Line #61 Main/InsertSong


1	An Insert Song is a song with lyrics that is inserted during a certain scene of a show or series. Usually, this is done to give a scene more emotional impact by using a song with lyrics which relate to the scene in question. Sometimes though, especially if it's a music-oriented show, the creators will have the characters play a song in-story.
2
3	What sets the in-story version apart from a regular MusicalEpisode is that there has to be something important happening in-story as justification for why someone is singing, and that the entire cast doesn't have to be involved.
4
5	This is very common in anime, as detailed in AnimeThemeSong, since many Japanese voice actors/actresses also happen to be singers.
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7	Note that the opening theme only counts an example if it's used in the middle of the show, when something is actually happening. And the ending theme doesn't count as an example if it starts during a scene which segues into the credits.
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9	Compare AnimeThemeSong (the opening theme, which can be used as this sometimes), ImageSong (can overlap with this if the song in question is brought into the show), {{Leitmotif}} (when a particular piece of music is tied to a certain character), and ThemeMusicPowerUp (when epic BGM is playing while a character is kicking ass).
10	----
11	!!Examples:
12	[[foldercontrol]]
13
14	[[folder:Anime]]
15	* ''Anime/AngelBeats'' has several in-universe due to the Girls Dead Monster subplot, as well as infamous [[TearJerker Tearjerker]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSv_zkDOUvw "My Most Precious Treasure"]].
16	* The Anime/BraveSeries made use of insert songs in most of its entries, bar ''[[Anime/BraveExkaiser Exkaiser]]'' and ''[[Anime/TheBraveOfGoldGoldran Goldran]]''. Most of the songs were only used once per series.
17	** ''Anime/TheBraveFighterOfSunFighbird'' had the appropriately named "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EVZp7aOaIc Fighbird!]]" in episode 45.
18	** ''Anime/TheBraveFighterOfLegendDaGarn'' had "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLl64C0PVTI Densetsu no Yuusha - Kokoro wa Hitotsu]]" in episode 44. Bonus points for being performed by [[Creator/RicaMatsumoto Seiji]] and [[Creator/ShowHayami Da-Garn's]] voice actors.
19	** ''Anime/TheBraveExpressMightGaine'' used insert songs OnceAnEpisode, for the CombiningMecha StockFootage. Initially, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1otrNHVCpmM Let's Might Gaine!!]]" is used, but after Might Gaine's MidSeasonUpgrade it is replaced with "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPYT_0BXEWQ Great Dash!!]]"
20	** ''Anime/BravePoliceJDecker'' uses "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mbXbeD9Bgg Brave Up!! Fire J-Decker]]", also for its mid-season upgrade, in episode 42. Like the ''Da-Garn'' example above, it is sung by two of the cast members. Instead of the KidHero [[ABoyAndHisX and his]] HumongousMecha friend, it's sung by the two components of the titular Fire J-Decker - [[Creator/ToruFurusawa Deckerd]] and [[Creator/ToshiyukiMorikawa Duke]].
21	** ''Anime/BraveCommandDagwon'' has an insert song for its main robot, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9KZiieaBXA Honoo no Yuusha! Fire Dagwon]]" in episodes 28 and 38, and at one point uses the English cover of its opening, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwYxx1tdbQ We Are Dagwon]]" in episode 11.
22	** ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'' has "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mXPoGTBpG4 Saikyo Yuusha Robo Gundan]]", which, unlike the above ''Brave'' examples, it's not used for the main robot, but for the other robots on the team. There's a verse for [[FireIceDuo HyoRyu and EnRyu]], a verse for [[RedOniBlueOni Goldymarg and Volfogg]], and one for [[LightningWindJuxtaposition FuRyu and RaiRyu]].
23	*** ''Anime/GaoGaiGarFINAL'' has "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1NoV5zwOZ0 Saikyo Yuusha Robo Gundan -Ladies-]]", a song dedicated to [[LightDarknessJuxtaposition KoRyu and AnRyu]]. Unlike the TV series' song, "-Ladies-" mentions the two's combined form, [[YinYangBomb TenRyuJin]].
24	* In episode 20 of ''Anime/FateStayNightUnlimitedBladeWorks'', the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c8kpplUkfs "Last Stardust"]] plays when [[spoiler:Shirou finds the resolve to challenge Archer's beliefs]].
25	* ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'' has a couple. For example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kv3mMK7EP8 "God Knows"]] is used as the concert version of this trope, along with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI_wWlz2Rck "Lost my music..."]]
