So, during The Great Blizzard of March 2021, my friend Gerry the Artist and I recorded two things via Zoom. The first was our introduction to the Movie Madness 2021 brackets. The other was discussing and ultimately assembling this list of our combined Top 10 anime openings. (My apologies for taking so long to upload it.)

I highly recommend that you listen to at least part of the recording, which is linked here, because you get to hear our entire thought process on which ones to include on the list and why. However, this post will summarize everything.

In case you’ve never seen anime, which LOL, most if not all series have an 1:30 long opening song and animation sequence to get viewers hyped up for the show they’re about to watch. In some cases, it can also act as an introduction for first-time viewers. The idea is to highlight the main characters — protagonists, antagonists, side characters, love interests, etc. — and the main conflict of the series or the arc. Depending on the show or arc, these can range from straight-forward to hyper-artistic and from dark and moody to light and breezy.

Gerry and I each compiled an individual list, which included some overlap, and decided which 10 should make our combined list. Overall, we looked each opening as a whole — animation, music, etc. We created a few criteria in that we only wanted to include anime one or both of us had seen, and we limited it to one per franchise. Otherwise, I probably would’ve argued for about five different openings from Naruto: Shippuden to be on the list.

Now, without further ado, here’s our combined Top 10. I’ll try to include a link to the OP video in each entry, but in case the links no longer work, I apologize in advance. Sometimes, these things get taken down from YouTube pretty suddenly.

10. “Burn” (OP2) from Hanyo no Yashahime

Yashahime, the sequel to the anime Inuyasha, had a decent OP1. But, then midway through the first season, “Burn” started introducing each episode. And, boy, did it pack quite a punch!

Compared to the first opening, “Burn” has a lot more energy and a lot more going on animation- and story-wise. Not only does it give us an overview of the three protagonists and other supporting characters, it also has some slower, more reflective moments. And unlike OP1, here the animation moves at the same pace as the song. When it’s slower, the animation slows down. When it speeds up again, the animation does too. And, when it was introduced mid-Season 1, it also foreshadowed a lot of things that would happen later in the series, especially the finale. And, some of them were so subtle that you couldn’t notice them unless you paused at just the right moment.

Overall, it’s jam-packed with important images and has great energy! The only reason it’s not higher is because the show and intro are relatively new. I think we need to see how both stand the test of time.

9. “Just Communication” (OP1) from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

If you were a kid in the 1990s, and had no idea what Gundams were, this was an intro and a show for you. The opening makes it seem like a Japanese boy band is handling giant robots. It shows just how powerful the Gundams are, according to Gerry, who described how much he loved the show and the opening during our recording. And, I agree, “Just Communication” is really catchy.

8. “Overlap” (OP5) from Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters

While I personally have a soft spot for the various English-language openings, this intro is another strong one from the franchise.

This intro runs during the final arc of the series when Yugi, the Pharaoh & co go back into the past (or at least a memory version of it) to find out who the Pharaoh was and help him eventually move onto the afterlife. As Gerry described during the recording, the show and particularly this arch has such a deep, rich mythology. It also gives you a taste of what’s to come, including Kaiba’s origin story and his attachment to the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Overall, it’s beautifully animated and captures a lot of the atmosphere in that final arc.

7. “Through the Night” (OP1) from Outlaw Star

This opening is another holdover from mine and Gerry’s Toonami days. Ah, such good times. While I’ve never seen the show, Gerry described it as a “space pirate” epic. Everyone’s hunting for a treasure, and I mean everyone! Pirates, priests, police, and more! It’s a wild ride, and everyone should check out this show, according to Gerry.

6. “Pokémon Theme Song” (OP1) from Pokémon

If Outlaw Star was Gerry’s solo entry, this one was mine. Everybody who grew up watching Pokémon knows this song. Man, it’s so incredibly catchy!! It introduces you to the world, the variety of Pokémon, and the mindset of becoming the greatest Pokémon trainer. Ultimately, it’s a lot of fun.

5. “Stray” (OP1) from Wolf’s Rain

Much like Wolf’s Rain, this intro has the perfect blend of adventure and melancholy. The song itself straddles this line between being upbeat and energetic, while also being a little reflective and dour. It think it mostly comes from the lyrics and instrumentals. It also perfectly capture much of the mood and atmosphere of the characters, although not so much the world they inhabit.

