Lurker > Logicblade

giving one more bump for people. Number 1 is on the last page.

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theiceisnice posted...

The counting in 99 didn't bother me. Even if you hate it, you know exactly when the song is going to end at least.

Also, no Unravel from Tokyo Ghoul?

Katharsis was my pick for the Tokyo Ghoul series, I found Unravel breathy and annoying, honestly.

BK_Sheikah00 posted...

Lisa - traumerei my favorite OP of hers. Too bad its for such a terrible show.

I had so many Lisa openings, I definitely don't dislike this one, it just didn't pop out enough at me to say I wanted it on the list for sure.

Mac Arrowny posted...

Pretty good #1. Not a huge fan of #2, but it's alright.

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Bangaichi OP2 - Ringo Mogire Beam -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhx-qWDMGyo

Concrete Revolutio S2 OP - Wareru Doukoku - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdcDlt2c6y0

Encourage of Climb S2 - Summer-Colored Present - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTeLGxA1rrU

These are my top three that aren't on your list (My Soul Your Beats and Raise Your Flag are my favorite two on it). Would you mind sharing your thoughts on them?

That first one is uh... uh... hold one while I replace my eyeballs. It's definitely something, alright. I can see there is appeal for someone, but for me it just weirds me the fuck out. It takes a good minute before it gets to something resembling tolerable, and then the chorus kicks in again.

Concrete Revolutio OP was one I at least considered, but I dropped it off my honorable mentions pretty quickly once the list started filling out. I don't particularly dislike it or anything, but if all the openings on my list are at least A-'s, this one is a solid B. I don't particularly like dubstep, but it actually kind of works for this opening. I just wasn't too fussed about the last 20 seconds or so of it.

Some openings really toe the line between comfy and boring, unfortunately for Encouragement of Climb, I find it more boring than comfy. It just doesn't do anything to stick out for me.

ninkendo posted...

Of course I'm biased in this regard but my personal favorite was Limit Break X Survivor

https://youtu.be/Li76Oh-HdIw

DB Super actually had a really good second OP. Might actually just be the best Dragon Ball opening out there, all things considered. Does the appropriate amount of work getting you hyped up for the battle of the ages, and the song is a lot of fun.

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2. Brave Shine - Aimer - Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works OP 2
2015 (1/11)
Spring 2015 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/FateStayNightUBWS2-OP1.webm

So I may as well cover the honorable mentions from both 2015 and 2019 now that we're at the end of the list here. Choosing 100 songs was tough enough, all the honorable mentions make it that much more difficult. From 2015, we have Seraph of the End's Opening X.U. by Hiroyuki Sawano that's a real banger. There's Harumodoki by Nagi Yanagi for the second season of Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu which happened to just be a real pretty song. I really liked the song Ai no Scenario by Chico and Honey Works, but the opening is literally just the main dude standing while the camera pans around him.

As for 2019, there were some bangers that year too that didn't quite make the list. Kanata no Astra's OP (Star*Frost by Nonoc) was really catchy, even though it only played for like half of the episodes and Carole and Tuesday's OP (Kiss me by Nai br.XX & Celeina Ann) was 90's R&B as fuck and I have a bit of a soft spot for that kind of style. Huh... I guess that was it for my 2019 honorable mentions.

In any case, that leaves us with Brave Shine as our top opening of 2015, and second best of the decade. Again, any of the top 5 could have been number one for me on a different day, but Brave Shine is absolutely gorgeous. You've got beautiful character establishing shots, Archers looking up to the sky in the reality marble to kick the song off is just immediate attention drawing stuff. The action is beautiful, intense and the song just embeds itself inside you and never lets go. Ending the opening with Shirou confronting Archer is just... mwah *chefs kiss*, fire emoji, 100 emoji, eggplant emoji. but today it isn't number one.

1. Kawaki wo Ameku - Minami - Domestic no Kanojo OP
2019 (1/9)
Winter 2019 (1/5)
https://animethemes.moe/video/DomesticNaKanojo-OP1.webm

Because this anime by the hack writer Sasuga Kei happened to just have a ridiculous banger for an opening. The emotion the singer puts into this is so freaking raw it's incredible. There's apparently a lot of symbolism actually in the opening that really shows exactly what kind of characters the girls are, who the hell the piano player in the OP actually is, all that sort of stuff, but I love it precisely because it tells you exactly what the hell the anime is all about in 90 seconds so you don't actually have to watch it. I love the music, the angry staredown between the two main girls at the end, the fact that the other two girls have their reflections hesitate before getting any close to the main guy, the use of rain... it's all done splendidly, and for all of that, makes it my top opening of the decade.

Thanks for putting up with my awful opinions everyone, let me know what you thought, and what your top openings of the decade were, and what openings you think I snubbed too hard.

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KokoroAkechi posted...

the counting is the fucking worst part in 99. I'd actually say it's so bad it makes the song bad.

I wouldn't go this far, but it does definitely take it out of top 100 consideration.

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3. Gurenge - Lisa - Kimetsu no Yaiba OP
2019 (2/9)
Spring 2019 (1/1)
https://animethemes.moe/video/KimetsuNoYaiba-OP1-NCBD1080.webm

Lisa has one more banger to crank out for this list, and Gurenge is just incredible. There's a lot of care crafted into every shot, but it draws your attention from the very beginning with Tanjirou trudging through the snow in desperation. The music hits hard, the opening visuals are so on point it;s incredible, and I absolutely love what they did with the breathing styles used for the swords, it's just gorgeous to watch over and over again.

