Best tv show/anime openings

Since they added Evangelion to Netflix recently it got my nostalgia juices flowing and gave me an urge to go and re-watch some of the classic and awesome openings. Here is a list I put together quickly of some of my favorites. Feel free to share any show/anime openings you think is really well done, it doesn't have to be from something old.

I'll start with another classic anime op, the intro for the original Ghost in the Shell movie. I actually bought this movie at a flea market when I was a young teen for a few dollars because I thought it looked cool, little did I know I'd purchased one of the best anime films ever made.


Black Sails is one of the best pirate shows made imo, and the op really helps set the tone for the show. Sadly it is finished now but it's one of those openings I go back to listen to every now and then just because it's that good.


Psycho-Pass isn't the oldest anime but it's a great anime about a dystopian future world where thought crimes are treated like real crimes. It has an intense op that quickly became one of my favorites.


Marvel's Daredevil is one of those superhero shows with a darker tone, which is exactly the way I like em. The visuals and music does a great job setting the somber and gritty atmosphere for the show.


Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni is often said to have one of the best anime openings, at least in terms of the artwork, although the music matches the visuals nicely and lets you know this isn't an anime for children despite how it may seem.


Westworld quickly rose to be one the best rated shows of all time so I'm sure most have seen it. The op is a beautiful mix of old western and sci-fi themes, you can feel they put love and effort into it, just like the rest of the show.


Mushishi Zoku Shou is a continuation of the brilliant Mushishi anime series. The op for Zoku Shou is gorgeous and matches the relaxing mellow vibe of Mushishi while also highlighting the deep emotional aspects of the series.


One Outs is an anime about gambling and baseball, made by the same guys who created the loved gambling anime Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor. I'm not a fan of baseball at all but the gripping story line and sweet opening got me hooked. (if embed doesn't work watch here)


Although they only used this op for one episode of The Strain, I thought it was really well made, the artwork is especially nice and fits the spooky mood of the show well.


Black Lagoon is another "classic" anime from the mid 2000's as are several others on this list. It is one of those badass animes proving anime isn't just for kids, and it has an equally badass op.


Salem is probably a lesser known show but I always loved the op and the show itself despite the fact I don't really believe in anything paranormal. Maybe it's just me but I really enjoy the visuals and music in the op of Salem.

a reply to: ChaoticOrder

Thanks for those!!

I guess we are both gen-x gateclosers where ghost in the shell was your childhood favorite mine was of course...



I'm going to look into your suggestion about Evangelion now...

Peace

originally posted by: operation mindcrime
a reply to: ChaoticOrder

I'm going to look into your suggestion about Evangelion now...

There are really only two "mech" anime I've ever watched, Evangelion and Code Geass, and for good reasons.

a reply to: ChaoticOrder

Code Geass is awesome. But my favorite mech ever was the ai bot in Gargantua.
It had an amazing plot twist.

But I only mentioned it because the awesomeness of the mech. The best anime intro is still dbz.

Noticed the Ghost in the Shell and Mushishi Zoku Shou OP's I embedded have been removed so here are replacements.

I thought one intro I saw recently was pretty good, from 11eyes:



The actual anime is.. OK. Certainly not on the level of a Mushishi.

Its a bit funny you bumped this post though. Ive been meaning to actually make a list of my favorite OP/ED this weekend since I can never remember them.

The only opening I can remember by heart, and all of it at that, is Evangelion. So, that should indicate where I stand on that I remember impatiently waiting for each release to be imported..

Looking back on it, the Hollywood Video I used to go to must have had a big anime fan in their ranks. They were completely on point with releases and had several aisles of it.

a reply to: Serdgiam

Not sure if you're a Bleach fan but I hear they are releasing a new season next year... can't wait to hear the voice of Ichigo again. It was the first anime I ever watched, and still one of the best imo.

a reply to: ChaoticOrder

Ive watched it off and on throughout the years, but have yet to actually sit and watch it. Its one of the few series where the sheer number of seasons is a bit intimidating. Ill get to it though! But, I do like to wait for full seasons to complete. I think Evangelion might have been the first series for me.

Really the only thing on my TV is anime, so I watch quite a bit of it.. I have my issues with the medium (typical male anime protagonists, incomplete series, impressively terrible endings, etc) but the median quality is leaps and bounds above western entertainment imo. The art style is one of my favorites too, and as silly as it might be to some, it inspires me just as much as someone like a Dali.

The culture it has created is fascinating and unique too, though I dont "get" a lot of it.

Openings and endings are a good example. They are like a little sub-universe within the medium, but frequently have little connection, quality-wise, with the actual show.

Bleach is definitely a really long anime, I wouldn't watch anything that long these days. I actually only finished Bleach a few months ago haha. I also agree that the OP's don't always match the quality of the show, but I feel like most of the openings I embedded are fairly good representations of the shows.