Anime, like most entertainment mediums, falls into several different branches of styles and thematic elements. For an anime to succeed it needs to be a complete work, having everything from great plot and story to a great musical score. The opening for any anime is essential after all it's one of the first things you see when you start a new show. Making a good first impression is always key; so what exactly makes a good anime opening? Well for starters, an opening should have a great song. Setting the tone is key and setting a consistent tone with the music is even more important. The music, in it's sound and it's lyrics should give us an idea what the general feel of the show is. However, the music is only half the battle. A well animated intro to go along with the music is sometimes even more neccessary. A good anime opening should be complete in the same way that a good anime is a complete work. So without further ado, here are my five favorite anime openings.
5.) "Cruel Angel's Thesis", Neon Genesis Evangelion
Leading off the list is the opening from my favorite anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion. "Cruel Angel's Thesis" is one of the most iconic opening songs in the genre and many people can recognize whether or not they've even watched Evangelion or not. However, to me, this opening does a great job introducing us to the series, even some of it's darker moments. Terms flash across the screen, terminology that is explained to us later and we get to see all the characters as well. It's not the flashiest opening but it still holds up even to this day.
4.) "Guns & Roses", Baccano!
What do you do when your cast has loads and loads of characters and you only have 13 episodes to introduce, develop, and finish their character arcs? Why you introduce your audience to them in your intro, all of them by name. In italian, baccano is a term generally used to describe confusion and chaos, two terms which definitely describe the beautifully disjointed storytelling of Baccano! However, the intro is actually very straightforward and cleanly animated which actually gives a nice contrast. As I said before, with a cast this big it is a challenge to get the most out of each character. This intro however, introduces us to each of the characters so that even before the first scene of the first episode we already know a bit about each one. For example, the first two characters we meet are Issac and Miria. From the intro we can gather that they're eccentric thieves who commit crimes in silly costumes. Without even writing any lines you've already nailed down one of the defining aspects of their characters, it's brilliant. Finally, the music is fantastic, capturing the tone of the era the show is set in with a great jazz riff.
3.) "Hacking to the Gate", Steins;Gate
This is one instance, where just about everything is done well. While "Hacking to the Gate" doesn't exactly define our characters in any sense it does a great job nailing down some fantastic symbolisms. For example, we see multiple versions of Okabe walking, referring to his multiple incarnations as he crosses world lines. The constant focus on Mayuri as his struggle to save her becomes the driving force in the plot. The lyrics of the music match this as well, detailing leaping across world lines and being lone observer of each one. The intro is beautifully animated as well, really capturing the techy feel of the series. From the start we know that this is a science-fiction anime. The song itself is catchy as well. This intro really hooked me on the show.
2.) "Guren no Yumiya", Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is a phenomenal anime and at the moment at the forefront of popularity. "Guren no Yumiya" is one of the main reasons for such a surge. For one, it's a hard driving, epic rock song that has the animation behind it to succeed. The song is brilliantly epic which fits the scale of the battles that the characters fight against massive Titans. The imagery in the opening takes a somber tone at the start with the swords of the characters fallen comrades in front of them. However, as the song begins to soar into a high flying mode the tone gets more sunny and you can feel a brief glimmer of hope, not unlike the general tone of the series. Seeing all the soldiers fly above the rooftops is an amazing sight. The lyrics of "Guren no Yumiya" are also fitting, detailing the humiliation of "being trapped in a cage" reflecting words spoken by characters in the actual show. Overall, "Guren no Yumiya" succeeds because it reflects the tone and the scope of the show, an absolutely brilliant opening.
1.) "Tank!", Cowboy Bebop
There is a point when perfection no longer even begins to describe something. Sometimes, the only way that you can describe something is simply to say "You know what? I'll just show you..." Cowboy Bebop's intro is the most perfect opening in any anime ever. I say this with absolutely certainty. "Tank!" is an iconic anime opening and deserving topper of this list. The song is brilliant, the animation slick, and the smoothness of Yoko Kanno's music sets the mood of the show perfectly. "Tank!" feels like a homage back the intros of the old Lupin III shows. It pays respect to the animes of old while redefining the genre as a whole here, it's brilliant. It is the perfect mashup of style, sound, and color. In the same way that Cowboy Bebop changed the entire anime landscape, this intro turned the anime opening into an art form and paved the way for intros like the ones earlier on this list to come into being. Bebop is here because it kicks ass, was groundbreaking, and still hold up today as the best anime opening ever.
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