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4. 99.9% - Mob Choir - Mob Psycho 100 II OP
Winter 2019 (2/5)
2019 (3/9)
https://animethemes.moe/video/MobPsycho100S2-OP1-BD1080.webm

This opening is incredible. From the super catchy music, the really neat style and choices, this opening is just packed full of absolute goodies. The fight scene is absurdly sakuga, which is pretty crazy for an OP, but it just totally nails it. It catches your attention immediately, and holds it throughout the entire piece. It's pretty clear where all the One Punch Man budget went to, because this was absurd.

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Alrighty then... let's kick off the top 5 with some style.

5. Identity - Mikio Sakai - Rakudai Kishi No Cavalry
2015 (2/11)
Fall 2015 (1/4)
https://animethemes.moe/video/RakudaiKishiNoCavalry-OP1v3.webm

So... the top 5 was the absolute hardest for me to break apart. On a different day, I could easily have an argument for this being my top opening of the decade, but today, I'm locking it into the list at number 5. I absolutely love the style of this opening. The song is catchy, the art style and colour choice is done incredibly well, and the focus on the red of fire and blood is very well done. This opening actually has three versions, each changing who the main character clashes with for the last 20 seconds of the OP, so naturally I chose the last person he clashes with, because I am a sucker for those one strike, one kill kind of samurai duels. The shots establish Ikki and Stella well, there's just enough fanservice to pique your interest without turning you off completely, and the action sequences are vivid and fun. This is an absolute banger, and definitely one of my favourites of this decade. The show was actually pretty enjoyable too, though I hear it's a good thing it never got a second season.

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Well we may as well get to the top 5 today, and remove another year from the tally.

6. My Soul, Your Beats - Lia - Angel Beats OP
2010 (1/7)
Spring 2010 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/AngelBeats-OP1.webm

With 2010 getting removed from the list, I need to put up more honorable mentions. Yosuga No Sora had a really beautiful OP in Hiyoku no Hane by Eufonius, and Togainu no Chi had a rocking OP by GRANRODEO (Rose Hip Bullet) that at least deserve some mention. It also had the only Naruto Shippudden OP I kind of liked this decade in Diver by Nico touches the Walls. In fact, it had the only Fairy Tail OP I considered for this list as well in Ft. by Funkist. However, none of those could scratch the top 100, and they definitely couldn't beat number 6.

This song is beautiful, and it always gives you an absolute treat for the senses. I like Kanade playing the piano in time with the opening, it really carries the whole thing forward. and even though it does the thing where it just puts the name by the character as they show quick shots of them, it's still fine, because they really stick to Piano Kanade, and it's really good. It's a bit like watching a recital, rather than an actual OP, but I love the song so you know, deal with it. Lia has the most powerful energy of all.

In any case, that just leaves 5 songs to go, all from either 2015 or 2019. That's kind of weird, but it's just how it turned out.

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7. Kimi no Sei - The Peggies - Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
2018 (1/16)
Fall 2018 (1/4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1PWA11Ec3E

And so 2018 hits the dirt after dominating most of the list. There were a few other songs to make honorable mention, but most have been covered by the list proper. 2018 had the best Shokugeki Opening in my opinion with Symbol by Luck Life. The Grand Blue opening was a pretty fun song, but just not up to the same level as the rest of the list, and the last honorable mention I have is Nostalgic Rainfall by Chico and Honey Works for After the Rain, which was one the very last cuts I ended up making, because cuts are fricking difficult.

Kimi No Sei is an absolute earworm, but this opening is so much more than that. The shots are cut incredibly well, there is a great mix of action and character establishing shots, and just a lot of things I absolutely love about it. The scene of MC running at the very beginning is constrasted by the traffic to make it seem like he isn't moving at all, and then you get a cut to a close up shot of him running and you can see he's just going full bore, throwing caution to the wind and driving himself to exhaustion. It was really clever and something that impressed me on multiple watch throughs. I'm sure there's more symbolism and stuff thrown in there, but all in all, this opening is both technically impressive, and one you can just listen to over and over again. Kimi no Sei, Kimi No Sei, Uwuuuu.

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8. Flyers - Bradio - Death Parade
2015 (3/11)
Winter 2015 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/DeathParade-OP1.webm

Everybody! Put your hands up! Holy crap this opening is just fun. You get immediately hooked to the bombastic beats, the singer is just having a blast, and hey, everyone else in the opening is having one too! Sadly the OP is not at all indicative of what this show is actually like, but hey, I'm all for the absurd singing and dancing going on in this one. It's actually shorter than your average opening, but it's as sweet as it gets. It's very hard to pick a favourite part of this song, but my least favourite part is at 1:19, because it ends.

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I have a full list of the first 80 on the last page

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9. Sincerely - TRUE - Violet Evergarden
2018 (2/16)
Winter 2018 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/VioletEvergarden-OP1-NCBD1080.webm

Hey, Logic... you want to cry on demand? Here you go! :( This song is so emotional and beautiful, I can't help but love it. The opening is so vivid and entrancing, even when it's a lot of still shots, you still get beautiful imagery, sunlight playing on the water, it's just a feast for the senses. And now I'm remembering some of the really bittersweet episodes again. God damn it. *sniffle* This is definitely an opening that will stick with me for the years to come.

