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{{trope}}
[[File:Vol__2_Yuki_Nagato_cd_349Vol 2 Yuki Nagato cd 349.jpg|link=Haruhi Suzumiya|rightframe]]
 
A song specific in content and tone to a character from an anime, sung by the character's voice performer -- usuallyperformer—usually on a soundtrack CD.
 
The animation houses which produce anime are nothing if not masters of cross-marketing and cross-promotion. One means by which a series is promoted and supported in the Japanese media marketplace is (as is sometimes the case in the United States) the original soundtrack CD.
 
In the early days of this practice, such CDs usually contained nothing more than the program's opening and closing themes, as well as most or all of the incidental music heard in the show. Eventually, though, the producers of such discs began to take advantage of the fact that most Japanese voice performers are also professional singers, often of the "idol" variety which drives the Japanese pop music market. They began to write songs that typified -- andtypified—and sometimes explored more deeply -- thedeeply—the characters.
 
Thus was born the "[[Image Song]]", a uniquely Japanese variety of [[All There in the Manual]]. While a viewer can enjoy and understand a series without ever hearing the soundtrack, those that do listen to the music often receive a "bonus" in the form of a deeper understanding of the nature of the characters.
 
Occasionally the [['''Image Song]]''' makes its way back to the series, where it may appear as a character's theme music, or to punctuate a sequence which features them. As time goes on, this has become more frequent, to the point where in some shows the Image Songs almost (but not quite) supplant the traditional soundtrack entirely. And in some cases, the show's [[Anime Theme Song|theme song]] is treated as an Image Song -- usuallySong—usually sung by the most important female member of the cast, but also remade any number of times by other voice performers from the show.
 
The [['''Image Song]]''' differs from the [[Leitmotif]] in that it primarily exists outside of the show, whereas a leitmotif is created specifically for use in the show to represent a character or idea.
 
In Western musicals, the [[Cut Song]] has a similar function. [["I Want" Song]] is similar but occurs in the show.
 
