LogFAQs > #942076722

12. Gravity Falls - Hbthebattle
https://youtu.be/X2DUpDxFJyg

Unique: 6.25
Story: 7
Music: 8.75
Animation: 7
Personal: 10
Average: 7.8

From the moment we see the aesthetic depiction of clouds rapidly passing over the ominous giant lumberjack at the start, its clear this is not an ordinary cartoon intro. Portions of the opening that serve to introduce the main characters seem conventional. But theres a juxtaposition of an almost saccharine tone with something sinister buried just beneath the surface that helps make this sequence so novel. The intro also manages to frequently subvert expectations, such as panning out from the characters examining an enormous footprint to see they are standing within an even larger footprint.

Theres a surprising amount of story here, much more so than anyone could notice without careful attention (more on that later). We see Dipper and Mabel getting off a bus with suitcases in hand in the peculiar town of Gravity Falls, where Stan makes a dramatic appearance before them in a cloud of smoke, only to see a letter fall off the Mystery Shack behind him. And we soon see that like his Mystery Shack, Stans persona is all an act, as he shifts his eyepatch from one eye to the other. We also get a good sense of the personalities of adventurous but anxious Dipper, and his overwhelmingly cheerful sister Mabel.

But thats still just scratching the surface. As I alluded to earlier, there are secrets hidden in this intro which further enhance the story. Most intriguing is the blink and youll miss it Zodiac wheel appearing for a split second at the end, which brings the viewer into the mystery by displaying various symbols of significance to the show. Another example is the voice near the end whispering a message that can only be understood in reverse to help decipher a hidden cryptogram. I cant even think of another intro with this level of hidden depth, and its a real treat to reward those who take the time to scrutinize the sequence.

As for the theme song, its undeniably catchy, with a cheerful but sentimental vibe like someone might get from thinking back to the carefree days of their youth when every day seemed like a new adventure. And the animation looks great, with a remarkable attention to detail on lighting and other effects (such as the distortion of Dippers face as he passes the glass bottle).

This is one of those intros that holds a special place for me, to say nothing of the wonderful show (if you havent seen it yet, seriously, do yourself a favor and see what youve been missing). And it very well could have gotten first place if I had ranked the intros based solely on my personal preference.