Nirvana's 'Breed' Breaks Into Japanese Anime as Opening Theme

In a landmark moment for the grunge legends, Nirvana's "Breed" will serve as the opening theme for the upcoming anime adaptation of The Guy I'm Interested in Wasn't a Guy, marking the first official use of a Nirvana song in a Japanese visual work.

The series arrives in January 2027 with voice acting from Mariya Ise and Akari Kito, who will bring to life the main characters Mitsuki Koga and Aya Osawa. The anime is being produced by CloverWorks, with direction from Masashi Ishihama, series composition by Rino Yamazaki, and character design by Kana Hirayama.

The original manga, written by Sumiko Arai, has already proven its appeal—it's sold over 1.6 million copies worldwide since serializing on KADOKAWA's web manga platform Kitora. That kind of commercial momentum likely helped secure the Nirvana licensing deal, a rare feat for Japanese anime productions.

The choice of "Breed" is particularly intriguing. It's a deep cut from Nirvana's 1992 album Nevermind, not one of their radio staples, suggesting the production team wanted something with genuine artistic weight rather than just brand recognition. For anime fans unfamiliar with the band's catalog, it's an unexpected gateway into grunge rock.

Source: Anime Eiga