This opening is also unique because — SPOILER WARNING — it actually takes place chronologically (to some degree) after the main events of the show. In fact, the final shot of the finale perfectly transition into the song “Stray” and allows you to connect the dots that the opening you’ve seen all season was actually taking place “in the future” from the rest of the show.

4. “Realm of Athena” (OP1) from Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas

For me, this intro is kind of perfect. It has a catchy song; it introduces the main characters and gives you a quick sense of their backstories and connections to one another; and it outlines the main conflict and the myriad of side characters. Ultimately, it’s fast-paced, visually beautiful and all-around captivating.

Gerry, meanwhile, explained how he’s a big Saint Seiya fan, as it part of his introduction to anime as a whole. Plus, this spin-off (or prequel, really) to the main series also emphasizes the importance of artwork. Hence the title: the Lost Canvas. And some of that comes out in the opening, which also really emphasizes the tragic elements of the show’s main story.

3. “Sign” (OP6) from Naruto: Shippuden

OK, so when I said Lost Canvas was kind of perfect, it’s because this opening actually IS perfect.

One of the big reasons I love this so much is because it perfectly encapsulates the not only the plot but the emotional turmoil of this arc. It gives us a preview of a lot of major plot points that happen in this arc including — SPOILER WARNING — Itachi and Jiraiya’s deaths.

Like “Burn” from Yashahime, this intro packs so much into 1:30 in terms of animation and emotion. It hypes you up for two of the biggest fights in the show, up to that point, and hints at the emotional fallout of both. There are so many great little moments even in this short intro that stand out so clearly in my mind, but Itachi taking Sasuke’s eye, Jiraiya clapping his sandals together, Pain rushing at Jiraiya, and Jiraiya seemingly sacrificing himself to save Naruto from ‘the darkness’ are among my favorites. Given that we open on happy memories for Itachi and Jiraiya, and then in this intro (and the arc in general) we see both those characters meet their end, “Sign” ultimately feels like a mini-story of those characters’ journeys.

It is absolutely perfect. The only reason it’s not higher on the list is because it’s not as iconic as our Top 2 entries.

2. “Cha-La-Head-Cha-La” (OP1) from Dragon Ball Z

So, when I watched DBZ on Toonami, it either didn’t have this intro or it had another one. The only experience I have with this opening is from the DBZ Abridged series on YouTube.

While I agree it is iconic, I don’t have strong feelings about it. Gerry, though, was able to elaborate on exactly what makes this intro so special.

DBZ or some intro from Dragon Ball had to be on the list somwhere, just because of how iconic and important the franchise is to so many anme fans. But, this intro is the best out there because of how succinctly it introduces you to the world of Dragon Ball. It’s adventurous and simple, while also introducing you to the fantastical elements of this world — people who can fly and shoot energy beams, giant dragons, dinosaurs, the Saiyans’ ape transformation, etc. It also hints at an approaching evil (the Saiyans) but ends on a hopeful note.

To quote Gerry, “It’s beautiful and timeless.”

1. “Tank” (OP1) from Cowboy Bebop

What a unforgettable opening!

If you’ve never seen that show and have never listened to this song, what is the matter with you?

Fun fact, this is also the second entry from composer Yoko Kanno on our list after “Stray.”

Even though I’ve never seen the entirety of Cowboy Bebop, the intro was the best part of the episodes I did watch. I has this strong jazz/noir vibe that the rest of the show gives off as well. It also definitely gets you hyped for adventure.

For Gerry, the most memorable aspect of the opening is the artistry and detail. The hand-drawn smoke, the background details that describe this world like clippings from a newspaper, the James-Bond-like silhouette of women that feels sensual and classy.

As Gerry said, “The artistry is amazing.” Even on this list, “Tank” is unique in its feel. A lot of anime, especially today, rely on pop songs to carry the openings. Here, its original music that was written with this world and these characters in mind. Even though it doesn’t have lyrics, it still tells the story better than most anime openings out there.

And that’s why we felt it deserved to be #1 on this list.

Thanks for sticking with us until the end. Feel free to send me a Tweet @CatchingClassic or message the Reel Nerds Facebook page if you’d like to see more of these collaborations with Gerry or more articles on anime.

Once again, definitely give the recording a listen. It’s about an hour long, but you get the whole thought process and hear about some of the other openings that we thought could be on this list.