The Anime Credits Thread - The OP-ED Section

[Hilene]

Heroines Run The Show did it as well this year. Given it's made by a music production company, it makes sense that they'd have the cast do a number of covers and remakes of their own songs.

I especially love how one of them is the protagonist doing a cover of the song that the show is based on, which she also was the singer for:

 

[Johnny Unusual]

OP

10. Ya Boi Kongming - Chiki Chiki Ban Ban

https://animethemes.moe/anime/paripi_koumei/OP

A cover of a remix that was originally Hungarian. This kind of cross culture wildness is perfect for the premise of Ya Boi Kongming, about the legendary ancient war strategist reborn in the modern era as a EDM musician’s manager. While the series is comedy, it’s also celebratory of the club scene and it only makes sense to have a banger of a club-style hit as the lead-in. Chiki Chiki Ban Ban is immediately catchy and sticks with you.

And it’s perfectly matched by its imagery, mixing ancient China and night club excess and flamboyancy. There’s the fun of putting Kongming in some really silly outfits. But the lighting and imagery captures the vibe well of the overwhelming sense of sound and bling of the night scene. Perfect way to start this one.

9. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean – Heaven’s Falling Down

https://animethemes.moe/anime/jo_jo_no_kimyou_na_bouken_part_6_stone_ocean/OP2-1080

If there’s one thing David Production is good at, it’s allusions to Jojo in Jojo. And Kamikaze Douga is likeminded in their return to the franchise with Stone Ocean and it’s appropriate because without giving away too much, it really is about things coming full circle. I’ve read the manga about a decade ago so I know how it ends, so I did cheat by accident when I went to watch this and saw what I always love in Jojo themes; seeing how the villain fucks with the intro.

As it stands, it is a good intro on it’s own. The first one had fun riot grrrl energy but this is more in the vein of the kind of operatic energy Jojo brings along with its goofiness. Appropriately, the last version of the opening doubles down on the self-referencing, making a perfect companion piece to the original as Pucci unleashes his bizarre plan for “heaven” on Earth. This isn’t my favourite Jojo opening but as always the alternate version swings for the fences.

https://animethemes.moe/anime/jo_jo_no_kimyou_na_bouken_part_6_stone_ocean/OP2v2-1080

Can’t wait for the Steel Ball Run.

8. Play It Cool, Guys - Seishun Kippu

https://animethemes.moe/anime/cool_doji_danshi/OP

It never hurts a comedy show to have a lot of fun visual gags. Play It Cool, Guys is one of the less talked about shows from this season but it is a fun little comfort food show about hawt looking guys who are also hot messes and handle it differently. They are all accident prone goofs and the show comes up with some great, relatable ways that we all fart our brains. My favourite being a guy looking for his phone while watching the intro on his phone.

Play It Cool, Guys is probably going to be forgotten within a year or two, assuming it is remembered now, but it is a sweet little fluff and it’s poppy intro is a perfect mini-encapsulation of what the show is.

7. Dance Dance Danseur - Narihibiku Kagiri

https://animethemes.moe/anime/dance_dance_danseur/OP

It doesn’t hurt my high opinion of this OP that it has music by Yuki, who I have strong feelings about from doing one of my other beloved anime Honey & Clover, and it’s a great song. But more than that, it’s a thoughtful, sweet and upbeat way to start the show. We see the OP largely, though not exclusively, through the literal POVs of our main characters, seeing the world through there eyes as before they all meet to do what they love, ballet, together.

It makes sense because a lot of this is a show about wanting to be scene without shame or hiding who they are. We even get them in prisms where they get to see themselves and their form as they dance by themselves and together. It reminds me while it stumbled a bit in the conclusion to the last episode, I can’t wait to see these characters struggle to follow their dreams and become top notch dancers and I really hope we luck out for more of this. Hey, if Tsurune can get a movie (I like Tsurune but HOW DID THAT HAPPEN).

6. Bocchi the Rock – Seishun Complex

https://animethemes.moe/anime/bocchi_the_rock/OP

Bocchi The Rock! is a show that grew in my estimation with each episode. Both it and Do It Yourself were shows I had modest hopes for that in many ways outshone them. DIY stuck closer to the formula I expected by with a striking look and weird setting but Bocchi the Rock started a bit more like I expected, then continued to wow me with some very beautiful and clever animation. And the intro is a good entry point in that respect.

It starts looking good but straightforward, then adding some more cool and fun imagery to it for an explosion of fun in this tale of a socially anxious girl with rock star aspirations. There were no shortage of truly pretty shows this season but I wasn’t expecting this show to rise in my estimation as much as it did in terms of style. Bocchi’s rockin’ intro that gets a little wilder as it goes on is a great reflection of that.

5. Spy x Family OP 1 – Mixed Nuts

https://animethemes.moe/anime/spy_x_family/OP

Wit Studio sure can hit them out of the park. For my issues with Ranking of Kings latter half, the animation and overall production were not one of them and knowing they were heading to do an adaptation of this delightful sounding series got my hopes up. Sure enough, they produced a completely stellar start to the series, opening with a literal bang of comic booky action before shifting to this series through the eyes of Anya in a sketchy style loosely reminiscent of a child’s drawing. We see heartwarming ootings and a sense of love and togetherness before shifting into the action packed underbelly of this bizarre makeshift family.

