25 Best Anime Openings of All Time (2024)

When you first dive into the world of anime, it’s mostly the story and characters that we gravitate towards. However, as time goes by, we all realize that it’s not only the characters or story that make an anime special or memorable. There’s another specialty of anime that we begin to appreciate – the opening theme songs. Now, if you are someone who regularly watches anime, chances are that many opening songs like JJK’s Kaikai Kitan from JJK or Demon Slayer’s Gurenge are already on your playlist. Out of the thousands of anime OP themes released so far, every fan has their own personal favorites. But if you are in search of more songs to add to your collection, we have created a list of the 25 best anime openings of all time. Enjoy!

Note: Psst! Obviously, we can’t rank all these wonderful anime opening songs that we adore so much. So, without any further ado, okay, three, two, one, let’s jam!

25. “Idol” – Oshi no Ko

• Artist: Yoasobi
• Opening Number: 1

Oshi no Ko became quite a sensation shortly after its release in 2023 and it was packed with quite a banger of an opening. The opening was produced by none other than the famous Japanese singer Yoasobi. The Idol by her was such an addictive song and with the blistering visual of the animation team, it became a blockbuster hit.

I mean, it has piled up over 250M+ views on YouTube within 3 months of its release, and that’s a testament to how well it was received by the fandom. If you haven’t watched this anime yet, I highly recommend you check it out as it’s one of the recent additions to the sad anime list.

24. “Work” – Hell’s Paradise

• Artist: Millennium Parade and Sheena Ringo
• Opening Number: 1

The first half of 2023 just got over and we have got a lot of catchy openings. With the animation quality improving every year, we were stunned by the quality of Hell’s Paradise opening. The Work by Millennium Parade and Sheena Ringo is an instantly addictive song and when blended together with the top-notch visuals of Hell’s Paradise, it resulted in a huge treat. This energetic opening has cemented its place as one of the best openings just like the anime. Therefore, if you haven’t watched this anime, I highly recommend you start watching this one on Netflix (See the best anime on Netflix here).

23. Battle Cry – Samurai Champloo

• Artist: Nujabes feat. Shing02
• Opening Number: 1

Shinichirō Watanabe, the man behind one of the greatest anime, Cowboy Bebop dropped yet another masterpiece after that which is Samurai Champloo. And just like how Cowboy Bebop had one of the greatest anime openings of all time, Samurai Champloo offered us one of the most unique anime openings I’ve ever seen. It’s kind of similar to Cowboy Bebop’s Op but the distinct art style and Battle Cry by Nujabes feat. Shing02 was just amazing. We want to witness more openings like this since I believe this is the only one that is a hip-hop-based anime opening.

22. “Home” – Fruits Basket

• Artist: Toki Asako
• Opening Number: 2

We have a lot of dynamic and energetic anime openings already, how about a sweet and soulful opening? Well, Fruits Basket, one of the best romance anime has one. Fruits Basket has a beautiful soundtrack as well as Ops and Eds and one such mesmerizing opening is Home by Toki Asako. It is a gorgeous montage of our favorite characters from Fruits Basket with this soothing song in the background. I also recommend this anime highly if you love cats (see the best anime for cat lovers here) as it features one of the best cats in anime.

21. “Bloody Stream” – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

• Artist: Coda
• Opening Number: 2

Bloody Stream by Coda is one of the perfect fits for one of the best seasons of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. It rightly suits the mood of the anime with a colorful and unique art style. There is also a Dio version of this song which I think you should check out. JoJo has been a special anime as it has presented us with more iconic moments, meme materials, dope soundtracks, and great anime openings as well as endings too!

20. “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” – Neon Genesis Evangelion

• Artist: Yōko Takahashi
• Opening Number: 1

Neon Genesis Evangelion is without a doubt one of the masterpiece anime to be created. And for a great anime like that, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis (Zankoku na Tenshi no Te-ze) is a tailor-made anime opening. This classic anime is loved by many fans across the world and hearing this opening by Yōko Takahashi feels so nostalgic and brings back so many memories. For an anime to have more psychological themes, its has such an enjoyable anime opening to vibe to at least.

19. “Hero” – One Punch Man

• Artist: JAM Project
• Opening Number: 1

The One Punch Man anime caused a storm when it was released back in 2015. Eight years have passed since then and we never got an amazing superhero anime opening like The Hero by JAM Project. This anime opening is one of the best ever as it meticulously incorporates the one-punch power of our hero Saitama into a song. It’s just one of the songs you can just hop into before your workout or any activity to get boosted.

18. “Renai Circulation” – Bakemonogatari

• Artist: Kana Hanazawa
• Opening Number: 4

Renai Circulation has been circulated as a meme for so long that this opening is more famous than the whole anime. Although this opening was just there for two episodes, it went on to become one of the greatest anime openings of all time, thanks to the memes. It is one of the most saccharine anime openings I’ve ever come across and I listen to it almost every day. The artist’s charming voice totally lightens up the mood with eye-pleasing visuals. Therefore, Bakemonogatari’s opening will continue to be popular in the form of memes forever.

