History ThemeMusicPowerUp / AnimeAndManga

*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjllfs0QyEo Hikari no Will]] aka Trunks's theme.

** Giorno's theme, "il vento d'oro" (the actual Italian wording for the arc's name 'Golden Wind'), usually comes in [[https://youtu.be/8jGogIQ8Xdw when he or his comrade is about to kick some ass]]. The iconic piano part midway through the piece has provided the reason for an image for this trope.

** When "Stardust Crusaders" (or a variation thereof) starts playing, it's usually accompanied by Jotaro "doing the [[RapidFireFisticuffs "ORA ORA" thing.]]"
** Kakyoin [[BootstrappedLeitmotif and Polnareff]] generally ue Kakyoin's theme "Virtuous Pope" whenever one or both of them achieve something...[[spoiler: but when Kakyoin's 20m Radius Emerald Splash comes up against Dio and his The World...[[TheDayTheMusicLied let's just say it doesn't end well for Kakyoin OR his music.]]]] Polnareff actually has his own theme, "Ken" (Japanese for 'sword'), but it's generally not found to be as strong a piece of music. However, [[spoiler:When he shows up again in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Vento Aureo]]'']], it's remixed into the version named "Cavaliere" (Italian for 'knight'), a theme more fitting for both him, and his moment there.

* In the 2012 ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' anime version:
** For ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency Part 2: Battle Tendency]]'', "[[https://youtu.be/i1YcJkYBAxQ?t=18 Sono Chi no Sadame]]", the very manly intro theme for Part '''one''', ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood Phantom Blood]]'', plays during the climactic battle against Kars. At all other times "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4v2WoKor6A I'm In Control]]" plays whenever Joseph gets a HeroicSecondWind. There's also "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhVCoTsBaM Awaken]]", a villainous example for the Pillar Men.
** In ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Part 3: Stardust Crusaders]]'', when "Stardust Crusaders" (or a variation thereof) starts playing, it's usually accompanied by Jotaro "doing the [[RapidFireFisticuffs "ORA ORA" thing.]]"
*** Also in Part 3, Polnareff and Kakyoin generally us Kakyoin's theme "Virtuous Pope" whenever one or both of them achieve something...[[spoiler: but when Kakyoin's 20m Radius Emerald Splash comes up against Dio and his The World...[[TheDayTheMusicLied let's just say it doesn't end well for Kakyoin OR his music.]]]] Polnareff actually has his own theme, "Ken" (Japanese for 'sword'), but it's generally not found to be as strong a piece of music. However, [[spoiler:When he shows up again in ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Vento Aureo]]'']], it's remixed into the version named "Cavaliere" (Italian for 'knight'), a theme more fitting for both him, and his moment there.
** ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable]]'' has a theme known as "Breakdown", which plays to correspond with Josuke's achievements. For Koichi, "Courage" starts playing [[LetsGetDangerous when he decides to get serious and engage the enemy.]]
** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Part 5: Golden Wind]]'', Giorno's theme "il vento d'oro" (the actual Italian wording for the arc's name 'Golden Wind') usually comes in [[https://youtu.be/8jGogIQ8Xdw when he or his comrade is about to kick some ass]]. The iconic piano part midway through the piece has provided the reason for an image for this trope.

** Also, there are separate themes for the titular mecha's two big finishers, [[YinYangBomb Hell and Heaven]] and the [[DropTheHammer Goldion Hammer]]. Also, the rest of GGG's mecha get a hot-blooded theme of their own.

** The final and final opening song "Rain" gets played during the final battle, [[spoiler:when Father's transmutation is reversed and all the souls in Amestris are returned to their bodies.]] The moment the baby begins to cry, it's a sure indicato that [[HellYesMoment the tide has turned]].

** In the Japanese ''Pokemon Journeys'' arc, [[spoiler:the ''original'' theme song, "Mezase Pokemon Master", plays as Pikachu prepares and launches his final attack on Leon's Charizard, landing the final blow and finally making Ash Ketchum the World Champion]]. In the English dub, [[spoiler:the very first dub theme song is used instead for this scene.]]

