This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
- An episode of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon has the characters doing karaoke with, and later synchronizing their attacks to, a song by Minako Aino, who later turns out to be Sailor Venus and which song is available on the soundtrack albums.
Tabby: Removed this from the main entry because the song is not a theme tune, just a song that repeatedly turns up as an accepted part of the show's universe.
Ununnilium: We're also using Image Songs in this trope, and I'd say that's Minako's Image Song. (Heck, the lyrics say "I Am Sailor V", for chrissake.)
Tabby: The argument I'm trying to make is that Minako's songs "exists" to the characters in a way that a show's theme song usually doesn't, so it doesn't really fit a trope that seems to be about breaking the fourth wall. If I'm misunderstanding the trope, or if this is a borderline case that everyone else thinks merits inclusion, then I withdraw my objections.
Ununnilium: Perhaps not misunderstanding, but I don't think it's always meant to be a fourth-wall break. For many examples, I think the music's meant to be part of the universe in the same way. For instance, the Star Trek Deep Space Nine example, or the one in Love Hina. (Or, heck, the one from the original Sailor Moon.)
So, I'm adding it back in. ``v
Should Back to the Future be mentioned, with the repeated appearances of The Power of Love?
Red Shoe: I don't recall the song ever being performed as part of the movie's action, and I'm not sure if it actually counts as the theme music for the film (Surely "Back in Time" gets the credit on that one). But, if memory serves, Part Three might merit mention on this count for ZZ Top's appearance.
Nameless: Fist Of The North Star/Hokuto No Ken also fits under this- an arranged version of the theme song will usually play when Kenshiro uses one of his crazy finishing pressure point moves. It's also expanded to the 2006 Arcade Game, whenever someone uses a Fatal KO.
Daibhid C: I'm not sure the Iron Man theme being used when he appears in Hulk is an example, since it's not happening "in universe". It might be a trope of its own; the same thing happened when the X-Men appeared in the Spider-Man cartoon, and the themes to both Batman The Animated Series and Superman The Animated Series are used in the Justice League pilot to announce the respective heroes. Crossover Leitmotif?
Kim Possible - Did Ron really do the theme? When I watched it I was expecting the theme, but what he actually came up with didn't really sound like it from my perspective.