Well-obviously, it’s a beautifully animated opening and it really does capture the heart of the series. The second opening is also really strong but ended up not making my final list. It’s sweet and also has some great visuals reminding us of the dual lives of the lead and a soft pop tune by Bump of Chicken by Mixed Nuts pushed my buttons a bit more and I think it’s because of that great first half and really pulls at my heart in seeing how Anya sees her family and the memories they’ve built together. And the funny thing is, the last image of the upset stomach confused me at first but it really is also at the heart of the show; as great as having a family is, even to a superspy like Loid, it’s ridiculously stressful as even he can’t fully control this situation, as joyous as it can be.

4. Urusei Yatsura – Aiue

https://animethemes.moe/anime/urusei_yatsura_2022/OP

Years ago, David Production caught my attention with its long-awaited adaptation of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. I feel like while they aren’t as eye-popping as Ufotable, Mappa and Wit, David has done great stuff. They started the Jojo saga looking a little cheap but made up for it with style and being appropriately over-the-top and building from there. But here, we see that they might be the perfect production company to re-imagine the classics. Urusei Yatsura never spoke to me as much as Ranma ½ and the fact that it has a sex pest protag means it has elements that aged a little poorly. I didn’t even watch past the first episode, in no fault to David’s amazing-looking show. But holy shit, this intro.

First of all, I love seeing a romantic comedy instead going for a sweet opening go practically stressful from the jump. This isn’t “aww”, it’s “AHHHH!” and it goes moreso going forward. And with a protag like Ataru, the intro also does a great job showing him getting a bit of turnabout, with him starting in the classic “hitting on women” mode of 70s-80s anime dudes, only to have things turn on him. Lum is an invader who failed to conquer Earth but in this intro she is invading and conquering one world: Ataru’s. He dominates the world in ways that are playful but everpresent, in some cases literally. Even in the most conventionally romantic shot, her looking at him from playground equipment, is essentially Ataru being in a cage. Urusei Yatsura’s characters are all kind of jerks and while there is definite affection to these characters, the intro doesn’t forget this is a war of wills between some awful characters.

3. Chainsaw Man – Kickback

https://animethemes.moe/anime/chainsaw_man/OP

It’s a year of bangers, for sure. Seriously, I realized I didn’t have the opening to Call of the Night after making this list but now it scares me to have to remove ANY of these to add it. It hurts, yo. But even though I think there’s two better openings this year, I don’t think there’s a more banger opening song this year than Kickback, which starts kickass, goes operatic, then back to kick ass. It’s a beautiful journey.

And it isn’t hurt by the perfect visuals. The opening shows it is wearing it’s movie nerd heart on its sleeve with perfect shot recreations from cinematic classics (and… Attack of the Killer Tomatoes) but the goodness doesn’t stop there. The eternally horny Denji looking at Makima with a “am I doing this right, is this OK?” look on his face as she is about to feed him a parasite infected snail is a perfect encapsulation of the relationship of a naïve horndog and the woman who will callously use anyone for her mysterious purposes. You can feel for you all you want but you won’t touch who she really is dude. And you might not want to. She’s scarier than any demon. Yeah, the intro has some shounen action (and like most shounen protagonists, he is smashed into the Earth to the extent breaks under the weight of his body) but beyond that, there’s a sense of cheeky anarchic fun throughout, a little nastier than the typical Shonen Jump product. I wasn’t as over the moon for Chainsaw Man as most but it wasn’t for an incredible lack of trying on the part of the Chainsaw Man team, who killed it in animation and creativity episode after episode.

2. Kaguya-Sama: Love is War – Ultra Romantic – Giri Giri

https://animethemes.moe/anime/kaguya_sama_wa_kokurasetai_ultra_romantic/OP

I tell ya, I wrote the Chainsaw Man thing and I was like “Oh, was this actually #1 and the fact there are shows I like more getting ahead?” Maybe, but I also can’t deny that the last two give me heavy feels and that’s something Chainsaw Man can’t do. I think it’s why even though I tried to watch the OPs of this season of shows I didn’t watch, only one made it; because I have so much attachment to the others. But even without it, this is a perfect marriage of song and visual.

Once again, Japan’s King of Love Songs Masayuki Suzuki teams up with another pop star (Suu) to bring a killer opening. This season actually ends on a high note and knowing how the stakes are raised for the last arc where things need to come to a head help imbue this with some feels but even without, there’s so much visual flair as Kaguya and Shirogane literally find their familiar world’s turned upside down as time moves on and something’s gotta give; will they let their opportunities slip by or finally put away their pride to get what they truly want. Or will the show cheat us, like so many romantic comedies? Guess what, it doesn’t. As Kaguya runs through a series of changing (presumably) internal, chaotic worlds to find Shirogane, things feel like we might be heading to something big, even if the end of it ends like every other interrupted scheme.

