The List

9 Favorite Anime Holiday Songs

It was a few years after I started watching anime in the mid-nineties that my family bought our first personal computer. On dial-up and without Sailor Moon Christmas album. This was my first introduction into sometimes good, but usually comically awful world of anime Christmas music. This week's selection of music are some of my personal favorites from over the years either for comedy, nostalgia, or the rare instance of the piece being genuinely good. If you're already sick to tears of the monotonous Western Christmas music playing in every store (or in my case, my home), give these nine songs a try and from me to all of you, Blessed Yule!

9. "Winter Bells" by Detective Conan) The tenth opening to Detective Conan did well on the Oricon Charts in 2002, reaching #1 on the weekly singles and selling 111,000 copies its first week. The song features a lot of nods to Christmas song composition, including the use of bells and song's back beat. If you can find a decent version of the official music video, it's pretty hilarious. Mai Kuraki sings along with a very happy blues band at a rundown American karaoke bar.

Listen to the track here

8. "Welcome to X'mas" by Dejiko & Puchiko & Rabbi~en~Rose (Di Gi Charat) This song medley is truly awful, mostly for the one original opening bit blaring "Welcome to, Welcome to, Welcome to Christmas". The proceeding measures are mostly standard, with voice actresses singing who do not compliment each other while simultaneously trying to stay in character. For how absurd the Di Gi Charat comedy television series was, you'd think the producers would choose something more original, or at least better executed. It's eyebrow-raising in its initial listen but I couldn't recommend replaying it more than once.

Listen to the track here

7. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Japan, Italy, and (Yasumoto's in-character singing. The English version of the song gets droned through every intercom this season, but hearing it sung with a completely nonsense approach makes it tolerable again.

Listen to the track here

6. "Christmas in the Galaxy" by the Nadesico Cast (Martian Successor Nadesico) This is another cast ensemble that doesn't suffer from all the problems as the Di Gi Charat entry. While the singing isn't very good, and the cast stays in silly character mode for the track, it succeeds at being FUN. The background instrumentals are upbeat and everyone sounds like they're really enjoying themselves. It's a track you could probably get away with playing at a Christmas party once everyone's had a few drinks and is already dancing.

Listen to the track here

5. "Holy Night" by J-pop single that is Christmasy without being overbearing.

Listen to the track here

4. "Merry Christmas Without You" by cosmic cuune (Jing A-Ring a-Ding!" and "Happy Merry Christmas Without You!" but at about the halfway point the rest of the cast jump in including some hilarious male vocals that take the track from a little silly to full out camp. It'll keep playing in your head long after the fact.

Listen to the track here

3. "Santa Claus no Sora" by Utawarerumono.

Listen to the track here

2. "Last Christmas" by Sakura Wars (where she voices Sumire Kanzaki) but not a whole lot else, so this remains one of her most memorable song performances for me.

Listen to the track here

1. "Manatsu no Eve" (Midsummer's Eve) by Cartoon Network. It's still a great original Christmas piece, although its composition sounds a bit dated compared to the more electronic-infused anime openers nowadays. I'm still a little confused how a song title about midsummer worked into being a Christmas song. The song played over the Manatsu no Eve film's ending credits where paintings of Tenchi and his family prepare for holiday festivities and raising the non-canon Mayuka.

Listen to the track here

The new poll: Whether is reprogramming a malicious robot or hacking into the government mainframe, who is your favorite anime tech-genius?

The old poll: Last week I asked what your favorite part of the winter season was, and to probably no one's surprise, the holidays won out. Here's the full result:

1. Holidays (Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, etc.) 24.6%
2. New Anime Season 15.0%
3. Snow 14.5%
4. Spending Time with Family 10.3%
5. Exchanging Gifts 7.3%
6. Seasonal Food 7.2%
7. Cold Weather Clothes 5.2%
8. Holiday Decorations (Lights, Tree) 4.3%
9. Baking Sweets 3.5%
10. New Years Eve Party 2.5%
11. Winter Sports (Skiing, Sledding, Ice Skating) 2.5%
12. Crackling Fires 2.0%
13. Movie Awards Season 1.0%

---

Alright everybody, see you all next week! I look forward to your input in the comments and feel free to follow me on [email protected]