* When they made ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' into an anime, this was guaranteed to be in effect. The most notable occurrence is in the second series ''The Inspector'' when [[EmotionlessGirl Latooni]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Princess Shine]] debut their [[HumongousMecha Fairlions]] to the tune of a vocal version of [[http://youtu.be/DWyisPlDsbs ''Dancing Faeries'']], their shared theme. That said, the first season is no slouch, as ''The Divine Wars'' showcases the anime's first theme, ''Breakout'' during, appropriately enough, the episode 14 "Operation Breakout".

* When they made ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' into an anime, this was guaranteed to be in effect. The most notable occurrence is in the second series ''The Inspector'' when [[EmotionlessGirl Latooni]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Schine]] debut their [[HumongousMecha Fairlions]] to the tune of a vocal version of [[http://youtu.be/DWyisPlDsbs ''Dancing Faeries'']], their shared theme. That said, the first season is no slouch, as ''The Divine Wars'' showcases the anime's first theme, ''Breakout'' during, appropriately enough, the episode 14 "Operation Breakout".

* When they made ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' into an anime, this was guaranteed to be in effect. The most notable occurrence is in the second series ''The Inspector'' when [[EmotionlessGirl Latooni]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Schine]] debut their [[HumongousMecha Fairlions]] to the tune of a vocal version of [[http://youtu.be/DWyisPlDsbs ''Dancing Faeries'']], their shared theme.

** Panty and Stocking aren't the only ones who get this treatment. In Episode 6, their {{Evil Counterpart}}s, Scanty and Kneesocks get their own power up with the song "I Want You".* When they made ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Super Robot Wars Original Generation]]'' into an anime, this was guaranteed to be in effect. The most notable occurrence is in the second series ''The Inspector'' when [[EmotionlessGirl Latooni]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Schine]] debut their [[HumongousMecha Fairlions]] to the tune of a vocal version of [[http://youtu.be/DWyisPlDsbs ''Dancing Faeries'']], their shared theme.

* ''Anime/BurstAngel'' only has this happen in the last episode, [[spoiler:when textbook DistressedDamsel Meg, [[PercussivePrevention Percussively Prevented]] by her [[HeterosexualLifePartners partner]] Jo from suicidally StormingTheCastle, finally starts to stand on her own, taking the first steps toward [[TookALevelInBadass Taking A Level In Badass]].]]

* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena: TheMovie'': "Let's go, Utena. To the outside world." ''~Oooohhhh, yeeeaahhhh...~''

** In the anime of ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'', you know Meliodas and the Sins are getting ready to score a huge victory when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxlysqrFjHo "The Perfect Time"]], a bombastic song about how Meliodas met up with Princess Elizabeth in the first episode ([[ShipTease rife with romantic undertones, given the two]]), starts up. in the finale movie, ''Cursed by Light,'' a '''''GLORIOUS''''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP9ZSeykcI0 reprisal of the theme]] starts up as [[spoiler: Meliodas and his brother Zeldris arrive to kick the [[KnightTemplar self-righteous]] ass of the series FinalBoss, the [[DemiurgeArchetype Supreme Deity]].]]

* The ''Anime/{{Devil May Cry|TheAnimatedSeries}}'' anime has a pretty cool theme song, which plays during the final episode when Dante activates his Devil Trigger to finish off the BigBad. We don't see the full Devil Trigger and the fight is over in a few seconds, but the music makes the scene an odd combination of anticlimax and moment of awesom.

** Also works for the bad guys: whenever Viral shows up, the SurprisinglyGoodEnglish song "Nikopol" plays. The meaning of the title Nikopol coming from the greek as ''Nikê'' meaning victory and ''polis'' which is city. "City of victory" sounds ''very'' ironic when you realize how this guy keeps losing to the good guys every single time. [[spoiler: But he '''never''' gives up, eventually joins the good guys, and lands up being immortal and apparently very happy as an ambassador of the Earth. He won after all.]]