1. Ranking of Kings - Hadaka no Yuusha

https://animethemes.moe/anime/ousama_ranking/OP2

I’m not crying! You’re crying! Seriously, for all my issues with the latter half of Ranking of Kings, it was still good and from the jump this one got me. Seriously, watching it again, even knowing my disappointment (note; it was still very good but there was a definitely step down in the story-telling department), this hits as hard for me as the first time I’ve seen it. I’m reminded how much I love these characters, who much drama and power the series had. Even before all the images were decoded for me (it did make me assume a tragic death that never actually happened), it hit hard.

I think it’s because it remembers for all the many plot elements, it remembers this is a show about love and loss. Even most of the major bad guys and antiheroes are based on characters whose love has gone misguided and are willing to do some very sketchy, sinister shit for the people they love. And it starts off with one off the great images, Kage and Booji (well, presumably them) playing shadow puppets and a shadow Booji getting crown. And we have Booji and Kage both being outsiders; one being high status but disrespected, the other being a true outsider and both being alone even among people. Then we get images of tragedy, war and love and hints of how it ties together. Even without knowing what everything meant, it hit me hard, thanks to some amazing animation and direction (from the guy who did the Jujutsu Kaisen intros, which rule but not as much as this). It reminds me even though the series could have ended better… I’m still kind of stoked for the new special airing this spring. Until then… *sniff*

 

[greentealoon]

Dunno wtf this show is that the algorithm gave me but this ending thinger has a good artstyle and a catchy song. Unfortunately it just makes me want to watch something like Insomniacs after school or that vampire thing with the similar schtick. Too bad but at least we will have this ed.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Man, I wish the show didn't give away the game by showing this open BEFORE the reveal but Dali and Migi has a great opening, just as unique as this weird-ass show.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

It's the end of the year and I managed to find time for my top 10 EDs!

Shout out to Too Cute Crisis just by simply showing different cute animals every episode.

10. Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill

Campfire Cooking is a series that in many ways follows a lot of the isekai tropes. Fewer of the pitfalls of this oh-too-ubiquitous genre, thankfully and though it is complete fluff with no a lot of ingenuity, it is a very watchable show. I'm thinking of The Saint's Power is Omnipotent, which follows a similar pattern but also has romance and low key intrigue that I could not care less about. Campfire knows what it is and knows what I want. It's almost purely about three dum-dum adventurers exploring the wonders of cheap culinary delights. Snacks, food made with kits. There's a little about the joy of creation but it's really the joy of eating. If there was one issue I had, it's mostly the character designs are the boring kind that light novel series tend to breed. But with this ED, it's basically giving the leads really good, stylish makeovers. I really wish they did this look the whole show. Elements remind me of American comic strips and the Belgian "clean line" look that began with Tin Tin (though you might think I'm reaching to sound smart. You might be right). It's basically just presenting the formula of the show but MAN I wish this was THE look.

9. Oshi No Ko

Oshi No Ko had a big ask for it's first episode. From the creator of Kaguya-Sama: Love is War, a great rom-com but here while there are elements of it, he is reaching for something different. And it starts with, uh, a dude who will not deny accusations of attraction of a teen idol being reborn as her child. The first act was very much a turn off but then the series GOES PLACES before revealing a weird mix of mystery, revenge story, exploration of entertainment, reincarnation. It's a lot. I think it was worth the journey (so far) but I don't blame anyone for bowing out. And if there's one thing I like is a powerful musical sting to end the episode. Oshi often ends on a cliffhanger so rather than doing what a lot of series do and cool things down, this one heats it up. The imagery is good though I'm not certain about the puppet string imagery. But all the same, it's more there's an intensity to the music perfect for the end of the show (it worked great for the big reveal in episode seven).

8. Jujutsu Kaisen Premature Death arc

I'm a bit behind on this one but Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the stronger shounen series, going into darker territory but also surprising me when it goes for a laugh. I'm behind on the Shibuya Incident arc, which I'm being told is a mixed bag (some cool ass fights) but also there's some real behind the scenes drama of MAPPA really feeling crunch, which is unfortunate. The 5 episode prequel arc, though, was a good little aperitif, though, revealing how one of the baddies went bad and just how scary the show's most prominent mentor figure is... in a number of ways. The ending leans into the tragedy we the audience all knows it coming and really poking us not only showing the villain Geto in sad mode but also the better times before things went bad. It's pretty effective for the series, which has been pretty solidly delivering decent intros and outros.

7. Dr. Stone New World ED2

In all honesty, I liked the first intros song of New World better but I really did like the sand-art motive of the visuals better on this one. I really don't have much to say beyond that really. It ties into the story a bit thematically, but really it's some of our female characters (presumably at some point before or after the arc) gathering food. I don't remember the pig at all. Yeah, it's weird that I have so little to say about something that ranked three higher than something I was more verbose about but I'm just following my bliss here.

6. Tengoku Daimakyou

Tengoku Daimakyou is a fascinating show I rather like, though I am unpacking a lot of what it wants to say (if anything) about gender and gender roles (some serious CW for the penultimate episode which has a harrowing climax). The show occurs in two concurrent arcs with different stories and casts and it takes a while before hinting how they are related. Similarly, this end theme goes between the series two stories: one about two teens scraping by on their journey through the post apocalypse, the other about a school of teens kept in a facility, unaware of the existence of an outside world. In both cases, the characters are in happier times, even if one of those times is more difficult than the other. The animation is gorgeous (the whole series looks great) and it reminds me as dark as the series gets, I like spending time with these characters.

