CLAMP’s classic manga series Magic Knight Rayearth celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024 with the announcement of a brand-new anime. The long-awaited series premiered on the evening of October 7.
This marks the franchise’s first new anime production in 29 years, following the 1997 OVA. When Naomi Tamura’s Unyielding Wish, the opening theme from the 1994 TV anime, returned as an insert song in the new series’ first episode, fans immediately lit up social media.
Unyielding Wish sold more than one million copies and earned a spot at the 1995 NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, becoming one of Tamura’s signature songs. It remains instantly recognizable to generations of fans, with a legacy that extends well beyond anime circles into Japanese pop music.
The new anime delivered the song as a surprise insert during the closing moments of Episode 1, giving longtime fans an emotional blast from the past.
Reflecting on the song’s return in the new anime, Tamura shared the following message:
“I once again had the opportunity to sing Unyielding Wish, the opening theme from the 1994 Magic Knight Rayearth TV anime. The 1994 series featured a major plot twist, and now a new battle is beginning in the Reiwa era. It is a tremendous honor to have everyone hear Unyielding Wish as an insert song in Episode 1 of the Reiwa-era Magic Knight Rayearth, as it opens the door to a new chapter. Let’s set out on our next journey toward an unstoppable future!! I would be delighted if this song could give everyone a little push forward.”
Even before the new anime premiered, fans had been wondering whether the iconic track would make an appearance. Once its return as an insert song was confirmed, social media quickly filled with surprised and excited reactions.
Comments included, “Whoa!!! Unyielding Wish is here!!!,” “The all-time classic has arrived!,” “They even kept the music’s Heisei-era flavor completely intact!?,” and “You can’t have Rayearth without this song!” The excitement also pushed “Rayearth” to the No. 1 spot on X’s trending chart.
hololive’s Hakui Koyori also posted that it was wonderful to hear the song return in the new anime.
Masami Obari, the animation director behind the original opening sequence, joined the celebration as well, posting that hearing the song gave him the feeling that they had already “won.”
▼ Rayearth shot straight to No. 1 on X’s trending chart immediately after the broadcast.
Now, 32 years after its original 1994 release, Unyielding Wish has also received its first digital release.
The new Magic Knight Rayearth anime is now officially underway, bringing a childhood favorite back for a new generation. The series has also been confirmed for two consecutive cours, leaving newcomers and longtime fans alike eager to see the three Magic Knights embark on another adventure.
via： X@魔法騎士レイアース（公式）