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Anime OP/ED Recommendation Thread.


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Cam0



Joined: 13 Dec 2009
Posts: 4888
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:25 pm Reply with quote
Veers wrote:
Ergo Proxy OP - Artfaggy style, pretentious text, cryptic symbols, mood-setting backgrounds of wastelands and destroyed cities, and a great song. English vocals also help hide your power level. What more could you ask for in an OP?


I knew someone would mention this. I've tried watching Ergo Proxy a few times and have always dropped it. The opening, though, is one of the best openings I've ever seen.
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AmpersandsUnited



Joined: 22 Mar 2012
Posts: 633
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:56 pm Reply with quote
classicalzawa wrote:
Digimon [OP1] [OP2] [OP3]
So structurally all the OPs are the same, showcasing the kids and their Digimon all while playing that damn catchy tune in the background (with some updates for new stuff in each seasons). And damn if we didn't wake up early to watch this show as kids and love the OP! Now that, is how you make the most use of like, 3 words.


eeew, let me fix this for you....

Digimon Adventure's Butterfly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sGsBgm1EMg

Digimon Adventure 02's Target
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn-BLIL3Isg

Digimon Tamers's The Biggest Dreamer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcEGGF0XQmI

might as well have this while we're at it

Digimon Frontier's Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OBctLwR8HI

Fire is one of my favorite Digimon openings. I love the opening with Cherubimon's evil seeping across and taking over the world and then they show the five heroes arriving by train. even with the upbeat and inspirational song, it's fairly bleak compared to the previous ones, as it's a lot of Cherubimon killing Seraphimon while the kids watch in horror and himself spreading over the Digital World. the ending shot with the ten warriors all in a circle is also great.

Biggest Dreamer is also great, I love Impmon's recurring appearing in all the scenes and in the end of him walking alone because its great foreshadowing towards his character arc.

Butterfly and Target are good too

It sucks the American English dub ruined the music along with everything else. These are some great openings and American kids get the title of the show repeated a hundred times instead with zero creativity. I tried to find a video of Xros Wars Hunters's opening which is also amazing but it's all audio-locked on YouTube Sad Probably my favorite one overall for the song along.
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4750G



Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 546
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 2:41 am Reply with quote
I'm trying not to repeat any recommendations by looking through dtm42's indexed titles while writing this, but if I commit a repetition, please forgive me.

While doing this post I noticed that all I've written are ending themes. I'll make a separate post for opening themes.

Full Metal Panic! ED

The video accompanying this song isn't stellar; in fact, it's very subdued, just changing photographs at the side while the credits roll. But if you actually look at the pictures, you'll see they show Kaname growing up. Couple that idea with the lyrics of the song:

今は別々の空見上げていても
ほら 歩ける ひとりでも

Although now we look up at different skies,
I can walk on my own. See?

I just feel... sad. I don't know why Kaname lives alone in the anime (I think her mom died?), but the fact is her family's nowhere to be seen, and the song feels perfect to describe her situation.

Bleach ED01

The first reason why I liked this song is it had English verses. Made the song easier to understand. I loved the accompanying video as well. What I liked most about this song is the message it conveys, really. It starts off with a person who questions herself, but ends with a person who embraces it.

Gakuen Alice ED

Okay, I confess, the winning aspect of this song for me is the penguin umbrella in the accompanying video. But penguin umbrella aside (I'm not even sure it's a penguin), the song is actually a perfect candidate for easy listening music. Nothing too loud, nothing too sad. It's still best listened to while seeing the video imo, the drawing's so cute.

Honey and Clover ED01

Another easy listening song for me. This might be a bit of a bias, but I like the song because I like the anime. When I think of why I like it, that's the reason that pops into my head. The accompanying video this time just shows a ferris wheel at the start and a bicycle wheel at the end. However, this song is very much in line with the overall theme of the anime. So plus points for that, I guess.

[the] Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya ED01

I'm surprised this song isn't on the list. I admit, I have studied the steps and danced the dance in the accompanying video. This is probably the most upbeat of all the songs in my list thus far. I love upbeat songs, so that's a plus for me. But seriously, the dance.

That's five for now. I'll search through my own collection of anime OSTs first before I post again.
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4750G



Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 546
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:34 am Reply with quote
Now for opening themes. I think this list will reflect how few titles I've watched. Confused

Fushigi Yuugi OP

Childhood memories. This song is one of the first anime theme songs I got into. This might be a bit of a bias again, because whenever I hear the song I am reminded of Miyaka et al, but that may not be the case for people who haven't seen the show. But I do believe that the song is good in itself.

Rurouni Kenshin OP

Rurouni Kenshin imo has good songs overall, but I think this one still tops my list. It's one of the songs I love singing along to. Memorizing Japanese lyrics is a bit hard, but I gladly learned this songs lyrics because it's just too damn catchy.

Magic Knight Rayearth OP01

Another childhood song. When I hear this song, the accompanying video immediately comes to mind. That cliff scene, I won''t forget it. Plus, this song had a dub in my native language, which when I was younger I found awesome, but now is just sorta... weird.

Ouran Highschool Host Club OP

Another catchy tune. I only ever learn the lyrics of songs I love singing along to, and this is definitely one of them. Plus I do think the accompanying video's pretty cute.

Love Hina OP

I don't have a better link;feel free to take down the video. As to why I recommend this song: the chorus. That super-hard-to-follow chorus is actually fun to listen to. And when you finally get it right, it's an awesome feeling.

I need to clean up list, I think...
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Pixelationist



Joined: 12 Jun 2012
Posts: 111
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:29 am Reply with quote
Okay, taking a bit of an emo turn.