5. Undead Unluck

This is an interesting one because I only watched the first episode of the show. The animation was great, the idea was imaginative and the fights were cool but MAN there was a lot of non-consensual touching gags and while some shows I'm willing to tough that shit out if it might redeem in other areas, it was already a loaded season. I went back and watched this ending though, trying to catch the endings I didn't see this year and this is one of the few that broke through the favouritism bias to shows I like and for a show that is wacky and action packed, it really humanizes it's larger than life title character. I don't know if this is a flashback or the character's dream for dying but it gives more weight for a show that from the first episode is a pretty solid shonen series. And I like pulling back show the character is taken aback by these thoughts.

4. Migi & Dali

Migi & Dali was the surprise hit for me in a winter season that had some decent competition. The series starts off as broad wacky comedy with the vibe of off-kilter thriller/melodrama revenge story before eventually heading into such. But there is a real emotional core under it. This ending focuses on that; our title characters have endeared real trauma and this shows the aftermath of the hardest moment in these children's lives and them learning to go on living. There's still a slight sense of the absurd (they are apparently going to cook and eat a boot like a silent film hobo) but it's also joy and hope in the harshest period in the title character's lives.

3. Spy x Family

Spy x Family is still one of the sweetest wholesome series with a serious body count and it never fails to impress in terms of animation. Like most of the endings, it all comes back to the series cute co-lead Anya, the psychic child who is privy to everyone's secrets but might not have the sense of logic to deal with it well. We get a bit of Loid and Yor's world but at the mid-point there is a literal explosion of the series iconography and Anya swims around it seeing our favourite characters. Wit Studios rarely fails when it comes to visual appeal and might be among the best studios around right now. Like the other Spy x Family endings, after a wacky adventure, it comes back to hearth, home and love.

2. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Frieren is the other big hit of the Winter season... that I barely saw. Not because I didn't like it, it's on my queue, but there was so much to watch this season, it got backburnered (I sometimes have a "save the best for last" policy that can bite me in the ass.) But two episodes (or was it three) in, it's exactly what I want in slice of life fantasy. There's a lot of anime, manga and light novels about an Medieval RPG world and the people who live there but this one takes the emotional weight seriously, particularly that of a near immortal who has seen friends come and go. This is symbolized in the ending with the cycle of life, a series of growing and withering flowers and plants, trees growing out of the ground, and an entire world that the title character has lived in but maybe hasn't slowed down to take in the full weight of it. I can't wait to finally get into more of this show. I think this might be objectively the best ending of the year but here's my own favourite coming next.0

1. Vinland Saga season 2 ed 1

This is one where the visuals aren't as arresting as the others but I just find it really powerful in the context of the story. Vinland Saga's second season is a big departure and one for the better; after a first season of political intrigue and ultra violence we get a hard pivot but one that makes complete sense within the narrative and it becomes a tale about the real hard road of pacifism. Here, the ending stresses the value of love (the last line leaves no room for subtly in the show's message) as Thorfinn, the little murder shit from season one, truly suffers in the darkness of his deeds, only to be rescued from the darkness by his friend. Spy x Family and Frieren's endings are prettier but this is a great marriage of the themes and visuals to end each episode with real emotional weight.


BTW, feel free to share your favourite EDs of the year.

 

[q 3]

I loved Frieren and Migi & Dali's EDs. I guess the latter was actually drawn by the original creator, Nami Sano, before she passed.

Gundam: Witch from Mercury stands out to me as having the most memorable ED of the year:

 

[Johnny Unusual]

10. One Piece

Picking a #10 was especially tough in a good year for openings. Some options included Dr. Stone: New World part 2 (which I didn't care for at first but grew on me as the season went on), Skip and Loafer (I like the dance part but think the rest is just OK), Mashle (just good old-fashioned shounen adrenaline juice), Magical Destroyers (the show didn't appeal to me but that intro brings it), Frieren, Zom 100 and the Ancient Magus' bride. I went with this one, for a show I haven't seen much of (I only watched the first 50 episodes with a terrible sub that kept using the world "catpain" and read up until the time skip in the manga) but have been occasionally checking in on. I am aware that the current epic story of Wano was reaching it's end with a big change in the series (and the creator promising "more fun" from hereon out that plays out in the narrative) and that Luffy gets a big change. More than that, this joyous OP just looks really good (after 30 seconds of recapping the arc) and I love it's use of the O-shape in the latter half, which makes for a fun visual during the rapid-fire montage.

9. Jujutsu Kaisen Premature Death

Jujutsu Kaisen is a show that is really good with misleads in it's openings but with one exception this flashback arc is playing with what we do know; that this is all going to end badly. It's a tragedy arc. So let's contextualize it with the character's in their more joyful moments, peppering in the darker path. There are a lot of little touches but my favourite is the clapping, which turns out to be connected to the tragedy of the arc, particularly one of the sadder reveals. It's a shame it's clear things are rough right now behind the scenes of MAPPA, with employees being overworked and underpaid. The company has made some amazing series but it's not worth it if the employees are being treated very poorly. I do hope the company manages to right this ship because MAPPA is responsible for some of my favourite series of the year, which we will get to.