** In Episode 2, when Kamina and Simon hijack the Gunzan, later named Gurren, the SurprisinglyGoodEnglish song "Gattai Nante Kusokurae" (AKA "To Hell with Gattai") starts playing.

** In ''Anime/DigimonAdventure2020'', each evolutionary stage has its own leitmotif, just like in Digimon Savers. We have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRPWdoK9FkY Be The Winners]] for evolving to Adult[[note]]Champion for English speakers[[/note]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmGK-ysfTbY X-treme Fight]] for evolving to Perfect.[[note]]Ultimate for English speakers[[/note]]

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' has [[http://youtu.be/Bf-us97tuvg "Jellyfish"]] by Mami Kawada. This plays when Index is alone and Sherry Cromwell's Golem attacks her. [[spoiler: Index then goes on to show that even in her normal mode she is able to call upon the power of the 103,000 grimores she has memorized and easily repels the Golem's attacks]] until Touma comes along and cancels the whole summoning.

* ''LightNovel/{{Dokkoida}}?!'' hangs a [[LampshadeHanging Lampshade]] on this; the hero's power suit is able to induce this state by playing a heroic theme song. At least if the company that made the suit actually got that feature working before they released it. But the hero doesn't know that, and he [[MagicFeather manages to get the same effect]] just from suggestion and enjoying the HotBlooded music.

* ''LightNovel/TheGardenOfSinners'' has Shiki's unofficial theme [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyreoAE1Zkc "Seventh Heaven"]] played [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_52R_IY8H60 several dozen]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ0CqlqnpH8 times over]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUi25FYk6Xw the course]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSLd4O1wOGk of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXJ9hAuBhKs the]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ph7fvOXf7s series]], but it gets kicked up a notch or two for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7480ZmNOB98 her]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RodLJh3Bri8 fight]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kflMgrjXsa8 scenes]].

* Whenever ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAnBkvf2UBg hard rocking main theme]] starts up, a lot of little green bastards - or whatever ''big'' green bastard he's currently fighting - are about to get their asses thoroughly kicked. This is especially pronounced during the Water Town arc when [[spoiler:Goblin Slayer comes back from near death in order to completely mess up the Goblin Champion and save his friends]].

* In ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'''s final episode of the first season, the show's theme plays to accompany Issei finally taking the gloves off and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown breaking]] Raiser.

** In the Japanese ''Pokemon Journeys'' arc, [[spoiler:the ''original'' theme song, "Mezase Pokemon Master", plays as Pikachu prepares and launches his final attack on Leon's Charizard, landing the final blow and finally making Ash Ketchum the World Champion]].

** Soul [[spoiler:can make a keyboard out of his arm and play whatver music will make a person go insane]].* ''Anime/TransformersVictory'''s opening theme music plays whenever Star Saber does something particularly awesome. Road Caesar and Landcross each have their own remixed version.

* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'': For the protagonists "worldend_dominator", "Far", and "Dread of the Grave" are all indications that something awesome will happen. For the antagonists, it will be "happiness of a marionette", "mirage coordinator", "Golden Smile", or "Moon Rabbit's Dance".
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6MK3LTGG4 "dreamenddischarger"]] takes this to another tier entirely. So does [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg9XPcPKYAQ "the excecutioner"]], but only for the BigBad.
** ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'''s games have its own series of Songs, with various remixes of 'Dear You'. The instrumental version, 'Dear You - Destructive' is used when Keiichi dodges bullets.

* ''Zoids: New Century Zero'' has [[http://youtu.be/KjK0HusMU7Y Strike Lazer Claw]]!

** From the same episode, the second OP [[http://youtu.be/SDwJuD77KHU "LEVEL5 -judgelight-"]] plays during [[spoiler:Misaka vs. Telestina's HumongousMecha during the highway chase]].