26	* In the finale of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'', the theme from the first opening plays again as Joseph finally defeats Kars once and for all.
27	* In episode 19 of ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-uhgIzHYYo "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta"]] plays when Tanjiro experiences a flashback during his battle against the arc villain [[spoiler: Rui]].
28	** Eventually in the ''Swordsmith Village Arc'', we also have the similarly named [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtgIlIXWEhI "Kamado Nezuko no Uta"]] by the same singer which is played when [[spoiler: Nezuko is revealed to have the ability to resist sunlight]].
29	* Being a show about girls forming a music club, ''Manga/KOn'' has quite a few, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvAR8tiQbsQ "Fuwa Fuwa Time"]].
30	* The ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' series has several:
31	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dNDaJFmkQY "Take A Shot"]] from ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha''
32	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06cIayCPSlU "Brave Phoenix"]] and Snow Rain from ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs''
33	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msPlwu7wEQk "Pray"]] from ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers''.
34	* ''Anime/MekakucityActors'': Given that it's an anime based on a [[Literature/KagerouDaze manga and light novel]] based on a [[Music/KagerouProject set of songs]], this was bound to happen: (Warning, spoilers)
35	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0buNdJyQfKU "Kisaragi Attention"]] at the end of episode 2.
36	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBXWF6gQnQ "Mekakushi Code"]] at the end of episode 3
37	** And [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXyOuzLdP_E "Kagerou Days"]] at the end of episode 4.
38	* ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2su-g8UgBho "Moonlight"]] (月光) plays in Season 2 Episode 16 [[spoiler: during the moment in Korosensei's backstory where Aguri requests he teach in her stead as she dies in his arms.]]
39	** When [[spoiler:Class 3-E finally kills Koro-Sensei near the end of the series,]] a song titled ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbh_SAZN0eg Tabidachi no Uta]]'' (Song of Departure) plays [[spoiler:which acts as a farewell song by Class 3-E to Koro-Sensei.]]
40	* In Season 4, Episode 13 of ''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'', [[https://youtu.be/P3HvdBkJQxI "Might+U"]] plays when [[spoiler: Deku saves Eri from Overhaul, leading to the climactic battle foretold by Nighteye.]]
41	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' has several.
42	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2XsAhmrbc4 "Happily Ever After"]].
43	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNQvLECht08 "Sorairo Days"]] in episode 26.
44	** The "Row! Row! Fight the Powah!" rap is featured in a few songs, most notably [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2AxpaH56WY "Libera Me From Hell"]].
45	* In ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Sx7B5WnDo "Clear Mind"]] plays when Yusei gets his NextTierPowerUp [[spoiler: and summons Shooting Star Dragon for the first time.]] The song would then be used for the remainder of the series every time Yusei proceeded to summon said monster.
46	* ''Anime/SonicX'' uses the main theme from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'', Music/Crush40's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My-WSM-6QlE Live & Learn]]", for the climax of the Shadow Saga (which is based on ''[=SA2=]") [[spoiler:when Super Sonic and Super Shadow use Chaos Control to stop a ColonyDrop]].
47	* In ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'', there are sometimes background lyrical songs setting the mood of the scene. Some of them are performed by the series' cast. One time there was a song by Syaoran's seiyuu about his feelings for Sakura that played during a montage.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Film]]
51	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'' has insert songs sung by Music/PhilCollins, including "Son of Man" and "Strangers Like Me". These songs are [[TranslatedCoverVersion translated]] in foreign-language dubs.
52	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' has "Touch the Sky" and "Into the Open Air". These are also translated in foreign-language dubs.
53	* ''Film/SuckerPunch'' has several, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZMrp8yDM78 "Where is My Mind?"]].
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Video Games]]
57	* Averted in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}''. In-game, we hear the instrumental version of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSgQGKZocDA "Blow Me Away"]] by ''Music/BreakingBenjamin''. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svdR8_w1N0Y original]] is featured in the game's soundtrack.
58	* The ''VideoGame/{{Forza}} Horizon'' has specific licensed songs play for each "boss" event and Bucket List Challenge, many of which are specifically chosen to tie into the themes of the event. Notable examples include "Train in Vain" by Music/TheClash playing during an event where the player races against a train in ''2'', and "The River" by Ladyhawke when racing a fleet of speedboats downstream in ''3''.
59	* ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' has "New World", a vocal theme sung for the opening introduction and the credits.
60	* ''VideoGame/Klonoa2LunateasVeil'' has one during the "snowboarding" (or something like it) stage, which is sung in the [[SpeakingSimlish made up language]] of the series.
