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Last edited by dtm42 on Fri Aug 17, 2012 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

ANIME OP/ED RECOMMENDATION THREAD

This is the official recommendation thread for OPs (opening credits) and EDs (ending credits)

Together, OPs and EDs comprise almost three minutes (over 10%) of a typical episode's screen-time. They meld music, vocals, direction and animation into a bite-sized package designed to hook you and then leave you wanting more. This drive to put on a good face with value-added quality presents an opportunity for musicians, directors and animators to get creative. When it all clicks together the results can be fantastic. Good OPs and EDs add to the overall quality and memorability of a show, while still being great to watch by themselves. Indeed, it is not uncommon for an OP or ED to be of greater quality than the show from which they featured in. They can even be utilised as trailers; OPs have been (and are still) used as trailers in online previews and DVD/Blu-Ray releases. However, with literally thousands of OPs and EDs in existence people are all-but guaranteed to overlook some of the good ones.

Therefore, the purpose of this thread is twofold. Firstly, to allow fans to recommend OPs and EDs that they feel are of sufficient artistic merit to be shared to the wider fandom. And secondly, to provide those looking for quality OPs and EDs a database to assist them. The two indexes (below) have been designed with these two goals in mind.

Please note a couple of important points:

1): As per Rule #3 in Teh Rules, one-liners are not sufficient justification for a recommendation; going into detail (at least a few sentences, preferably a paragraph or more) is a must. Posts that do not follow this rule will be reported and removed.

2): Try not to limit your recommendation to just that you enjoyed a particular OP or ED. Ask yourself, why did you like it? Why do you think more people should know about it? And what specifically did the OP or ED in question specifically do right? Maybe the visuals consisted of an iconic dance sequence. Perhaps the haunting song in the ED perfectly fit the show's creepy tones. Maybe the lyrics spoke of lost love and were emotionally moving.

3): As this is a recommendation thread, feel free to ask for recommendations! If you are looking for a particular style of OP or ED, don't hesitate to ask. For example, you might be wanting recommendations about OPs that have subtly different visuals every episode, or an ED where the lead couple is lovey-dovey.

4): Links to videos of OPs and EDs are permitted. In fact, they are welcome. If you are recommending an OP or ED, by all means include a link to the video in your post. That way, the very people you are recommending the OP or ED to do not have to track it down themselves. YouTube is a good site to use

5): Following on from the point above, please do not link to an entire episode, especially if it is a fansub. Links to licensed streaming episodes in order to showcase an OP or ED should only be used if you cannot find the OP or ED in question anywhere else.

That's it. Happy hunting folks!

Thanks go out to Tony K. for helping me with this. I really appreciated his advice.

Last edited by dtm42 on Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:13 pm; edited 18 times in total

Index #1 – List of Contributors

4750G [post #1] [post #2]
504NOSON2 [post]
AmpersandsUnited [post]
Animegomaniac [post #1] [post #2]
Cam0 [post]
classicalzawa [post]
danilo07 [post]
Divineking [post]
dtm42 [post]
DuskyPredator [post #1] [post #2]
EmbraceMe [post]
EricJ [post]
Furudanuki [post]
GDFan [post]
Hitokiri Kenshin [post]
kaydub [post]
kounoupi [post]
lesterf1020 [post]
marie-antoinette [post]
Masakaki [post]
nobahn [post] [post #2]
nightjuan [post]
Observe [post]
One-Eye [post]
Pixelationist [post]
Saffire [post]
SereneChaos [post #1] [post #2]
Stark700 [post]
The Naked Beast [post]
varmintx [post]
Veers [post]
Vracer111 [post]
WhiteHairGirls [post]
yotsubafanfan [post]
yuna49 [post #1] [post #2] [post #3]

Last edited by dtm42 on Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:16 pm; edited 33 times in total

Index #2 – List of OPs and EDs

If one or more of the video links is broken or a video has been removed, please let me know either in the thread or by PM and I will fix it.