** The American Digimon movie had a fairly good example in the first half. after the swarm of Diaboromons blast Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon into submission, the scene where the two digimon fuse into Omnimon was accompanied with a rendition of the Digimon theme. However, the movie took a different route with the actual fight scene, which was treated to a very different song that still fits with the CurbStompBattle being shown.[[note]]This is in stark contrast to the original Japanese movie where the ensuing curbstomp is accompanied only by a soft slow instrumental chant piece that carries over from the sad downnote of the beaten and battered heroes. Which gives the fight a very surreal otherworldly feel.[[/note]]

** In Anime/DigimonAdventure2020, each evolutionary stage has its own leitmotif, just like in Digimon Savers. We have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRPWdoK9FkY Be The Winners]] for evolving to Adult[[note]]Champion for English speakers[[/note]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmGK-ysfTbY X-treme Fight]] for evolving to Perfect.[[note]]Ultimate for English speakers[[/note]]

* In the 2012 ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' anime version of the manga:

*** His the first theme is very edgy, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnD_z4fdETM best played]] in whiskey Peak when bounty hunters are planning to kill the crew. Zoro alerts them to his presence and says that he will beat all hundred of them...
*** A second more endearing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PLQXSa0R3Y triumphant theme]] is given to Zoro, playing whenever he talks about his ambition to be the strongest or [[MadeOfIron survives a horrific beating]].
*** Zoro's third theme in the Strong World movie, a jazzed up version of his own theme, leaves his other themes in the dust and [[https://youtu.be/1h75TPCDbC0?t=55 is used to great effect]] when slicing up a MonsterClown.

*** In Strong World Sanji like Zoro is given his best theme yet, [[https://youtu.be/SreyT-5gTmo?t=41 played]] when kicking the ass of a giant KillerGorilla.

* ''Manga/ShamanKing'' poses a subversion in [[spoiler:the final fight, where all main characters are fighting the villain Hao/Zeke, and the main theme starts playing. Everyone is sure Hao is going to get his powered-up rear kicked, when the song suddenly stops and the tide is turned, changing the song to Hao's fighting theme]].

* In ''Manga/SoulEater'' Soul does this quite literally, as he is able to play a ([[MentalWorld technically imaginary]]) piano to co-ordinate him and Maka with their teammates.

* In ''LightNovel/KonoSuba'', the final fight with The Destroyer at the end of Season 1 kicks off with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLbSeXoXXb8 show's theme music playing.]]

** This trope gets zigzagged in general. Mami was a rare exception to the actual rule in the show, fitting with her "stereotypical magical girl" image. Usually, in ''this'' show, the melody of the music that is already playing changes or pauses to highlight the transformation, resuming when it's done. Or nothing happens at all, because the transformation is not important. Or fight music starts playing because shit's about to go down.* In ''LightNovel/RentalMagica'', when Itsuki removes his eye-patch, the music starts, and he says a variant of, "This is an order from the President!" asskicking will commence. [[spoiler: Except that one time in the last [[AnachronicOrder chronological episode]], where he abused it just to get them to listen]].

* The ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'' cast get one in the climax of the fight against [[spoiler:Sabrac]] in the form of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAaxh8OuzHk "JOINT"]] in Season 2.

* ''The LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': Lina has the same music anytime she casts Dragon Slave (and Giga Slave and Laguna Blade). Also somewhat distorted on the Battle Music (same every time--''ikinashi oodate'') and totally distorted for Amelia and Gourry (with ''douchuuki'').

* Nearly any fight in ''LightNovel/TheThirdTheGirlWithTheBlueEye'', most notable OneWomanWail "Sword Dancer" during first and tension rising "Storm on the Battlefield" during last battle.

** Similarly, anytime you start to hear Yanmaani (the song's title is "Nowhere") in the background in ''Anime/{{Madlax}}'', the titular character is about to kick serious amounts of ass with inhuman skill. It's so prevalent that Wiki/TheOtherWiki even mentions it. It is a joke among fans that the word gives Madlax super powers.