{{examples}}
 
== Anime and Manga ==
 
* ''[[Digimon]]'' is an extreme example in terms of sheer volume of image songs; for instance, ''[[Digimon Adventure 02]]'' alone had one song for each of the [[Digi Destined]], one song for each of their Digimon partners, and one song where they sang together, for a total of 36 -- in36—in ''addition'' to ensemble songs and a Christmas album. ''[[Digimon Adventure]]'' and ''[[Digimon Tamers]]'' also had songs for secondary characters and antagonists. ''[[Digimon Frontier]]'' and ''[[Digimon Savers]]'' eventually leveled off on the practice, and ''[[Digimon Xros Wars]]'' and ''[[Digimon Xros Wars: theThe Young Hunters Leaping Through Time]]'' has none at all, but it's worth noting that ''Savers'' was years off when [[Serial Escalation|the 100th CD]] in the series was released. Tai's [[Image Song]] was used as an insert piece late in ''[[Digimon Adventure]]'' proper, Matt performed his in a concert in ''[[Digimon Adventure 02]]'', and several other characters' instrumental themes seem to be derived from theirs (or vice-versa).
** ''[[Digimon Savers]]'' did eventually get an Image Song CD, but [[Demoted to Extra|Yoshi and Lalamon were missing altogether]]. Frustratingly ironic, as their [[Backstory]] is that they met after Yoshi failed in a piano recital and Lalamon ''has an attack called Sing A Song'' which does [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Later in the year, another CD was released that included all new songs from the five "[[The Hero|goggle boys]]" for ''Digimon'''s tenth anniversary.
* ''[[Slayers]]'' has between one to three image songs between each of the major characters (including one of the villians, [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds|Valgaav]]), and there is also both the infamous "Maiden's Prayer" duet by Lina and Amelia's voice actresses from the second season of the anime, and a song where the four leads all sing together. However, these are usually overshadowed by the large number of [[Anime Theme Songs]] sung by [[Megumi Hayashibara]]
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** [[Nyoron Churuya-san|Churuya]] has 6 image songs.
* ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]'', being a musical, uses every image song in the episodes, as well as every other song in the vocal box.
* The ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]'' series -- orseries—or group of series variants -- hasvariants—has released a whole lot of cds, including a Christmas album. Characters have several songs that could be Image Songs, and some made their way into the first television series (which followed, and re-structured, the [[OVA]], during karaoke on-board ship. A few of these were released in America by Pioneer, including one CD called "Meet The Tenchi Muyo" that mimicked the appearance of several Beatles albums.
* ''[[Lucky Star]]'', too, has a large collection of image songs thanks to its overwhelming popularity. And it's not just the four main girls, either. Kagami's classmates and even Konata's deceased mother get songs. Misao, formerly one of [[Those Two Guys]], became enough of an [[Ensemble Darkhorse]] to get an album all to herself.
** In fact, Shiraishi got more songs than anyone else thanks to him taking the lead for the second half of ending songs. One of the songs that got a full version was none other than ''Ore no Wasuremono''.
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** Although not technically her character song, Hinagiku sings the ending of season two, it could fit for it though.
*** Also for the second ending of season two, Hayate and Nagi sing, what could be considered, an image song.
* Urara from ''[[Yes! Pretty Cure 5|Yes! Precure 5]]'' has two [[Image Song|Image Songs]] which, in the show's reality, she actually wrote herself. She regularly sings them in concerts, accompanied in at least one case by the rest of the main cast.
* In a rare English language example, there is a soundtrack CD released titled ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]: 2B A Master'' that features Image Songs associated with characters from the show, but not performed directly by their English voice actors. Later, there was even a live theater show -- ''[[Pokémon Live]]'' -- that—that featured the characters singing some of the songs from that soundtrack.
** The exception would be "Double Trouble", sung by [[Terrible Trio|Team Rocket]]'s VAs. The Totally Pokémon CD released during Johto had a particularly memorable one sung by Brock's VA, [[Eric Stuart]] ("Two Perfect Girls").
** On the Japanese side of ''Pokémon'', for Satoshi's theme, we have ''Spurt!'' which is also one of the openings, May's theme is ''Watashi Makenai'' (one of the ending themes) and Hikari has ''Kimi no Soba de''. Instrumentals of these are usually heard during their contest appeals.
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** There was also a CD of image songs sold in North America that is now out of print called "Lunarock!", which featured songs that were in episodes about each of the scouts. Sailor Moon had more than one for herself on there, and they [[Non-Singing Voice|hired different voice actresses]] to sing for the other Inner Senshi.