11eyes [OP]
Air [OP] [Blu-Ray OP]
Allison & Lillia [OP]
Angel Beats! [OP]
Another [ED]
Aquarion (Sousei no Aquarion) [ED]
Aria the Animation [Episode 1 OP] [Episode 2 OP] [Episode 5 OP]
Armored Troopers VOTOMS [OP]
Attack on Titan (TV) [OP #2] [ED #1]
Azumanga Daioh [ED]
Baccano! [OP]
Bakemonogatari [OP #4] [ED]
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad [OP]
Birdy the Mighty Decode:02 [OP]
Black Butler II (Kuroshitsuji II) [OP (first version)] [ED #2 (spoiler warning)]
Black Rock Shooter [OP]
Bleach [OP #2] [OP #3] [ED #1]
Bodacious Space Pirates [OP]
Bokurano [OP]
Broken Blade (Break Blade) [OP]
Clannad [ED]
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion [OP #1] [ED #2]
Cowboy Bebop [OP]
Deadman Wonderland [OP]
Death Note [OP #1]
Digimon Adventure [OP] [English OP]
Digimon Adventure 02 [OP#1] [English OP]
Digimon Tamers [OP] [English OP]
Digimon Frontier [OP]
Dragon Half [ED]
Durarara!! [OP #2] [ED #1]
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia [OP]
Eden of the East [ED]
ef: a tale of melodies [OP Version #1]
Elfen Lied [OP] Full song
Ergo Proxy [OP]
Fairy Tail [OP #9] [ED #1] [ED #11]
Fate/Zero Part 1 [OP]
Fate/Zero Part 2 [OP] [ED #2]
Fist of the North Star [OP #1]
FLAG [OP]
FLCL [ED]
From the New World (Shin Sekai Yori) [ED]
Full Metal Panic! [ED]
Fullmetal Alchemist [OP #2] [ED #3]
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood [OP #4]
Fushigi Yuugi [OP]
Future Diary (Mirai Nikki) [OP #1] [OP #2]
Gakuen Alice [ED]
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo [ED]
Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyoukai) [OP #1] [OP #7]
Ghost in the Shell [OP (NSFW)]
Gilgamesh [ED]
Gungrave [ED]
Gunslinger Girl [OP]
GUNxSWORD [OP]
Haibane Renmei [OP]
Hanamaru Kindergarten [Episode 2 ED] [Episode 7 ED] [Episode 9 ED]
Honey and Clover [ED]
Humanity Has Declined (Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita) [ED]
Initial D First Stage [ED]
Initial D Fourth Stage [OP #2]
Initial D Fifth Stage [OP]
Inu X Boku Secret Service [Episode 6 ED]
K-ON!! [ED #1]
Kaiba [OP]
Kodomo no Jikan [ED]
Koi Kaze [ED]
Kyousogiga [OP] Full song
Legend of The Galactic Heroes [OP #3] [ED #1]
Love Hina [OP]
Lunar Legend Tsukihime [OP]
Magic Knight Rayearth [OP] [English OP]
Maria Holic Alive [ED #5]
Maria Watches Over Us (MariMite) [OP]
Mawaru Penguindrum [OP #1]
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 1 [OP #1]
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing [ED (Toonami version)]
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam [English OP #1]
Monster [OP]
Mushi-Shi [OP]
Naruto Shippūden [OP #1][OP #8]
Neon Genesis Evangelion [OP]
Nisemonogatari [OP #3]
Noein [OP]
Ouran Highschool Host Club [OP]
Outlaw Star [ED #1]
Pani Poni Dash [OP #2]
Paprika [OP]
Paranoia Agent [OP]
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ [OP #1]
Pokemon [English OP #1]
Project ARMS [OP #1]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica [ED]
R.O.D -The TV- [OP (NSFW)]
RahXephon [OP] [ED]
Read or Die [OP (NSFW)]
Record of Lodoss War OVA [OP]
Record of Lodoss War TV [OP]
Rinne no Lagrange [OP]
Robotech [OP]
Romeo X Juliet [OP]
Rumbling Hearts (Kimi ga Nozomu Eien) [ED]
Rurouni Kenshin [OP]
Sacred Seven [ED #3]
Sailor Moon [OP]
Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei [OP]
School Days [ED]
Sekirei: Pure Engagement [OP]
Serial Experiments Lain [OP]
Sherlock Hound [ED (video also shows OP)]
Shiki [ED #2 (Hulu video)]
Sora no Woto (Sound of the Sky) [OP]
Star Driver [OP #1 (requires niconico account to view)]
Steins;Gate [OP]
Tea for Universe, Tea for Life (Hyouge Mono) [OP #1] [ED]
Tears to Tiara [OP]
Tenchi Muyo! OVA 1 [OP]
The IDOLM@STER [ED #20 (spoiler warning)]
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya [ED]
The Tatami Galaxy [OP] [ED]
The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye [OP]
Toradora! [OP #1] [ED #2]
Umineko: When They Cry [OP]
UN-GO [ED]
Video Girl Ai [ED]
Vision of Escaflowne [OP]
Wagnaria!! (Working!!) [OP]
Welcome to the NHK [ED]
xxxHOLiC [OP]
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 2nd OVA [Episode 2 ED]
Yukikaze [OP]
Zan Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei [OP]
Zoku Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei [OP #1] [full colour OP #1]

