happy, lighthearted end theme to a guitar driven, dark, and dangerous theme is wild in the best way possible. It really highlights how the series starts off looking innocent, when in reality, it’s a psychological horror! Not to mention that this theme is foreshadowing in the best way possible. At first, it appears to be your standard dark end-theme, but when a plot twist is revealed towards the end of the series, you realize that Magia was about that plot twist the entire time. The wonderfully crafted lyrics aren’t about the main character at all- they’re about the character who was the early antagonist, what she’s feeling, and what she’s hoping for, along with the plot twist and ending. Also I go crazy for the violin and guitar in this- I really wish there were more songs who used both! Here are some of the lyrics:

“In these frightened hands of mine,

courage is made of handpicked flowers

My feelings alone are all that I rely upon,

a wish that will awaken 

the light.”

1.                           Liquescimus (Houseki no Kuni)

Wow, another song that plays after a character death! Yay… What makes it worse (better)  is that its another in-character song, sung by Phosphophyllite (VA: Tomoyo Kurosawa.) The vocals of this song feel like the embodiment of sadness, and the pacing of the instruments only adds to the sorrow. One of the things I really love about this song is that it’s in character to the events and worldbuilding of Houseki no Kuni. Character death is equivalent to being taken to the moon in this world, and in Liquescimus, Phosphophyllite sings about Antarcticite being taken to the moon. It plays over the above image- Antarcticite’s resting place- to really hurt your soul. This song also foreshadows the events of the Manga, where Phosphophyllite forgets more and more of their life, including Antarcticite. Here are some of the lyrics:

“There is now only a 

white phantom that looks like you,

shatters when it comes,

and goes off to the moon.”