** And then there's [[Stephanie Beard]], who wrote the song "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kSRUKG1BuU The Real SugaBayBee]". Supposedly it was for her radio character persona, but she had to have at least drawn some inspiration from her [[Americans Hate Tingle|hated character]] in the series. Most people consider it her image song for Rini.
* ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'' follows the suit, with two character songs for each Mew Mew -- exceptMew—except Mew Ichigo, who got ''five''.
* Even thirteen-episode ''[[Prétear]]'' has image songs for the four older Leafe Knights on the second soundtrack CD.
* ''[[Ranma ½|[[Ranma ½]]'''s Song Calendars and the "Hot Song Battle Contest" album display the voice actors singing wholly in character, sometimes purely for humor (such as Genma trying to sing while in Panda form,) but for surprisingly dramatic effect at other times (girl-Ranma singing an unusually angsty song while crying in the rain.)
** Shampoo's ''[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9TaTUa7eU Wo De Airen (My Beloved)]'' is also surprisingly touching.
** The juxtaposition of Akane's two song really shows her Tsundere nature. Her infamous [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=XYofkxAVg7s Baka Song] shows the tsuntsun, while [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CBFXUospjjk Akane's Lullaby] is very deredere.
** A little in-joke for the fans was the duet by Ryouga and the Jusenkyo Guide - the two characters share the same voice actor.
* ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'' often mixed image songs along with traditional soundtrack themes. Although they were usually performed by [[Power Trio|Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu]], sometimes Emeraude and Eagle would get a chance to perform. Even [[Non-Human Sidekick|Mokona]] got in on the fun with at least two songs.
* Arguably, the [[Anime Theme Song|opening and ending themes]] for ''[[Slayers]]'' (sung by either Masami Okui or Megumi Hayashibara, or both) are all [[Image Song|ImageSongs]] for heroine Lina Inverse, as they tend to describe her personality directly.
** This doesn't prevent her from getting "normal" image songs like the rest of the main characters.
* An ''even more'' extreme case is ''[[The Prince of Tennis|Prince of Tennis]]'', which keeps delivering image songs, duets, group releases and/or image CD's for ''almost each player in the show'' in a more-or-less regular basis.
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* ''[[Rosario + Vampire]]'' has a usual share of image songs in both its seasons, as well as covers of 80's J-Pop songs. In both seasons, all of these have been gratuitously inserted into the anime, with the poolside karaoke in season one and the singing in class in ''Capu2'' being the most obvious.
* Several characters from ''[[Kinnikuman]]'' have one of these.
* ''[[Gundam Wing]]'' has four OSTs, five if you include ''[[The Movie|Endless Waltz]]''; out of those, two are peppered with Image Songs, while a third is given over to them entirely (the only non-[[Image Song]] track being the show's second opening theme). Most of the primary cast gets songs, with the central characters (the Gundam Pilots and Relena) getting at least two while lesser-but-still important characters like Zechs, Treize, Lady Une, and Dorothy each get one.
* ''[[Gundam Seed Destiny]]'''s second OST features "Shinkai no Kodoku", Stella Louisser's image song, which is also an insert song for her important scenes in the series, particularly her chance meetings with Shinn, her {{spoiler|[[Anguished Declaration of Love|death scene]] and Shinn interring her body}}.
* ''[[Zettai Karen Children]]'', being done by the same creative staff as ''Hayate'', has a pretty large collection to its name. There are songs for the expected characters ([[Power Trio|The Children]]) and some less expected ([[Hard Gay|Muscle Okama?]]).
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* ''[[One Piece]]'' has quite a few image songs for the Straw Hats and for other noteworthy characters like Shanks and Mr. 2. Some of the Straw Hats' image songs have only one character singing, but there are often ones with multiple characters (for example, Hurricane Girls features Nami and Robin), or the entire crew.
** At one point during the Skypeia arc, Luffy and Usopp sing one of ''Sanji's'' songs. Badly.
* ''[[MaiMy-HiME]]'' gratuitously inserted three image songs - one for each of the main players - into the show in episode 15. The show also got two full albums full of image songs for just about all of the main characters.
* ''[[Ouran High School Host Club]]'' has some very fun image songs, as well as a song sung by all of the characters together. Noticeably missing is Haruhi's image song, and she only speaks in the group song. This makes sense as canonically, she's a horrible singer.
