It might be interesting to check out annual popularity poll results in the best [favorite] song category of Animage's Anime Grand Prix for the past several years. Most are opening and ending theme songs.
Animage,
Newtype, and
Animedia comprise the "Big 3" of animation magazines in Japan.
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23th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2001
Meilleurs chansons de l'année ([Top 5] Best [Favorite] Songs of the Year)
Purachina (
Card Captor Sakura)
Still Time (
Gensô Maden Saiyûki)
Sakura Saku (
Love Hina)
For Real (
Gensô Maden Saiyûki)
Dis - (
Mugen no Ryvius)
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24th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2002
Meilleurs chansons de l'année ([Top 5] Best [Favorite] Songs of the Year)
For Fruits Basket (
Card Captor Sakura) [sic] [(
Fruits Basket)]
Over Soul (
Shaman King)
Love Destiny (
Sister Princess)
Reckless Fire (
Scryed)
Dearest (
Inu Yasha)
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25th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2003
Meilleure chanson ([Top 10] Best [Favorite] Song[s])
1 - Anna ni issho datta no si Gundam Seed (1er Opening) See-Saw
2 - Invoke Gundam Seed (1er Opening) T.M. Revolution
3 - Shizukana yoru ni Gundam Seed (Chanson) Tanaka Rie
4 - Kibôhô Spiral (Opening) Strawberry Jam
5 - Northern Light Shaman King (2e Opening) Hayashibara Megumi
6 - Hemisphere Rahxephon (Opening) Sakamoto Maaya
7 - White Line Tennis no ôji-sama (Ending) Aozu
8 - Shooting Star Onegai Teacher (1er Opening) Kotoko
9 - Aono Requiem Samourai Deeper Kyo (Opening) Tsubokura Yuiko
10 - Obsession .hack//SIGN (Opening) See-Saw
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26th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2004
Meilleurs chansons de l'année ([Top 10] Best [Favorite] Songs of the Year)
Melissa (
Fullmetal Alchemist - OP)
Kesenai Tsumi (
Fullmetal Alchemist - ED)
Akatsuki no Kuruma (
Gundam Seed)
Find the way (
Gundam Seed - ED)
Ashita e no brilliant road (
Uchuu no Stellvia - OP)
Anna ni issho datta no ni (
Gundam Seed - ED)
Meteor(
Gundam Seed)
Realise (
Gundam Seed - OP)
Invoke (
Gundam Seed - OP)
Believe (
Gundam Seed - OP)
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27th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2005
Meilleurs chansons de l'année ([Top 10] Best [Favorite] Songs of the Year)
Ignited (
Gundam Seed Destiny - OP)
Reason (
Gundam Seed Destiny - ED)
Shangri-La (
Soukyuu no Fafner - OP)
Akatsuki no Kuruma (
Gundam Seed Special Edition II)
Fields of Hope (Gundam Seed Destiny) [sung by Tanaka Rie]
Melissa (
Fullmetal Alchemist - OP)
Rewrite (
Fullmetal Alchemist - OP)
* - Asterisk (
Bleach - OP)
Haruka, Kimi no Moto e... (
Harukanaru Toki no Nakade - Hachiyôshô - OP)
Ready Steady Go (
Fullmetal Alchemist - OP)
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28th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2006
Meilleurs chansons de l'année ([Top 10] Best [Favorite] Songs of the Year]
Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru (
Gundam Seed Destiny - ED4)
Vestige(
Gundam Seed Destiny)
Hateshinaku Tooi Sora ni (
Kyô Kara Maoh! - OP)
Arigatô (
Kyô Kara Maoh! - ED)
Link (
Film de Fullmetal Alchemist - OP)
Honoh no Tobira (
Gundam Seed Destiny)
Seishoujo Ryouiki (
Rozen Maiden: Träumend - OP)
Fields of hope (Gundam Seed Destiny) [sung by Tanaka Rie]
Ichirin no Hana (
Bleach - OP3)
Ignited (
Gundam Seed Destiny - OP1)
Or...
Best [Favorite] Songs
#1 "Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru" [Gundam SEED DESTINY 4th ending theme song performed by See-Saw]
#2 "vestige" [Gundam SEED DESTINY insert song; Gundam SEED DESTINY FINAL PLUS opening theme song performed by T.M.Revolution]
#6 "Honoo no Tobira" [Gundam SEED DESTINY insert song performed by FictionJunction YUUKA]
#6 "Fields of hope" [Gundam SEED DESTINY insert song performed by Tanaka Rie (as Lacus Clyne)]
#9 "ignited" [Gundam SEED DESTINY 1st opening theme song performed by T.M.Revolution]
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29th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prix
Animage June 2007
Favourite Songs
01. "COLORS" by FLOW - Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (OP)
02. "Hare Hare Yukai" by Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, and Yuko Goto - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (ED)
03. "Yuukyou Seishunka" by ALI PROJECT - Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (ED)
04. "Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru" by See-Saw - Gundam SEED Destiny (ED4)
05. "Fields of hope" by Tanaka Rie - Gundam SEED Destiny (Insert Song)
06. "God Knows..." by Hirano Aya - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (Insert Song)
07. "Rolling star" by YUI - BLEACH (OP5)
08. "CRESCENDO" by Stella Quintet - Kiniro no Corda ~primo passo~ (OP)
09. "Vestige" by T.M. Revolution - Gundam SEED Destiny (OP5)
10. "Yuki no Tsubasa" by redballoon- Gintama (ED3)
11. "INNOCENT SORROW" by abingdon boys school - D.Gray-man (OP)
12. "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" by Shimamiya Eiko - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (OP)
13. "Colors of the Heart" by UVERworld - BLOOD+ (OP3)
14. "Seishoujo Ryouiki" by ALI PROJECT - Rozen Maiden ~träumend~ (OP)
15. "Bouken Desho Desho?" by Hirano Aya - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (OP)
16. "Shinkai no Kodoku" by Kuwashima Houko - Gundam SEED Destiny (Insert Song)
17. "Egao no Wake" by Hikita Kaori - Shounen Onmyouji (OP)
18. "Sakura kiss" by Kawabe Chieko - Ouran High School Host Club (OP)
19. "Boukoku Kakusei Catharsis" by ALI PROJECT - .hack//ROOTS (ED)
20. "Love Power" by Aice5 - Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru (OP)
20. "Enrai ~Tooku ni Aru Agari~" by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR - Gundam SEED Destiny Special Edition (ED3)
20. "Pray" by Tommy heavenly6 - Gintama (OP)
20. "This Love" by Angela Aki - BLOOD+ (ED3)
20. "Flower -Sakimida Hana-" by GIGS - Tennis no Ouji-sama -Zenkoku Taikai hen- (OP)
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"Fields of hope," sung by
Tanaka Rie (
Lacus Clyne), finished No. 5, No. 6, and No. 5 in the best [favorite] song category of the 27th, 28th, and 29th Annual Animage Anime Grand Prixes, respectively.
So far, no other song in the 21st century has made the Animage Grand Prix Top 10 Best [Favorite] Songs three different years - let alone three years in a row.