There is a particular aesthetic that has endured across decades: the 1980s anime training montage. It’s the scene just before the final fight or race. A character throws off self-doubt, punches through exhaustion, and pushes into the realm of pure determination, all while a synth-heavy track pulses beneath the visuals. Muscles tense. Sweat glows. Neon flares off the water. If you’re looking to score that moment in your own life, these albums give you that exact feeling. Strap in for retro soundscapes, deep-cut city pop, and synth that sounds like it was pulled from a long-lost OVA.
1. Mariya Takeuchi – Variety (1984)
City pop doesn’t get more iconic than this. While “Plastic Love” has become a meme and a gateway drug into the genre, Variety as a full album holds up. The polished production, bouncing basslines, and warm synth arrangements feel like the emotional heartbeat of a character who just realized they have what it takes. You’re jogging in slow motion through downtown Tokyo, a Walkman strapped to your hip. Bonus points if it’s raining.
2. Casiopea – Mint Jams (1982)
If your montage is more about leveling up in style and swagger than pushing through pain, Casiopea is your move. This Japanese jazz fusion group packs virtuosic energy and neon-lit confidence. Mint Jams is live, but so polished it sounds better than most studio albums. The drums are tight, the guitar sparkles, and the keyboard solos sound like training in an underground cyberdojo.
3. Megadrive – 198XAD (2014)
This one isn’t from the 80s, but it’s soaked in its DNA. Megadrive’s 198XAD is a gritty synthwave record that channels cyberpunk anime vibes better than most actual soundtracks from the time. There’s a darkness to it, a sense of mechanical danger and motion. Think less training on the beach, more sprinting through a rain-slicked alley in Neo-Tokyo with a blade in your hand.
4. Hiroshi Sato – Awakening (1982)
Hiroshi Sato’s blend of electronic textures and smooth vocals offers a more romantic, introspective montage. This isn’t about punching harder or running faster. It’s about realizing you’ve been in love with your rival all along, right before the climactic showdown. The album walks the line between chill and emotional tension, like you’re staring at the city from a rooftop, wind in your face, headphones on.
5. Electric Youth – Innerworld (2014)
Another modern entry that lives in a vintage dream. Electric Youth made their name on the Drive soundtrack, but Innerworld is the full expression of their dreamy, melancholic synthpop. These tracks feel like flashbacks in a romance OVA. There are sunsets, lingering glances, and that one perfect shot of two hands just missing each other. If your montage is about emotional growth rather than physical, this is a perfect soundtrack.
6. Tatsuro Yamashita – For You (1982)
Tatsuro is city pop royalty, and For You is wall-to-wall jams. This album is sunny, slick, and packed with energy. If your montage is happening during a chase through crowded streets, or a montage that shows a character mastering their scooter courier job, this is the backdrop. Horn stabs, funk bass, and soulful vocals all come together in a pristine package.
7. Power Glove – EP1 (2012)
Australian duo Power Glove specializes in dark, aggressive synthwave that sounds like the soundtrack to a forgotten Fist of the North Star spin-off. EP1 in particular is lean, punchy, and perfect for montages that involve punching through walls, fighting cyborgs, or lifting weights in an abandoned factory while lightning crashes outside.
8. Kumi Miyasato – Hitomi de Whispering (1985)
Miyasato’s album is a lesser-known gem in the idol-pop/city pop crossover space. It’s pure pastel melancholy, the kind of music that fits a late-night practice montage in a cold gym with flickering lights. Her voice has a softness that contrasts beautifully with the mechanical precision of the 80s production. It turns mundane effort into something poetic.
9. Mitch Murder – Interceptor (2011)
Mitch Murder is another synthwave producer who nails the era’s aesthetics without slipping into parody. Interceptor in particular is pure anime training music. It’s upbeat, stylish, and constantly in motion. Every track feels like you’re getting stronger, faster, cooler. There’s a slight sense of humor to it, but never at the expense of sincerity.
10. Joe Hisaishi – Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch OST (2011)
This one’s a curveball. While Hisaishi is best known for his Studio Ghibli scores, his work on Ni no Kuni taps into a different emotional register. Parts of this soundtrack are sweeping and orchestral, but others have that rising, hopeful pulse that fits a moment of transformation. Think of a soft-focus montage where the character finally gets it right, under a golden sky.
11. Yoko Kanno – Macross Plus OST (1994)
Though just outside the 80s window, Kanno’s score for Macross Plus blends synth, orchestral, and industrial elements into something timeless. It’s a perfect match for aerial training montages, high-tech flight simulators, or just pretending your car is a transforming jet. The production is lush and futuristic without feeling cold.
12. Anri – Timely!! (1983)
Anri’s Timely!! is sunshine in audio form. It’s full of breezy melodies, tight funk arrangements, and vocals that somehow manage to sound both effortless and focused. Great for a beach training montage, or any scene where the sun is rising behind your efforts.
13. Lazerhawk – Visitors (2012)
This is heavier synthwave, with spacey vibes and aggressive pacing. Perfect for montages that include mech combat simulations, nighttime rooftop fights, or preparing for a high-stakes hacker duel. Lazerhawk never breaks character, and Visitors in particular keeps the pressure high.
14. Junko Yagami – Communication (1985)
Junko Yagami blends pop with jazzy undertones, creating a sleek sound that feels perfect for the cool-down portion of a montage. Think: stretching under pink lights, riding a train home with headphones in, reflecting on how far you’ve come. “Bay City” alone could score a whole arc.
15. Gunship – Gunship (2015)
Gunship leans into cinematic synthwave with unapologetic drama. This album is for the kind of montage where the stakes are world-ending, but the emotions are personal. There’s grandeur here. You can almost see the camera pans and slow motion edits in your mind.