** Although Haruhi in-character cannot sing her Japanese voice actress, [[Maaya Sakamoto]], most certainly can. Haruhi may not have been given an image song or even have been allowed to sing with the boys in "Mata Ashita" due to Maaya's record contract. [[Caitlin Glass]], Haruhi's English voice actress, is also a lovely singer.
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** ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]: Brotherhood'' gives us an image song by "[[Romi Park]] and the Alchemists", which is [[A Good Name for a Rock Band]].
* ''[[Saiyuki]]'' has numerous image albums from the three separate anime series and almost every major character has at least one song. And try not to count how many the four main characters have, you'll give up half way through (I have tried).
** The only exception is Hakkai, since [[Akira Ishida]] doesn't like to sing--whensing—when Hakkai absolutely needed an [[Image Song]] as part of the "Four Seasons" promotional CD for the movie, he simply delivered a monologue to music. This has led original author Minekura to playfully refer to the group of Goku, Gojyo and Sanzo's seiyuu as "-8," or "Minus Eight," as the "ha" in "Hakkai" is written with the kanji for 8.
* Pretty much the entire vocal soundtrack of ''[[Pani Poni Dash!]]'' is sung by the characters involved.
* Standard practice in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' is to include three tracks worth of Image Songs in each [[All There in the Manual|Sound Stage]] as extra incentive to buy them. [[The Hero|Nanoha]] and [[Nana Mizuki|Fate]] naturally gets a good chunk of these, with Hayate a close third.
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** The [[Quirky Miniboss Squad|Ginyu Force]]'s [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcgDgwNR1ZE "Sanjou!! Ginyu Tokusentai!!"] is a [[Villain Song]] that is exactly as hammy as one would expect.
* ''[[Strike Witches]]'' has image songs for the entire cast as well as many duets. With five CDs, covers by each girl for a song from their respective country from around that era, and a solo for each character (Yoshika got two solos) The ending theme for both seasons are sung by different cast members each episode as well. So far one of [[The Quiet One|Sanya]] and [[Fortune Teller|Eila]]'s duets, "Sweet Duet" has inserted into the end of season two's sixth episode.
* ''[[Durarara!!]]'' is recently coming out with character singles. So far there are only character singles for Mikado, Kida, Shizuo, Kadota, Anri and Shinra. (Izaya's is coming out soon.) Of course, Kida's image song is [[Ear Worm|well known for a certain verse that he repeats multiple times.]]
* The Image Songs for ''[[Kannagi]]'' are the same ones from the [[Karaoke Box]] episode, although with improved vocals.
* ''[[Toradora!]]''
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* [[Dancougar]] has some sung by the voice actors themselves. Some of the notable ones are Ai Wa Zankoku No Fairytail and Ai Wa Shitta Yajuu No You Ni. The former was sung by the entire Juusenki Tai, the latter's just [[Kazuki Yao|Shinobu]].
* ''[[Marginal Prince]]'' features a song by any of the characters in [[Once Per Episode|focus of the particular episode]] - episode Nine even features ''three'' of them. This was probably mainly done to promote the [[Dating Sim|game]] the anime is based on, as it main feature is the songs as a "reward" for completing a character route. Luckily, [[Ryotaro Okiayu|most]] [[Masakazu Morita|of]] [[Kenji Nojima|the]] [[Kouki Miyata|seiyuu]] are good singers. Unfortunately, not all songs from the game made it into the anime series (but therefore, some new ones were created).
* [[Working!!]]: Takanashi, Popura, Inami, Yachiyo, Sooma, Satou and Yamada have their own image songs, plus their own versions of the song "Wagnaria Sanka." Additionally, the opening and ending theme songs for both the first and second seasons are [[Do-It-Yourself Theme Tune|sung by the voice actors themselves, while in character.]]
* ''[[Hidan no Aria]]'' has a few, notably "First Contact" and "Ring a ding on, Riko-rin" for Aria and Riko
* [[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] has [[Hot-Blooded|Kamina]] and [[Badass|Simon]] do a duet by the name of "Break Through the Dream." It is filled with about as much [[Rated "M" for Manly|manliness]] as you can cram into a song.
* Seeing as ''[[Saint Beast]]'' has an [[All-Star Cast]] of [[Voice Actors]] and began as an audio drama, there are multiple image songs and cds for the series.
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]] has Madoka's ''See You Tomorrow'' and Kyouko's and Sayaka's duet ''And I'm Home''.
* The ''entirety'' of the ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KcXeG8iz10 Letters and Doll ～Looking back on the memories of Violet Evergarden～]'' album consists of nothing but image songs for Violet Evergarden from ''[[Violet Evergarden (anime)|Violet Evergarden]]''.
 