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10. Kyouran Hey Kids - The Oral Cigarettes - Noragami Aragoto OP
2015 (4/11)
Fall 2015 (2/4)
https://animethemes.moe/video/NoragamiAragoto-OP1.webm

This opening is funky as all get out. I love the colour scheme used for this one, the action sequences are captivating, and the chorus is just great times. It's a very dynamic and super catchy opening, and just hits all the right buttons for me personally. I swear, I respect the hero.

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bumpo

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11. Last Inferno - Ceui - Legend of the Legendary Heroes OP 2
2010 (2/7)
Fall 2010 (1/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eceqq_2uU8A

The last song before the top 10, and it's from something I don't think many people have actually seen, so go me, wooo. In any case, Ceui makes some incredibly moving pieces, and Last Inferno is definitely a standout. Her voice is so powerful and beautiful and it reall does a lot for this opening. Some of the scenes that stick with me are the refugees trying to escape from the flames as some of them fall to their deaths, Ferris gasping for air after killing a whole bunch of soldiers, and the very end when the foreign army is getting ready to charge at Sion's kingdom. I don't remember a lot of the details of the anime, but this opening stuck with me for just how raw it was. Wasn't quite enough to make the top ten, but it was incredible, none the less.

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12. Mukanjyo - Survive Said the Prophet - Vinland Saga OP 1
2019 (4/9)
Summer 2019 (1/1)
https://animethemes.moe/video/VinlandSaga-OP1.webm

Fuck yeah Vikings! This opening is matched really freaking well with the desperation and intensity of this song. The guitar licks are amazing, the singer absolutely kills it, and of course you've got one hell of a hook in "I've paid my dues, I've sold my sold, so tell me what is left for me when I've given up everything?" It's just like taking a steak off the grill right when it hits medium rare, or finding a pair of matching socks in the laundry hamper, it's just... mmm so good. The visuals are stunning, I love the change of Thorfinn from young innocent child to jaded angry teenager in just a few frames, and the very end scene where he's screaming out at the heavens amongst a pile of corpses... there is a lot to love about this OP.

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13. History Maker - Dean Fujioka - Yuri On Ice
2016 (1/11)
Fall 2016 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/YuriOnIce-OP1v2.webm

There were a few honorable mentions for 2016 that I didn't get to. The opening for Sweetness and Lightning was very sweet and adorable (Harebare Fanfare by Mimimememimi). The first March Comes in like a Lion opening is also pretty good (Answer by Bump of Chicken) and... I think that's it for standouts for me, the rest I've already mentioned before in passing, or the show had another opening worth more merit. In any case, number one this year had to be History Maker.

Sometimes simple is better, sometimes you just need something with swelling inspirational lyrics to get you through. History Maker is amazing, and the added touches that the second version of the opening gives really just puts it over the top. If you aren't singing along to the OP whenever you hear it, then it probably hasn't embedded its way into your brain like it has mine. Dean's voice is beautiful, I love the splashes of colour that bombard the screen on each figure skating move the guys do, and seeing the finalists walking up to the final stage in the background really sells this as a hype piece. I love me some Yuri on Ice.

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14. Bravely You - Lia - Charlotte OP
2015 (5/11)
Summer 2015 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/Charlotte-OP1.webm

Sometimes you have really good reasons for liking an opening. Sometimes, it's just because it's really pretty. I typically fall into the latter category. Charlotte's OP is stunning. It has a lot of slow dramatic shots that just look absolutely gorgeous in motion. The piano of the song is quite beautiful and really carries the song, but the one thing that absolutely makes this OP stand out above all others is that fast paced looped from about 48 seconds in to 1:02. I dare you not to bob your head to the beat, it just gets right into you instantly. It's a shame this anime was rushed to hell, if could have been a really good slice of life anime, or a somewhat interesting psychological drama, but they didn't have enough time to devote to both.

(Tomori is best girl, fight me on the streets)

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15. Out of Control - Nothing's Carved in Stone - Psycho Pass OP 2
2013 (1/8)
Winter 2013 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/PsychoPass-OP2.webm

Just knocking these years right out of the decade, we've only got songs from 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019 left to put up. Some of the honorable mentions for this year that I haven't already mentioned include Crowds by White Ash for Gatchaman Crowds and Henai no Rondo by GRANRODEO for Karneval. Savior of Song by Nano for Arpeggio of Steel deserve special mention for being a really awesome song, stuck with a boring gachaesque opening.

CAUSE I FEEEEEEL! God, I fucking love belting this song out. The opening oozes style, from the choice of colour scheme, the shot direction, to some really freaking cool scenes, like the cut from the muzzle flash of the gun, to the cigarette being lit up and exploding, it's just got that wow factor to it. Hell I even love that slow walk of all the main cast shot through the chain link fence... this opening has everything you could possibly want for a gritty psychological crime thriller.

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I don't typically like it, but in this instance it felt like it fit with the tone of the song and the visuals so it worked for me.

