History LyricalDissonance / Anime

* Freckles, the first opening from ''RurouniKenshin'', is a glaring example of this trope. Musically, it's quite possibly the most chipper thing you will ever hear. Lyrically, it's quite depressing.

** ''[[{{ptitleglq70rg8}} Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan]]'', similar to ''DaiMahouTouge,'' has a cutesy, upbeat J-Pop tune. Then it gets to the parts where Dokuro starts singing about extreme violence and body mutilation before ending it with [[YanDere "but that's just how I show my]] [[MadLove love for you"]].

The Hallelujah Chorus is about the rapture, old school style, and supposed to capture the awe and terror of people witnessing angels swooping down from heaven to judge them. Again, EXACTLY what happens during that scene. A lot of consideration went to choosing those two pieces, they didn't just go for creepiness by employing this trope but for sheer FridgeBrilliance.

** On the [[IncrediblyLamePun note]] of SoundtrackDissonance, how about [[MindRape Arael]] and [[spoiler:Tabris/Kaworu's]] use of what is effectively the 'Hallelujah' chorus during dome of their most [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel horrifying]] scenes?

*** The Hallelujah Chorus is about the rapture, old school style, and supposed to capture the awe and terror of people witnessing angels swooping down from heaven to judge them. Again, EXACTLY what happens during that scene. A lot of consideration went to choosing those two pieces, they didn't just go for creepiness by employing this trope but for sheer FridgeBriliance.

** German Anthem is the epitome of this trope: The first few lines are about how he fights for justice, faith and love. Most of the song is him trying to inspire Italy to act courageously on the battlefield. The GratuitousGerman he's chanting so menacingly means "unity and justice and freedom", which is RealLife Germany's national motto. Granted, he's [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything? cutting the air with his right hand]] and [[WorldWarII calling the Rhine his birthright]], but the song borders on {{Narm}} when you consider most of what he's saying and how he's saying it.

** German Anthem is the epitome of this trope: The first few lines are about how he fights for justice, faith and love. Most of the song is him trying to inspire Italy to act courageously on the battlefield. The GratuitousGerman he's chanting so menacingly means "unity and justice and freedom", which is RealLife Germany's national motto. Granted, he's [[WhatDoesThisRemindYouOf cutting the air with his right hand]] and [[WorldWarII calling the Rhine his birthright]], but the song borders on {{Narm}} when you consider most of what he's saying and how he's saying it.

** German Anthem is the epitome of this trope: The first few lines are about how he fights for justice, faith and love. Most of the song is him trying to inspire Italy to act courageously on the battlefield. The GratuitousGerman he's chanting so menacingly means "unity and justice and freedom", which is RealLife Germany's national motto.

* Pick a ''GundamSeed'' or ''GundamSeedDestiny'' opening or ending. They all sound like poppy dance music. Almost all of them have incredibley depressing lyrics.

* Freckles, the first opening from ''RurouniKenshin'', is a glaring example of this trope. Musically, it's quite possibly the most chipper thing you will ever hear. Lyrically, it's quite depressing.

* Except

* The lyrics in the trope entry are a real song: "Komm, süsser Tod" (in German, "Come, Sweet Death"), from the ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' soundtrack. And yes, it's every bit as disturbing as you'd think -- appropriate, given the series, and when the song is played: [[spoiler: during the Third Impact[=/=]Instrumentality sequence in ''Evangelion.'']] Doubly ironic, the film synchs the line, "my world is ending" with [[spoiler: apocalyptic imagery of the TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, in the literal sense of the words.]]

** The SpeedyTechnoRemake [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDu-JQncobo (link)]] doesn't help things.
*** Nor the fact that the entire song is suspiciously similar to Hey Jude.
*** Although it's actually derived from Procol Harum's [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma4dsoviNSQ "A Whiter Shade of Pale."]]
** Interestingly, the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dFLxVAhDBA Bach piece]] from which it takes its title is is not an example of this trope; it's as calm as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komm,_süßer_Tod,_komm_selge_Ruh its lyrics]] suggest.
*** Komm, süsser Tod is actually based on Pachelbel's Canon in D, which is a very upbeat, uplifting song commonly used at ''weddings''.
** It also sounds similar to Vitamin C - Graduation (Friends Forever), although that's not a depressing song.
** At least the song begins to sound insidiously convoluted near the end, like an LSD trip or an exorcism... [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel or both]].