8. Bleach - The Thousand Year Blood War op 2

Y'All gave up on Bleach, didn't you? I get it. I've watched and read Bleach. I'm a bit kinder than most anime fans because some of the decisions are interesting. But overall, it has many more frustrations than successes. When Bleach premiered, it was a big deal and the show had some real all-time banger openings. Even when everyone dropped off, there were some good ones. So for all the problems with this arc and there are no shortage, this is a far FAR better intro than it deserves. This is the kind of fierce stylish opening that makes me want to like the franchise. Heck, if anything, I wish the settings in the intro reflected the ones in the series, which is basically just the many buildings of Soul Society again, if I remember correctly.

7. Ranking of Kings – Treasure Chest of Courage

Now for a series where I have a much sunnier outlook, even if the show has some flaws. When Treasure Chest of Courage was announced, I heard it was to be a special. Then a mini-series. Then it just became a series. It's not AS good as the flawed main series but mostly it means it has less of a distance to fall; the original series started so strong, that when the moral dilemmas started wrapping up a little too easily, it was a bummer. Here it takes the characters I love and either gives them a little low-stakes adventure or simply reveals a bit more about their past. Then in the last episode it starts building to the next story?! Whoa, that's cruel if you don't give me more. Anyway, though not as good as the previous two openings, it is a joyful blast of fun that you come to expect from Wit Studio and it knows what we want from these characters. Let's not worry too much about the big story, let's have some fun with our old friends! And, yeah, some tragic backstory filling. But still.

6. Vinland Saga 2 op 1

Vinland Saga's return was a delight to me, taking us back to the world of Vikings, kings and warriors... and then far away from all that. This is the intro for the "farmland saga" but it the title of the song and the imagery, while keeping it's eye on the present is also gesturing towards the future that the series has been hinting at for a long time (especially as Leif Erikson joins the cast.... with this adorable bug eyes). Though this part of the saga is about redemption, it is focused on the darkness that is devouring our characters. The second opening for this season does a lot I love too, especially it's final shot of the main character seeing his father on a faraway shore, but I went with this one for it's haunting song and overall moodiness that gets under my skin, reminding us though out hero's redemptive arc has begun, the evil of violence weighs heavily on everyone.

5. Spy x Family Season 2

Enough moodiness, let's have fun again! Wit Studio strikes again with another winner! If Ranking of Kings gave us a blast of joy, this pumps it up to... explosion? I guess that's more lateral but anyway, I liked this one a bit better and our favourite espionage family showing us how unflappable they are in the face of the risk of slipping tea (wait, do they say "spill" the tea in Japan? Is this a visual pun where they don't do it?!). It's as dynamic as you want the show to be, bringing to mind both the comedy and action that exemplifies what makes this show great, whether it be a hang out comedy, action-adventure and everything in between. Wit Studio can't seem to lose. The fact they will be taking over duties on Ascendence of a Bookworm makes me interested in a property I lost interest in.

4. Tengoku Daimakyou

This one goes hard. It's beautiful and sad and intense, just like the series sometimes is. I feel like this is one people aren't talking about as much, and for both very good and very... rough-to-watch, there's a lot to get into and unpack. I feel like a lot of opens now are really getting fun and clever with allusions to itself and while there's some of that in here, I feel like it is more focused, both the visuals and the music, on the emotional journey of these characters, who must traverse the end of the world in the hopes of finding some clues to their past. Though visually gorgeous, SO much heavy lifting is done by the song, Beautiful Innocence as the character's begin their journey with optimism, the darkening of the environs near the end remind us our duo is heading into a darker space.

3. Oshi no Ko

This one shouldn't be too surprising. When this intro hit, it did big numbers for downloads. This is an intro where knowing what the lyrics are do help and it is a song very much about the themes of the show; namely that entertainers and the entertainment industry is built on lies from the good ones we know are lies to the scary, destructive ones. The lyrics include the stock questions and answers that idols tend to get and appropriately the music is both filled with ancient lamentation-type chanting that works for a religious service... or a creepy cult. Oshi no Ko had some missteps but generally it was a show that was trying to do something unique with familiar formulas, mixing the idol show, the revenge thriller and teen melodrama in a unique way and that uniqueness definitely comes through in this opening.

2. The Apothecary Diaries

Yeah, I know, my intro selections tend to lean pretty heavily into shounen seinen territory most times and even more this year. So here's something a little different; a series based on historical light novel mysteries in old-timey China. The Apothecary Diaries is a pretty show but I feel like it being a somewhat talky one (in a good way, always engaged with these characters talking and unravelling a mystery) so I feel like often it doesn't do cool animation flourishes unless it's right for the moment. But holy shit, the series REALLY gets to let it all hang out in this opening (which makes the ending a bit of a disappointment (she's just, like, flying around some flowers? I mean maybe the flowers represent the series of adventures this season but even still, it's kind of dull). Meanwhile, the intro does the hard job of making flowers jumping out at the audience look cool, which it does. But then at second 50, things start heating up and he get an amazing mix of dance, colours and facial expressions. As I've said, a lot of shows get clever with foreshadowing and make no mistake, I LOVE that stuff but there's something to be said for the simplicity of a dance number and attitude, which this has in spades, eye-poppingly animated as any super power or high-drama moment.

