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Japanese OSTs enhance the impact of Japanese dramas, movies, and anime. These OSTs reflect a variety of sentiments, including peace, livelihood, and the protagonist's roller-coaster ride.
We've compiled a list of the top OSTs from various Japanese dramas and movies in character portrayals, plot, composition, lyrics, and more. The tracks on the list were curated based on their published dates.
The soundtracks range from well-known to underrated Japanese dramas and movies. It features songs by various great musicians, along with famous Japanese soloists, rookie J-pop groups and bands including THE BEAT GARDEN, INDIGO LA END, Ueno Yuka, and Vickeblanka.
Must-hear Japanese OSTs in 2022
1) Just staying beside you - Ueno Yuka (My little lover - Minami kun no koibito - 2015)
Ueno Yuka's A Side 6th Single is Just Staying With You/ Tada, Anata No Soba De, with lyrics and music by Endou Naoya.
The song from the Japanese fantasy and romantic drama My Little Lover - Minami Kun No Koibito expresses the leads' feelings, two childhood friends who have grown apart.
However, when one of them is shrunk to 15 cm in height, they get the opportunity to reconcile and fall in love.
This incredibly calming song also has an MV version, which is highly recommended for ballad fans.
The song is relatively peaceful and captures the emotions of romance and staying by the side of your beloved person. Yuka Ueno is a remarkable Japanese soloist who mostly sings ballads with her incredible voice.
With a special appearance in the J-drama's last episode, she sang this Ballad OST and added to the plot's intensity by expressing appropriate emotions through the melody. This is also the series' ending theme.
2) Walk/ Shikioriori - Vickeblanka (Flavors of Youth - 2018)
WALK/ 夏の夢 (Movie version) is a wonderful OST that reflects the movie's plot, which comprises of three stories of youth from separate cities in China. The three narratives are that of memories buried in a bowl of steaming noodles, a passing beauty finding her path, and bittersweet first love.
The song is from the hit anime film Flavors of Youth and was published by AVEX ENTERTAINMENT INC. The soundtrack begins with a stunning solo melody, followed by portions that have outstanding harmonization.
The composition is breathtaking, and the singer's voice adds to the intensity of the storyline.
3) Aquarium - Yu Takahashi (Choosing spouse by lottery - 2018)
It's a track from director Ishikawa Junichi's Choosing Spouse by Lottery/Kekkon Aite wa Chusen de, a J-drama based on Miu Kakiya's novel of the same name. The drama is about the marriage issue in Japan and how the government tries to overcome it by enacting various marital rules and regulations.
This drama discusses the difficulties of adulthood and numerous societal concerns that have been buried among the majority of the population, such as LGBTQ and specially-abled people's struggles.
The OST prompts people to consider the prospects of living in society due to the writer's enlightenment. The drama depicts many people's lives, society's rules and how it differs from person to person.
Drama and OST both cultivate a fighting spirit among people to talk about and conquer issues and live as one wishes for themselves, rather than how society instructs us to live with many spoken and unspoken rules regarding gender equality, race and social position, among other things.
The song has the same significance for the audience and instills in them a fighting attitude. As you can see from the lyrics, there are phrases such as,
“So you shouldn’t be in doubt, Just do what I was told to do, why? Not that kind of thing, What is society and what is an adult?”
It's an ultra-fast melody with powerful vocals.
WARNER MUSIC JAPAN INC released the song with the album Starting Over by Yu Takahashi, a multi-talented singer. Yu Takahashi also served as the song's composer and lyricist. Many of his songs have also charted in the Top 10 of Billboard Japan.
4) Pure Love - Kim Hyun-joong (One Page Love - 2019)
The song is from the J-drama One Page Love/Ichi Page No Koi. The drama is based on manga. This soundtrack is very noteworthy for K-Pop fans and has a Korean OST vibe towards it. Kim Hyun-joong, a South Korean actor, singer, and songwriter, sang this.
He's a member of the boy band SS501 and has been in iconic Korean dramas, including Boys Over Flowers and Playful Kiss. This song was also released in an unplugged Korean version by Kim Hyun-joong, part of his Music in Korea series and is highly recommended for K-pop fans.
The piece is charming, and the singer's gentle voice fills the atmosphere with positive vibes. As per the romantic drama plot, OST Pure Love expresses affection and the pleasure of staying with the beloved forever.
5) Musubizama - Indigo La End (In Time With You - JP - 2019)
The soundtrack is from the hit J-drama In Time With You/ I Don't Love You Yet, which has been adopted in Korea and Taiwan. The plot revolves around a man and a woman who have reached their 29th birthdays and have promised to pay a reward of 300,000 yen to whoever gets married first.
The show focuses on the theme of friends to lovers and one-sided love, which is why the protagonists suffer. With excellent acting, Jin Shirasu as Ishida Ren makes the audience weep while singing this track in the drama.
