Best Anime Openings

[Papa Wheelie]

I'm not a big anime fan, just the mainstream stuff, the actual good stuff like, but I tend to really really enjoy the openings and theme tunes.

My favourite is probably Evangelion.

It builds really nicely, it's a wonderful blend of all of the visual and thematic tropes of the show, and then the cruel angel's thesis chorus kicks in and I can't help but grin, the quick cuts and slogan stills, I'm absolutely buzzing.



I also really enjoy Haruhi and Berserk (put your grasses on) but I'll leave more for others.

[C_Larence]

Hard pressed to beat Cowboy Bebop, the coolest thing I had ever seen when I was 15.

[Kankurette]

Not a Death Note fan, but love the 'What's Up People?' opening sequence.

Someone did a Lucky Star parody:

[Dex Sawash]

Animanus

[Mister Six]

I've not really watched the anime much - it's more of Mrs Six's kind of thing - but the ending to season one of Jujutsu Kaisen is gorgeous:

[KaraokeDragon]

I had no idea wtf was going on in Ergo Proxy but loved the opening

[samadriel]

Season 1 of Keroro Gunsou:

Gunsmith Cats OAV.  Live from New York, it's Saturday night!

Excel Saga:

[Two Headed Sex Beast]

JJBA has some fun openings but this one is probably my favourite

[Consignia]

I've got too many to mention, but my current fave is Zom100's.

There's just something about the excitement of living your best life in a zombie apocalypse. So much energy, in contrast to bleak backdrop.

I'm trying to think of there's anything from this season that is stand out. The current SpyXFamily is pretty stylish, and directed by autuer Masaki Yuasa

[All Surrogate]

ThunderCats

[letsgobrian]

Heybot!

Just a collage of impenetrable nonsense that barely makes sense if you'd actually been watching the cartoon. I paid real money to buy this on iTunes.

It's one of those shows designed to sell a toy, but nobody at the toy company's really paying attention so instead it's just a bunch of Gen-X-ers using it to amuse themselves. Or maybe I'm underestimating how many kids want to see a dinosaur man based on Haruki Murakami.

See also Artificial Insect Kabuto Borg VxV, a show where every episode, including the first, was written as the finale of the series.

The band who did the theme tune (Pinky Piglets, later TOQUIWA) would later be signed to David Gedge's record label and support The Wedding Present.

[superthunderstingcar]

Hint: if you want to get some lively discussion going, probably best to not put the unambiguously correct answer in the opening post.

[madhair60]

fucking hell when i posted about anime years ago i got PM harrassment campaigns but ohhhh now there's a thread and it's fine

yes i'm bitter

[bgmnts]

Cowboy Bebop obviously.

[seepage]

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! ?

[buzby]

Always been a big fan Asobi Asobase's bait-and-switch 'cute girls doing cute things' OP (the ED is more fitting for the tone of the show).

On a similar note, Welcome To The NHK's cheerful, bright, poppy OP (soundtracked by 'Puzzle' by Round Table), is totally at odds to the themes of the show (the ED again, is much more fitting).

[madhair60]

thank you for alerting me to "Asobi Asobase", this is what they call tres madhair

[idunnosomename]

ThunderCats

opening sequence animated by Topcraft who had produced Miyazaki's Nausicaa the previous year

[MojoJojo]

I like the opening to Dorohedoro: https://youtu.be/iH_YJde1yps?si=9IMaxISzHOei0Zss

[Mister Six]

I absolutely love this one. Does the show live up to it?

The contrast between absurd cheerfulness and impending cataclysm reminded me of Paranoia Agent:

Which in turn reminded me of the incredible intro to another Satoshi Kon joint, Paprika (yes it's a film, BUT STILL):

And another contrast: the campy Bond-esque vibes and boring postwar Japanese architecture of the Read or Die OVA (lots of fun, BTW - "What if the British Library had its own military/spy agency to deal with book theft, and it was run by a guy called Mr Gentleman?"):

And finally, the intro itself is just clips from the show, but the theme tune to trashily nihilistic sex 'n' death adolescent angst series Gantz is a banger (briefly NSFW - lady nips):

Now listen, yo...

[Mister Six]

Oh, and the intro for Mob Psycho 100 is glorious. I should probably watch the show..!

[letsgobrian]

I absolutely love this one. Does the show live up to it?

No. It was a troubled production from a new studio where they took a pop at their former employers OLM in episode 1 about overworking them, then proceeded to repeatedly miss their own production schedule targets to the point they ran out of broadcast slots to air the entire series.

The story its adapting isn't that hot either, not really finding much new to do with zombies beyond some interesting set pieces (the aquarium sequence probably being the highlight).

[Mister Six]

Aw. :(

[madhair60]

days are gone.

[Mister Six]

Blocked in the US! Boo! Which anime @madhair60?

[madhair60]

a few days ago you would have been able to see it.

(maria+holic, OP 1)

[Operty1]

The original Manga Entertainment VHS trailer:

[Spoon of Ploff]

A lot of very good ones already taken, but let me just add Baccano! for your consideration:

[Catalogue Trousers]

Opening sequence for the original Dirty Pair. Just glee.

[Catalogue Trousers]

And, if we can twist things enough to include end credits sequences, then it's hard to top Dragon Half!