[janfive]

Originally Posted by Gotank

Hmm... I had much to disagree with that 2ch ranking list. Back when I saw it, I got the strong impression that people were voting songs based on the series they came out of. Frankly, no matter how you put it, Cruel Angel's Thesis is simply not a song which deserves the top spot. The melody is average, vocalization uninspiring, and orchestration bland. The fact that it belonged to one of the most influential animes of the last decade shouldn't give it a free ride to the top. Maybe I'm missing the point of the thread and that poll, but I feel we should judge music on the music alone.

It's not only 2ch that lists Cruel Angel's Thesis at the top. It's either no. 1 or near the top spot in most of the top of lists I encountered, most of which are Japanese-based, probably giving merit to the argument that the series lifted the status of the song. In western countries, where all things anime are not as ubiquitous, the alternative to Thesis as No.1 song is Tank! from Cowboy Bebop, whose accompanying soundtrack is heaped with praises from music critics. If I were to rank the top song today, I'd be stuck with the problem of which of these songs to place at #1.

Extra: Found another youtube clip counting down the best anime songs by a Japanese TV station. The broadcast looks old which pretty much explains the absence of Cruel Angel's Thesis at or near the top. 13 of the 15 songs in the video are in the hall of fame.

Spoiler for video:

Here are my inductions into the Hall of Fame for Week 24:

"My Heart iidasenai, Your Heart tashikametai" by The Goddess Family Club
Aa! Megamisama! (OAV) Opening Theme [1993]
suggested by christinemarie

Spoiler:

Koi ni naranai ne soba ni iru dake ja Nazo wo kakete mo donkan na hito dakara
Natsu no fuku wo kite haru no umi ni kita Anata no Shatsu de yasashiku kabatte
My heart iidasenai Please Kiss shite tte Day dream yume wa fukurami Sora ni takaku kieru
Onna no ko wa dare datte shiawase ni nareru Koi ga hajimareba kagayakidasu
Tatoe namida nagashite mo anata no sei nara Mune wo itamete mo kanashikunai

"Dango Daikazoku" by Chata
Clannad (TV) Ending Theme #1 (episodes 1-23) [2007]
suggestedn by DJLowrider

Spoiler:

Dango (5x) daikazoku Yancha na yaki dango yasashii an dango Minna minna awasete hyaku nin kazoku
Akachan dango ha itsumo shiawase no naka de Toshiyori dango ha me wo hosometeru
Nakayoshi dango te wo tsunagi ookina marui wa ni naru yo Machi wo tsukuri dango boshi no ue minna de waraiau yo
Usagi mo sora de te wo futtemiteru dekkai otsukisama Ureshii koto kanashii koto mo zenbu marumete

"Blurry Eyes" by L'Arc~en~Ciel
DNA² ~Dokokade Nakushita Aitsu no Aitsu~ (TV) Opening Theme [1994]
suggested by -Kh-

Spoiler:

Tooku no kaze wo mi ni matou Anata ni wa todokanai Kotoba narabete mite mo
Mata shisen wa dokoka mado no mukou Kawaranai yokan wa tsudzuite-iru Ano hibi sae kumotte shimau
Meguri-kuru toki ni Yakusoku wo ubaware-sou Kono ryoute sashinobete mo Kokoro wa hanarete
Meguri-kuru toki ni Taisetsu na hito wa mou Furimuita sono hitomi ni Chiisa na tameiki

"Sayonara Solitaire" by Saeko Chiba
Chrono Crusade (TV) Ending Theme [2003]
suggested by WOoOzZy

Spoiler:

Daisuki to omou kara ne kizutsu ittari tomadottari Tsumetai hoho wo yose atte kokoro ga umareta Itsumo ima sugu ni aitai
Mukuchi ni naruhodo suki yo yasashi sa doushitara mieru no
Dakishimete motto tsuyoku atataka na mune wo shinjiru yo Sayonara solitia ashita he

"♥Lonely in Gorgeous♥" by Tommy february6
Paradise Kiss (TV) Opening Theme [2005]
suggested by NerdyOtaku

Spoiler:

Gozen reiji tobidashita Tobira wo kettobashite Garasu no kutsu ga warete Doresu mo yabureta
Nee akirete iru deshou? Oikakete mo konai Namida ga afurete mou hashirenai wa Jerashii kamo Se-tsu-na-i
Lonely in (Gorgeous Yeah!) Party night (I'm Breaking my heart) Ima sugu mitsukete dakishimete hoshii
Heddo (raito ga) hikaru (where are you Bad boy?) Ai no Sukaafu de namida wo fuite Nani mo mienai

"Gekkouka" by Janne Da Arc
Black Jack (TV) Opening Theme #1 (episodes 1-26) [2004]

Spoiler:

[size=-2]
Kanashige ni saku hana ni Kimi no omokage wo mita Daisuki na ame na no ni Naze ka kyou wa tsumetakute
Kisetsu wa meguri Mori wa somerare Kaze wa kanadete Omoi afurete
Tsuki no kakera wo atsumete Yume wo kazari nemuru Toki no suna chiribametemo Ano koro e kaerenai
Ikiru imi sagashiteiru daremo mina tabibito Haruka naru tabiji tadori boku wa ima arukidasu Ibara no machi no mukou e
[/szie]