* Except for some oddly haunting bits, the melody of "Uninstall", the OP to {{Bokurano}}, could pass for an upbeat, soaring mecha series theme. The lyrics discuss how all human life is insignificant, and the main characters' plight of being trapped in a meaningless battle where the only escape from the pointlessness of their efforts is self-delusion or their inevitable deaths.
* The opening credits music from ''RurouniKenshin'', entitled (in English) "Freckles," is frantically happy and bouncy, but features lyrics such as "all the memories that I have are beautiful in my mind, but they can't hide the sorrow deep inside my soul." Here's an excerpt:
-->I brush against the freckles that I hated so,
-->But life goes on and I heave a little sigh for you.
-->It's heavy, the love that I would share with you,
-->Then it dissolved like it was just a sugar cube.
-->Now the little pain sittin' in my heart,
-->Has shrunk in a bit, but it really does hurt me now.
-->Those silly horoscopes I,
-->Guess I can't trust them after all.
** The ''DanceDanceRevolution'' version of this song has different English lyrics but the exact same meaning, and ups the ante by removing the heavy guitar riffs in favor of a whimsical toy piano sound.
** ALL of JUDY&MARY's songs are incredibly ubpeat and catchy, their lyrics notwithstanding. But with ''Sobakasu'' it's little bit more complicated -- an anime version is, as usual, shortened to just one stanza to fit into the episode. The full version has a second stanza with ''exactly opposite'' meaning, somewhat balancing it out.
* As part of its overall MindScrew, the {{Anime}} ''ParanoiaAgent'' has an uptempo opening theme with [[http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/paranoiaagent/yumenoshimash.htm these lyrics]], accompanied by images of the characters laughing hysterically, often in devastated surroundings.
** Suffice to say that it mentiones "magnificent mushroom cloud in the sky".
* The theme song for TenchiMuyo! (TenchiUniverse to some) is a happy, hoppy, techno song about how someone (presumably Tenchi himself) isn't quite ready for love. The English version of the song even starts with the words "Get ready/love will leave you crying". The song ends with the lyrics, "You are a broken man".
** The ending theme for the show is also similar in that it's a high-energy rock song that ends up being a big "screw you" to either Ayeka or Ryoko (depending on the episode, it switched every other one). The English lyrics start with "When you go fishing/You catch a boot/or some other trash/When you play at cards/you lose all your cash/you're so pathetic/you never win/and you never will/not the kind of girl/who'd make any guy/feel a thrill".
* ''KeroroGunsou'' plays with this a great deal. What sounds like funeral marches and burning courage is really about failing to do the household chores and the joys of building Gundam models.
* The ending of ''SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' called ''Absolute Beauty'' is about lover's suicide -- set to a catchy tune with jazz-like instrumentals.
** This is pretty much a requirement for a song on this show. One of the ending songs in ''Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei" is a very dark song about the "despair restuarant" with a strong implication that it doubles as a brothel!
* In the ''ElfenLied'' manga, Lucy/Nyuu/Kaede starts singing "Elfenlied" in what is apparently a very sad voice. However, the lyrics are rather childish and innocent -- a far cry from what's happening at that moment.
* ''MacrossFrontier'' has one as an in-show ExecutiveMeddling -- Ranka's sweet, soothing love song "Aimo", set to a lullaby-like tune, the only thing that [[TraumaInducedAmnesia she remembers from her past]], has had its lyrics rewritten by her manager [[BigBad Grace O'Connor]]. She managed to make it a victory anthem -- one more step to TheReveal, and certainly not a good thing in context.
** Its opening, ''Triangular'', also qualifies, as it's a cheery upbeat J-Pop song with a lyrics about ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin quite obviously]]) a LoveTriangle and all the uncertainities it brings.
* ''{{Higurashi no Naku Koro ni}}'''s both opening themes fit. While the first one does use MoodDissonance, it's a generally cheery song about an AxCrazy protagonist luring his friends to the woods to [[strike:play]] be killed. The second one is about trying to cheer up the main character, who is stuck in a FateWorseThanDeath where she and her friends go AxCrazy [[GroundhogDayLoop again and again]].