I'll start.

Lunar Legend Tsukihime [OP]

The other day I just so happened to play this while visiting my Mum and she asked me, “What's the song called?” She has no interest in music, and here she is asking about it. It is a fantastic song, made all the more powerful because of the lack of any sort of lyrics. The beat makes my foot tap by itself, and the song – quite fittingly, given that this is a vampire show – invokes a sense of mysticism and the supernatural. The visuals are well-timed to the music (like when the characters appear in the classroom) and the sight of a beautiful yet mysterious woman falling is certainly dramatic. There is also a lot of symbolism, like the glass of blood and the chess piece. It is an example of an OP that is more memorable and interesting that the show from which it spawned.

Outlaw Star [ED #1]

Outlaw Star was a loud show, so it comes as a surprise to find that this is the first ED. It is quiet and low-key, with a beautiful lone voice and some really nice accompaniment (was that a harp at the beginning? It sure sounded nice). Then there are the soft and gorheous visuals, which are of five women in their own colour-coded Sci-Fi wonderlands. Does it have anything to do with the show itself? Ah, no. Is it a relaxing song with charming visuals? Definitely yes. This song reminds me of a lullaby, gently farewelling the audience until the next episode.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica [ED]

This is one of most well-known Anime EDs of the last few years, and for good reason. The haunting vocals send shivers down my spine, while the striking visuals of the main character running past the silhouettes of her comrades is creepy and disturbing. The part where Homura turns around and reaches for Madoka is my favourite part, as such a simple gesture conveys a huge amount of emotion. The moment I first saw this it became one of my all-time favourite EDs, and it influences the way I view the series.

Serial Experiments Lain [OP]

This is a bizarre OP, but that's what makes it so good.. The beat is catchy and the vocals (sung in English by a native speaker – hooray) have real meaning. But before the audience can get to the song they are treated to a man saying “Present day, present time”, followed by him laughing and then a brief glimpse of Lain through static. It's instantly memorable and it made me wonder what this show was about. As the song plays we're treated to crows, Lain appearing in (and communicating through) televisions, and then a scene where time stops and Lain is only midly interested. Talk about piquing one's curiosity. I bought the series merely after seeing this OP. As good as the music and vocals are, it is the visuals and direction that make this OP a classic.

Last edited by Masakaki on Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:37 am; edited 1 time in total

[edit]

Well, I could be here a long, long time. I'll start with a few of my tops; This is anime.

