Anime Opening Videos.

[NotMiki]

So Grefter's comments over in the anime topic about how video game music sucks got me thinking about music and quality, particularly music that accompanies something else.  I won't bore you with the details (I wrote out my entire chain of thought, then though better of it; you can thank me later), but that line of thinking made me think about how much I love anime opening videos.  A good opening puts together music and video to say something interesting about the show and, not incidentally, get your toe a-tappin.' 

Anyway, here are a few of the ones that put it all together right.  The shows themselves may not be the best (though some of them are) but I think the openings are quality:

Witch Hunter Robin: Half Pain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS1-7CV_t1s
Robin watches Amon, the male lead, on TV.  Separation, yearning (for the hunk) and the implication that there is a difference between the reality she and he live in.

Gankutsuou: You Won't See me Coming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03zDv5tSkMQ
The ending theme, it's the perfect exclaimation point for a show with so many cliffhangers.  Too bad the youtube quality doesn't do much for it.

Key the Metal Idol: In the Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y7KrcfuxAw
Key moves at a deliberate pace.  The world moves with haste.  One of those great openings where incidental elements gain meaning as the story unfolds.

X tv: eX Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUu38Y8R0JI
Mostly for the singing along (try it!  preferably with a crowd of crooners).

Full Moon wo Sagashite: I ♥ U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVGpLnCvoQw
Both video and song are irrepressibly cheerful.  That's a good thing.

Anyone else?

[WanderingMind]

These two openings are my personal favorites:

Wolf's Rain: Stray
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLL54L84Pjk
Awesome opening for an awesome show.

Tsubasa Chronicles (1st Season): Blaze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVzrWXh-dYk
The music really fits the mood of this show.  It's probably the one time where I can stand Bee Train.

[DjinnAndTonic]

I'm having trouble thinking of a good example of a series opening fitting with a series in a -good- artistic way. But I instantly thought of a counter-example from World Destruction, which I watched recently.

Despite having a really pretty, eye-catching opening animation... and despite having a catchy, synth-guitar-heavy song... the two pieces work so poorly together that both are dragged down.


Actually, a good example just came to mind as I was typing: Sayounara Zetsubou Sensei. Both the first opening and ending are particular favorites of mine, showcasing some abstract images of the main cast and generally giving off a great feeling of 'depression' and 'disturbing'. The music contains some disturbing conflicting lyrics and musical progressions as well. Works well with a series that seeks to both poke fun at the flaws of Japanese society as well as force these flaws into the consciousness of a society that refuses to openly acknowledge their own flaws.

As I'm at work (in the previously-mentioned society), I can't actually get on youtube to provide links, but I'll assume everyone is youtube-savvy enough to find the openings/endings if they haven't already seen them.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Utena series yet.

-Djinn

[NotMiki]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Utena series yet.

Thought of it, but 5's enough to start out with, I think.

As for the worst, two come to mind, and both are by CLAMP (which also has a number of winners to my eye; X, Cardcaptor Sakura OP 3, and Angelic Layer).

Chobits: which must improve markedly if you're colorblind.  being deaf would be a plus, too, for that matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmYq8uZpGDY

but by far the bigger offender is:

CLAMP Campus Detectives: Totally appropriate for the series, but it will sear your ears and burrow into your brain.  And if there's one place you don't want precocious brats in shorts and long sleeves, it's your brain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpE7_J8MGnY

I've seen much worse than either, but these stick with me, alas.

[Hunter Sopko]

Actually, a good example just came to mind as I was typing: Sayounara Zetsubou Sensei. Both the first opening and ending are particular favorites of mine, showcasing some abstract images of the main cast and generally giving off a great feeling of 'depression' and 'disturbing'. The music contains some disturbing conflicting lyrics and musical progressions as well. Works well with a series that seeks to both poke fun at the flaws of Japanese society as well as force these flaws into the consciousness of a society that refuses to openly acknowledge their own flaws.

Actually, the imagery's more about Bondage and Guro. The music is great though. Kenji Otsuka's ED for Welcome to the NHK was also really well done.

