Anime openings are an important part of the anime series. In just a minute and a half, the opening gives a walkthrough of what the anime is going to be about. It introduces the characters, theme, and animation style. Sometimes, fans even become encouraged to watch the anime series because of how cool and interesting the opening looks. If you love anime openings then you are probably are an anime fan. So, you should take a look at our category of top list articles to find various anime lists.
Short anime usually have one opening while longer series have multiple openings. We will be taking one opening from each anime only. Good anime openings are important to fans because when their favorite openings are playing, they can’t help but jam to it. There were too many good anime openings to choose from but only some made it to this list. Keep reading to find out which ones they are.
If you love anime, you should also check out these lists of the most edgy anime characters or best blonde anime girls.
1. A Cruel Angel’s Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
This list starts with the all-time best anime opening, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis. More than two decades have passed since this opening was released but fans still cannot get enough of it. There are many good anime openings but this one remains unbeatable.
The opening features the main characters, Rei, Asuka, Shinji, and other few supporting characters. A glimpse of battle scenes, Shinji’s past, and the main city are shown. A dark theme is set for the anime by showing characters in sad expressions and robots with blood. It allows the audience to know that Neon Genesis Evangelion is going to be an anime with complex characters and would focus on serious topics.
2. Guren No Yumiya (Attack on Titan)
This was the first of many outstanding openings of Attack on Titan. Guren No Yumiya was the audience’s first introduction to Attack on Titan and it showed clearly that this anime is going to be very brutal and dark. It starts with hype-up music with characters shown with expressions of depression and land filled with swords and corpses. There is a lot of blood in the opening.
The lyrics talk about the oppression and fear humans have been living under because of the titans and they now rise to break through the cage and fight. This opening has one of the highest anime opening views on Youtube. It’s an opening that makes you get goosebumps every time you listen to it.
3. Unravel (Tokyo Ghoul)
Words cannot express how good and accurate this opening is. The opening starts with a low note and a serene atmosphere. The main characters are introduced to look innocent. Suddenly, the scenery changes into a dark and eerie atmosphere, and the singer starts singing on a high note. The opening’s lyrics talk about Kaneki’s journey and trauma of suddenly becoming a ghoul and having difficulty in accepting who he is now.
Simultaneously, the song also shows Kaneki changing from an innocent boy to a ghoul. His expressions change from worried to frightened to sad. By the end of the opening, Kaneki seems to accept the person he has become. Even if a person doesn’t understand Japanese, they can see the visuals and understand what the lyrics are indicating.
4. Again (Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
This is the one anime opening that no one skipped. Singer Yui has done complete justice to this song and anime. She sounds so beautiful. Again is the first opening of FMAB. The opening starts slowly by showing a visual of Edward and then showing Ed and Al when they were children. Suddenly, the music changes to a high note, and things begin to get intense. The visuals show how drastically the life of the boys’ changes.
More characters are introduced and Ed’s father is also shown which ignites the curiosity of viewers. The pace of the song gets faster and Eren and Alphonse are shown losing their bodies which depicts the tragedy with the boys.
5. Tank (Cowboy Bebop)
Did you just hear “3,2,1, Let’s jam” the moment you heard saw the title? Because I did. This Cowboy Bebop opening is iconic because years have passed since its release, but its music is unforgettable. Whether you are a fan of jazz or not, this opening will make you want to dance.
Tank doesn’t have any singing in it but only has music using instruments such as trumpets, saxophones, and drums. The visuals are simple yet stylish. The tone of the anime is set by this opening. Different characters of the anime are introduced in the opening. Some are chilling smoking a cigarette while others are running around. Either way, Tank tells the audience that this anime is going to have some badass characters.
6. The WORLD (Death Note)
This opening deserves all the respect in the world for being literally awesome. The opening is intense, and the lyrics talk about Light’s determination to change the world of injustice. The visuals show Light with a Death Note, determined to bring the change.
Then the lyrics go on to Light questioning what’s wrong with him? He is only doing the right thing and bringing revolution. The visuals set a dark theme for the anime by showing characters with dull impressions in the gloomy atmosphere. There are multiple scenes of Light and L standing against each other as if they are about to engage in battle. A battle of minds. In the end, Light is seen in somewhat a God-like image which is portraying his god complex.
7. Zankyou Sanka (Demon Slayer)
Beautiful music and spectacular visuals. These words describe this opening the best. Zankyou Sanka is the most recent anime opening on this list as it was released in December 2021. Fans can feel euphoria inside them while seeing this opening. It starts with Uzui and his three gorgeous wives. Goes on to introduce Insouke, Tanji, and Zenitsu in the entertainment district arc.
Zankyou Sanka is filled with lots of colors, and fireworks that would give you a New Year vibe. Hashira and the other three are seen in the battle against the protagonist which shows how exciting the Entertainment District arc is going to be. Zankyou Sanka is undoubtedly one of the best anime openings of 2021.
8. Vivid Vice (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Words cannot describe how good this opening is and its visuals are equally good. Vivid Vice is a jaw-dropping opening. Firstly, the music starts slowly with Gojo and the others walking as if they’re coming back from a funeral. Suddenly, the music gets more upbeat and fast as Panda is seen on the roof.