Tenchi Muyo OVA [OP1]. Mysterious, catchy, undeniably cool and surprisingly rythmic for an instrumental, this is the top theme for Toonami outside of "Dragon, Dragon" and "Fighting Evil by Day Light" which were not original. I could go on to list the second opening and both closers but the ones that would make my list are the english ones. Though I should give a shout out to the missing "I'm a Pioneer'. That was a shock after watching the Toonami version, though not as much as Nurse Washu.

And so, next is the one and only Sailor Moon [OP1]. This is the original Japanese version with in key singing and original animation. It has very little to do with the actual show and in fact has a much more interesting setting, like a technicolor spainish villa but all the necessary images are there: moon, roses, masks and sailor scouts. It's ultimately far more romantic than the anime deserves. But it's good, so very good...

I feel I have to list one english language song, just because that's where I started with anime. Magic Knight Rayearth [English Op]. *Ahem*. "Hold on to that dream, tomorrow knows where and when..." A rousing call to an adventure at the start of every episode, the opener is well composed, composited and color coordinated.

Uh, all openers and all cel animated. So, moving on.

Kodomo No Jikan Ending {I guess I shouldn't post a link. [Or not].} Do the monkey, do the monkey, damn it!. Monkey! Monkey! Monkey! I saw this ending long, long, long before I saw the show. I have no idea why it's not the opener as it's so catchy and upbeat but then you get to the bridge and jump down only to restart in an even higher energy level. And then silence...

Maria Holic Alive [Ed 5]. Well, this is the 5th ending but they'e all slightly different yet the mostly same. What is it? Shaft for a change put all their effort into making a stunning visual closer rather than an opener. Why is it here? Color overload with singing overload makes for fun overload. I just love Yu Kobayashi's singing here as well as Asami Sanada's "singing".

I love the idea of this thread and will definitely be checking it out more when I'm not at work/about to go on vacation.

I do have one to add right away though, which is my favourite EP of all time:the 1st EP for Welcome to the NHK [EP]

I actually was about halfway through watching the series before I actually watched the entire sequence but once I saw it, I always had to watch it. I love how it starts off all serious and dramatic and then suddenly shifts into pure, unadulterated wtf-ery! It fits the series perfectly and is just so much fun to watch.

I was so annoyed when the 2nd EP started and was so dull.

I'll second Magia. That song is honestly the main reason I watched PMMM and my favorite aspect of the show. I'm such a Kalafina fangirl that I'll watch anything they're semi-related to.

My favorite opening is Gun's and Roses by Paradise Lunch from Baccano! for many reasons.
1. First of all, Paradise Lunch is an awesome band name. I chuckle every time I see it.
2. It's jazz. Jazz is awesome and listening to it makes me feel classy. B)
3. It's insanely catchy. It makes me want to dance and I hate dancing.
4. It fits with the setting of Baccano!. It's upbeat and fast moving which matches the feel of the show.
5. The fact that the animation stops and displays the major characters names is the main reason I can remember them at all. Normally I'm awful at remembering names, but I can remember nearly every character from Baccano! and it's got a lot or characters.
6. After the Rail Tracer reveal, spoiler[you notice Vino's been hiding in the opening the entire time. I was so shocked seeing him there the first time. Anime hyper

]

I also love My Soul, You're Beats from Angel Beats. The song is a combination of beautiful vocals, piano, and strings. It helps show that there's a more emotional layer to Angel Beats that's hidden at first. Then at the end you find out what the title means and it takes on a new meaning.

The Future Diary opening, Kūsō Mesorogiwi by Yousei Teikoku is cool. The music is badass, the animation is fast paced, and the last scene with Yuno trying to kill herself/clone/shadow is just creepy. It's filled with foreshadowing, symbols, and little details that you gradually understand as you finish the show. The openings and endings are definitely the best part of Future Diary.