Dai-Guard is a favorite for it's nonsense chant. It's kinda generic rock otherwise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch8Zq10_luA

ANYTHING by Susumu Hirasawa is amazing. Paprika's opening is key in this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMcVwXSvmBg
(As an aside, he did Berserk's non OP and ED music as well, and also composed the opening to the Berserk PS2 game which is amazing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf0EY3p3heY (Manga spoilers))

A general shoutout to the pillows for contributing their music to FLCL goes here.

I like Beck's OP And ED as well (And pretty much all the Beck-related music).
OP- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoIhY4a93RA&feature=related
ED- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLDz9h5zUYs&feature=related

Leiji Matsumoto shows also deviate from the norm a bit and tend to use either different kinds of instrumentals from for their openings, or more classical Japanese singers. It's an interesting result in both cases.
Cosmo Warrior Zero (Instrumental)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2lKFnALsZE
Captain Harlock: Endless Odyssey (instrumental)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D11ENl8EI4o
One of the many iterations of the GE999 theme (vocal)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCkCIJAD50s&feature=related
Galaxy Railways (vocal)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo5E6wdbgHY

EDIT:
Almost forgot that timeless classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZNb3fsd1Jg&feature=related

[Grefter]

Oh yeah obvious disclaimer, video game music in game is normally a bit better, outside of games.  Crap.

Glad I sparked some conversation though.

Edit - Oh yeah and there is some Anime with good music.  Token obvious Cowboy Bebop is good (which shits me because it is stuff I would listen to anyway and then you get people that love it but refuse to listen to other stuff that is the same or is the direct influence for it/is fucking covered by it.  LISTEN TO VELVET UNDERGROUND).  It is criminal you bastards haven't mentioned it yet even if it is a bit over exposed.

There is a couple of other examples I can think of but meh.

[Strago]

Monster's got a couple of great pieces.

[NotMiki]

LISTEN TO VELVET UNDERGROUND

Isn't linking things back to the Velvet Underground, like, cheating?  Like thanking Adam Smith for all that money you made on the stock market?  Anyway.

TANK sets the mood for Bebop well, but as long as we're on the subject of jazz ditties, let me dip into obscurity and presnt something else that's kinda fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HfVxQdNYiE
Gad Guard's opening and ending.  Neat show, by the way.  The whatever-I-had-in-the-attic costumes and general tone are reminiscent of The New Mutants (the old one, not the new one).

Also on the subject of Bebop, here are a few other openings composed by Yokko Kanno:

Rahxephon: Hemisphere
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxfIJr1RYwc

Cardcaptor Sakura: Platinum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMD15HpjPDU

Vision of Escaflowne: Yakusoku wa Irenai
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfLskTpT6I0

[Captain K.]

Chobits: which must improve markedly if you're colorblind.  being deaf would be a plus, too, for that matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmYq8uZpGDY

I'm colorblind, and it helped.  But being deaf would have helped more.

Naruto's fourth opening is full of win and energy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WbDqBBEeig

And of course, the greatest ending song ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KCy1q7MWAQ

[Grefter]

Cowboy Bebop OST has Velvet Underground covers on it.  So yeah I feel pretty comfortable linking it back to them.  Edit - Cause yeah when someone thinks "Hey that is a pretty cool song" and your response is that yeah it was 40 years ago as well and they have no idea what you mean it should make you die on the inside.

Edit - Yeah talking Bebop in general here for music though.  Tank is pretty fucking sweet regardless though.

[DjinnAndTonic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HfVxQdNYiE
Gad Guard's opening and ending.  Neat show, by the way.  The whatever-I-had-in-the-attic costumes and general tone are reminiscent of The New Mutants (the old one, not the new one).


Rahxephon: Hemisphere
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxfIJr1RYwc

Oh, nice, I had forgotten about how awesome Hemisphere was.

Also, that is possibly the nicest thing I've ever heard anyone say about Gad Guard.

I, too, enjoyed Gad Guard's music (and style, 'whatever-I-had-in-the-attic' is a great description, win); but the show never really felt like it was going anywhere or accomplishing anything... and a few times it had some FFXII-like problems where the main characters didn't seem to have a connection to anything that was really going on. Great opening, though. I think I watched the show about 4 years ago and that opening is STILL on my iPod.