== Comic Books ==
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== Film ==
 
* For the ''[[James Bond]]'' film that eventually became ''[[Thunderball]]'', a theme tune was written for its previous title, ''Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang''. While the title was changed, necessitating a new theme, "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" typifies Bond's character so well that it served as Bond's [[Image Song]].
** Though the replacement theme, Tom Jones' "Thunderball", still fits the trope. And years later, in ''[[Casino Royale]]'', Chris Cornell wrote "You Know My Name" to serve as an Image Song for the inexperienced Bond (as the [[Leitmotif]] is only used at the final scene).
* Six years after ''[[My Cousin Vinny]]'', [[Joe Pesci]] revived his character for the album ''Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You''. Many who heard it wished that he hadn't.
* "Gollum's Song" (Gollum) and "Into the West" (Galadriel) from the ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film)|The Lord of the Rings]]'' films seem to fit.
 
== Live-Action TV ==
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* ''[[Super Sentai]]'' releases yearly Image Album songs by the heroes ever since ''Abaranger'', with variable degrees of singing. ''Gekiranger'' had villains Rio and Mele be such major characters that they too got to sing.
** Even before that, there were sentai image songs-not usually sung by the characters, usually done by anime singers such as MoJo or Isao Sasaki. The villain songs were usually done up until the 90s by vocal trio Koorogi '73.
*** Previously, however, there are some Sentai character [[Image Song]], but not all characters get their own [[Image Song]]. These characters include [[Dai Sentai Goggle Five|Goggle Pink]], [[Choujuu Sentai Liveman|Blue Dolphin]] and [[Choujin Sentai Jetman|Black Condor]] (the last one even plays out in the middle of his [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]])
* ''[[Kamen Rider]]'' occasionally does this as well, but how many of the actors sing on the album depends entirely on whether their characters would be the ''type'' to sing.
** Den-O is a good example for ''[[Kamen Rider]]''. Ryoutarou has a duet with each of his Imagin and he has his own song. The Imagin also do their own version of the opening song!
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* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' has the episode "The Inner Light". For anyone who has seen that episode, the song is synonymous with Picard and the character development he goes through in that episode. There's the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EluFlra2A original flavor], the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6su9jVj_pXY flute and piano duet], or the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=606Vk2iSFNk complete orchestral version].
** [[Leonard Nimoy]] recorded a song entitled [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C70QRbawN8 Highly Illogical] which, while it never mentions [[The Spock|Spock]] by name, is pretty obviously sung in-character as him.
* [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] has put out several albums of songs sung by their wrestlers that are supposed to provide more insight on the characters, including ''The Wrestling Album'', ''Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II'', ''Wrestlemania: The Album'', and ''WWE Originals''. Without exception, they all pretty much suck.
** One possible exception would be Kurt Angle, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyS9ewAolH0 who on his "Originals" track claims quite the opposite.]
*** Kurt Angle lies. He may not suck, but that song certainly does.
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== Music ==
 
* [[Dos Gringos]], a band comprised of [[Yanks With Tanks|United States Air Force]] fighter pilots, has a song called "Last of the Breed" that (aside from being written in a future where they're all [[Retired Badass|Retired Badasses]]es) describes what modern USAF fighter pilots are like.
** "I'm A Pilot" also counts, though it's more satirical and [[Self-Deprecation]] (it's written from the perspective of crew chiefs and their perceptions of fighter pilots).
 