The song depicts the exact sentiments of suffering from unrequited or one-sided love, in which a friend hides feelings and desires that may never be fulfilled. As described in the song,
“The love I bet on is too high and it's a waste of courage. There's no certainty that it's bad to like it, I'm not tied, I'm not tied, I can't love you yet.”
Because of the optimal sentiments presented by the magnificent voices of Indigo La End, a Japanese rock band led by vocalist and lyricist Enon Kawatani, the song is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
WARNER MUSIC JAPAN INC. provided the song brilliantly written and composed by Enon Kawatani. There is also an MV version of the song, including the drama characters, which is highly recommended for listening to the music while watching the storyline.
This is a must listen to, a Japanese song from one of the best J-dramas ever made, starring some of the best actors.
6) Secret Love - Kalen Anzai (In-House marriage honey - 2020)
Kalen Anzai wrote and sang this song. Mike Macdermid, Alyssa Ayaka Ichinose, and David Brant were involved in the music and arrangement.
In-House Marriage aka Marihani/ Shanai Marriage Honey is a Japanese drama. It's about a newly married couple's lives, fluctuating wildly but is flavored with sweetness.
Its opening song, Secret Love, depicts the sentiments of the female lead who secretly falls in love and begins to describe the emotions she feels every day while in love. As the lyrics reflect,
“Every time we pass by each other, these heartbeats overwhelm me, I don't know if this sort of agitated me.”
There's also a music video for the opening theme, one of the best J-drama openings with a melodious voice.
The storyline and the soundtrack are full of charming gestures. Because of its energetic choreography and adorable actors, this is undoubtedly one of the most lovable OSTs in J-drama history.
7) Marriage - THE BEAT GARDEN (In-House marriage honey - 2020)
The cheerful soundtrack with versatile vocals, Marriage Song/ マリッジソング, is sung by THE BEAT GARDEN, a Japanese music group consisting of three vocalists, U, Rei, and Masato, as well as a DJ named Satoru. The show is around two people who marry through an online website and gradually fall in love.
The song describes the joy of being in a happy marriage where they met by chance and discovered happiness in each other. The actors have also done an outstanding job portraying these emotions. There's also a music video for the song.
The song is lively and joyful.
8) My Love - ONE N' ONLY (You are my destiny - JP - 2020)
The soundtrack is from the drama You Are My Destiny/ Unmei kara hajimaru koi / ドラマ「運命から始まる恋 and the drama is about a normal employee who meets the young heir of a huge corporation who is eager to marry soon owing to his grandmother's wishes.
Due to its enormous success, the drama was also adapted in Thai, Korean, and Taiwanese. The song has great composition and captures the drama's romantic theme.
OST is sung by ONE N' ONLY, a six-member Japanese boy group founded by Stardust Promotion. ONE N' ONLY, who are exceptionally soulful and diverse singers. TETTA, REI, and EIKU are the vocalists. HAYATO, KENSHIN, and NAOYA are the rappers and dancers.
A dancing and vocal group with a distinct style that isn't J-pop or K-pop, but rather "JK-POP." Their six music videos drew worldwide notice, including Asia, South America, and Europe.
Their second single, Dark Knight, debuted at #1 on the Orican Weekly Ranking and the Billboard JAPAN HOT100 on May 8, 2020.
The 3rd single, Category/My Love, took the first position in the Oricon Weekly Rankings.
9) Destiny - ONE N' ONLY feat JUNE (You are my destiny - JP - 2020)
Another track from the same drama by One N' ONLY first album ON'O, released by SDR Inc. Ryumei Odagi arranged and composed it. JUNE wrote and also composed the song. An extremely soothing melody and one of the many stunning OSTs throughout this drama.
ONE N' ONLY's singers have dynamic voices that sound great on peppy songs and ballads. The song emphasizes the warmth of affection and conveys a sense of destined love. The track's lyrical video can also be found here.
The song has a nostalgic and calming feel to it.
10) Because I will wrap you with a huge love - ONE N' ONLY Feat K (You are my destiny - JP - 2020)
SDR Inc. released this track because I will wrap you with a huge love/ Motto ookina ai de tsutsumikomu kara, sung by ONE N' ONLY and from their first album ON'O. HISASHI KONDO is the writer. K. arranged, composed, and also wrote the song.
This soundtrack captures the feelings of falling apart and, as a result, has a gloomy mood to go along with the plot. The song became more influential and emotional due to the singer's passionate vocals. The song's lyrical video is also available here.
The song is quite pleasant and has great composition and lyrics.
These Japanese OSTs are must-listens, with various moods ranging from cheerful to calm. The list was compiled for Japanese music lovers to explore and appreciate one of the most popular and underrated Japanese tunes.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.