-Djinn

[Ultradude]

I have some things to say. Just cuz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0nHMpTqBqY
Blatant Macross Frontier fanboyism? Definitely. Should probably post Triangler too, for great Sakamoto hype. And every opening and ending in the show at all, but that's just me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7guTc6vkMj4
Gunslinger Girl: The Light Before we Land

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OuRajFzMYI
Samurai Champloo: Battlecry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOpsNTIlK9Q
Gundam 00: Ash Like Snow

So many shows with songs I like that just aren't quite there with the animation. Eureka Seven has great tracks, but the animations usually aren't that great really.

[Dunefar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_BxHEvuA2M

YOU GET TO BURNING is still seared into my psyche.

[Sierra]

I will probably add a few when I get home, but Ultradude has saved me the trouble on one account:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7guTc6vkMj4
Gunslinger Girl: The Light Before we Land

Aside from being a totally badass song, the Delgadoes' lamentation of emotional detachment is so, so very appropriate for GG's cast. Watch the video; hell, watch the show. It's so much better than its premise would lead you to expect.

[Ultradude]

I will probably add a few when I get home, but Ultradude has saved me the trouble on one account:

Aside from being a totally badass song, the Delgadoes' lamentation of emotional detachment is so, so very appropriate for GG's cast. Watch the video; hell, watch the show. It's so much better than its premise would lead you to expect.

Very much a favorite of mine, though another one my anime club watched that I'm glad I'd seen beforehand. Continuing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RE9FOJaP-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X16VLYXEwjo&feature=related
Haibane Renmei Op and Ed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT8cDxCoh0g
Ichirin no Hana, third Bleach Op. Fitting for the best part of Bleach.

[Sierra]

Very much a favorite of mine, though another one my anime club watched that I'm glad I'd seen beforehand. Continuing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RE9FOJaP-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X16VLYXEwjo&feature=related
Haibane Renmei Op and Ed.

Why's that? Mooks talk over the shows or something.

Also, yay, another one I don't have to link to myself. Haibane Renmei is awesome in every conceivable way, as I'm sure I've said before.

[Pyro]

I'm partial to the OP for Ef: A Tale of Melodies. Not so much because its high quality (it isn't), but because it is used and abused to get you. It has a fairly artistic style to it but is entirely black and white. As the season goes on the characters gain colors. Then for episode 6 the OP has no lyrics and the characters are cut from it. From then on it's regularly screwed with in ways ranging from having the colors completely inverted to being flipped upside down. All to reflect something happening in the show. Its pretty neat, even if you can call it pretentious (but this fits ef's style perfectly).

On an aside, Azumanga Daioh's is just addictive or something. Or maybe I'm just broken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huWKSYUX5Fs&feature=related

TANK has already been mentioned, and I think most of my favorite ones have been mentioned too. Though I have to admit to liking NGE's OP too, if only for nostalgia's sake.

[Ultradude]

Why's that? Mooks talk over the shows or something.

Also, yay, another one I don't have to link to myself. Haibane Renmei is awesome in every conceivable way, as I'm sure I've said before.

Our club has a hard time taking things seriously when watching as a group. Wolf's Rain was practically a comedy with all the stupid commentary and WALRUS. Gunslinger Girl was finished before I actually started going though. Genshiken was great club fodder though, and Gurren Lagann should be too.

[Grefter]

Eva opening here doesn't work as well as the ending here because the opening actually hints at how fucked up the show is and it works better without the warning (In spite of the engrish of course which is funny).

Compare to Paranoia agent opening here is far more effective because it is awesome and tells you nothing about the show at the same time.  Paranoia agent does it better and is in roughly the same field of mind fuck (but is way different and positive mind fuck instead of the ultra negative spite filled creature that is Eva).

[Hunter Sopko]

Compare to Paranoia agent opening here is far more effective because it is awesome and tells you nothing about the show at the same time.  Paranoia agent does it better and is in roughly the same field of mind fuck (but is way different and positive mind fuck instead of the ultra negative spite filled creature that is Eva).