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== Video Games ==
 
* ''[[Blaz BlueBlazBlue]]'' includes one for almost every female member of the cast...[[And Zoidberg|and Bang]]. Kanako Kondō, Noel's VA sings the vocal version of her theme, Love so Blue, during one of Calamity Trigger's final battles, as well as singing in duo with Asami Imai for the vocal version of the Noel vs Tsubaki theme and Continuum Shift's credits. Other entries include the VA for Rachel, Tsubaki, Litchi, Makoto and Bang singing each character's theme
* ''[[Sakura Taisen]]'' might be one of the most extreme cases. There are literally dozens of versions of the original theme song, recorded by every possible cast member or combination of cast members. In addition, there are straight Image Songs for each of the main cast, which sometimes find their way into the program as individual themes.
* The ''[[Tokimeki Memorial]]'' series has had loads of CDs released. The first game in particular had MANY image songs and that was just for the lead character, Shiori.
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* ''[[The King of Fighters]]'' has a few image songs on every arranged sound track from '94 to '98. Most of them are usually sung by Athena's VA, but '95 has a song where the entire cast gets in on the action, and '97 has a Kyo/Iori duet. Hell, even Choi gets to sing!
** The tail end of it is even the short song that's played in his intro during KOF '98 if he's the first character out on the team or if it's a 1v1 match. The song, for the record, is called the "Choi Bounge Ondo."
* ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'', ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'' and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 (video game)||Sonic the Hedgehog 2006]]'' have character songs for all the playable characters plus the game's theme tune. ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'' replaced individual character themes with team themes (fitting the game's gimmick). The trend varyingly continues with the most recent games (different songs for different endings in ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog]]'', only one theme song for ''[[Sonic Unleashed]]'', etc).
* The Masou Kishin/Elemental Lords in ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'' mostly had their [[Leitmotif|Leitmotifs]]s turned into [[Image Song]]. Other than Masaki's, they're usually sung by their own seiyuus (Masaki's [[Image Song]] is sung by [[JAM Project|Ichiro Mizuki and Hironobu Kageyama]].) There's also image songs by [[JAM Project]] about the SRX Team's [[Leitmotif]].
* Mai Shiranui, from the ''[[Fatal Fury]]'' games has gotten 2 image songs, based on her background music themes: "Kachou Fuugetsu Otome Mai" (not by her voice actress, but Reiko Chiba) and "Dear MAI Boy" (by her actual voice actress, Akoya Sogi). From the same series, Blue Mary also has an image song, "Blue Mary's Blues" which also has a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khbd5Pcj9g4 sprite-based video].
** Some image songs for ''[[Samurai Shodown]]'' also exist, at least for Nakoruru and Rimururu (like ''Egao de Iru'' for the latter).
** In fact, a couple of albums made of them were once released by SNK: ''SNK Gals Vocals Collection'' and ''SNK Guys Vocals Collection''; the former included one for [[Art of Fighting|Yuri Sakazaki]].
* The ''[[Disgaea]]'' series features [[Image Song|Image Songs]] -- [[Evil Overlord|Laharl]], [[The Lancer|Etna]], [[Unknown Rival|Mid-Boss]] and [[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Axel]] each have one ("Lord Laharl's Hymn", "Etna Boogie", "Ah, My Magnificent Life" and "White Tiger", respectively), featured in the characters' respective endings.
* ''[[Xenosaga]] Episode II'' contains a track called "The Image Song of [[Xenosaga]] Episode II" (a portion of it is played while fighting Margulis). However, it doesn't appear to be from the point of view of any particular character.
* The three leads of ''[[Final Fantasy X-2]]'' all got their own CDs.
* ''[[F-Zero]] GX'' featured image songs for all of the characters, some with lyrics. Yes, including [[Memetic Badass|Captain Falcon]].
* ''[[Super Mario Bros.]].'' combined this with [[Forgotten Theme Tune Lyrics]] to create ''Super Mario Compact Disco''. Oddly enough, Peach is only mentioned ''once'' throughout the soundtrack (specifically during the "Super Mario USA" song), as the rest of it is spent playing up Daisy as Mario's [[Love Interest]].
* The ''[[Harukanaru Toki no Naka de]]'' franchise got quite a bit of these; in fact, the ''Hachiyou Shou'' anime TV series makes a point of using the ten associated character songs -- eightsongs—eight for [[Cast Full of Pretty Boys|the main team]] plus two for the villains -- forvillains—for the [[A Day in the Limelight|character-centered episodes]]: either within the episode itself, often as a [[Theme Music Power-Up]], or replacing the regular [[Ending Theme]]. Even [[Artificial Human|Yasuaki]], who is voiced by [[Akira Ishida]], wasn't spared (one episode has a remake version of his [[Image Song]] as the ending).
* ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'' is getting these; so far we have Jessica's [[Ear Worm]]-inducing "Dokkyun Heart" and Maria'a absolutely ''adorable'' "Happy Halloween MARIA." Coming up next is Beato and George. ...Wait, ''Beato and George?!?''
** The album Rokkenjima in Love (released alongside EP6) contains Image Songs for Battler, Maria, Bernkastel, Kumasawa/Virgilia, Kyrie, Beatrice, The Seven Sisters of Purgatory, Ange, and one for the EP3 myth battle between Beatrice and Virgilia. Beatrice's Image Song deserves mention, though, for being instrumentalized and used as epic BGM in EP7.
* ''[[Angelique]]'' has mulptiple image songs for all of the datable guys, including plenty of duet and group songs. The third set of [[OVA|OVAs]]s even includes ''music videos'' for the Cherry Blossom/Sunflower set of image songs.
* ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' has finally done this with ''Peace Walker'', which has plot-important image songs for Paz and Peace Walker that play in game, and an image song for Big Boss and Kaz each that came on a supplemental drama CD.
* Young Maylay, the voice of Carl 'C.J.' Johnson in ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]: San Andreas'' and accomplished rap musician, used the game's theme song as a backing track for the first song on his LP, ''San Andreas: The Original Mixtape'', where he raps about the game in character. Before that, ''[[Fake Band|Love Fist]]'' recorded a few original eighties hair metal pastiche songs for the in-game radio stations, as well as the game's soundtrack CD.
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* ''[[Fate/stay night|Fate Stay Night]]'' has one of these for Saber, Shirou, Rin, Archer, Illya, Sakura, Rider, and Caster, respectively. They come with a remix and an instrumental version.
* ''[[Saints Row: The Third|Saints Row the Third]]'''s [[Adult Swim]]-themed radio station includes a song by Unknown Hinson sung in-character as [[Squidbillies|Early Cuyler]].
* ''[[The Idolmaster (video game)|The Idolmaster]]'' has it ''in spades'', even down to ''character cover songs''. Doesn't help that this game is all about [[Idol Singer|Idol Singers]]s...
 
== Web Animation ==
 
* In 2003, the creators of ''[[Homestar Runner]]'' released an album called ''Strong Bad Sings and Other Type Hits'', mostly featuring new versions of songs from the site.
* ''[[RWBY]]'', as part of its deliberately [[Animesque]] production, includes among its [[Crowning Music of Awesome|awesome music]] multiple songs for each of the four main characters, and most of the other foreground characters get their own songs as well.
 
