Top 5 Anime Openings

I've seen these sorts of articles up and around the web (see Brandon's post) before, and I've always wanted to do one. So, without further ado....

Everyone who watches anime has favorite openings. Don't deny it, you do. Yes, you, the person who's reading this blog. If you watch anime you have a favorite opening. It's just the way it is. While we may like to believe that it doesn't matter that's not the nature of entertainment, because as humans we prioritize. If we didn't we'd just want our time on worthless anime (like Darker than Black or Myself; Yourself). Much is the same with the openings of these shows. I've been told that you can tell what an anime's about from the opening, and that if you want to understand the anime you just have to take a look at it's opening numbers to figure it out. I've never not seen this to be the case. So I pay attention to openings. Some do indicate what the anime's about so well that I can't help but like them. Some are just flat out awesome, and are sometimes the only thing that I enjoy about the show. Whatever the case, I have a set of 5 that are my favorites. And here they are, from the least favorite to the most.

5. Elfen Lied

No, I can't play the opening on this blog, it's not fit for general consumption. Go to Youtube, look it up, and tell them that you're 18 with an account. With that in mind, this is a beautiful opening. Yes, there are more naked women in it than in a classical museum. Notice how I said classical museum and not porn shop, because it's definitely not pornographic. I can hear some of the more conservative people I know (as well as rightly concerned parents) objecting to my classification of what's pornographic or not, but if the images that I see in this opening remind me of...

...this in style, structure, and intent, then how is it pornographic? Hint: it's not. You have the right to show your kids what you think is right, but please don't say this piece of art is pornographic for even a second, because I've seen more provocative paintings in Churches (Jesus holding his penis while on the cross, anyone??)

The music for this opening is completely sublime, sung with a full choir in Latin from start to finish. It's the most "classical" opening for any show I've ever seen, and that's what it makes it on to the top five.

4. Durarra

Oh my gosh, that bloody beat. It sinks into my body and I wanna dance. (I don't dance, it makes me very nervous) It's INFURIATING. But it's such an awesome opening! You can feel it, which is what music's supposed to do in the first place! It's the complete opposite of the show (Bones is known for doing slower work), but I can't help myself, damnit!

I love this song.

3. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, First Opening

I liked the first FMA well enough, but openings were underwhelming. Honestly, I didn't like a single one of them. They all came off as very generic, cliched pieces of crap that could have gone in front of any other anime. Thus my opinion of the first FMA was influenced, which is a crying shame, because the first FMA was good. When I heard that Brotherhood was coming out I was rightfully skeptical. The first one had set itself up as a good anime, why did they need to do it again?

I stopped asking questions. This was exactly what I wanted to see. It's unique, powerful, and sums up the entirety of the show in a minute. One. Minute. Top that, original FMA. Oh wait, you can't? Didn't think so.

2. Higurashi

Do I need to say anything else? I mean, watch it. Just, WATCH IT. If that doesn't creep you out please see the exit out of humanity. Thanks. You won't be missed.

1. Clannad Afterstory Opening

I. STILL. CHOKE. UP. No, it didn't do that to me right away. This opening weirded me out a bit after Clannad's opening, at first. The first opening was fun and upbeat, and lended to the jolliness of the first season. I saw this opening, and thought "What the heck?" The show continued to use the opening though, and sank in. And then Afterstory started with the cryfest, which you can read about on my other blog, The School's Trees. And then I understood why they'd made this opening. It was a reminder of all the things that had been, and all the things I wanted back in the show. This is, without doubt, the best sum up of any show I've ever seen, the most beautiful anime opening that STILL makes me want to cry watching it.

Clannad Afterstory. Awesomeness.