Band names don’t always make sense at first, and that’s how I felt when I first came across BUMP OF CHICKEN. I would later come to find out that the name in Japanese was supposed to mean “counterattack of the weak man” or “cowards strike back,” but there was a mistranslation. Rather than focusing on their name, though, I was way more interested in their music. The first song I ever heard from the band was the acoustic version of “Zero,” which is the opening song for Final Fantasy Type-0 . From then on, I was a fan and am glad that they’re still very active in producing music for video games and anime. RELATED: Have You Heard? Vaundy, From Chainsaw Man, Ranking of Kings and More! BUMP OF CHICKEN is made up of four band members: Motoo Fujiwara (vocals), Hiroaki Masukawa (guitar), Yoshifumi Naoi (bass) and Hideo Masu (drums). They’ve been active since 1994 and are very popular in Japan, with almost every single release since their third single, “Tentai Kansoku,” charting in the top ten on the Oricon Weekly Charts. Their genre is primarily alternative rock, but they have a signature sound that’s recognizable. We’re spotlighting artists from Crunchyroll’s music catalog by sharing which anime series they’ve performed OPs and/or EDs, and the music videos and concerts available on the platform. Rather than searching across the internet for BUMP OF CHICKEN’s music, you can watch and listen to them in one place, right here on Crunchyroll! Overview BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Openings BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Endings BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Movie Songs BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Openings “Go” GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation Theme Song I’ve never played GRANBLUE FANTASY , but I’m well-aware of its popularity. That resulted in an anime adaptation of the same name but with “The Animation” tacked on (so GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation ). So, is it any surprise that one of Japan’s most popular bands sang the theme song for a popular mobile game? “Go” starts off with an upbeat tune before the vocals kick in. It’s very fitting for the anime as it focuses on the characters and their journey together. “Hello, world!” Blood Blockade Battlefront Opening Theme Blood Blockade Battlefront is one of my all-time favorite anime that I feel like doesn’t get talked about enough. Besides the unique story and characters, the opening and ending themes have hit platinum for me. BUMP OF CHICKEN sang the opening theme, “Hello,world!” which goes straight into vocals and instrumentals. The first 10-15 seconds is just a sunrise over the city, which seems cliche but it works here (I’m also biased). The song gradually builds up to an explosive chorus that gets you pumped up. If you haven’t watched Blood Blockade Battlefront , you’re seriously missing out! “Sirius” Last Hope (Juushinki Pandora) Opening Theme Last Hope is a mecha anime that features BUMP OF CHICKEN's “Sirirus” as the opening theme. It doesn’t start with a sunrise but rather a beam of light shooting up into the night sky while a vehicle drives toward it. The song doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to the band’s usual energetic rhythm. The pre-chorus eases off a bit on the guitar to let the vocals shine while the characters are introduced before it goes right back into high energy. It’s another feel-good song that gives off the same hopeful feeling as the show’s title. “Answer” March comes in like a lion Opening Theme When you listen to some of BUMP OF CHICKEN’s songs, you’ll quickly find that they’re usually uplifting. This is the case with March comes in like a lion — the opening theme, “Answer,” sounds bright despite the somber visuals. The song starts right away, almost giving a jumpscare, but lines up with the protagonist falling into the water. Despite the protagonist’s internal struggles, the song sounds encouraging and hopeful. “Sleep Walking Orchestra” Delicious in Dungeon Opening Theme One of the more recent opening themes, “Sleep Walking Orchestra” for Delicious in Dungeon has a slight change in tune that’s perfect for the overall theme and vibes of the show. Once again, BUMP OF CHICKEN doesn’t shy away from their signature sound of an upbeat rhythm that perfectly captures the grand adventures of a dungeon-crawling party. It sounds more like folk music and you can stomp your feet to the beat or start dancing. Similar to their other openings, the animation sequence shows the cast of characters individually before coming together at the end. “SOUVENIR” SPY x FAMILY Season 1 Part 2 Opening Theme RELATED: All SPY x FAMILY Arcs in Order (So Far) One of my favorite on-going anime recently is SPY x FAMILY , and BUMP OF CHICKEN performing one of its opening themes is the cherry on top. It’s the kind of song you want to clap your hands to the rhythm and sing along with the vocalist. I know I haven’t touched on the lyrics as much and how it goes with what’s happening in the animated sequence but it really does capture the essence of Anya, Loid, and Yor finding their way to each other despite their different backgrounds. BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Endings “I” My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON Anime Ending RELATED: How to Watch All My Hero Academia Arcs in Order (Plus Movies) Oh boy, if there’s one ending theme that made me overly emotional, it’s the one for My Hero Academia ’s final season. BUMP OF CHICKEN really nailed it with “I.” It doesn’t help that the animation sequence takes us through Deku’s childhood, from the wide-eyed, young boy to the hero we know right now. Rather than a sad goodbye to a series that’s been around for a while, it’s more of a “Hey, look at what we’ve been through and look at where we are right now.” In short, BUMP OF CHICKEN hasn’t lost the feel-good vibes streak with their songs and this one’s no exception. BUMP OF CHICKEN Anime Movie Songs “sailing day” ONE PIECE: Dead Adventure Theme Song RELATED: How ONE PIECE Mastered the Art of the Flashback Speaking of a series that’s been around for a while, ONE PIECE: Dead Adventure invites BUMP OF CHICKEN in their earlier years to sing the theme song, “sailing day.” When you compare how the band sounds back then to now, nothing has really changed. The song is charged with high energy and definitely fits ONE PIECE , especially the early days. “Tomodachi no Uta (Song of Friends)” Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops – The New Age Theme Song BUMP OF CHICKEN is going to make sure they sing a theme song for popular series because what do you mean they also sang one for Doraemon ? Specifically Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops – The New Age movie. To my surprise, “Tomodachi no Uta” has a slower rhythm and sounds like a song you’d play while you’re driving along the cliffside with the sunset in your rearview mirror. It’s a more chill, feel-good song compared to the others, so it’s nice to see the band switch it up here. “Gravity” Love Me, Love Me Not Theme Song “Gravity” is where you can hear the band experimenting more with their sound, which isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s the theme song for Love Me, Love Me Not , a shojo series about love and friendship. The song starts with just acoustics and vocals but more instrumentals get layered in as it goes on and then the vocals really kick off. As someone who watches her fair share of shojo anime, it’s a song that captures the essence of young love. “Small world” Sumikko Gurashi Movie 2: Aoi Tsukiyo no Mahou Theme Song I did not expect the band to perform a song for Sumikko Gurashi , but here we are. “Small world” is the theme song for the film, Sumikko Gurashi Movie 2: Aoi Tsukiyo no Mahou . This one has a whimsical sound to it, which is very fitting for a movie about cute little animals who live comfortably in their own little corners. If there’s one thing BUMP OF CHICKEN does best, it’s capturing the overall atmosphere of the show or movie while still maintaining their sound. “Chronostasis” Detective Conan Movie 25: The Bride of Halloween Theme Song If you sang a song for Doraemon , then you have to sing one for Detective Conan ! That’s exactly what BUMP OF CHICKEN did with “Chronostasis,” the theme song for Detective Conan Movie 25: The Bride of Halloween . It’s similar to their other songs, the ones where you want to clap or snap your fingers to the beat and just soak in the good vibes. If you haven’t by now, head on over to Crunchyroll’s music catalog to watch and listen to their music videos and concerts!
