I’ve been a huge anime fan for years, and as an amateur pianist, there’s something special about playing these themes on the keys. While big orchestral, or band arrangements are great, I’ve felt that solo piano – or tracks where the piano takes the lead – hit differently. There’s a certain quiet vibe that makes the music feel so much more immersive, and it often carries emotion that’s hard to put into words.
For this list, I’ve picked ten songs that I think are perfect for intermediate pianists to practice. I chose them because their melodies are genuinely beautiful and they carry specific emotional weight.
1. Pace – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
The word “pace” means “peace” in Italian. The track is sorrowful and heavy, resonating with the death of Abbacchio, Bucciarati and Narancia. But there’s something else there.
The track also carries a sense of peace. After so much suffering and sacrifice, Giorno and his team finally defeat Diavolo and seize the control of the gang. The dawn finally breaks over Rome. In a warm afternoon, Giorno looks out the window, remembering his friends… It’s that rare kind of “sad peace” that only a solo piano can capture.
Difficulty:
2. Sayonara, Hikaru [さよなら,ヒカル] – Hikaru No Go
The title “Sayonara, Hikaru” says it all. In the series, Sai finally realizes what “the hand of God” means through Hikaru’s growth, and in that same breath, his thousand-year obsession with “the hand of God” dissolves. Even though he wants to stay with Hikaru, the soul that has been wandering for centuries finally vanishes into air. You can feel the weight through the keys – Sai’s reluctance to say goodbye, and the crushing reality of his sudden disappearance for Hikaru, who has to go through disbelief, acceptance, and overwhelming solitude.
The arrangement of the track is quite unique by blending classical and pop genres. It’s a tender, quiet, and sad piece.
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3. Substitute Invasion [身代わりの侵入] – The End of Evangelion
This track plays during the scene where Misato gives Shinji an “adult kiss” right before she died. She knows she is never coming back, and it is her last, desperate attempt to push Shinji get into the EVA, even as he suffers total breakdown. Honestly, Shinji is facing a level of pressure and fear that even a strong adult couldn’t handle.
The melody itself is really unique. It’s weighted with the sense of impending loss. However, the shift to G major at the end of the track brings a glimpse of hope.
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4. Rei I – Neon Genesis Evangelion
This track is just strange. It’s creepy and even a bit annoying, which is exactly why it fits Rei so well. It has a fragile, “end-of-the-world” vibe that perfectly matches her mysterious, calm and indifferent personality.
The music feels unsettling once you become curious about Rei’s identity and finally realize the truth behind her existence – that she’s basically a tool for Gendo Ikari‘s own selfish and conspiracy.
What’s really interesting to me is the phrasing of the track. The first line of verse sounds like a sentence ending with a question mark, as if Rei is doubting her own existence. Then, the second line spreads out, almost as if she’s finally found the answer.
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5. Him and Hym – Banana Fish
This track is in F major, which gives it a super gentle feeling, but there’s a layer of sadness underneath. Every time this melody kicks in, it feels like the intense, depressing plot finally gives you a second to take a breath, yet you know those moments are going to be gone in a blink.
It really hits home when you think about Ash. He’s stuck in a total nightmare, but Eiji just gets it. He doesn’t care that they’re from completely different worlds. Eiji is just there for him. Their bond goes beyond just friendship or love – it’s honestly the most precious thing in the world. Every time I play this track, I hear that line in my head: “You are not alone, Ash. I am with you. My soul is always with you.”
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6. Kimi ga Yobu Namae ~ Yume no Tsuzuki [きみが呼ぶなまえ~夢のつづき] – Natsume’s Book of Friends
This track is inseparable from Natsume’s world. Growing up as an orphan and constantly haunted by monsters, Natsume was always treated like an alien. He was often rejected by relatives and forced to bounce between different households throughout his childhood. The experience made him sensitive, introverted, and prone to lingering sadness.
Most people would be hardened by a childhood like that, but Natsume remains incredibly gentle and kind. He’s the type of person who cherishes even the smallest act of warmth. You’ll hear this melody playing throughout the series during those quiet, bittersweet moments when he interacts with all the different monsters.
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7. Koko wa Samurai no Kuni da [ここは侍の国だ ] – Gintama
Gintama is such a weird, brilliant mix. It’s super hilarious one moment and suddenly leaves you feeling sentimental the next. Most of the time, the series is about Yorozuya helping out random people or aliens with their problems. This track usually plays when we see the tiny aspirations and the grief of everyday people. The track is also used for the “villains”. It usually plays when you finally see their side of the story or realize they’ve been misunderstood the whole time.
The melody and rhythm are simple, but that’s exactly why it works. It doesn’t need to be fancy to hit you right in the heart.
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8. Kodoku na Junrei [孤独な巡礼] – Fate/stay night (2006)
This track captures Saber’s burden as a hero – the weight of endless battlefields and the loneliness of a life spanning centuries.
The track is written in G minor, which gives the piece a naturally mournful, grounded tone. The melody is quite simple and the rhythm is steady. For me, that simplicity is the point. It mirrors the monotony of those long, repetitive years and makes you realize how small an individual is when measured against the flow of time.
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9. Lilium – Elfen Lied
Written in F-sharp minor, this track carries a sense of tragic divinity. When you hear those lyrics – “Lord, fount of goodness, Lord, divine fire, have mercy!” – It feels like Lucy desperately prayed to God. What makes this song so heavy is that it captures the sense of irreversible fate. No matter how much Lucy longed for a normal life, she was stuck in hopelessness. She didn’t really belong anywhere.
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10. Yin’s Piano – Darker Than Black
This track is an incredible classical-style piece, and it reflects Yin’s story – a girl who loved playing piano under the moonlight. Much like Rei from Evangelion, Yin is a “doll,” supposedly lacking free will or sense of self.
However, watching her play piano in the series is so moving. Even though she’s portrayed as emotionless, the emotion and the power in her music is intense. I don’t think anyone could play with that much beauty if they were truly empty inside. Yin slowly started to develop her own consciousness and emotions, and I think it happens through her music too.
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Conclusion
I found that the words I used the most to describe these tracks were ‘solitude’, ‘heavy’ and ‘sadness’. It’s funny – When I sit down at the piano to play these, it’s not because I’m lookin for a good cry. These melodies hold a kind of emotional intensity that’s hard to find anywhere else.