Line #33 Main/ForeignLanguageTheme


1	The OpeningTheme or EndingTheme is in a language other than the main language of the country of origin or of the TargetAudience.
2
3	Note that this does not include the use of [[GratuitousForeignLanguage a few foreign words for flavour]]. Nor does it include cases where a show is dubbed into the local language but [[TheSongRemainsTheSame has its theme song left intact]]. This trope is strictly about {{theme tune}}s which are mainly or entirely in a language that the target viewers do not speak in everyday life and the original actors do not speak on the soundstage (or, for voice actors, in the recording sessions). An OminousLatinChanting is, of course, in a language that nobody speaks anymore.
4
5	May overlap with RealSongThemeTune.
6	----
7	!!Examples
8
9	[[foldercontrol]]
10
11	[[folder:Anime]]
12	* Both openings of ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'' are Russian with a little bit of Latin and English thrown in.
13	* The EndingTheme of ''Manga/ParadiseKiss'' is [[RealSongThemeTune Franz Ferdinand's "Do You Want To?"]].
14	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
15	** The first ending, performed by Rie Fu, is half Japanese, half English.
16	** A later opening, "Tonight Tonight" is entirely in (not particularly good) English.
17	* ''Anime/GreatPretender''; The ending theme is fittingly Music/FreddieMercury's cover of The Platter's "The Great Pretender".
18	* The theme song of ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'' is in English.
19	* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
20	** The third ending of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Gundam SEED Destiny]]'', sung in English.
21	** May we present "Human Touch", the first ED of ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'' by the late great Warren Wiebe.
22	** The first ending to ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory'' is called "Magic" and sung entirely in English.
23	** The ending to one of the compilation movies for ''Anime/TurnAGundam'', "After All" is also sung in English by Donna Burke. It doubles as an AwardBaitSong, thanks in part to Yoko Kanno's involvement.
24	* ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain'''s intro, "Duvet" by Boa, is in English. And ''is'' English, sort of, it's by a band from London.
25	* The Opening of ''Anime/DotHackSign'' is sung in ([[GratuitousEnglish slightly poor]]) English, but its ending is in Japanese.
26	* Both the opening and ending of ''Anime/WolfsRain'' are in English. The intro is "Stray" by Steve Conte while the ending is "Gravity" by Maaya Sakamoto.
27	%%* Ditto for ''Anime/{{Gasaraki}}''.
28	* The ending of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' is a stanza of [[RealSongThemeTune "Fly Me to the Moon"]]. Sometimes good, sometimes not. Asuka's [[Creator/TiffanyGrant English voice actress]] dubs one of the versions, "Fry Me to the Moon".
29	* Music/NamieAmuro's "Come", one of the ''Manga/InuYasha'' endings, is half in English, including the chorus.
30	* ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'''s opening is entirely in English, as is "You", the end theme of one specific episode.
31	%%* And the opening of ''Literature/BalladOfAShinigami''.
32	* Both the main opening themes of ''Anime/Persona4TheAnimation'' are in (slightly nonsensical) English, as well as some of the other songs used in the show. Same goes for the opening and ending themes of ''Anime/Persona5TheAnimation''.
33	* The theme to the original ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' anime is the English song "The Lights Before We Land" by The Delgados. The ending theme is an Italian song named "Dopo Il Songo".
34	* The ending of ''Anime/{{Hellsing}}'' is in English, performed by Mr. Big.
35	* The Japanese version of ''Anime/SpeedGrapher'' used Music/DuranDuran's "Girls on Film".
36	* So are Anna Tsuchiya's "Rose" and "Lucy", both openings to ''Manga/{{Nana}}''.
37	* "Hello, Vifam," the opening theme of ''Anime/GingaHyouryuuVifam'', is in English.
38	* ''Manga/{{Mushishi}}'''s opening theme is "The Sore Feet Song" by Scottish singer/songwriter Ally Kerr.
39	* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'' has an English opening and ending sung by Jean Jacques Burnel, lead singer of The Stranglers.
40	* ''Licensed by Royal'' has an opening by Billy Preston.
