■ Fall Anime Rankings Commentary by Music Critic Akihiro Tomita

　 Dominating the Fall Anime Song Karaoke Rankings that mark the end of 2024 is Creepy Nuts' 'Otonoke,' a song that epitomizes the current music scene. Their track 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born' was also selected as Spotify's 'Most Played Song by a Japanese Artist Overseas in 2024.' The fusion of R-Shitei's skillful, rapid-fire rap and the smooth melody line that follows is of S-class karaoke difficulty! However, by singing the full version in karaoke, one can truly appreciate not only the elements of 'Dandadan' but also the homage and respect paid to 'Weekly Shonen Jump' scattered throughout this incredible song.

　 Among the top ranks featuring artists like Higedan, Zutomayo, and Yorushika—representative of 2020s bands and net-culture artists—what personally caught my attention was the 6th place 'Ranma 1/2' opening theme, ano's 'Fiancée Kyun.' The catchy wordplay in the lyrics, co-written by former Soutaiseiriron member Shuichi Manabe and Ano-chan, combined with TAKU INOUE's pop and cosmic Chinese sound rooted in his game music background, is a perfect match. It's sure to be a hit at New Year's karaoke parties!

　 Ranked 14th is next-generation 'cover singer' Yoshino's 'Nani Warotonnen,' the ending theme for 'The Next Life is Better as a Stranger.' The Kansai dialect combined with a bluesy, 'rebellious' singing style is incredibly cool. In karaoke, it's best to go all out with strong vibrato, falsetto, and unique vocal inflections to fully embrace the song's character.

　 This Fall season left a strong impression with many rock and powerful numbers by female artists, such as LiSA's 'QUEEN' and ReoNa's 'GG.' Dive into your favorites and enjoy an 'anime song-only' karaoke session to the fullest!