17. “Colors” – Code Geass

• Artist: FLOW
• Opening Number:1

For a pretty dark anime, Code Geass had a colorful opening featuring the Colors by FLOW. This song is made by the same artist who gave us another beautiful opening “Sign” from Naruto. They never miss their targets, isn’t it? The colors by FLOW is inarguably one of the greatest anime openings of all time. Code Geass is also one of the best anime with an OP main character, thus if you want a mind-blowing ride, go for it!

16. “Cry Baby” – Tokyo Revengers

• Artist: OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM
• Opening Number: 1

Tokyo Revengers’ MC Takemichi is often known as the cry baby and as a suiting theme, Cry Baby by Official Hige Dandism was made the first opening theme for the anime. Before the anime started to gain popularity, this anime opening was certified to be a banger on day 1 when the first episode aired. I still remember vibing to this refreshing anime opening every day the episode came and never skipped it. That’s how cool it is and the montage of our fav Tokyo Manji characters in cold poses with this song makes it even more cooler!

15. “Kaikai Kitan” – Jujutsu Kaisen

• Artist: Eve
• Opening Number: 1

Eve has dropped yet another masterpiece of a song for the Jujutsu Kaisen anime. As we all know, JJK is known for its out-of-the-world animation quality by MAPPA Studios. And the opening is nothing short of it, as it is packed with enthralling visuals coupled with an enchanting song by Eve. There has been a number of various anime openings for JJK but I believe nothing can come close to this showpiece by Eve.

14. Fly High – Haikyuu

• Artist: Burnout Syndromes
• Opening Number: 4

Haikyuu is undoubtedly one of the best sports anime to ever be created. And for such a great anime like that, it had a number of openings. But nothing came close to the opening 4- Fly High by Burnout Syndromes. Why you ask? It’s because this song is a tailor-made fit for this anime. The lyrics perfectly suit the characters and their goals which are often represented as a metaphor with the help of crows. This is a highly motivating and sparkling anime opening to be produced.

13. “Bokurano” – My Hero Academia

• Artist: Eve
• Opening Number: 11

There have been a total of 11 anime openings in the My Hero Academia series and there are many addictive songs in this. But the recent anime opening Bokurano by Eve for MHA’s 6th season became an instant favorite to the fans. Eve has now created a stunning anime opening for two of the best current Shonen anime that is JJK and MHA. Whilst the latest season tuned to a darker tone, this opening shined and hoped for better things to come in the future. And we can’t forget to mention the two OG favorite MHA openings which is “The Day” & “Odd Future“. Together MHA has offered us many gold openings to listen to forever.

12. “99” – Mob Psycho 100

• Artist: Mob Choir
• Opening Number: 1

Mob Psycho 100 truly belongs to one kind of anime. I highly doubt even the ONE, creator of Mob and OPM could even repeat this magical experience of the life story of Mob. And as a perfect fitting for this special anime, the 99 by Mob Choir went on to become one of the best anime openings of all time. What makes this opening so special is that if you have watched the anime you would know how Mob’s powers load up to 100! Taking the same concept they turned that into an inspiring and energetic song with trippy visuals. Who knew that counting numbers from 1 to 100 could be this fun? Furthermore, this opening was for season 1 yet it foreshadowed many major events in the upcoming events which we only realised later on.

11. “Gotta Catch Them All” – Pokémon

• Artist: Jason Paige
• Opening Number: 1

Well for most of us in the Gen Z, I bet this is the first ever anime opening we have listened to in our lives. I vividly remember the days when I would sit and try to sing this opening as it plays on the TV. Jason Paige gave us one of the most iconic anime openings of all time without a doubt. And even if we tune in to this song now, it immediately takes us back to those days and reminisces those Pokemon moments in our lives. This song will always be such a nostalgic and legendary one and will never be forgotten!

10. “Kick Back” – Chainsaw Man

• Artist: Kenshi Yonezu
• Opening Number: 1

Out of all the best anime openings here, this one has to be the most cleverly and meticulously created work of art in my opinion. When Chainsaw Man blew up the internet when it aired, its opening played a huge part in that. It’s my personal favorite anime opening out of everything here because of its numerous references to Hollywood and anime. As a cinephile and an otaku, I can’t appreciate enough this brilliantly crafted work, and with Kenshi Yonezu’s thundering voice, this song was absolutely rocking to the next level!

9. “Silhouette” – Naruto Series

• Artist: Kana – Boon
• Opening Number: 16

After Pokemon, the Dragon Ball series, and One Piece, it’s the Naruto series that was a big part of our childhoods for sure. And Naruto has offered us not just one, but literally lots of classic anime openings which will be eternally remembered. Out of all the Naruto openings, Silhouette by Kana-Boon is still ruling the hearts of the fans even after decades. The glimpses of our favorite character together with this gifted song are such a delight to watch and listen to all day. I’m sure there are many other favorites Naruto openings that deserve to be mentioned such as Blue Bird, Hotaru no Hikari, and Sign.