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16. This Game - Konomi Suzuki - No Game No Life
2014 (1/12)
Spring 2014 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/NoGameNoLife-OP1.webm

And so 2014 finally bites the dust. A very strong showing from the year, but there were a few honorable mentions of note. Sekai wa Koi ni Ochiteiru by Chico + Honey Works for Ao Haru Ride fits into that nice cozy OP area that very nearly made the list. The Mekakucity Actors OP is pretty catchy as well (Daze by Garnidelia), and there was almost another opening by Lisa in Rising Hope (Irregular at Magic High School) on here, but it fell just short.

This opening is visually stunning. The choice of colours and scenes is vibrant and lush and draws you immediately. When you combine that with a fast paced song, with beautiful vocals and an amazing piano melody, you've got a real winner of a opening. There are so many good looking scenes that I could not pick just one that stands out. Honestly it's so rich that I'm having trouble just talking about what I like most about it, so I'll leave it with this. This opening is awesome. (There, I did it.)

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and let's do a double

17. Kimi Ni Furete - Riko Azuna - Bloom into You OP
2018 (3/16)
Fall 2018 (2/4)
https://animethemes.moe/video/YagateKimiNiNaru-OP1-NCBD1080.webm

Another opening that is just absolutely beautiful to watch and to listen to. The singers voice is mesmerizing, I absolutely love the flowery imagery that pervades the opening, and it just really feels like a bittersweet kind of drama that you can just gnash your teeth into. The scene at the end where they're holding hands and transform into dolls is visually striking, but without knowing what the anime is actually about (other than yuri, I can tell that much) I won't really get the symbolism of it. Still though, I liked it a lot, and it appealed to me almost immediately.

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18. Ebb and Flow - Ray - Nagi No Asukara OP 2
2014 (2/12)
Winter 2014 (1/4)
https://animethemes.moe/video/NagiNoAsukara-OP2v2.webm

Sometimes you just like something nice and peaceful, Ebb and Flow is an absolutely gorgeous song, and the opening is just as beautiful to match. There's actually two versions of this opening, with slightly different visuals, so naturally I picked the more spoilery one because I liked it slightly more. >_> It's a real feast for the senses, I really love the wintry backdrop, the added scenes with Manaka, and I think my favourite moment is Hikari reaching up through the water as the music swells. Not bad for Friendzone, the anime.

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19. Kiss of Death - Hyde Ft. Mika Kobayashi - Darling in the Franxx OP 2
2018 (4/16)
Spring 2018 (1/7)
https://animethemes.moe/video/DarlingInTheFranXX-OP2.webm

And the song that comes out of the most stacked season was Kiss of Death. The second OP is slightly different than the first, but those slight differences make it so much better. The piano is a lot more pronounced in this one, and it makes the first 10 seconds or so absolutely enchanting. I like the imagery used a lot more, and it ended up being the only good thing about the second season, because holy crap did Darling in the Franxx drop the ball on whatever the hell kind of story they were trying to tell. At least we have this opening... and an ungodly amount of fanart on the internet.

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Let's begin with number 20.

20. One Day - The Rootless - One Piece OP 13
2010 (3/7)
Summer 2010 (1/1)
https://animethemes.moe/video/OnePiece-OP13.webm

Ace No! ACE GOD DAMN IT NO! This is one of those where it's hard not to tear up just a little bit when you listen to it. The music is stirring and emotional, and it's a god damn gut punch because it makes it seem like everything is going to be alright, and it isn't. It's never going to be alright again. I really like the quiet scenes of the strawhat pirates just doing simple things like weapon maintenance, or checking the quality of the wine on board, it really goes well with the quiet parts of the song, and it contrasts well with the scenes of all the high ranking people fighting in the whitebeard war for the faster paced moments of the opening. I think this is One Piece's opening at it's best, but there are a lot of good ones to choose from. Hope by Namie Amuro was probably the closest to overtaking this, but it wasn't close enough for me.

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The List so far:

100.Innocent Promise - Shounen Maid -Trustrick - Spring 2016
99.Papapa - OreSuki - Shuka Saito - Fall 2019
98.Coolest -Haven't you heard? I'm Sakamato -Customi-Z - Spring 2016
97.Little Busters! EX - Little Busters! EX -Rita Spring 2014
96.Divine Intervention - Witchcraft Works - Fhana Winter 2014
95.Paradigm Box - Caligula -Character Voices Spring 2018
94.Cerulean - Gundam Build Fighters Try -Back-On - Fall 2014
93.Hello World! - Kekkai Sensen -Bump of Chicken - Spring 2015
92.Kimi no Shinwa Aquarion Evol -Akino and Aiki - Winter 2012
91.Daydream Syndrome - Yumekui Merry - Marina Fujiwara - Winter 2011
90.Sawakaze - Kimi Ni Todoke - Tomofumi Tanezawa -Winter 2011
89.Renegade - Gangsta -Stereo Dive Foundation - Summer 2015
88.Serment - Shakugan no Shana - Mami Kawada - Winter 2012
87.Trigger - Zankyou no Terror - Yuuki Ozaki - Summer 2014
86.Flashback - Kokkoku - Miyavi vs KENKEN - Winter 2018
85.HERE - Mahoutsukai no Yome -JUNNA - Fall 2017
84.MAYDAY - Fire Force -Coldrain - Fall 2019
83.Prompt - Majestic Prince - Natsumi Kon - Summer 2013
82.Now or Never - Phi Brain -nano - Spring 2012
81.Genesis - Dimension W -Stereo Dive Foundation - Winter 2016
80.Spirit Inspiration - Zetsuen no Tempest - Nothing's Carved in Stone - Fall 2012
79.Kizuna Music - Bang Dream -Poppin' Party - Winter 2019
78.Ambiguous - Kill la Kill - Gardinelia - Winter 2014
77.Black Rover - Black Clover Vickelblanca Spring 2018
76.I Swear - Date a Live Sweet Arms Winter 2019
75.Signal - 91 Days Ling Toshite Sigure Summer 2016
74.here and there - Kino's Journey - the beautiful world- Nagi Yanagi Fall 2017
73.X-Encounter - Tokyo Ravens Maon Kurosaki Fall 2013
72.Winding Road - Golden Kamuy MAN WITH A MISSIONSpring 2018
71.Azalea - Citrus Nano.Ripe Winter 2018
70.Chou Onsoku Destiny - Kuromukuro Glay Summer 2016
69.Sakamichi no Melody- Sakamichi no Apollon YUKI Spring 2012
68.Click Nisekoi ClarisWinter 2014
67.Eien no Hitotsu ISLAND Yukari Tamura Summer 2018
66.In My World - Ao no Exorcist Rookiez is Punk'd! Summer 2011
65.ADAMAS Sword Art Online Lisa Fall 2018
64.Great Days - JoJo's Bizzare Adventure Karen Aoki & Daisuke Hasegawa Fall 2016
63.Climber's High - Fuuka Manami Numakura Winter 2017
62.Yasashisa no Riyuu - Hyouka ChouCho Spring 2012
61.Katharsis - Tokyo Ghoul Re Ling Toshite Sigure Fall 2018
60.Let me Hear - Parasyte Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Fall 2015
59.Hikaru Nara - Your Lie in April Goose House Fall 2014
58.Even If - Full Metal Panic IV Tamaru Yamada Spring 2018
57.The Asterisk War The Asterisk War Shiena Nishizawa Spring 2016
56.Choir Jail - Tasogari Otome x Amnesia Konomi Suzuki Spring 2012
55.Binary Star - Legend of the Galactic Heroes Sawano Hiroyuki Spring 2018
54.Killy Killy Joker - Wixoss Kanon Wakeshima Spring 2014
53.Kuchikuze Diamond - Yamada-kun and the 7 Witches Weaver Spring 2015
52.Hoshi to Hana - Yuki Yuna is a Hero Sanshu Chugaku Fall 2014
51.Destin Histoire - Gosick Yoshiki*LisaWinter 2011
50.Peace Sign - My Hero Academia Kenshi YonezuSpring 2017
49.Found and Lost - Banana Fish Survive said the ProphetSummer 2018
48.Zoetrope - Amnesia Nagi YanagiWinter 2013
47.Nirvana - Inu x Boku SS MUCCWinter 2012
46.Connect - Madoka Magica ClarisWinter 2011
45.Shinkakei Colors - Toji no MikoCharacter VoicesSpring 2018
44.Ranbu no Melody - BleachSIDFall 2010
43.Redo - Re:ZeroKonomi SuzukiSpring 2016
42.Jiyuu no Tsubasa - Attack on TitanLinked HorizonSummer 2013
41.Shout -Re:CreatorsSawano HiroyukiSummer 2017
40.Complication - Durarara!Rookiez is Punk'd!Spring 2010
39.One Reason -Deadman WonderlandDWB with FadeSpring 2011
38.Just One Life - Samurai FlamencoSPYAIRFall 2013
37.Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai -Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kunOishi MasayoshiSummer 2014
36.Raise Your Flag - Gundam IBOMAN WITH A MISSIONFall 2015
35.The Other Self - Kuroko's BasketballGRANRODEOFall 2013
34.Hacking to the Gate - Steins;Gate Kanako Itou Spring 2011
33.&Z - Aldnoah Zero Sawano Hiroyuki Winter 2015
32.Oath Sign - Fate/ZeroLisa Fall 2011
31.Believe in my Existence - Cardfight VanguardJAM Project Fall 2011
30.Aoi Shiori - Anohana Galileo Galilei Spring 2011
29.We're Not Alone - Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou... Coldrain Spring 2010
28.Axxxis - Qualidea Code Lisa Summer 2016
27.My Dearest - Guilty Crown Supercell Fall 2011
26.Sakura Mitsutsuki - Gintama SPYAIR Winter 2013
25.Kawaru Mirai - Kamisama no Memochou ChouCho Summer 2011
24.Roar - Toaru Majutsu no Index III Maon Kurosaki Winter 2019
23.Knew Day - Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash Know_Name Winter 2016
22.Illuminate - Tales of Zestiria the X Minami Winter 2017
21.Period FMA BrotherhoodChemistry Winter 2010

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21. Period - Chemistry - Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood OP 4
2010 (4/7)
Winter 2010 (1/1)
https://animethemes.moe/video/FullmetalAlchemistBrotherhood-OP4.webm

The oldest opening on the list just narrowly misses the top 20. I honestly wasn't even sure if this one would qualify for the list because of timing restrictions, but it first aired in January 2010, so it makes it on cleanly. Brotherhood does not have a weak opening, but my favourite of the bunch (Golden Time Lover by Sukima Switch) didn't qualify for the list, so I thought I would at least mention that much. In any case, the song is incredible (as always), everything after 45 seconds is just gorgeous action... it's not something one has the luxury of skipping.