Susumu Hirasawa strikes again (He also did the OP for Paranoia Agent).

Eva was ultimately positive. At least, thats how it ends.

And Grefter, Soul Eater had a great reference. Well, not so much great as hilarious. A guy who dual wields weapons (that turn into breakdancing midgets, of course), his special attack is called Aphex Twin

[Grefter]

Hahaha that is fucking win.

Eva may be ultimately positive outcome, but the journey is so very very negative.  Paranoia Agent's theme of self delusion doesn't even touch Eva.

[Kiro]

Hi from a Mafian outsider. Now this is my kind of topic! I spent years downloading anime opening and ending videos (too lazy to rip them from raws). A few good ones I like:

Bubble Gum Crisis Tokyo 2040 - Y'Know

Code Geass Season 1 - Hitomi no Tsubasa

Record of Lodoss War TV - Kiseki no Umi

Slayers Next - Give a Reason

Stellvia of the Universe - Asu e no Brilliant Road

Vandread - Trust

Most anything by KOTOKO is golden especially Kannazuki no Miko

Don't want to look for Youtube links right now.

[Sierra]

Seconding props for Hemisphere. Best thing about RahXephon! Key's opening is also badass. I love Miho flipping the bird and then ripping her face in half.

I'm surprised Ghost in the Shell hasn't been mentioned yet. Inner Universe from the first season is great, but I can't see much topping the second season's Rise. Annoyingly, I can't find either OP on YouTube (though the music itself is all over the place).

Ergo Proxy deserves mention for good, atmospheric openings. I love how the singer belts out "Save me!" over an image of Vincent screaming at the sky. Nicely encapsulates the struggle to bring meaning to a life spent in the show's mechanized dystopia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oT2W3gaUBc

Tsukihime OP/ED for prettiness of all kinds. I love how the OP introduces the characters, spacially together but all stuck in their own little worlds of desperation. It also has Arcueid.

OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQFPQo1cD7c
ED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPOMQkU699c&feature=related

~

EDs that work for being diametrically opposed in tone to that of the show itself:

Now and Then, Here and There. We come off half an hour of brutality and madness only to finish with...a gentle, poignant lullaby playing over still screens of everyday scenery. It's a jarring contrast, but that's what makes it work. Now and Then, Here and There is not, at its base, a cynical show; plenty of terrible things happen, but the value of persistence in the face of misfortune is constantly reinforced. (I also can't help but view the ED as a little remember from the producers: youth may have you convinced that your common, ordinary life is trite, but sometime, somewhere, you'll miss all of this).

I imagine the ED doesn't have the same impact if you're not seeing it right after the show. But to me it's beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLwWZ7wDaHQ

Black Lagoon's ED is an amusing fakeout. Violent sociopath Revy walks along a beach to the sound of calm, steady synthesizer music dripping with remorse and regret, dropping her guns along the way, and for a moment we might be fooled into thinking we're seeing the human side of her at last...then the last couple frames happen and we actually see her expression. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3_YE9hZRRA&feature=related

~

Of course, any discussion of ending themes is incomplete without So, You Are Going to Eat Me. This one's for Sopko! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61GFr8fVs6g&feature=related

[Bardiche]

Stellvia of the Universe - Asu e no Brilliant Road

YES

I approve.

Also, Romeo X Juliet OP. The song... sets the mood. Definitely. I also like the different symbolisms used! See if you can spot them all!

I don't think the OP gives away too much, either; you kind of expect the two to be torn, really, else it'd not be Shakespearian: but it gives away enough to make it ambiguous enough what actually happens. It's also brilliant how the scenes changed from peaceful to dramatic when the chorus hits in.

[Lance]

The best opening song to any anime ever is "XTC" from Witchblade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N-5RarrDH8

The only song that even comes close to that level of badassery is "Rose" from NANA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kCbwVFwjM8

I also like "Aishitageru" from Disgaea the Animated Series. That song is just too dang cutesy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5OHN8NsR8k


Hey Tonfa, when the game remix tournament is over, maybe we should have an anime music tournament.