== Web Comics ==
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* ''[[Fans]]!'' actually had an entire chapter about a musical vampire that included Image Songs for most of the main characters.
* ''[[Erfworld]]'' has "Quest for the Arkentools", sung by the comic writer, from Warlord Stanely's POV.
* The songs in '''[[Homestuck]]'' don't normally have lyrics, though a handful of album exclusive ones do, a few of them acting as [[Image Songs]] for the characters. The first is the original (Scrapped) version of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqKvmyPhUf8 The Ballad of Jack Noir], which serves as an image song for, well, Jack Noir. The second is Eridan's Walkabout which, while not having a vocal track, was released with [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBB7nP6m5OA a set of lyrics] that serve as this for Eridan... or at least, for his pirate persona. Interestingly, the lyrics seem to indicate that Eridan is not, in fact, the one singing. The third is [https://web.archive.org/web/20131103103115/http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/temporal-shenanigans Temporal Shenanigans], which acts as a theme for Aradia, illustrating her character development through the comic.
 
== Western Animation ==
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* The two-part episode of ''[[Kappa Mikey]]'' had a karaoke theme and each character had his or her own song included. Being a parody of anime, this is appropriate, although the voice actors' singing abilities are far from ''[[American Idol]]'' quality.
* "I Don't Need No Instructions (To Know How to Rock)" from ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]] [[The Movie|Colon Movie Film For Theaters]]'' would fit this trope for Carl down to a T if it weren't for the fact that Carl's voice actor never actually sings this in any known media.
* [[Pixar]] put out cassette tapes with corresponding songbooks including songs "sung" by the characters in ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'' and the first ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]''.
* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' had "Do the Bartman" and "Deep Deep Trouble" (among others; the cast recorded an album called ''The Simpsons Sing the Blues'' which was about half these and half blues songs sung in character, but those two are the best known). The former gets referenced in later episodes occasionally in order to poke fun at the show's initial reception; in one episode, Bart sings a bit of it only to be dismissed by Ralph Wiggum --
{{quote|'''Ralph:''' That is ''so'' 1991!}}
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** This album also gave birth to a live stage tour, which Shredder temporarily takes over to sing an image song of his own, in which he sings about... how much he hates music. Figure that one out.
* The ''[[Around the World with Willy Fog]]'' soundtrack CD features image songs for Romy, Rigodón (joined by Tico), and Dix and Transfer (as antagonists with different goals, they share a [[Distant Duet]]).
* June had her own image song in ''[[Ka BlamKaBlam!]]'', titled "I'm Flying", which she (most likely) wrote herself. However, she got a neck injury and never finished.
{{quote|'''June''': * singing* I'm flying, lighter than air, up in the skies, whithout a care, I'm-OOF! * slams into TV screen*}}
* ''[[Action League NOW]]'': "THUNDERGIRL, FLYING LIKE THUNDER, WHILE OTHERS MUST WONDER, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
* Snap from ''[[Chalk ZoneChalkZone]]'' had "I'm Back and Bluer Than Ever".
* Christy Carlson Romano, [[Kim Possible]]'s voice actress, sings "Say The Word" ''as'' Kim, which is a braggy song about her released on the soundtrack CD. She sang a remixed version in the "Hidden Talent" episode.
* Toad in ''[[X-Men: Evolution]]'' has one.
* Each of the ''[[Winx Club]]'' girls has one of these released as part of the ''Winx Club In Concert'' CD. (However, this excludes Roxy, as the album was released before season 4.)
* While not sung by any voice actors from the cartoon adaption, there were a few songs back in ''[[My Little Pony]]'' G1 that described some ponies. The CD was based off the toy line and was European, so it makes sense they wouldn't use anyone from the American cartoons.
* The ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic/Recap/S2 /E18 A Friend in Deed|"A Friend In Deed"]] gives us Pinkie Pie's [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFIs74TmfI4 "Smile Song"], which perfectly describes her personality. It bears noting that back when it was leaked onto the Internet (as an audio track with no sound effects), many fans speculated that it was meant to be a soundtrack CD exclusive.
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4By8YHOnILo Likewise, the extended version of the theme song (as seen on the DVD) can be seen as one for Twilight.]
 
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