That leaves my top 20, which were an absolute pain to sort out. At one time or another I'd have considered them for my OP of the decade, but naturally they separate and shake out when you make a massive list to compare them all to. Still I absolutely love each and every entry in the top 20 of this list, and I hope you do too.

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22. Illuminate - Minami - Tales of Zestiria the X OP 2
2017 (1/6)
Winter 2017 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/TalesOfZestiriaS2-OP1.webm

I only had 6 songs from 2017 qualify, but they did make a pretty strong showing despite that. It also means I have a few honorable mentions that didn't quite make the list. I covered a lot of them from the fall season already, but there were a couple of others worth mentioning in passing. The Knights and Magic OP by Fhana (Hello! My World!), the second OP of Dragon Ball Super (Genkai Toppa X Survivor by Kiyoshi Hikawa), and the Princess Principal OP (Other Side of the Wall by Void_Chords ft. Maru) all had strong consideration to be on this list as well.

Tales of Zestiria should have probably just been an anime sequel to Tales of Berseria. The game wasn't very good, but the anime did a lot better job filling in the things that really needed to be expanded upon, including drawing those parallels to Berseria. Both of the openings were really strong, but I liked this one better for two reasons. The first being I liked the song a good deal more, the second was the choice of shots they used. The pace may have been slower than the first opening, but like, the Bayhem cut of Sorey standing up, glancing at Mikleo before moving forward at the end is really well done, Alisha giving the order to attack, Sorey reading the historical record, and it cutting to Velvet after zooming into his eyes... there's a lot of things I love about this OP.

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23. Knew Day - (K)now_Name - Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
2016 (2/11)
Winter 2016 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/Grimgar-OP1v2.webm

So basically, how far can an opening go entirely on the strength of it's song? 23rd apparently. Not that the opening is awful, or offensive, just kind of boring, much like the actual show. Also a stealthy under armour commerical. However, the music is god damn incredible. The violins melody driving throughout the entire song is brilliant, I love the singers voice, I love the drums, this song is incredible. I just can't really justify putting in the same category as the songs competing for the best OP of the decade because the visuals are pretty but dull.

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el bumpo

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24. Roar - Maon Kurosaki - To Aru Majutsu No Index OP6
2019 (5/9)
Winter 2019 (3/5)
https://animethemes.moe/video/ToaruMajutsuNoIndexS3-OP2-NCBD1080.webm

Index saved their best opening for last. While Psi-Missing didn't qualify for this list (not being from last decade, but the one before that), I don't think even that would have beaten this one. I probably could have put any number of Index/Railgun openings somewhere on this list, SeeS Visions and Sister's Noise deserve at least some honorable mention for coming close, but it was going to be Roar from the second I first heard it. Maon kills it with the vocals, driving the song with high energy, as the enormous cast of characters get their seconds in the spotlight. The action in the last 40 seconds or so is intense, stunning to watch, and just makes for a real treat every time you see it.

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25. Kawaru Mirai - ChouCho - Kamisama no Memochou
2011 (1/12)
Summer 2011 (1/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/KamisamaNoMemochou-OP1.webm

And with that 2011 has been entirely defeated. Definitely a good year for openings, but none quite made the top 20 for me. Some of the honorable mentions for this year were the Mirai Nikki Openings... well particularly the second one by Faylan, I actually hate the first one. The first Natsume and Book of Friends was also pretty good, and there was another One Piece opening that was beaten out by one that's further up the list in Fight Together by Namie Amuro. Matyrshoka by Nico Touches the Walls and Authentic Symphony by ChouCho are also worthy of honorable mention.

The song is beautiful, I have no idea what this anime is about, and the opening only makes me think it's about some girl who won't leave her room. But also there's a dude with a gun fetish and everyone else is like, yeah cool you do that buddy? I dunno, I think I may be reading too much into it. In any case, this opening had me instantly hooked, the first thirty seconds are just really beautiful with the use of color and styles, it really gave a sort of fairy tale in modern times sort of feel. The action was really strong as well, from the scene with the guy desperately running down the stairs, avoiding the crowd all the way to the point where they opened the door to the girl's room and she's crying happy tears... it's just done really really well, and barely makes it out of a really strong year of openings.

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Openings Left:
By Year:
2019 (5/9)
2015 (5/11)
2010 (4/7)
2018 (4/16)
2016 (2/11)
2014 (2/12)
2017 (1/6)
2013 (1/8)
2011 (1/12)
2012 (0/8)

We've got 4 years with a bit of representation left, while the others are down to their last few representatives.

By Season:
Winter 10/29
Fall 6/26
Spring 5/29
Summer 4/16

Looks like Winter is shaping up to be the best season for a good opening, at least according to my list. At the very least, it's the most top heavy season.

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And I just want to stop today on a nice even number. 25 songs left!