61	* The Creator/ShojiMeguro-composed ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series has a ''lot'' of vocal themes, but uses them in an inversion of the standard expectations - vocal themes tend to play at more trivial moments and the instrumental themes are often reserved for more dramatic, important sequences.
62	** The standard battle themes in ''[[{{VideoGame/Persona 3}} 3]]'', "Mass Destruction", ''[[{{VideoGame/Persona 4}} 4]]'', "Reach Out to the Truth", and ''[[{{VideoGame/Persona 5}} 5]]'', "Last Surprise", have vocals. [[BossBattle Boss]] themes are entirely instrumental. ''[[VideoGame/PersonaQShadowOfTheLabyrinth Persona Q]]'', which wasn't composed entirely by Meguro, has vocal themes for both regular battles ("Light the Fire Up in the Night") ''and'' bosses ("Laser Beam").
63	** For the majority of ''3'' and ''4'', the various exploration themes are vocal. [[spoiler:During the final month of each game, wherein things begin look more grim and the story is reaching its conclusion]], the background music is replaced with usually-somber instrumentals.
64	** There are a few cases where the "used for dramatic effect" intention is played straight:
65	*** In the finale of ''Persona 3'', [[spoiler:a heavy hip-hop remix of the game's main theme, "Burn My Dread", [[BookEnds first heard in the opening]]]], plays against the [[spoiler:scripted, post-final boss sequence]].
66	*** The dungeon themes for ''Persona 4'' and ''5'' are all instrumental - save for a single dungeon near the end of the game when the stakes have suddenly gotten dangerously high. In ''4'', the vocal theme is for the dungeon [[spoiler:Heaven, which the party goes through when the protagonist's seven year-old cousin is kidnapped]]. For ''5'', it's [[spoiler:Niijima's Casino, [[HowWeGotHere where the storyline comes back around full circle]]]] and everything is clearing up just before the game's final act.
67	*** In ''5'', the instrumental version of "Life Will Change" [[BackgroundMusicOverride replaces the standard dungeon themes]] when the Phantom Thieves are on their way to finish the dungeon. Near the end of the game, it upgrades to the vocal version, first heard in the prologue level.
68	*** A single boss theme in ''5'' has vocals rather than being purely instrumental: "Rivers in the Desert", the theme for [[spoiler:Shadow Shido, the big bad who ruined the protagonist's life at the beginning of the story]].
69	* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' became fond of this beginning with [[VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird the third]] installment:
70	** VillainSong "POWER" by Music/KanyeWest, which more-or-less serves as the game's RealSongThemeTune, plays in the background of the mission "Party Time". As said mission consists of the Saints crashing a penthouse party to steal it and use it as a base of operations, it's certainly a fitting jam.
71	** Used for hysterical effect during "Murderbrawl XXXI", where the inspiring "[[Film/TheKarateKid You're the Best]]" by Joe Esposito plays as the Boss [[ItMakesSenseInContext uses a chainsaw to slaughter a gang of luchadores during a live wrestling broadcast]].
72	** "Holding Out For a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler plays during the mission "Three Way", as the Boss has to decide between [[spoiler:saving several of their closest allies or leaving them to die and opting to go for revenge on the main WBigBad]].
73	* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' is the first Franchise/{{Mario}} game in history to have vocal songs of any kind. In this game, there are two: "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays during the New Donk City festival, while "Break Free (Lead the Way)" plays [[spoiler:at the end of the final level, when Mario (in Bowser's body) and Princess Peach escape the underground lair in the wedding hall on the moon.]]
74	* In ''VideoGame/GotchaForce'', a song called "We are Gotcha Force!" starts playing when you [[spoiler: get the final boss to half health.]] While the English releases have a instrumental version of the track, the Japanese version features lyrics, sung by Hideaki Takatori from Music/ProjectR.
75	* ''VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd'': Most cinematic {{cutscene}}s have their Insert Song which usually is also a {{Leitmotif}} or an ImageSong:
76	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-b6rdyIJsY Will of the Herrscher]]" – ''Befall''
77	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dmvNGxYPCU Final Lesson]]" – ''Nightglow''
78	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-VNG8vW5RA Cyberangel: ZERO Exception]]" – ''Cyberangel''
79	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1sd5CzR504 Lament of the Fallen]]" – ''Houkai Sekai no Utahime''
80	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQdVJcEE0m4 Shattered Samsara]]" – ''Rubia''
81	** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9e3MFZI3zE Everlasting Flames]]" – ''Moon Halo''
82	* ''VideoGame/{{Rakuen}}'':
83	** The "Mori no Kokoro" are fully voiced songs of strong emotional value that are needed to wake up Morizora.
