Hey everybody. Well, I thought I would get a couple more of these lists in to help close up my time on this blog. I would keep milking these lists, but I don't work for EA after all. So, let's open up The Next Top 13 Anime Openings!
Like my previous lists, this will be a mix of both dubbed and Japanese themes, and some of my choices could surprise you, so let's get this started.
13. "We Are," One Piece
The first of many great openings for One Piece, this song has become an anthem in its own right for the Straw Hats; no matter what the language it's in. It's seen numerous remixes and also had an entirely new song, "We Go," influenced by it heavily.
12. Digmon Tamers US Intro
I have spoken before about how much I enjoyed Digimon Tamers, and while the JP intro is decent from what I've seen of it, this industrial metal remix of the original intro is one of the many reasons this season is my favorite. As the last series that aired prior to the Disney/Fox Family buyout, it was a great one to go out on; and this theme is a key reason why.
11. Dragon Ball Super Intro 2
While the first opening to Dragon Ball Super was admittedly enjoyable, this one that airs in where I currently am on the series (still need to finish Resurrection of F so I can get properly caught up), this one is definitely my favorite one so far. It is a glorious piece of driving rock that works no matter what the language; and I just get pumped every time I hear it.
10. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Opening 1
While I admit I have a soft spot for the 2003 anime and its opening even today, I do admit one of the things I'm enjoying most about Brotherhood is the theme music. It starts out inviting enough, with some shots of the countryside and calm vocals, but as the tune progresses; we see Edward lose his arm and leg; Alphonse lose his body and some highlights of their journey, and then; a bunch of hammering guitar strings and rock sound start escalating to a more faithful take on Hiromu Arakawa's landmark manga. It's a song that I rarely use the "skip intro" button on ever.
9. "Sonic Drive," Sonic X JP Intro
I admittedly have a soft spot for the US intro, "Gotta Go Fast," but as I discovered the subs, I was surprised to find that I like this version even more. Whether it's an official or unofficial sub, this is one of the catchiest openings I've heard of any video game adaptation.
8. Mob Psycho 100 Opening
With a second season on its way for 2019, this intro is another standout in an excellent series. Though others prefer the same author's "One Punch Man," the "Mob Choir" backs a psychedelic opening that is perfect for a young man balancing his coming of age with awakening of psychic powers. If season 2 can produce an intro every bit as memorable as this, I will be very eager to hear it.
7. "Iku Z," Pokémon XYZ JP Intro
While it was a tough call to determine what Pokémon intro I would include, I decided it would ultimately be this one. Though XYZ may be at times a divisive end to the XY series (Even without the Lumiose Conference debacle, mind you), it's still a great hard rock sound with some fantastic visuals and a great performance from Rica Matsumoto.
6. "Fighting Dreamers," Naruto Intro 4
I still may be little more than a casual Naruto fan, but even I will admit this intro is a vast improvement over the previous one. Even if another intro has more memetic status, this one easily captures the experience and themes of the show in a single track. Now, onto the top 5!
5. "Through the Night," Outlaw Star Intro
Would you believe this song was one of the main reasons I wanted to do this list? It's true: they did a fantastic job remastering this anime, and it pulls you in right out of the gate with a bunch of driving rock and futuristic visuals combined with shamisen strings and hitwomen wielding wooden swords. Even with what I have in mind next, it's a great song to round out the trinity of '90s science fiction anime along with Cowboy Bebop and Trigun.
4. "Yu-Gi-Oh" US Intro 1
Though the quality of Yu-Gi-Oh intro songs has varied wildly over the years, much like the series itself; this first intro has yet to be topped for me. While not quite as catchy as the first Pokémon or Digmon openings, it's still a good piece of early-2000s fusion of pop and tribal music that lasted for each of the original few seasons.
3. xXxHolic opening
It has nothing to do with naked liquor, I assure you: this haunting intro, with its offbeat sound and stammering lyrical hook about a "black swallowtail butterfly" are the ideal accompaniment to this gothic anime that proves that you don't need excessive gore in order to make a good horror story.
2. Robotech intro
Though the orchestral music may be simple on paper, it's a great companion to a series that took three otherwise unrelated series and turned them into what's actually a compelling show for its time. It was a tough list to work out, but here's my top choice.
1. "The Day Has Come," My Hero Academia
This is yet another list that was much harder for me to rank my entries than select them. That said, when I began work on my final draft of this list about a year ago, I knew that this would be my top choice as the first of several great openings to My Hero Academia. This anime presents the kind of idealism I need right now, and this song embodies that. With season 4 confirmed for 2019, I honestly can't wait for what comes next.
Next up will be my final list for this blog: The Next Top 13 Anime Endings! See you, space cowboy.
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