41	* ''Anime/ErgoProxy'' uses Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" as its ending theme, and while MONORAL, the artists behind the opening theme "Kiri", are Japanese, it's sung in perfect English (the band members are bilingual).
42	* The ''Manga/ElfenLied'' intro is in Latin (with a bit of Greek) and the ending is in English. The series' title is in German.
43	* Some episodes of ''Anime/TsukuyomiMoonPhase'' have a French ending.
44	* ''Anime/TheLegendOfBlackHeaven'' has [[RealSongThemeTune John Sykes's "Cautionary Warning".]]
45	* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'''s opening is in English... [[GratuitousEnglish Although it may take most English speakers a few listens to realize it.]]
46	* Same deal with ''Rideback''. It and ''Manga/BlackLagoon'''s were written by the same artist.
47	* ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'' has four different openings, ''all'' of which are entirely in English.
48	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'''s first ending, "Wind", is in English.
49	* Opening and ending of ''Anime/AnimalDetectivesKiruminzoo'' are sung in Thai, by Neko Jump.
50	* All of the songs by the Boom Boom Satellites (a Japanese band that sings in English, sometimes [[GratuitousEnglish gratuitous]]) and Kylee (American born girl of Japanese descent) for ''Anime/XamdLostMemories''.
51	* ''Anime/{{Monster}}'''s first ending theme is in English.
52	* The closing theme to ''Anime/GunXSword'' is the full-English "A Rising Tide".
53	* One of ''Manga/BlackButler's'' closing themes is English "I'm Alive".
54	* ''Anime/EdenOfTheEast'''s opening "Falling Down" by the English band Music/{{Oasis}}.
55	* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' author Creator/HirohikoAraki is heavily influenced by North American and European popular music, particularly progressive rock, to the point where it is focused into his work with major characters in subsequent story arcs alongside their [[FightingSpirit Stand]] abilities [[MusicalThemeNaming named after various musicians, bands, songs, and albums]]. When it came to the long-awaited anime series, they sought out some {{Real Song Theme Tune}}s to serve as ending themes for each story arc, some chosen with Araki's direct input and with other songs chosen as they were contemporary to the setting.
56	** The first season covering both ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventurePhantomBlood Phantom Blood]]'' and ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency Battle Tendency]]'' uses "Roundabout" by Music/{{Yes}}, later inspiring the ToBeContinued [[MemeticMutation meme]].
57	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'' first uses "Walk Like an Egyptian" by Music/TheBangles as its first ending theme, switching to the instrumental "Last Train Home" by Music/PatMethenyGroup for its second half.
58	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'' uses "I Want You" by Music/SavageGarden for the entire broadcast.[[note]]Excluding the finale which had opening theme "Great Days" sung by all ''[=JoJo=]'' theme song artists to date.[[/note]]
59	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'' uses "Freek'n You" by Music/{{Jodeci}} for its first half and "Modern Crusaders" by Music/{{Enigma}} for its second.
60	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'' uses "Distant Dreamer" by Music/{{Duffy}} for its ending. In the final episode, "Roundabout" by Music/{{Yes}} is used to serve as a {{Book End\|s}}.
61	* The 12th ''Manga/OnePiece'' movie ''[[Anime/OnePieceFilmZ Film Z]]'' includes two songs from Avril Lavigne. Specifically, covers of Joan Jett's Bad Reputation and Nickelback's How You Remind Me.
62	* ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'''s second ending theme "Mr. Raindrop" is sung in English by the Hong Kong band Amplified.
63	* For ''Anime/{{Kaiba}}'', both the opening (Never) and the ending theme (Carry Me Away) are in English. Both are sung by Seira Kagami.
64	* The Japanese version of ''Anime/PokemonTheRiseOfDarkrai'' has an English ending theme "I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go)" sung by Sarah Brightman. However, the English dub replaced it with an alternate English song.
65	* The three openings of ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'' are sung in a heavily accented English with its first two being sung by ELISA and the third sung by Creator/SaoriHayami.