26. Sakura Mitsutsuki - SPYAIR - Gintama OP... uh one of them
2013 (2/8)
Winter 2013 (2/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/GintamaEnchousen-OP3-NCBD1080.webm

Gintama is a long runner, and it has a ton of really good openings throughout it's various runs. Because it keeps calling itself something slightly different every season Gintama, Gintama', Gintama(), etc etc, it's hard to keep track of which number this opening actually is. Still, this is definitely a real standout. SPYAIR makes some really good songs, and this one stands out as being really emotional. Tracing the sakura imagery throughout the opening is a really nice touch, and I really love the scene of Gintoki chasing after his master's back, before cutting to his two friends running right along side him. It was cute, damn it. In the end, it was between this, Flip by Wonderland, and another SPYAIR opening, I wanna be, but in the end i liked the combination of visuals + song better on this one.

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27. My Dearest - Supercell - Guilty Crown OP 1
2011 (2/12)
Fall 2011 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/GuiltyCrown-OP2.webm

It was so hard to rate this song 27th. At this point I am really splitting hairs about the openings in this list. I love this song so much, the way the music swells at the end of the first minute never fails to send shivers down my spine, the opening scene with Inori singing to the music gives me chills, and that action sequence at the end is absolutely gorgeous. It's a really beautiful looking anime that Sunrise went all out on for the opening. I'd like to give some props to the second opening, I don't like the song nearly as much as this one, but they put a lot of care into making that one beautiful too.

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28. Axxxis - LISA - Qualidea Code OP 2
2016 (3/11)
Summer 2016 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/QualideaCode-OP2-NCBD1080.webm

Jeez, Qualidea Code, how come based Japan gives you two openings from LISA? I don't know the answer to that. Qualidea Code was alright, but it wasn't like this big budget hit or anything. I mean, they 'killed' best girl out of nowhere and then used that as an excuse to change the opening so that's something, but it's still strange that's for sure. In any case, this song rocks, it's got serious high paced tempo, the buildup moments are sweet, and the fight scenes when the songs are going all out are very stylish. Samurai girl barely dodging sniper boy's bullet is just a really cool looking scene I have to give props to.

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29. We're Not Alone - Coldrain - Rainbow OP
2010 (5/7)
Spring 2010 (2/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/Rainbow-OP1.webm

Poor An-chan. He did his best, he really did. Rainbow had a surprisingly good opening, one that really stood out to me for years, even after watching it. It bounced around my list quite a bit before solidifying in the 25-30 range, and I think it's a good place for it. It hits hard with the screamo, but the melody is really nice, and seeing how the characters change from what they are in the beginning to what they are as grownups is done really well through liberal use of flashbacks. All in all, it's really cool, and I will fight anyone who hates that shot of the bird on the barbed wire fence.

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30. Aoi Shiori - Galileo Galilei - Anohana OP 1
2011 (3/12)
Spring 2011 (1/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/Anohana-OP1.webm

Some openings just make you real sad all of a sudden. This one... plucks at the heart like an angry pigeon looking for bread. The singers voice is absolutely mesmerizing, as we get to go on a journey of life, death, and moving on. I really liked the use of the younger versions of the kids overlaid over their current lives, really creating that discord that just hurts to watch. And as they all get together and Menma is pushing Jintan on... it's good, it's heartwarming, makes me want to tear up just a little bit. I love this song.

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You're a zzzzz. :(

31. Believe in my Existence - Jam Project - Cardfight Vanguard OP 2
2011 (4/12)
Fall 2011 (2/3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcjFhrPugVs

Y'all ready to play some children's card games? Early vanguard was actually pretty enjoyable, but that's because they focused on character growth, had an interesting villain, and a rival whose complete asshattery actually backfired on him and alienated him from his friends. It's good stuff, much like this opening. Jam Project can really belt it out, and while they aren't quite the same as they used to be, they can really get your blood boiling. The visuals themselves aren't amazing by any stretch, but they do have some nice complimentary scenes, from Aichi using Psyqualia in the fire, and immediately cutting to Ren with the psycho slasher face, and Kai being a wet stick in the mud... gotta love dem parallels. Also a big fan of the drums picking up in the second half of the song and carrying some serious momentum right to the finish.

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And why not, let's do a double.

32. Oath/Sign - LISA - Fate/Zero OP 1
2011 (5/12)
Fall 2011 (3/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/FateZero-OP1.webm

Choosing a Fate Zero opening was tough. I really like this and To the Beginning, but I felt like the hard rocking style of Lisa just worked better, and I ran with that. As it's an ufotable opening it looks gorgeous, the action is crisp and clean, and they go out of their way to make Kiritsugu look as hot as possible all the time. So props for that. I say that, but Saber's magical girl fransformation is probably the highlight of the opening, timing perfectly with the buildup of the music.

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:( umu.

33. &Z - Sawano Hiroyuki - Aldnoah Zero OP 2
2015 (6/11)
Winter 2015 (2/2)
https://animethemes.moe/video/AldnoahZeroS2-OP1.webm

This opening always gives me the chills. I love the instrumentation, the shots of Inaho and Slayne moving on from the princess's 'death' (she doesn't actually die, it's a running gag almost). The way the music swells up when they start the big space battle, it's all really good stuff, and another standout OP from Sawano Hiroyuki. Too bad Martians are just a bunch of dumb assholes, huh?