We’re introduced to more badass characters in this opening and lots of action. Mahito is seen blowing bubbles that depicts his childish nature. Also, the best part of this opening is Gojo without his mask. Looks so darn cool. This song has been sung by the band Who-ya Extended which has also given us many good openings before such as the third opening of Psycho-Pass.
9. Colors (Code Geass)
Colors is a flamboyant opening song for Code Geass. The tone of the singer is very upbeat and energetic, added with trumpet and guitar music in the background. The opening is rather unique for an anime focusing on bringing revolution and overthrowing the royals. The music is funky, visuals are colorful, and many characters are shown amongst which some have happy or calm expressions on their faces.
There is so much going on in this opening. Lelouch is introduced with his geass along with multiple other characters, there is some mecha action, C.C. with her sad tears, and much more. But all of this is perfectly executed in a minute and a half.
10. We Are! (One Piece)
One Piece is filled with amazing anime openings. But as “We Are!” is its first opening, there is something special about it. It serves as the perfect intro for the anime. Setting the theme of “adventure” for the audience as Luffy is seen excitedly going swimming around on his ship with the other Straw Hat Pirates.
The visuals are colorful which shows it’s going to be a fun fantasy anime. The crew members are seen fighting with others and Zoro slaying enemies with his swords which shows there is a lot of action waiting for you.
11. The Day (My Hero Academia)
The Day is the first of a series of amazing openings which came in My Hero Academia. The opening in a few seconds introduces the audience to Deku, his classmates, All Might, Aizawa. Most importantly, it shows what our protagonist is going to be like. Deku is shown as a worried young boy, suddenly changing into a strong person training to reach his goal.
The rivalry between Deku and Bakugo is portrayed showing that this is the one rivalry in class 1-A that fans must look forward to. Lots of action is seen in the opening and the song is very upbeat allowing the viewers to know that there is a lot of excitement packed in this anime.
12. Flyers (Death Parade)
Flyers don’t fit the tone of Death Parade but even then it is amazing. Death Parade is a rather serious anime that talks about the afterlife and focuses on important topics. But this anime is full of fun moments, energy, and lots of dancing. Flyers is a bombastic song that has characters dancing and smiling. It makes the audience think maybe this will be more of a funky anime.
We are introduced to the characters in the most fun way as they are seen dancing. Flyers is an anime opening that makes your mood happy. While there are some hints given in the opening that are the games and the book Chavvot.
13. Silhouette (Naruto Shippuden)
One best thing about watching the Naruto series is that the openings never disappoint you. Silhouette is sung so well by Kana-Boon but what makes this specific opening so good is its visuals. The best thing about it is when emotional moments are being shown the music gets slow but as Naruto progresses, the visuals change and so does the pace of the opening.
The opening starts by showing the protagonist and antagonist in the 4th Shinobi War arc. Then Naruto is shown as a child facing his issues of loneliness and losing his best friend. However, Naruto doesn’t give up and the progress he has had from a fragile child to becoming a strong shinobi is shown in only a few seconds. The visuals used to show this progress are outstanding. In the end, Naruto puts forward his hand to help Obito. Once again, to save someone from the darkness Naruto could have fallen in.
14. Kyōran Hey Kids!! (Noragami Aragoto)
This anime opening is extremely catchy and energetic. The moment this song plays you start dancing and lip-syncing. Instruments such as electric guitar are used in this opening and the animation is outstanding. The opening starts with Yato sitting in a room full of blood portraying his frustration and life as a God of Calamity. The opening sets the theme of the anime which although isn’t very colorful in the opening but doesn’t look so dark either.
As there are characters with smiles and calm impressions. Some very cool battle scenes are shown throughout the opening which tells the viewer that they’re in for action. Characters with excellent character designs are introduced too. Overall, Kyōran Hey Kids!! is an anime opening with fast, energetic music and equally matched visuals.
15. Kawaki wo Ameku (Domestic Girlfriend)
Kawaki wo Ameku is an opening that was so good it contributed to the anime in gaining more viewership and popularity. This opening is one of my personal favorites. It starts with dark, dull background, slow piano music and vocals. Suddenly, the piano gets much more fast and the singing becomes a lot louder and intense.
The black and white visuals turn colorful as the anime’s characters are introduced, which are only females. Each character has sadness on their faces that shows this will be an emotional anime. Suddenly, the song gets even more intense and characters are seen running. Overall, Kawaki wo Ameku is one amazing anime opening that without a doubt, deserves to be here.
16. Hacking to the Gate (Steins; Gate)
Steins; Gate is one of the all-time best sci-fi anime and obviously it would require an anime opening that would match its standard. There could have been no better opening for this anime than Hacking to the Gate. The strong art and visuals portray the time jumping with elements of physics added to it.
There is a serious atmosphere set with different characters being introduced with dull impressions. There are coding and time clocks constantly shown which sets the anime’s theme. Okabe is seen throughout the opening tired and frustrated, struggling to fight against the obstacles put on him by science.