66	* The opening theme for the anime adaptation of ''Literature/AmagiBrilliantPark'', "EXTRA MAGIC HOUR", has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7qppXEORcY an alternative version]] (called International Edition) with English lyrics.
67	* Similarly enough, the first opening of the ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' remake, "Again", also has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0T_PHv11Z4 an alternative English version]].
68	* ''Manga/SchoolLive'' usually has Japanese language endings but episode four has the English song "We Took Each Others Hand" by Kaori Sawada describing Miki's feelings towards Kei.
69	* ''Anime/YuriOnIce'''s opening theme "History Maker" is entirely in English, albeit with a noticeable Japanese accent and occasional AccentUponTheWrongSyllable.
70	* "Never Say Never", the opening theme of ''Anime/DanganronpaTheAnimation'', is almost entirely in English, with rap by Delaware group the 49ers. Oddly, the bridge is in French.
71	* The theme song to ''Anime/{{Parasyte}}'', "Let Me Hear", is almost entirely in English, though it's by a Japanese band.
72	* ''Manga/MaisonIkkoku'' uses two English songs by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan as themes; "Alone Again (Naturally)" for the second opening, and "Get Down" for the third ending.
73	* ''Anime/CaroleAndTuesday'''s music is sung entirely in English, even in the original Japanese, and this extends to its opening and ending theme songs as well.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
77	* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'' has a Hawaiian theme for its intro scene.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
81	* ''Film/{{Bananas}}'' has an original ThemeTune sung in Spanish, "Quiero La Noche."
82	* ''Film/CrossOfIron'': The film's main theme is the German NurseryRhyme "Hänschen klein".
83	* ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'': The lyrics of Music/BasilPoledouris' theme song for the film, "Hymn to Red October", are in Russian.
84	* ''Film/InsideMan'' uses a Bollywood tune for its main credits.
85	* The credits theme to ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'', "Navras", takes its [[OminousLatinChanting ominous Sanskrit chanting]] lyrics from the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanishad Upanishads]].
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
89	* The solo at the opening of each episode of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica\|2003}}'' is a Hindu prayer in Sanskrit. The expository text on screen is in English, however (and has nothing to do with the music).
90	* Norwegian sitcom ''Hos Martin'' uses the fully English title theme "Lord of the Fools"
91	* While it was usually in English, ''Series/{{Weeds}}'' had at least one instance where the theme was sung in French, and has probably done another language by this point.
92	* An episode of ''Series/{{Psych}}'', "Lights, Camera... Homicidio", has the theme song translated into Spanish. A later episode has it in Hindi. Oddly, a Chinese-themed episode shows the actors' name in Chinese but keeps the standard theme song.
93	* While viewers of ''Series/{{Monkey}}'' may not realize it, the opening theme "Monkey Magic" and the rest of the soundtrack was always English in Japan.
94	* ''Series/MrBean'' has a short but memorable ThemeTune in Latin.
95	* The theme song for ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' is written and sung in Bulgarian.
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Theatre]]
99	* ''Theatre/TheConsul'' begins its first two acts with the distant, prerecorded sound of a sentimental ''chanson'' sung in French ("Tu reviendras").
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:Video Games]]
103	* The opening of ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}} IV'' is ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G30MhXmlZGE Baba Yetu]]'', an arrangement The Our Father/Lord's Prayer in Swahili. The opening of ''Civilization VI'' is ''[[https://youtu.be/WQYN2P3E06s Sogno di Volare]]'', a song celebrating the discovery of flight. It's in Italian.
104	* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' has the English song "The Messanger" by Your Favorite Enemies not as one, but [[RearrangeTheSong three different]] theme tunes for the game.
105	* ''[[VisualNovel/EfAFairyTaleOfTheTwo ef ~ a tale of memories]]'' and ''ef ~ a tale of melodies'' had their opening themes sung in English by ELISA. The final episodes of the two seasons, however, had their opening themes sung in Japanese by the same artist.
106	* The first ending theme to ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', "Why, Or Why Not?" by Katakiri Rekka, is in English. Many fans don't realize it's in English due to the singer's accent though (which resulted in such mistakes as the [[MemeticMutation often joked about]] {{fansub}} translation that had the lyrics "I was a believer in life" as "I want to be a river in life"). The song describes the series [[spoiler:and what it's like having a high level of [[HatePlague Hinamizawa Syndrome]]]].