84	*** "Lights", "The Lonely Tree", and "Walking Through The Night" are all performed by Creator/LauraShigihara.
85	*** "My Little Girl" is sung by Andy Hull.
86	*** "Yours" is performed by Dale North.
87	** "Build A Little World With Me", sung by Creator/LauraShigihara as well, plays when the Boy dreams about having fun with Sue in all her little marble worlds [[spoiler: and wakes up to learn that she passed away that night.]]
88	* ''VideoGame/ToTheMoon'': Creator/LauraShigihara sings the insert songs for first two games in the series. Both play during the emotional climaxes of the story as the wishes of Eva and Neil's dying clients are finally granted.
89	** Episode 1: ''To the Moon'': "Everything's Alright" plays as [[spoiler: River is slowly erased from Johnny's memories in order to grant his wish to go to the moon.]]
90	** Episode 2: ''Finding Paradise'': "Wish My Life Away" plays as [[spoiler: Collin's life plays out exactly as it did in real life, but with an emphasis on the most positive moments in his life and Sigmund Corp removed from his memories.]]
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
94	* ''VisualNovel/KiraKira'', being a VN about forming a rock band, has gems such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brFnRTl_Q-c "Let's Jump"]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENi8XAEDG6I "Kimi no Motoe"]], and a rock version of their school theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC7D6sVBRnM "O. H. B. I."]], all of them performed during their concerts.
95	* ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvAlternative'' has Takeru's ImageSong, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJigmBa1e5c "Wings"]], play [[spoiler:at the end of the PTSD Arc, when he finally finds his resolve to save the world]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiTfpxxqI2g "Carry On"]], another insert, plays at the start of the last arc. The all-ages edition also has the opening play when the last arc is well underway.
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Web Original]]
99	* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', when Bardock goes to take on Frieza and his army, The Touch by Stan Bush plays when he sets off.
100	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Much of the soundtrack consists of lyrical songs, especially during fight scenes.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Western Animation]]
104	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie'': In true fashion, several insert songs by artists such as Stan Bush and Weird Al play, of which probably the most famous has to be "The Touch", which has been cemented as the "something badass is going to happen" insert song for the entire franchise despite only playing twice in the movie.
105	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' also has a number of them, such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IRdw_Qgwqc "My Shiny Teeth And Me"]].
106	* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'' has original songs that often play in the background, but there are a few performed by the characters.
107	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Jellystone}}'' occasionally has songs playing in the background reflecting what's happening. For example, "[[Recap/JellystoneS2E10SweetDreams Sweet Dreams]]" includes a synth pop song about the various bedtime stories told to Augie. Sometimes, the characters themselves will perform songs, like in "[[Recap/JellystoneS2E4BusinessPants Pants]]", "[[Recap/JellystoneS2E6TheBraveLittleDaddyTheBigStink The Brave Little Daddy]]", "[[Recap/JellystoneS1E11SpellBook Spell Book]]", and the BandEpisode "[[Recap/JellystoneS2E2BleepYogisMidlifeCrisis Yogi's Midlife Crisis]]".
108	* ''WesternAnimation/LetsGoLuna'' has one lyrical song per episode. The songs are done using instruments from the country the episode is set in, so an episode set in Mexico would use a lot of trumpets.
109	* ''WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts'' is heavily music-driven, using lyrical songs to match the tone of certain scenes. WordOfGod says that this aspect was inspired by how Creator/QuentinTarantino uses music in his films.
110	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' has several, considering that the entire series runs on {{Musical Episode}}s.
111	* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' has multiple songs, with many of them themed after '50-60s music and Broadway. The songs advance the plot and are both character-driven and curriculum-driven, so one moment you could have a love duet between Carrot and Celery, and the next moment you could have a song about why the moon has craters.
112	* ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' often uses lyrical songs to underscore scenes such as "Mississippi Queen", "Ballroom Blitz", "Heroes", "Holding Out For a Hero", "I Get Around", and more.
113	* ''WesternAnimation/WorkItOutWombats'': While most of the songs in the series are sung in the [[ThreeShorts in-between segments]], "[[Recap/WorkItOutWombatsS1E30HarvestDayThankfulnessStew The Treeborhood Harvest Day]]" has all of the characters singing a song about Harvest Day in the episode itself.

Context Main / InsertSong