1. Migi & Dali

I'm willing to concede that the placement of this one might be recency bias but Migi & Dali really has been the dark horse hit of the season and maybe the year. Sano Nami's last manga series is what I love in these kinds of series; a combination of seemingly incongruous tones that taste better together; in this case the wacky comedy manga and a revenge thriller. It's a series that both takes the stakes of it's thriller element seriously (also giving us a truly creepy villain, in ways both hilarious and truly sinister) but never forgetting to be ridiculous... and even adding more ridiculous elements in big dramatic moments. The intro here captures that flavour, with the title characters slithering out of their tent like snakes and visuals that remind you of the themes of duality but also getting a bit silly with it. This has definitely been the intro I look forward to the most each time, so it tops my list. Perhaps another OP from this year will eclipse it over time but for now, I'm sticking with these absolutely bizarre bros.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

The first Mashle intro was fun but the new one just plain slaps.

New One Piece opening is pretty impressive, too.

 

[Peklo]

​

Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc's ending animation is a dizzyingly comprehensive walk down memory lane for the series's original run, drawing very directly from the manga specifically for its iconography. Early Kinnikuman is an absolutely atrocious comic but it's fun to see the trajectory acknowledged in its entirety.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

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Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc's ending animation is a dizzyingly comprehensive walk down memory lane for the series's original run, drawing very directly from the manga specifically for its iconography. Early Kinnikuman is an absolutely atrocious comic but it's fun to see the trajectory acknowledged in its entirety.

Yeah, it's a really good ED. I will say that though the early stages of the comic are really bad (which is why I find it a much harder sell to people than, say, Jojo), two of my favourite stories are from that era. First is the first appearance of Terryman, which is a sweet little story and the first one where we actually see the character's virtue. I like this new anime but they botch it a bit in the recap episode because the best part isn't punching Terryman for being a jerk, it's Kinnikuman, self-professed coward and considered to be the worst superhero, is willing to run to his death to fight a monster when a small child needs help, shaming Terry out of his mercenary ways... and it is amusing by doing that he makes Terry a truly better hero that Suguru is jealous of.

The second is when Kinnikuman is called to fight a kaiju that's as big a loser as he is and it ends with him protecting the monster from the judgy public.

Like, not even the whole chapter is good, a lot of it is fucking around with the same dumb gags as always but I always found this moment sweet and while Kinnikuman is an influential but formulaic title, I really like the character.

Nachiguron actually becomes a recurring character except barely and is mostly relegated to referee role. I always thought they could bring him back as an antagonist; Kinnikuman went from this big journey from being a loser to a beloved hero and Nachiguron got left behind. That's some interesting motivation they could use.

(I do kind of want them to just do an anime retelling of the original series but they really just need to cherry pick the best of those stories and chuck the rest).

 

[Kirin]

… I had no idea Kinnikuman was a normal dude in a mask. I mean I know it’s a wrestling schtick but I honestly thought all the characters were weirdo demi-monsters.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Is Kinnikuman wearing fishnet stockings there?

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Probably. That's Japnese comedy in 1979.

 

[Torzelbaum]

S-cry-Ed opening

 

[Johnny Unusual]

S-cry-Ed was not a "great" show but the theme slaps. It's in a category of anime opening song that would have been great for anime about luchadores.

See also the sixth Inu Yasha opening.

 

[Torzelbaum]

 

[Johnny Unusual]

My favourite anime endings of the year.
10. Orb

Orb is one of my favourite show of the season, filling in the gap left by Vinland Saga in terms of historical adventure with strong characters. This series about heliocentrism is not afraid to get rough (the inquisition is involved after all) but it is an ultimately hopeful series and this ending changes as the situation in the series does. I’m curious if it will again but the first part really is about following in the footsteps of others while blazing trails.

9. Mashle season 2

I won’t lie, this is kind of a basic-ass shounen anime choice; show all their characters looking like cool fashion models, in this case with vehicles. Yes, it ends in a gag and a good one but other than that, it’s a real been there, done that. So why does it work for me? I dunno. I guess because the song is a real bop that is the glue keeping the whole thing together.

8. Sandland

The year we said goodbye to Akira Toriyama also seemed to be a year where he had a re-emerging presence. Hey, Dragonball never really went away but taking his one volume wonder Sandland an making it a movie, a TV series and a video game is a surprise. The show is good but what I appreciate about the ending is the unusual sound of this outro, which sounds weirdly pretty. The visuals are also great as it shows the oddball trio just hanging out, celebrating with water.

