The incomparable “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” theme song from Hideaki Anno’s classic Neon Genesis Evangelion anime was the winner of TV Asahi’s “Anisong General Election 2020” television program. The two-and-a-half-hour show aired on Sunday and counted down the 30 best anime songs of all time. The special was hosted by Matsuya Onoue with guests Takaya Kamikawa, Atsuko Takahata, Rena Takeda, and Yūki Yamada. Anime character Shinnosuke “Shin-chan” Nohara appeared as a “supporter” during the special.
“Cruel Angel’s Thesis” is about as mainstream as anime themes can get. Fans voted for it as the definitive anime song of the Heisei era. The song is a popular karaoke choice to the point that some amateur singers are actually tired of it. Regardless, Yoko Takahata’s song continues to rank as one of the most beloved anisongs and brings in a pretty coin for its writer Neko Oikawa. Oikawa revealed in 2015 that she earns over a hundred million yen (currently equivalent to $895,000) annually in royalties from the piece.
Following the results, Takahata thanked fans on Twitter on Sunday for their continued support.
アニソン総選挙をご覧くださいました皆様、ご投票くださりました皆様、この度は本当にありがとうございました😊
最高のアニメ、楽曲、スタッフに恵まれ、感謝しています。
引き続きよろしくお願いいたします🤲#残酷な天使のテーゼ #魂のルフラン #エヴァンゲリオン #アニソン総選挙 #高橋洋子 pic.twitter.com/4PZWL3sZ5Z— 高橋洋子official (@yoko_t_official) September 6, 2020
Shinji’s voice actress Megumi Ogata also shared her gratitude for the song’s success.
「残酷な天使のテーゼ」、アニソン総選挙第1位!?
おめでとうございます！
ありがとうございます…！皆様それぞれの心の中に、あなたの「1位」がある。
アニソンと共にその作品が皆様の心に響き、再び皆様の明日のエネルギーになれますように。#アニソン総選挙 #エヴァ— 緒方恵美 (@Megumi_Ogata) September 6, 2020
The “Anisong General Election 2020” program’s remaining winners are also notable, with LiSA’s chart-topper “Gurenge” from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in second place. You can take a look at the results below:
- “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahata (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
- “Gurenge” by LiSA (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
- “Uchū Senkan Yamato” by Isao Sasaki (Space Battleship Yamato)
- “Butter-Fly” by Kouji Wada (Digimon Adventure)
- “Touch” by Yoshimi Iwasaki (Touch)
- “only my railgun” by fripSide (A Certain Scientific Railgun)
- “Guren no Yumiya” by Linked Horizon (Attack on Titan)
- “Get Wild” by TM NETWORK (City Hunter)
- “God knows…” by Aya Hirano (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
- “Inferno” by Mrs. Green Apple (Fire Force)
- “Sazae-san” by Yuko Uno (Sazae-san)
- “Moonlight Densetsu” by DALI (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon)
- “Maji LOVE 1000%” by ST☆RISH (Uta no Prince-sama – Maji Love 1000%)
- “Sekai ga Owaru Made wa” by WANDS (SLAM DUNK)
- “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari” by supercell (Bakemonogatari)
- “”Ginga Tetsudō 999″ by Isao Sasaki and the Suginami Children’s Choir (Galaxy Express 999)
- “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” by Hironobu Kageyama (Dragon Ball Z)
- “Snow halation” by μ’s (Love Live!)
- “Tetsuwan Atom” by Atoms (Astro Boy)
- “Donten” by DOES (Gintama)
- “Orion wo Nazoru” by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Tiger & Bunny)
- “Odoru Ponpokorin” by B.B.Queens (Chibi Maruko-chan)
- “Connect” by ClariS (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
- “Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete” by Hiroko Moriguchi (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam)
- “Lupin the 3rd Theme” by Yuji Ōno (Lupin the 3rd)
- “Mazinger Z” by Ichiro Mizuki (Mazinger Z)
- “RAY OF LIGHT” by Shoko Nakagawa (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
- “Catch the Moment” by LiSA (Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale)
- “Stories” by Snow Man (Black Clover)
- “Hare Hare Yukai” by Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara, and Yuko Goto (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Source: TV Asahi‘s special site via Nijimen