The Tougen Anki anime just entered its second cour (which, for the uninitiated, is generally a 12-13 episode arc that coincides with the seasonal calendar), titled the “Nerima Arc.”
In anticipation of the second cour’s release, the music videos for the anime’s new opening and ending songs were released on YouTube from their respective artists’ channels. In keeping with the trend seen in other anime releases lately (e.g., the four-piece metal band Paledusk recorded Gachiakuta‘s opening theme), the anime’s opening and closing themes are taken from J-metal-inspired artists.
The Japanese utaite (basically, an amateur artist who does covers) Chogakusei provides Tougen Anki‘s new opening theme song, “Amidakuji,” or “Ladder Lottery.” He is known for his raspy, growly voice and gritty vocal style, which incorporates a lot of rolled “r”s and nasalized sounds.
This is Chogakusei’s fourth anime tie-in song, following “Space Cast Big Bang” for Too Cute Crisis in 2023, “Abyss-Over” for Duel Masters Win: Duel Wars, and “Hazure” for Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything with Low-Level Spells in 2024.
In the music video for “Amidakuji,” Chogakusei gives everything fans love about him, which—speaking from the perspective of a new fan—channels everything I once loved about Maynard James Keenan’s enigmatic performance style. The silhouetted performer is donned from head to toe in clothing that matches the vibe of each performance, even if it’s not always visible to the viewer/listener.
The music video also shows Chogakusei undergoing a bodily transform that will be immediately recognizable to any Tougen Anki fan. Watch below:
The official Tougen Anki YouTube account also released an animated version of the song.
Meanwhile, eill sings the new ending song, “ACTION.” The female singer-songwriter’s signature sound is known for blending R&B and K-pop influences.
“Watching Shiki Ichinose and Mikado Momodera fight—beyond their respective circumstances, beyond good and evil, as if dancing in battle—moved me deeply,” she said. “Their clash felt like the beginning of a new era in the world of Tougen Anki—a true ACTION. That’s why I titled this song ‘ACTION.'”
You can watch the official music video for the song below. If you’re a fan of Men in Black, get ready!
Also, make sure to check out the song for the creditless ending video.
Tougen Anki adapts Yura Urushibara’s dark fantasy manga of the same name, which asks, “What if Momotaro was a bad guy?” The series premiered in July and the second cour began on October 3.
The series is perfect for Demon Slayer fans looking for something to watch next.
“Rather than focusing on the family member without a supernatural bloodline and what he must do to save his infected loved one, this series focuses on someone who has a supernatural bloodline and what he must do to save the humans he loves,” Avery Kaplan and I wrote for Popverse earlier this fall. “Tougen Anki continues the story of the Japanese folk tale ‘Momotaro,’ which is about a boy born from a peach who becomes a hero when he vanquishes ogres terrorizing his village.”
Source: TOUGEN ANKI official website
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