For endings, my favorite is probably Kagayaku Sora no Shigima ni wa by Kalafina from Black Butler II. Beware, the video is kind of a spoiler. The song plays as an ending in only one episode, after spoiler[Alois dies]. I despised Alois to the point that I was happy spoiler[that he died]. But then this song played immediately after and I went from hating him to being indifferent. That's a pretty good achievement for only a minute and a half of music and simple animation.

anamnesis by Annabel from Another. The animation isn't really anything special, but the song is so calming and soothing. After seeing people die terrible, gruesome death, the song would play and make me forget I just watched a horror anime.

The also like the Eden of the East ending, Futuristic Imagination by School Food Punishment The song's catchy and good, but I mainly like it because it has cool and unique animation.

I guess I'll mention something not so obvious. 8th opening of Naruto Shippuuden. The lyrics fit so well and I'm really digging showing the villains in the backround underwater while the lyrics speak of people who can't breathe. Really well thought. The opening doesn't have fancy animation but the lyrics fit so well with the animation and I do really like the music. This opening made the fillers somewhat tolerable.

Thanks for your contributions, the indexes have been updated. Keep the recommendations coming.

The one OP/ED that pops up in my mind is Romeo X Juliet [OP]. The song is basically a Japanese cover of Josh Groban's You raise me up. I think the song beautifully summarizes the sad and inspirational story of Romeo and Juliet, not to mention it being a powerful song.

Hmm, I think there's a few OP and ED songs that pops to my head right now:

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia OP - one of the more recent series and also is quite catchy as the singer has quite the strong voice and delivers the tone of the music well with colorful images of the main character as well as appearances of the others. Yuuko also seems to be singing parts of the song during this opening and conveys her memory of not being forgotten.

Bokurano: Ours OP - very angelic voice and delivered quite well. It's also quite catchy and has an old school feeling to it of this underrated series. The characters presented are also in sequences and fits well.

Steins; Gate OP - at first, I didn't pay much attention to it but it's around mid-season of the series when the real S;G begins to unravel that I noticed this opening song. It was probably one of my favorites from last year and certainly something scientific as well as memorable to listen to.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood OP 4 - one of my all time favorites and one of the first opening songs that I've enjoyed listening to. The lead singer has a strong voice and the sequences is delivered extremely well as with the orchestration imo. It also has some symbolism to it during the arc when this series was airing.

Fate Zero Part 2 OP - as a fan of Yuki Kaijura, this is definitely no exception as I've enjoyed listening to this song more than part 1. It's easily one of my favorites from this year with its holy theme and the showing well orchestrated sequences of the servants/masters as well as the main character, Kiritsugu with various expressions.

Rinne no Lagrange Season 1 OP - pretty voice as well as the catchy delivered sequences involving members of the Jersey Club - Madoka, Lan, and Muginami. Excellent song that I enjoy listening to that seems to bring forth friendship in an entertaining form.

Bleach OP 2 - one of the earliest opening songs that I've watched during the SS arc, when Bleach was at its best. The nostalgia...now that I think about it, this series' opening song 2 was one of the first reasons I continued watching Bleach when I was a noob in anime.

Fairy Tail ED 11 - I usually skip ending of all the long running series but this one caught me by surprise as it was delivered quite well the first time I've listened to it. Perhaps it was the execution, or perhaps it was the metaphor, or perhaps it was the melody of the music. Anyways, great song.

Yup, all I can think of right now.

I'm trying to mix both old and new, truly great and merely interesting or well done.

Armored Trooper Votoms OP: Not only is the song quite classy, all things considered, but the mecha happen to be used sparingly yet effectively in the animated sequence. You're not really overwhelmed by the amount of action or anything, no, but it's enough to understand this is going to be a story focused on a soldier and a rather lonely one at that. All of that is fitting.

Break Blade (a.k.a. Broken Blade) OP: I suppose it's the combination of an excellent singer and a theme that builds up nicely with some very good backgrounds and unusually detailed mecha, both of which aren't false advertising, that makes me enjoy this one so much. In particular, it's worth noting how the first robots you see have more of a sense of power and weight than most and that contrast goes well with the otherwise peaceful nature of the sequence until that point.