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ED Okay I'll admit, I love this show. Yes it's not the most original story ever, it's based on a frickin' eroge, Takayuki is useless and Mitsuki is a bitch, but whatever, I love this show, and I think it has something to do with this song. It is a perfect encapsulation of the show's sentiments.

Gungrave ED One of my favourite shows and a great ED that captures the mood perfectly.

Marimite OP I'm not a particular fan of this balls out yuri fest but it did introduce me to Ali Project's non cyber goth orchestral stuff.

Gilgamesh ED The show was terrible and I only made it through a couple of eps, but this song by Ando Yuko has remained with me till this day, the melody and lyrics just gets right to me every time.

Koi Kaze ED This just felt like an emotional gut punch that capped off all the unbearable drama of each episode.
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kounoupi



Joined: 31 Dec 2009
Posts: 9
PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:03 pm Reply with quote
Naruto Shippūden OP1 This opening was the first after a very long time of (fillers) waiting. It was an opening that needed to get you fired up and back to story, and it did that for me. It shows the new appearance of the main characters and gives a little taste of what it's to come. What you see is in sync with what you hear. This opening stuck with me because it made me feel that truly was a "Hero's Come Back!!"

Kuroshitsuji II (Black Butler II) OP This opening change as the story develops, so I only put the first version. I liked the art and the direction (not sure if it's the right word to use, hope to understand what I'm trying to say), it brings out an atmosphere that it's quite fitting to the shows concept. But mostly in this opening I like the song (and after that the bassist but this is a whole other story Very Happy )
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nobahn
Subscriber



Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 5120
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 2:14 pm Reply with quote
dtm42--

Where is the link to this thread in the stickied section? I cannot find it; you did write that this is an officially sanctioned recommendation thread, after all.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 2:23 pm Reply with quote
nbahn wrote:
dtm42--

Where is the link to this thread in the stickied section? I cannot find it; you did write that this is an officially sanctioned recommendation thread, after all.


Tony K. never got around to linking it into the stickied thread and I forgot to ask him.

I did get his permission prior to making this thread, so it is de facto official.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:30 pm Reply with quote
Well since this thread has been resurrected, let me cast a vote for the Shin Sekai Yori ED, one of the most beautifully-animated OP/ED sequences I've ever watched. I disliked the song at first because of the way the guitar line would end abruptly, but I've gotten past that and now like the song quite a bit as well. The fireworks sequences are as close to photo-realistic as I've seen in animation that didn't use real photography like Mahō Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora.

Last edited by yuna49 on Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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drdr48



Joined: 16 Mar 2009
Posts: 360
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:33 pm Reply with quote
yuna49 wrote:
Well since this thread has been resurrected, let me cast a vote for the Shin Sekai Yori ED, one of the most beautifully-animated OP/ED sequences I've ever watched. I disliked the song at first because of the way the guitar line would end abruptly, but I've gotten past that and now like the song quite a bit as well. The fireworks sequences are as close to photo-realistic as I've seen in animation that didn't use real photographs like Mahō Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora.



What she//he said...
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:35 pm Reply with quote
drdr48 wrote:
What she//he said...


I'm a "he" for future reference, despite my login name and avatar. I don't use yuna49 elsewhere any more, but it wasn't worth the effort to change it here.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:01 pm Reply with quote
Okay, the indexes should be up to date as of yuna49's recommendation. I also tidied the indexes up (for example I had Future Diary listed twice, LOL, so I removed the redundant entry).

I'll try and keep on top of the indexes this time. I also plan to make some more recommendations later on today, but don't let that stop anyone from making their own.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 6:53 pm Reply with quote
I see from the index that there are pointers to videos online. The only one available for Shin Sekai Yori is sadly this one, where the actual video is encased in a box. I presume this is to avoid having it pulled by the production committee. Why these companies do not see the promotional value of posting an OP or ED on YouTube continues to perplex. It's not like showing the 1:30 version of the song is going to cut into sales of the complete version. It might even, you know, encourage people to buy the CD or perhaps the video of the show itself.

I'm also rather partial to the ED for Hyouge Mono, the Samba-flavored "KIZUNA" by Saito Yuki, but again it's not possible to link to a legal version online. I could easily imagine Astrid Gilberto singing this. The original OP, "Bowl Man" by Cro-Magnon, was another great number, but it was pulled after a band member was arrested in Japan for marijuana possession. The band broke up soon thereafter. The instrumental OP that replaced it is pretty mediocre.


Last edited by yuna49 on Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:05 pm Reply with quote
yuna49 wrote:
I see from the index that there are pointers to videos online. The only one available for Shin Sekai Yori is sadly this one, where the actual video is encased in a box.


Yes, that's the video I used for the index (the show is listed first under its English name). I felt it acceptable to use even with the boxing, as I accept that sometimes perfect versions do not exist. The box is large enough that it doesn't really affect the enjoyment of the ED, i.e. we can still clearly see why you like it.
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SereneChaos



Joined: 14 Oct 2011
Posts: 384
Location: Middle of Nowhere, USA
PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:22 pm Reply with quote
I've come across a few more stand out songs since my last post.

Humanity Has Declined's ending: The symbolism of how humanity was born, gradually rose to greatness, let vices ruin it, then slowly lie down in death was great. The song and animation style really fit the quirkiness and absurdity of the show.

Deadman Wonderland's opening: The harsh, blood filled visuals and song perfectly express what Deadman Wonderland is about, what it's not about, and why someone would want to watch it. It's just badass and fun to watch, even if it doesn't present anything deep.
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