7. Kaiju No 8

I don’t know what inspired the crew of English language music groups to do the beginning and endings of Kaiju No. 8 but it works for it. I love that you can straight up have in English sing about how monsters re running after you. Mostly it’s the song but the rest of the ED is fine visually with a general “here our are characters when they aren’t fighting evil” so there’s a sense of a larger life outside the main plot. That said, as @JBear pointed out, this person is opening up their image files in an insane random order.

6. Frieren

No it’s not a cheat. The song is the same from last year but not the visuals, which beautifully puts stop motion (or a good approximation thereof) into an Amano-like background. I don’t like this one quite as much as the previous but it is still beautiful and glorious for a really good series (yes, the second half is more conventionally shounen but it’s still a lot of fun, complete with an old man who completely won me over when he realized all sides used up some magic and decided “well, then, let’s punch some motherfuckers”.

5. Dead Dead Demons Dededededestruction ed 1

https://v.animethemes.moe/DedededeONA-ED1.webm

This one goes HARD! For a movie that was chopped up an put on TV, Dead Dead Demon doesn’t quite look like silver screen quality but works very well on TV. A weird mix of slice of life and dark, looming apocalypse, this is a series that goes hard and the ending is… very bold. Sorry, the penultimate episode, where it should have ended (though the last episode is good, even if it provides us with a more conventionally hopeful ending as opposed to a harsh yet poignant ending that I assume the movie theatres got). Sorry, too much editorializing. In the rearview, I love the visual of the two walking toward each other in circles, showing how each is sort of “following” the other in their way. But Dedede isn’t a show where things go smooth and this one feels much more intense than a conventional ED in a way that works (the second one is a bit more conventional with trippy visuals but I like this one better).

4. Ranma 1/2

Ranma ½ is a series I loved for a long time but after years of being away from it and kind of not really liking Inu Yasha, her following series, that much, I kind of forgot WHY Ranma ½ is so good. Yes, there’s romance but the real strength is some really well timed comedy. Still, the anime knows that at the heart is the relationship between Ranma and Akane. This sweet ED gets that the reason people are so into it is because of the charm of the friction and chemistry of these characters an with an art style that is decidedly different than Takahashi’s but gets the heart of it and is eye catching and sweet.

3. Go Go Loser Ranger

Go Go Loser Ranger is filling the void Talentless Nana left behind; shouneny series where a character must use their wits to survive powerhouse superheroes. I don’t like it quite as much, things are fun and the ending both plays with the darker and more fun element of the series with a cool dance piece. It’s silly and fun and memorable, perfect for this series.

2. Kinnikuman Perfect Origins

It helps a lot that I am very familiar with the Kinnikuman series. This ending speed runs the entire original series effectively in 1 minute 30 seconds. Keep in mind this series begins with a recap that lists all the battles but kind of leaves out the heart. Kinnikuman is about a cowardly hero who becomes brave, strong and respected and it isn’t easy. This ending stylishly reminds me of the humble beginnings, the big victories and the joy as we see our loveable loser make good and make friends. Also, the song slaps and it’s just smooth as Hell.

1. The Elusive Samurai

God, this one is catchy. The Elusive Samurai has been one of my big treat series of the year, starting dark and becoming a fun and often very silly series. And this ending falls into one of my favourite categories: let’s just show characters who should straight up murdering each other having fun. It makes sense for this series because the lead is playing an elaborate game of hide and seek and keep away from his enemies and while they are “hanging out” there is a clear division between the groups. The rivalry feels friendlier than lethal. And the song is an absolute ear worm. There were some great endings this year but this is the winner for me.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

My top 50 favourite intros of the year.

10. Senpai is an Otokonoko

Choosing the bottom of this list was hard because there were a lot of stellar intros this year. Senpai is an Otokonoko could easily have been poor farce but instead is a sweet and thoughtful series about characters grappling with their gender and sexual identity. Bookended by the character beginning and ending their day dressed as a woman, we see scenes of the characters playing and crying as they grow closer as friends they begin to confront things they have not had to deal with until these friendships shift in a way that makes them question. It also helps to have a really slick song underpinning it.

9. Frieren

I don’t like this one nearly as much as the last one. It’s more conventional pop, which seems appropriate as the show goes into more conventional shounen territory. It’s still gorgeous, though and completely worthy of being #9 but it’s a shame it didn’t quite hit the bar set by the first half of it’s first season.

8. Ranma ½

It seemed weird to bring Ranma back. I feel like a lot of re-dos were for series that never quite finished the first time around and Ranma’s place is cemented. A lot of these returns, like Shaman King, were also just poor production. Certainly not an issue with Ranma and this intro reveals what makes the anime work so well; it’s familiar yet somehow fresh. A lot of the old cast is back and yet it doesn’t feel awkward in this respect. And the intro song’s opening sting feels like it could be straight from the original series but the music has a peppy energy and the Mappa animation is real alive and creative, finding fun ways to visualize the series highlights and character dynamics for the first series. The animators are clearly having a lot of fun visualizing ways to represent the many love and hate webs.

7. Train to the End of the World

Train to the End of the World was this year’s oddball entry and the intro theme Ga-tan Ga-tan uses the sounds of a train to its advantage. It speeds up in the second half as the cast goes full-speed ahead into weirdmaggedon wildness. Train to the End wasn’t perfect (the metacommentary episodes didn’t land for me, though I appreciated the intent) but the show and the intro really stand out in laying out the weird path of the series.