Birdy the Mighty: Decode OP2: This opening brings together a series of images that focus on different moments of the life of Birdy, who essentially becomes the central character during the second season, with a noticeable sense of melancholy despite the upbeat notes. Nothing too spectacular by itself, but it all works very well in the context of the show.

Fate/Zero OP1: The second opening is certainly better and an absolute blast to watch, no doubt, but I have to say the first one still does a good job of introducing the cast and setting the mood, in a manner that is appropriate for the comparatively less dark half of the story. There are also some pretty dynamic action cues involved. Overall, it's definitely a solid OP.

Gundam 00 OP1: I'm sure others would disagree, but this is my personal favorite out of all the openings used for that particular show. Some of the visuals, like the first shot of Exia, are memorable and there's a sense of urgency which isn't quite replicated in the second opening, for example, despite the fact it's certainly more dynamic and action-packed.

Gun x Sword OP: Not a very popular series. Still, this opening is fairly unusual for a number of reasons: First, several characters and elements remain in the shadows, only being gradually revealed as they are properly introduced. Second, it's almost entirely instrumental with some vocals but no real lyrics, yet actually works well here. And no, this isn't a karaoke version or anything. Third, the mix of different sounds and influences is odd at first but can also become surprisingly catchy over time.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes OP3: This is probably the best of the themes in the series from a purely musical perspective, in my opinion, but the relatively understated set of visuals also gains some added weight as the story goes on. Not to mention that it's always nice to see there are at least a few anime openings sung in perfectly understandable English.

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom OP1: Say whatever you want about the show, since I ultimately preferred the original VN and all...but this is a hauntingly beautiful song that perfectly matches the depressing tone and bittersweet themes of the story, in addition to using some pretty creative visuals.

Tears to Tiara OP: While the show isn't one of the greats or anything like that, it was rather enjoyable and I also consider this a valid example of how to make a fairly successful opening by combining good animation, decent synchronization and a catchy song. In other words, it covers all the usual bases.

The Vision of Escaflowne OP: The first collaboration between Maaya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno, I believe, is still memorable in terms of sound. Otherwise, I think the animation is appropriate enough. There's no attempt to hide this is going to be series with strong shoujo sensibilities and where the mecha are secondary, at best, which might be a positive or a negative depending on the viewer.

I could be here all day, but I might do another post later with only a couple more or simply go for the endings instead.

Sorry Stark700, I hate to do this but the video you posted for Fate/Zero 2 was not of the actual OP (there was no video). I know why you posted that one (because YouTube seems to have taken down everything else; I checked too), but the visuals are important.

I was also a tad dubious about the video of Fate/Zero 1's OP that nightjuan posted. The violinist was impressive, but the original music is important too.

I managed to find both OPs on Vimeo. Just a gentle reminder, while YouTube is good it isn't the only place to find videos.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam [OP]
Here is the thing ,this opening song is clear case of false advertising.When you watch this opening,you immediately think this show is going to be about a group teenagers who pilot giant robots, save the world,and go on their honorable missions all around the space. Zeta Gundam is not like that ,but for some reason that song gets stuck in your head and I actually watch the opening for no reason.
Mushishi [OP]
If I could describe Mushishi in one word I would use the word mystifying and this song is exactly that.It is very relaxing,slow and it is sung with soft voice.It captures and sets the tone for series very well.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes [ED]
I didn't care for the song at the beginning but when it was played in the episode 82,I almost cried.
Tatami Galaxy [OP]
I am a fan of Asian Kung-Fu Generation and seeing how they went and experimented on this song,combining indie pop and jazzy tunes made me really happy.I also feel like they captured the spirit of youth which is a thing that Tatami Galaxy partially tried to do.
FLCL [OP]
This song was made specifically for FLCL(unlike the rest of the soundtrack)and it is no wonder that it fits so well.The lyrics make no sense at all and it is incredibly catchy just like the anime itself.

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