8. “We Are” – One Piece

• Artist: Hiroshi Kitadani
• Opening Number: 1

Gol D. Roger’s last words “My wealth and treasures? If you want it, you can have it! Search for it!”, this lines kick-started the greatest adventure to be ever told. At the same time, it was beautifully merged with Hiroshi Kitadani’s “We Are” to be shaped as one of the iconic anime openings in history. It is the top favorite of every One Piece fan out there. Additionally, we are so blessed to witness the remake of this opening in One Piece’s 1000 episode with the current Straw Hat crew. This special portrayed how far we have come really and enjoy all those moments again. One Piece also features more exhilarating openings such as Hope, Brand New World, and Dreamin’ On.

7. “Departure” – HunterxHunter

• Artist: Masatoshi Ono
• Opening Number: 1

Departures by Masatoshi Ono is one of the highly esteemed anime openings of our time. Ono’s magical voice with the motivating lyrics and scintillating visuals of HxH is a sight to behold. This song really pushes and inspires us beyond to achieve our goals, thus I recommend you to check out the translation of these lyrics. Listening to this song again gives us goosebumps and takes us on a memory ride to all the iconic HxH moments (see the best arcs of Hunter x Hunter here).

6. “Again” – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

• Artist: Yui
• Opening Number: 1

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is in the god-tier leagues in the history of anime. And just like the anime, its opening Again by Yui is one of the greatest openings of all time. Yui’s beautiful and soothing voice elevated this song to a level that will remain unmatched. Along with the song, it also features our favorite characters in an enthralling montage which made us never skip this opening. There is also a debate about FMA Vs FMAB, and this opening will give FMAB the edge over the former, just kidding!

5. “Tank” – Cowboy Bebop

• Artist: Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts
• Opening Number: 1

I easily run out of words when I start to praise the legendary anime “Cowboy Bebop.” It is a unique anime with futuristic world-building and a distinctive storyline. The characters are all quirky, and that is why we fell in love with this show. The creators perfectly gathered and utilized every aspect of the show like the characters, their weapons, spaceships, etc. to create the most idiosyncratically fun anime opening.

Very recently, they recreated this opening song for the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop. However, they couldn’t recreate the magic of the anime, and the adaptation too wasn’t a success. Let’s hope Netflix’s One Piece live action adaptation lives up to the hype and the fans’ standards.

4. “Unravel” – Tokyo Ghoul

• Artist: TK from Ling Toshite Sigure
• Opening Number: 1

One of the most popular and recognizable anime openings of all time will have to be Unravel from Tokyo Ghoul. Even some of my friends who are not anime fans know this theme, that’s how popular this opening is. As many fans might be aware, even though the anime did not do enough justice to the manga, Unravel managed to touch hearts and is easily the all-time best anime opening song in history.

For a psychological and dark anime, it has the right lyrics to describe its themes, and the visuals are equally stunning. Even if you are not planning on watching this anime, this opening song will catch you off-guard and have you screaming out with TK!

3. “Gurenge” – Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)

• Artist: LiSA
• Opening Number: 1

2019 was a special year for anime fans as one of the most influential anime, Demon Slayer aired. It raised the animation quality bar so high that many modern anime have been inspired to push the limits today. And that is the same case with its opening too, Gurenge by LiSA, was a blockbuster hit anime opening and topped the charts for a long time since its debut.

LiSA’s energetic voice along with Ufotable Studios’ peak animation made this opening an all-time favorite among fans. Its also a commonly used song in anime reels. There are also recent stunning Demon Slayer anime openings such as Zankyou Sanka & Kizuna no Kiseki, which are worth taking note of.

2. “The World” – Death Note

• Artist: VAP Official
• Opening Number: 1

In addition to Demon Sayer, Death Note is considered to be one of the most popular starter anime for newbies. As a result, this anime’s opening first special anime opening song is close to the hearts of many. It is another solid theme song from the start and even teased and foreshadowed the character of our MC Light Yagami.

This anime also has a chilling and intriguing soundtrack, which you can check out if you love this anime opening like me. Death Note will forever remain the first anime for many, and so does its opening song.

1. “Guren no Yumiya” – Attack on Titan

• Artist: Linked Horizon
• Opening Number: 1

Even a decade after its release, the anime opening that has been winning the hearts of the fans is Guren no Yumiya by Linked Horizon. I’m surprised by the number of outstanding openings chosen by the Attack on Titan anime staff, but this is one of the most popular ones among fans.

This anime opening’s lyrics and visuals flawlessly portray the never-ending fighting spirit of our favorite characters. No matter what, at every point in an AOT fan’s life, Guren no Yumiya will continue to echo loud. We highly recommend checking out other AoT soundtracks by the same artist as well. Goosebumps guaranteed!

Also, how we could not mention Shinzou wo Sasageyo! and Rumbling. These opening themes have cemented a special place in the hearts of AoT fans. Recently, the rumbling took the world by storm, and Shinzou wo Sasageyo made us feel patriotic for a non-existent nation!

So, these are the 25 greatest anime opening themes of all time. I’m sure there are many more anime openings that we haven’t been able to include here. If we have missed out on any of your favorites, do let us know in the comments below. We plan to regularly update this list to add your suggestions to the mix.

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