Joanna Marie O. Santos
July 20, 2023

Anime– apart from crazy twists, absurd and heavily engrossing storylines, and that one tall, thin character who is somehow always partnered with the short, heavy one, there is always one thing that you can expect animes to have: a fantastic, catchy, and emotional rollercoaster of a title sequence. 

 

You don’t really need to have been growing up watching anime to have seen an anime intro. You could have glimpsed it on TV while scouring the channels for something else, or you might have listened to a song your friends showed you in elementary school. Whether you have always been a fan and still are, or they’re just something you have been a fan of when you were younger, anime intros will remain iconic memories that still instill the same excitement we experienced watching them for the first time–as we rewatch and reminisce about them ten, twenty years later. 

 

For current and previous anime fans, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most iconic anime openings of all time. Sit back, relax, don’t forget to sing along! 

 

1.) Naruto: Blue Bird (ブ ル ー バ ー ド, Buru Bado)  by Ikimono-gakari

 

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"Blue Bird" - ikimono - gakari (LYRIC) OP 3 Naruto Shippuden

 

Produced by Ikimono-Gakari, Blue Bird is the opus number 3 of the Naruto Shippuden series featuring a grown-up Naruto who wants to become the greatest ninja in the world.

 

2.) Neon Genesis Evangelion: A Cruel Angel's Thesis (残酷な天使のテーゼ, Zankoku na Tenshi no Tēze) - by Toshiyuki Ōmori and Hidetoshi Satō 

 

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Shiro Sagisu, Yoko Takahashi - A Cruel Angel's Thesis - (Evangelion Original Soundtrack)

 

A J-pop song performed by Yoko Takahashi, A Cruel Angel’sThesis,s is the opening song for the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series and was released in 1995.

 

3.) Pokemon: Pokemon! (Gotta Catch 'Em All!) by John Siegler and John Loeffler 

 

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Pokemon Theme Song - Gotta Catch Em All! - Original

 

A common pop culture reference, it won’t be impossible to easily find someone who knows at least two sentences from the iconic "Gotta catch ’em all!" Pokemon's opening theme song. Originally by Jason Paige, now this song is sung by any adult who had grown up around the time Pokemon is airing. 

 

4.) Attack on Titan: Guren No Yumiya (紅蓮の弓矢) by Linked Horizon

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OkpRK2_gVs

 

Performed by the Japanese band Link Horizon, Guren No Yumiya is the song used as the opening track number for the anime adaptation of the popular manga series Attack On Titan.

 

5.) Tokyo Ghoul: Unravel by Tōru "TK" Kitajima

 

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Tokyo Ghoul Opening「Unravel」By Tōru "TK" Kitajima

 

Released as the first-ever single of Tōru "TK" Kitajima from the Japanese rock trio Ling Tosite Sigure, "Unravel" is used in the now iconic series Tokyo Ghoul. The song was released in 2014 under Sony Music Entertainment Japan. 

 

6.) Voltes V: Voltes V no Uta by Horie Mitsuko

 

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Voltes V opening theme full version

 

You don’t even need to speak an ounce of Japanese to know this song. Just the first few notes from the very beginning of the song will already feel nostalgic, even to those who didn’t really follow the anime series. 

 

7.)  Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: Again by YUI

 

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - OP Full "Again" by YUI

 

Written and performed by Japanese pop-rock artist Yui, “Again” is used as the first opening credit song to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which is the anime adaptation of the popular Fullmetal Alchemist manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. Fullmetal Alchemist was released between June 2001 and July 2010.

 

8.) Cowboy Bebop: TANK! by Seatbelts 

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFFa0QoHWvE

 

Written by Yoko Kanno and performed by Japanese band Seatbelts, TANK! Is a heavily instrumental track used as the opening song for the iconic anime Cowboy Bebop. This anime opening might have been released in 1998, but it still (be)bops today.

 

9.) Death Note: The WORLD by Nightmare

 

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Death Note - Opening Full 1『the WORLD』by NIGHTMARE - Lyrics

 

Released as the first theme song for the animated series Death Note, The WORLD landed at the number 5 spot on the Oricon charts, which is the main music chart of the Japanese music industry.

 

10.) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Gurenge (紅蓮華) by LiSA

 

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Kimetsu no Yaiba | Opening 1 - Gurenge | 4K Creditless

 

Composed by Kayoko Kusano and written and performed by pop singer LiSA, “Gurenge” was officially announced as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s opening theme song in 2019. 

 

The Anime Opening That Wanted To Be The Very Best

 

Regardless of growing up an anime fan or just as a casual TV watcher who caught a few episodes from time to time, anime openings are still iconic songs that help us remember parts of our childhood and the shows we watched back then. Nowadays, new anime series pop up on our streaming sites all the time, but these classic anime still hold a special place in our hearts. From time to time, it’s fun to rewatch old shows or listen to these iconic openings just to simply enjoy them.