There’s no way I can pick just one.
Tank 👌
Stein’s Gate’s OP with the song Hacking to the Gate is probably my favorite overall including both visuals and the song itself.
Prior to watching Stein’s Gate my favorite was Shakugan no Shana’s first OP with the song Scarlet Color Sky.
I also really liked the OP for Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto (Someday’s Dreamer) with the song Kaze no Hana which was my favorite OP before that.
Honorable mention to Honey and Clover for having the most WTF OP out of all the anime I have ever seen.
If you’re looking for something else to listen to, basically any OP by Yoko Kanno or performed by Kalafina is good. e.g.:
- Hikari no Senritsu from Sora no Woto
- Tank! from Cowboy Bebob
- to the beginning from Fate/Zero (EDIT: I originally said “both OPs” but I got mixed up with one of the EDs – the other OP is oath sign performed by LiSA)
- the Ghost in the Shell SAC OPs – particularly Rise fron 2nd Gig
A few others that I enjoyed are:
- Asterisk – Bleach’s first OP
- Only My Railgun – A Certain Scientific Railgun
- Choir Jail – Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
but there are way too many to list, so I’m going to stop there before I write a novel.
Edit: Added links. Thanks @Davel23 – I’ve been trying to stay off of YouTube lately and didn’t know about that site until you posted your comment!
Evangelion - The Cruel Angel’s Thesis
The EDs are also absolute works of art. And that ultra-long pan of the town is a joy to watch.
Op 2 kicks ass as well
Posts question to op as op and doesnt answer. Leaves
That would be “What’s your favorite anime, OP?”
But I guess I have to edit the title anyway lol
Probably Serial Experiments Lain. Duvet by Boa.
Pani Poni Dash! - Kiiroi Bakansu
Honorable mention - Galaxy Angel - Bang! Bang!
I usually watch an OP once for a show and then skip it each time afterwards. That being said, there are a handful that I remember making the choice to always watch each episode. In no particular order:
- (NSFW) B Chiku Sentai SOX - “SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist” - I always laughed at the visuals of this more than anything. This show was wild.
- Onegai Muscle - “How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?”
- Idol - “Oshi no Ko”
- Zeitaku na Saji - “Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill”
- GO!!! - “Naruto”
I will never skip the opening (song: Tombi) of Trigun Stampede. It made me a fan of Kvi Baba, who I’d never discovered before.
The tone and lyrics make it the perfect Vash theme song.
God yes. Both the original and the special version sung by the crew.
yeah, with this one also https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJ6kEORvwM they are my preferred ones. I don’t know animes at all but they simply seem perfect to me :)
Conan during the who is bourbon arc. I was pumped during that arc. I skip 90% of episodes not based on the manga so it only played for like 6 eps or so.
Psycho pass, all. Even the one I initially didn’t like got an animation change which somehow saved it.
Preserved roses. Actually almost any tm rev or Abingdon boys school. It might have been an ending but the Tokyo magnitude 8 Kimi no uta. Darker than black, several Gundam and similar, etc.
The opening of beastars has amazong animation and some kinda silly vocal maneuvers that all together I liked more than the whole anime.
One or two from the old Inuyasha that went for like 509 episodes and didn’t even finish the main plot.
Several themes from steins gate game and anime. They always bring back the feels.
The entire sound track of natsume yuujinchou. That also gives me nostalgia hits.
Aku no hana. The anime was strange to say the least but that song really layered on the stress.
All the kalafina songs in fate/¿? I think /zero. I really like kajiura’s music. Heavenly blue used in aldnoah zero too. The lyrics are really nice and fit the show really well.
Probably tons more. Like one for every 5 bad ones though.
Hero’s Come Back from Naruto Shippuden
Honorable mentions:
- SAO Crossing Fields
- Cowboy Bebop Tank
- Gurren Lagann Sorairo Days
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Inner Universe from GitS: SAC - if cyberpunk had a theme song, it would be this.
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No Separation from Heaven Official’s Blessing - a warm, slowly building love song with a hint of loss and longing.
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A Cruel Angel’s Thesis from NGE - an energetic, action-y song with darker undertones.
https://animethemes.moe/anime/ghost_in_the_shell_stand_alone_complex
Gives me chills, I love it.
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My favorite opening is probably Akame Ga Kill. Either that, or Angel Beats