6. Kaiju No. 8

Kaiju No. 8 decided to use English language musicians for its intro and outro and both are strong. This mostly speedruns the monster our hero fights in season but beyond that it’s just a very good looking intro that strikes an imposing mood for this fun, monster-fighting series.

5. Dan Da Dan

It’s been a banner year for Creepy Nuts, the hip hop duo who have gained a big viral hit. Their second major into of the year is for the Science Saru series Dan Da Dan and as before the group’s linguistic dexterity and unique, memorable hooks are a perfect match for the off-kilter series of action and comedy. Even in their weaker series, Science Saru rarely disappoints with a compelling opening and Dan Da Dan is no different.

4. The Elusive Samurai

Many both the opening and ending for Elusive Samurai is a bop. Plan A is a really sticky, fun song and the intros use of Japanese clothing patterns makes for some nice eye candy that goes well with the fun, pop song with the “ha”s giving it an appropriate military angle about a boy who finds that his talent for retreat is stronger than his talent for combat.

3. Delicious in Dungeon part 2

This is another one where I preferred the first intro but Delicious in Dungeon’s joyous second intro is nothing to sneeze at (that said, I didn’t rank it or Freiren last year so I’m guess either I forgot about it or like Frieren didn’t really watch it much until the next year). But this one, despite heading into some darker territory for the series, is about the fun and joy of food and how it brings together community, which is part of the big thesis of the series. Everyone is bringing an ingredient to the table in this story. That said, it is also playfully telling us “you are what you eat.”

2. One Piece

In the category of “I’m not actually watching this show”, I’m aware enough of a lot of what is happening in the series since I dropped off a long time ago. One Piece is having a moment, not only because of the live-action series that was shockingly solid but also because not only did the series end it’s big Wano story arc on a high note last year, it is in it’s penultimate arc before heading into the final mega arc. It seems to be getting more love than even and though Toei is a company not known for high quality, particularly in its long running shows, the series has become a consistently jaw dropping shounen actioner. Heading into the next arc, everything feels like it’s refreshed but more than that, this intro feels damned operatic in its changing movements and everything looks so epic. The series history isn’t bogging it down, it’s culminating and this intro carries the history with them. And this is all in favour of the FIRST HALF of the STARTING LINE of the last arc!

1. Mashle season 2

This is the one that went viral. As amazing as One Piece’s new intro is, this one immediately GETS YOU with it’s insanely catchy hook. Creepy Nuts’ song is an absolute blast and the stylish, mostly yellow intro starts with our hero’s absurd routine and ends where it should… with Mash beating up monsters with Popeye-esque abandon, turning himself into a human tornado. It is kind of perfect for this show which is full of dumb humour but keeps you coming back to see a sweet, dim kid beat the holy shit out of entitled wizards who are in no way prepared for the well-deserved beating they are going to get. Everything is working in this intro and I think it is one of those ones that is going to be remembered a decade from now and vividly.

 

[SpoonyBard]

I gotta give props to Dragon Ball Daima's opening for being weirdly reminiscent of Z's original opening in a very particular way, the somewhat nonsensical title that nevertheless presents itself as an anthem for the upcoming adventure.

 

[q 3]

Girls Band Cry isn't my favorite of the recent girls band anime glut, but it has a striking OP for sure:

Mayonaka Punch pretty much perfectly encapsulated its chaotic disaster gay vampire Youtuber energy:

The series turned out to be poop, but Metallic Rouge had a cool OP:

7th Time Loop's OP was in fact as charming as the series (very):

 

[WisteriaHysteria]

I gotta give props to Dragon Ball Daima's opening for being weirdly reminiscent of Z's original opening in a very particular way, the somewhat nonsensical title that nevertheless presents itself as an anthem for the upcoming adventure.

To me, the vibs are different. Cha-La Head-Cha-La has a kind of, I dunno, intensity, that isn't here in this one. Daima's OP has more of a chill vibe if that makes sense. Gives me more of a GT vibe which feels appropriate considering what the show has been so far. But that's just semantic arguments, it's a great OP either way. Love it and the show for its return to OG DB adventure vibes.

 

[Büge]

3. Delicious in Dungeon part 2

This is another one where I preferred the first intro but Delicious in Dungeon’s joyous second intro is nothing to sneeze at (that said, I didn’t rank it or Freiren last year so I’m guess either I forgot about it or like Frieren didn’t really watch it much until the next year). But this one, despite heading into some darker territory for the series, is about the fun and joy of food and how it brings together community, which is part of the big thesis of the series. Everyone is bringing an ingredient to the table in this story. That said, it is also playfully telling us “you are what you eat.”

Adding Izutsumi to the OP mid-season was very important

Spoiler: Dungeon Meshi spoilers inside

 

[SpoonyBard]

I didn't care for the second opening of Delicious in Dungeon at first, primarily because it was replacing the first opening which was a frickin Bump of Chicken song so it was always going to have that stacked against it. But it really grew on me by the end of the season, and the variation added later was neato.