** You really thought "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni" ([[TitleDrop the actual name of the first series' opening song]]) was ''generally cheerful?!'' It starts off sounding like a demonic African chant, and then the horribly dissonant bass riff kicks up...
*** On that note, you thought the second season's opening was cheerful? Are you missing the point of both songs? Presumably you are missing the symbolism of the first song.
** A few of the character songs are like this, too. Have you ever heard the translation for "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqB-W6yWtKI Futari no Birthday]]"?
*** The other songs are usually subversions of this though. Nano Desu stays very fitting for the tune (and especially the character) the whole way through, while Nii-Nii Suki does have Satako slip into depression that doesn't fit the tune in a few spots, only to have her forcefully pull herself out. One scene in particular has her say how much she misses Satoshi, at which point the background music stops until she turns cheerful again.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyhKX3TaOu8 This song]] from [[UminekoNoNakuKoroNi Umineko No Naku Koro Ni]] sounds like an insanely cheerful and [[EarWorm catchy]] song, right? Well, only if you ignore what the lyrics mean...
** Higurashi No Koro Ni's Taishou A's first verse is translated as," I pile soil onto your corpse. Even if that was forbidden, in the bliss of your innocent gaze there was an incompletely hidden temptation." It's really peaceful until you know what it's about. Then it's merely creepy.
* The first of Ludwig/Germany's two [[ImageSong image songs]] in ''AxisPowersHetalia'' has a song that sounds rather scary, but it's really just about sausages and beer.
** His version of the [[AnimeThemeSong ending song]] as well. Especially scary after hearing the original version by [[TheCutie Italy]].
* Sailor Jupiter's ImageSong from ''SailorMoon R'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD5CBrOwkq0 is pretty catchy]] and sounds like another fun song on the soundtrack. [[http://sailormusic.net/lyrics/Wasureru_tame.html Check out the lyrics.]]
* 'Ai Senshi' from ''MobileSuitGundam'' does this very intentionally. It sounds like an uplifting, inspiring song, but the 'Ai' means 'Sorrowful', and the uplifting music is accompanied about lyrics about a soldier's fear of the 'blazing God of Death', and his survivor's guilt, and finally, asking about if those left behind by the dead will give up their lives too...
** In Gundam SEED Destiny, we also have Fields of Hope, song by Lacus Clyne, while some ZAFT-pilots are busy executing a Colony Drop, while the rest of ZAFT's forces are trying to prevent it.
** Gundam 00 has Tomorrow, a very beautiful song by Ayumi Tsunematsu, who voices Marina Ismail, who in turn is shown to write and sing the song, along with some kids. Both in episode 14 and in the final battle between Exia and 0 Gundam, piloted by Setsuna and Ribbons respectively, the song plays in the background. Episode 14 even uses it as its ending, while Setsuna and Ali fight. Both times, it also makes the battles that much more awesome, thus turning them into Crowning Moments of Awesome Heartwarming.
*** That's true. Just try watching the final battle between Exia and 0 Gundam without sound, and then with sound, and you will notice that it becomes a hundred times more epic with Tomorrow playing. The sound effects don't even make that much of an impact, considering that most viewers can make the sound effects in their heads.
*** Not to mention the fact that it even plays on the radio in 2314, while the ELS are busy attacking the Earth Sphere Federation.
* The song [[http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/hunterxhunter/inori.htm "Inori"]] ("prayer"), a character song from the anime HunterXHunter, sounds cheerful and even triumphant...but if you read the translation of the lyrics--well, it ''starts'' with "A smile stolen from the eyes I watched / That distant night when blood was shed...". And the refrain's mention of "bringing home the flame-colored eyes" is a lot [[{{Squick}} squickier]] if you know from the anime that [[spoiler: said eyes are [[BodyHorror entirely literal.]]]] Oh, and the the prayer from the the title? That he'd never stop being angry.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzPy5h3Rjuk Just to expand the example]]: Said character has yet another song that falls victim to this trope: his duet with another character in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2moQAQM2U&feature=related "Tobira"]] ("door"). At first the song looks cheerful, but then [[http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/hunterxhunter/tobira.htm "The world is the sum of all unhappiness".]] Kurapika is the ''king'' of LyricalDissonance.
