Throwback Thursday: Anime Vibes
Some things just go hand-in-hand. Peanut butter and jelly. Milk and cookies. K-Pop and anime. Many of our favorite idols are well-known for their anime interests, with numerous artists even having contributed their own songs to shows over the years. So anime fans, rejoice! Because for this week’s Throwback Thursday, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite could-be-anime K-Pop tracks!
“Run to you” - SEVENTEEN
Resident SEVENTEEN composer Woozi admitted that he wrote “Run to you” because he was bored and missing his members, though it’s hard to picture anything but a shounen anime opening when listening to this song. With gritty guitars, heavy drum beats, and heart-piercing vocals, this song is on par with any favorite shounen anime opening.
“PANDORA” - KARA
The girls of KARA are no strangers to anime—they even had their own series in 2013! But a year before that, their 2012 hit “PANDORA” brought anime-like sounds to the K-Pop scene. Sounding like something straight out of the climax in a magical girl anime, “PANDORA” is equal parts powerful and mystical.
“Whatever U Want” - Weki Meki
Off their 2019 mini-album WEEK END LOL, Weki Meki’s B-side “Whatever U Want” has plenty of summer anime vibes to spare. The upbeat, quirky track is so colorful that it could work as either an anime opening or an ending.
“Over the Sky” - Dreamcatcher
Any fan knows that Dreamcatcher’s entire discography is fit for anime, but their song “Over the Sky” puts the rest to shame. Released as a single in 2019—and ironically between Japanese releases—the driving guitars in ”Over the Sky” sound like a classic shounen anime opening.
“Day 1” - Red Velvet
The Red Velvet members are revered for their ability to tackle any concept, so it’s not surprising that the anime sound fits them like a glove. A B-side off their first full album The Red, “Day 1” would fit right in with even the most popular of shoujo anime music. It’s only too easy to picture the song as the ending song to a 2000s romance series.
“NAVILLERA” - GFRIEND
Much like Dreamcatcher, much of GFRIEND’s discography sounds like it was made for anime, with their 2016 song “NAVILLERA” sitting at the top of the list. The song packs a punch from start to finish—a perfect fit for an anime overflowing with girl power.
“SHINING★STAR” - Lovelyz
The closing track to their 2018 mini-album Heal, Lovelyz’s song ““SHINING★STAR” is even stylized like many anime openings. Despite its impossibly upbeat nature, the song is a little more laidback than some others on this list, making for an ideal slice-of-life anime opening.
“Albatross” - B.A.P
Released on their 2016 mini-album CARNIVAL, B.A.P’s “Albatross” is an appropriately buoyant song given its name. The bright guitars are reminiscent of anime on their own, but it’s the song’s soaring chorus that truly gives the track its anime vibes. With even just the opening notes, “Albatross” proves that B.A.P would’ve fit right in with anime OST regulars.