107	* ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' has ''Song of Mana'' as it's main theme and an extended cut of said song as the ending theme. It's in Swedish.
108	* The ending theme to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' is in Gaelic, although sung by a Japanese singer. The BadEnding theme to ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'', by the same singer (Rika Muranaka), is in Spanish.
109	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'''s theme, "Audi Famam Illius", is in, you guessed it, [[OminousLatinChanting Latin]]. There is also a remix of the main ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' theme, with the Japanese ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics rewritten in Latin.
110	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEEI_PyqAnY "Sons of Skyrim"]], the theme of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', is in dragon language.
111	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'' had [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDQ7hXMLxGc a title theme]] in such [[LargeHam bombastic, overwrought]] Russian that no one can decipher it. Its expansion, ''Uprising'', had [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC0WSu-bqBc a theme]] in Japanese instead, about its BreakoutCharacter Yuriko.
112	* The main theme for the infamous Japanese guro visual novel ''Maggot Baits'' is the English made "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwFjLAZCyWE Tomorrow Never Comes]]" by the group ''Datascape''.
113	* ''VideoGame/RuleOfRose'': The game was first produced in Japan, but its theme - ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSkxhDaPoBM A Love Suicide]]'' - is sang entirely in English by the composer's wife, Kaori Kondo.
114	* ''VideoGame/{{Tempo}}'', despite originating in Japan and sometimes [[NoExportForYou not making it overseas]], has a ThemeTuneRap that exists only with English lyrics.
115	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7KyttXlOV8 ending song]] of ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 3'' and ''8'' is sang in Mandarin which is fittingly for the games being based from [[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms one]] of Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. The singer, Yo Hitoto, is Japanese-Taiwanese.
116	* Since ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'', most of the vocal themes in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' games have been exclusively done in English, even in the original Japanese releases. Understandable given the franchise's largely meant to appeal to a western audience despite its Japanese origins. Where this trope really comes into play is in the NoExportForYou Japanese version of the soundtrack of Sonic CD- where the opening theme and ending theme are in English despite being for a Japanese audience.
117	* The ending theme of ''VisualNovel/SteamPrison'', "Laventelin Sininen," is in Finnish.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Western Animation]]
121	* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' had its opening title sequence entirely in French.
122	* ''WesternAnimation/ObanStarRacers''' ending is in Japanese. Its opening combines Japanese and French.[[note]]There is a full Japanese version of the opening however, with some bits of English thrown in.[[/note]]
123	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' has both an English and a Japanese version of its [[OpeningTheme opening theme]] which was unsurprisingly recorded by Japanese pop stars Music/PuffyAmiYumi. The lyrics aren't really a straight translation: The English version (used for most episodes, including all the serious ones) is a basic ExpositoryThemeTune. The Japanese one (played in especially comedic episodes) is [[SurrealThemeTune borderline nonsense]] talking about, among other things, how they obey all traffic rules. ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansTroubleInTokyo'' has the characters [[DiegeticSoundtrackUsage singing a karaoke version of their own theme]], but the lyrics [[RecursiveTranslation are an English translation of the Japanese version]].
124	* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'' has some of its soundtrack in Hawaiian and ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'' has its theme song mostly in Hawaiian as well (though the speed in which the series runs its theme song renders it ForeignSoundingGibberish; Hawaiian speech can't be sped up without losing its meaning). Its Japanese counterpart ''Anime/{{Stitch}}'' has some of its theme songs in a mix of English, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Ryukyuan, though only in the Japanese original version.
125	* Creator/{{Disney}} examples from Germany:
126	** When ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' and ''WesternAnimation/GummiBears'' premiered in Germany in TheEighties, the theme songs were left as-is. It wasn't before they returned as part of the ''Disney Club'' which started in 1991 that they got German theme songs.
127	** ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' always kept the English theme song.
128	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ForeignLanguageTheme