17. This Game (No Game No Life)
One of the best Isekai anime had to have one of the best anime openings. This Game starts with a gentle kick of the piano and as soon as Shiro and Sora hold hands, the song gets more intense. There is colorful imagery shown of the main characters in a world similar to a video game.
Suddenly, the song gets faster as new characters are shown and more scenery of this game-like world is shown. We see Shiro and Sora on chess boards which portray their involvement in games. This opening perfectly gives the audience an idea of that No Game No Life is going to be a crazy good isekai anime with lots of games involved.
18. Battlecry (Samurai Champloo)
One of the reasons why this anime is so famous in the west is because it has the perfect mix of cultures portrayed by its art and music. Battlecry has been produced by Nujabes and the rapping is by Shing02. Throughout the anime, the Japanese Edo-period is shown but there are fun hip-hop elements added to it which is especially enjoyed by viewers from fans.
The Battlecry music is the perfect opening for such an anime because there is hip-hop background music with singers rapping in it. The slow music is calming and enjoyable to hear. The rapping suits the music’s pace while the visuals introduced us to the main characters. The opening makes it clear that the anime will mainly be focused on these characters. They are seen in their samurai dress up and swords which indicates there will be lots of samurai action going on in this anime.
19. Departure (Hunter x Hunter)
This opening of Hunter x Hunter would make you jump in the bed out of excitement and cry tears of nostalgia. It has been sung by the famous Japanese rock singer, Masatoshi Ono. Apart from the chimera ant arc when things get dark, Hunter x Hunter is an anime filled with lots of action, adventure, and some comedy as well.
The Departure opening is the ideal introduction opening for this anime. It starts with Gon as he begins his adventure of becoming a Hunter. His eyes filled with excitement. Then, we are introduced to our other energetic characters in the series. There is a lot of colorful aesthetics in this opening that sets the tone of the anime. In the end, Gon is seen fighting a battle with Mr. Pervert that hints that this anime will have many important battles of Gon.
20. Hikaru Nara (Your Lie In April)
If there was a prize for “best feel-good anime openings” then Hikaru Nara would definitely win it. The visuals are stunning as expected of A-1 Pictures. This opening leaves some spoilers of Your Lie in April but it is beautiful. The opening starts with a guitar strung which then becomes more loud, fast, and cheerful.
The music is very exciting and along with it, the visuals show the anime’s characters dancing, playing musical instruments, and doing all kinds of goofy things. The opening is so intense fans will have goosebumps after viewing it.
21. Bloody Stream (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is filled with many openings that you’d love. It was hard picking one out of them but Bloody Stream by CODA pushed itself into this list. This is an opening that is filled with fantasy, and lots of colors and art. It throws the 80s vibe on the screen taking the viewer to a whole new experience.
Just like the Jojo series is an anime that stands out from the rest, this opening stands out amongst the rest. The visuals and animation are beyond spectacular and on a whole other level. It gives off the most flamboyant impression to the audience.
22. Inferno (Fire Force)
This Fire Force opening is fire just like its anime. Inferno is no ordinary opening. It starts with a loud electric guitar beat and beautiful fiery visuals. It is the perfect introduction for an anime that has fire as its main theme.
The singing is somewhat calm yet powerful. We are introduced to the main character with a unique character style, fighting against a villain. As the song continues, more new characters are shown fighting against a powerful enemy. Inferno is an opening that fires the hearts of viewers with excitement.
23. Fly High!! (Haikyuu!!)
All of Haikyuu!!’s openings pump up the sports spirit in you. Picking one was hard but in the end, Fly High!! takes the win. This opening by BURNOUT SYNDROMES left the fans stunned because of the energetic vocals and aesthetic visuals. This opening is extremely catchy and it injects the viewer with the same energy and passion as the main character, Shoto Hinata.
The opening starts with Shoto’s iconic jump. The Karasuno High School is seen in matches throughout the anime which shows that this opening will be full of sports action and excitement. Fly High!! didn’t fail to hype up the viewers for the new season.
24. Kuusou Mesorogiwi (Future Diary)
The scariest and darkest opening for an equally dark anime. Kussou Mesorogiwi in only a few seconds perfectly sets the theme for this anime. The very start of this opening is with a bloody eye and ominous music. The song suddenly gets louder as more blood and weapons are shown clearing it to viewers that murder will be common in this anime.
As characters are introduced, the background remains that of a bloody sky. The element of blood and death remains throughout the anime. This opening is the best visual explanation of Future Diary.
25. Renai Circulation (Bakemonogatari)
Even if you haven’t watched Bakemonogatari, you have still probably listened to this opening at least once in your life in an internet video. As Renai Circulation is one of the most popular anime openings. This opening has spectacular visuals filled with creativity, details, and colors.
Watching this anime opening itself would make the viewer feel good. The music is soft and cheerful. Character Nadeko Sengoku is seen throughout the opening. She’s seen lazing around eating pocky and making the cutest faces. Although this cute anime and scenery is a ruse, it is a nice way to lighten up the viewer’s mood.
We hope you enjoy jamming to these anime openings. If you love anime you should see our list of best anime wolf and dog girls or top steampunk anime.