* From ''DigimonTamers'': [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reJH5MvegRo Beelzebumon's theme]] -- super funky with a slight island flavor, the perfect rhythm for a song about a howling storm, betrayal, and tearing opponents apart (and he literally can). Go figure. It's a VillainSong, after all. The title, by the way, is "Black Intruder."
* From ''YoureUnderArrest'': the second ED ''Sora Wo Miagete'' ("Looking at the Sky") is very upbeat and catchy (and sounds somewhat similar to Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth"), but the lyrics describe someone mourning a lost love.
* Mikako's character song from ''SoraNoOtoshimono'''s first season set of songs. It can be translated as "Princess Kill Them All", which describes the song well. It's a lighthearted J-Pop tune with a guitar backing that has Mikako earnestly singing about what she wants. Massacring everyone and ruling the Earth.
* [[CowboyBebop The Seatbelt's]] song [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKL88_jLYgM "Flying Teapot"]] is a flighty, happy tune with questionably happy lyrics at best.
* "Moonflower", sung by Tomokazu Seki, is a cheerful little number about being soul-crushingly isolated and hiding it.
* ''GurrenLagann'' has [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAlztMvvNkk&feature=related Libera Me From Hell]]. While the background of the song is a soft, vaugely sad melody, backing tearful opera singing, this is interspersed, and later on blended, with the triumphant and badass rap lyrics of Row Row Fight The Power.
* The [[MoodDissonance relentlessly cheery opening]] to ''{{Narutaru}}'', "Nichiyoubi no Taiyou" (the Sun of Sunday) has lyrics about someone sitting in a park waiting for someone who will never show up, with the implication that the other person is dead and the singer is deluding himself into thinking otherwise. This, of course, means that the lyrics fit the actual content of the series much closer than the music.
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* The lyrics in the trope entry are a real song: "Komm, süsser Tod" (in German, "Come, Sweet Death"), from the ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' soundtrack. And yes, it's every bit as disturbing as you'd think -- appropriate, given the series, and when the song is played: [[spoiler: during the Third Impact sequence in ''Evangelion.'']] Doubly ironic, the film synchs the line, "my world is ending" with [[spoiler: apocalyptic imagery of the TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, in the literal sense of the words.]]

* The [[MoodDissonance relentlessly cheery opening]] to ''{{Narutaru}}'', "Nichiyoubi no Taiyou" (the Sun of Sunday) has lyrics about someone sitting in a park waiting for someone who will never show up, with the implication that the other person is dead.

*** That's true. Just try watching the final battle between Exia and 0 Gundam without sound, and then with sound, and you will notice that it becomes a hundred times more epic with Tomorrow playing. The sound effects don't even make that much of an impact, comsidering that most viewers can make the sound effects in their heads.

** A few of the character songs are like this, too. Have you ever heard the translation for "Futari no Birthday"?

* In-universe: ''KaraNoKyoukai'''s fifth movie has [[CompleteMonster Cornelius Alba]] singing Beethoven's Ode to Joy while [[spoiler:bashing Mikiya's head repeatedly on the wall.]] Doubles as a reference to AClockworkOrange.

** Interestingly, the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXnTujrJN9U Bach piece]] from which it takes its title is is not an example of this trope; it's as calm as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komm,_süßer_Tod,_komm_selge_Ruh its lyrics]] suggest.