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34. Hacking to the Gate - Kanako Itou - Steins;Gate
2011 (6/12)
Spring 2011 (2/3)
https://animethemes.moe/video/SteinsGate-OP1.webm

Ah Steins;Gate. What a wonderful trip this was. The opening is a pretty trippy experience, as you have a lot of movement and copies laid over each other, a very simplistic monochrome style, and a singer who is just belting it out. It's a very exciting opening in that it can constantly keep your attention as more and more weird things start happening. It was also the only Science Adventure anime that really caught my interest. I dropped Robotics Notes fairly quickly, Occultic Nine was an awful experience, and I couldn't even remotely get into Chaos;Head or Chaos;Child or whatever it was. It's a really good opening, and now I'm basically going to be eliminating the rest of 2011 rapid fire after this.

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35. The Other Self - GRANRODEO - Kuroko's Basketball OP 3
2013 (3/8)
Fall 2013 (1/3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_eZs7Ix9-s

I'm pretty convinced Kuroko's Basetball is not actually about basketball, but instead just dudes with flat out super powers. As a big basketball fan myself, I was pretty drawn to this series fro the beginning and while it got super absurd, it was still a pretty fun ride. Granrodeo did a hell of a job with all the openings, but this one went above and beyond, and took it into the zone. The big draw is the action sequence where the characters are going off with their superpowers and shit, the unmissable shot, the twister around Murasakibara, Aomine and Kagami dueling in the zone, it's fricking intense, and something the earlier openings lacked.

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36. Raise Your Flag - Man With a Mission - Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans OP 1
2015 (7/11)
Fall 2015 (3/4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82HM0z6qd20

Raise your god damn flag! Iron Blooded Orphans is probably the best gundam product to come out of this decade, and Raise your Flag is one hell of an opening for it. Man With a Mission can really get you excited for something, and the call to raise your flag as beautiful action scenes punctuate the music makes for a really pleasant experience, even if it looks an sound gritty and rough, it adds to the charm of the whole thing.

There were actually quite a few really good openings for this anime, but I found Raise Your Flag just narrowly edges out Survivor by BLUE Encount and Rage of Dust by Spyair. The last opening had an awful song despite being the most visually interesting, but that's just the kind of life we lead.

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37. Kimi ja Nakya Dame Mitai - Oishi Masayoshi - Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
2014 (3/12)
Summer 2014 (1/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjgOD9vruTE

I loved this opening from the outset. You're introduced to it this really fun guitar riff, as you slowly get to establish what the characters are like with manga-like spreads in the background. The action sequence in the OP is completely out of nowhere, but hilarious and true to character, and it does a pretty good job at establishing what you're about to experience when you watch the anime. It's a lot of fun, and a pretty good relisten.

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38. Just One Life - SPYAIR - Samurai Flamenco OP 1
2013 (4/8)
Fall 2013 (2/3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QQSAnc20JQ

I love the instrumentation of this opening, it's just something you can listen to again and again without getting sick of it. The action scene in this one is really intense, just oozing with style, and the reveal that it was all just a dream of Masayoshi's was a really neat touch, and a perfect opening for the first half of the series.

Then it went entirely off the rails and I dropped it. The stakes kept ramping up to the point where it became a parody of itself and the reason I was watching it was for the cute interaction between the main guys. *sigh* Oh well.

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39. One Reason - DWB with Fade - Deadman Wonderland OP
2011 (7/12)
Spring 2011 (3/3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc7f5tAD5U8

I don't know why I still hold onto this opening, but it's definitely one you don't forget easily. It kind of feels like listening to a Linkin Park song, but like just sort of vaguely japanese... In any case, the style could best be described as edgy-cool, which only works sometimes, but it hits those notes perfectly. The last thirty seconds or so are just a real good time. Do I have any desire to watch this anime? Nope, maybe if I was a teenager again it'd appeal to me, but at least the opening is really cool.

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40. Complication - Rookiez is Punk'd - Durarara Op 2
2010 (6/7)
Spring 2010 (3/3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQOc_07raNE

The DRRR openings have a lot of style to them, but this song is just so nice on the ears I had to go with this opening in particular. It has great establishing shots of the goofballs and people of Ikebukuro, and always gets you ready for a wild trip into their daily lives. I love the transition shots that show up as they introduce the characters rapid fire, from the ladle Namie holds to the streetpost Shizuo is chucking down the street like a god damn lunatic, it's all great fun.


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Remote Energy Absorption?

Sounds OP as fuck.

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Well let's get to 41 before the new year starts. Well for me anyway, Happy new year East Coasters.

41. Shout - Hiroyuki Sawano - Re;Creators OP 2
2017 (2/6)
Summer 2017 (1/1)
https://animethemes.moe/video/ReCreators-OP2-NCBD1080.webm

Re;Creators had some really strong openings, both this and Gravity Wall are really good songs, and choosing between them was tough, but I found Shout to be better paced. Gravity Wall kind of loses it's momentum in the last thirty seconds, so I went with the better pace. The action sequences from about 45 seconds on is visually stunning, and it peaks with the crescendo of the singers voice. Of course it couldn't get to that point without the great buildup in the first 45 seconds. I do love me some Sawano songs, they always get you hyped up for what's to come.

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