"Tooi Nioi" by YO-KING
Gintama (TV) Opening Theme #2 (episodes 25-49) [2006]

Spoiler:

Kimi no ushiro sugata wo boku ha mitsumeteitanda Nagaku nagaku kimi no senaka wo boku ha tayori ni shitetanda
Jibun ga iru tokoro wo itsumo kari no basho da to Nigete nigete yume no sekai he kimi no koe wo dakishimeru
Tomo to koi to urame ni deru junsui ga Aoi jiishiki wo kirikiri itametsukeru
Aa boku ha kore kara nani wo shiyou Konna boku ja kimi ni sukareru wake ga nai no sa

Kimi ha boku ni yasashikute itsumo hontou ni yasashikute Zutto zutto boku wo mitete kureta ne kimi no taion oboeteru
Ii koto mo warui koto mo ukeirerarenakute Hajime kara nai mono wo hisshi ni sagashiteta
Aa boku ha kore kara nani wo shiyou Konna boku ja kimi ni sukareru wake ga nai no sa
Aa tadori omoi kokoro hikizutte Karada dake ha joubu nano de kyou mo waratteiyou

"Asu e no Brilliant Road" by Angela
Uchuu no Stellvia (TV) Opening Theme [2003]

Spoiler:

Sora wo aogi Hoshi yo michite Tobitatsu no Asu e no brilliant road Kokoro no aosa Kono te ni daite go far away
Urayamu koto ni Narete shimattara Hokoreru jibun ga Toozakatteku
Mienai tsubasa de habataku no fly higher Yume wo egaku no wa hito ni umareta kara
Sora wo aogi Hoshi yo michite Tobitatsu no Asu e no brilliant road Kokoro no aosa Kono te ni daite
Anata to nara Yowai jibun wo sarakedashite hashiridaseru no Mirai yo dou ka Mugen ni tsuzuke go far away

"Realize" by Nami Tamaki
Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED (TV) Opening Theme #4 (episodes 41-50) [2003]

Spoiler:

Tadoritsuku basho sae mo wakaranai Todoku to shinjite ima omoi wo hashira seruyo
Katachi kaete yuku kokoro mo kono machi mo Dakedo kienai negai ga aru
Chigau yume wo mite onaji sora nagameta Ano hi chikatta Makenai koto
Zutto futari kono te tsunagezu ni Umarete kita imi wo sagashiteta
Tadoritsuku basho sae mo wakaranai Todoku to shinjite ima omoi wo hashira seruyo
Ayamachi mo setsunasa mo koeru toki Negai ga Hikari dakishimeru mirai wo yobisamashite

"Ketsui no Asa ni" by AQUA TIMEZ
Brave Story (movie) Ending Theme [2006]

Spoiler:

Douse nara mou Hetakuso na yume wo egaite ikou yo Douse nara mou Hetakuso de akaruku yukai na ai no aru yume wo
Kidon nakute ii Kakkotsuke nai hou ga omaerashii yo
Isshoukenmei ni nareba naru hodo Karamawari shite shimau bokura no tabiji wa Shougakusei no Te to ashi ga issho ni dechau koushin mitai
Sore mo mata iin ja nai? Ikite yuku koto nante sa Kitto hito ni warawareru kurai ga Choudo iin da yo
Kokoro no oku no oku Tojikometeta hontou no boku Namami no san-juu-roku do gobun Kazarazu ni iza we don’t stop
Kedo mada tsuyogatterun da yo Mada baria wo hatterun da yo Itami to tatakatterun da yo

Tsurai toki tsurai to ietara ii no ni na-a Boku-tachi wa tsuyogatte warau yowamushi da-a
Sabishii no ni heiki na furi wo shite iru no wa-a Kuzure ochite shimai sou na Jibun wo mamoru tame na no sa
Boku dake ja nai hazu sa Ikiba no nai kono kimochi wo Ibasho no nai kono kodoku wo Kakaete iru no wa

Hito no itami ni wa mukanshin Sono kuse jibun no koto to naru to fuan ni natte Hito wo kiratte Fukou na no wa jibun dakette omottari
Ataerare nai koto wo tada nageite San sai ji no you ni wameite Ai toiu na no oyatsu wo suwatte matteru boku wa
Asufaruto no terikaeshi ni mo makezu ni Jibun no ashi de aruiteku hitotachi wo mite omotta
Ugokaseru ashi ga aru nara Mukaitai basho ga aru nara Kono ashi de aruite yukou

Mou nido tohontono egao wo torimodosu koto Dekinai kamoshirenai to omou yoru mo atta kedo
Taisetsu na hito-tachi no atatakasa ni sasaerare Mou ichido shinjite miyou ka na to omoi mashita

Tsurai toki tsurai to ietara ii no ni na-a Boku-tachi wa tsuyogatte warau yowamushi da-a
Sabishii no ni heiki na furi wo shite iru no wa-a Kuzure ochite shimai sou na Jibun wo mamoru tame dakedo
Ayamachi mo kizuato mo tohou ni kure Besokaita hi mo-o Boku ga boku toshite ikitekita akashi ni shite
Douse nara korekara wa isso dare yori mo-o Omoikiri hetakuso na yume wo egaite yukou
Ii wake wo katadukete doudou to mune wo hari Jibun toiu ningen wo utai tsuduke you