*out of breath*

This is my top 10 anime openings. It took a while to upload them and write the comments regarding them accordingly, but at least most of the work was already done. This project has been a year in the making, as has my other anime lists (you’ll see them in coming updates, I’ll probably upload my favorite ending themes to the blog very soon, as well as a “Just missed cut” for those who are interested), so I’m very excited to be able to share these with you.

You may not agree with my list, but if that’s the case, I encourage you to make comments here on my blog and even share with me your own favorites/top 10. I don’t expect you to be as ambitious as I was XD (making a list of 101 anime themes, with two sets of ties, is not easy, you find that it’s very easy to take too many songs from one series and miss a number of your other favorites in the process), but I’m always up for opinions.

With that, my top 10 anime openings resides in the video and under the cut. Warning, there are some offensive images in one of the openings in this video, so it’s not intended for sensitive viewers.

10. “Mad Machine” (Bubblegum Crisis) I’ll make a note that I’m not necessarily ranking this theme higher for its sequence, but rather for the song’s use as an opening. I would say it ranks as my favorite song from the BGC franchise. “Konya Wa Hurricane” had a better song in conjunction with the opening, but this one took to me as the better song in and of itself. I loved the instrumentation and vocal, and while the sequence doesn’t jump out individually in its dynamic, the music suits it quite well. Thematically, it works with the sequence and series when noting the creation and involvement of the Boomers, the main antagonists within the framework of the series, and that which the Knight Sabers battle against while living incognito. The vibe this song gives me, like many of the BGC, is both anthemic and melodic, and that’s why I would rank it among my favorites.

9. “Dreams” (Gundam X) I’m almost certain that most will find this an odd choice of song for a top 10 theme, but Gundam X’s opening had me almost instantly with its respective theme. It’s currently my favorite Gundam theme, and I think in part it’s because of the electro, melodic pop of ROmantic Mode, another of my favorite J-groups to date. Unfortunately, they’ve since disbanded, but they have a number of great songs and albums to their name. I’ll admit I was taken by Akira Asakawa’s vocals the most for this song, and it suits the anthemic nature of most Gundam themes. I won’t say that Gundam X is my favorite Gundam series of all time, but the theme certainly ranks well within my mind, and I think the sequences couples it rather nicely.

I found a Youtube video of the original song and video, I think it’s worth watching to see and hear the song from the group in visual tandem. I always do it to give people a perspective of what an artist does beyond the anime if I can find it, and ROmantic Mode were a popular group from about 1997-1998 for their respective anime theme contributions and their genre in Japan. Though I have to say, it is dated back to 1998, so the video shows its age rather notably. (Wow, 10 and almost 11 years old now). Beautiful song though, especially if you can find a point to connect with in its meaning.

8. “Stray” (Wolf’s Rain) Stray is one of my favorite themes in anime, indubitably. Beautiful orchestration on the part of Yoko Kanno, particularly within measure of the piano accompaniment and surging instrumentation. Steve Conte has a vocal style that I find difficult to turn away from. A lot of people don’t realize that he was actually sick with a cold during the recording of “Stray” – to be able to sing like that with a cold just baffles me, even to date, because he works this song so well with a raw grit, especially given the mood and tonality of the series. Wolf’s Rain also ranks among my favorite anime series, for its dual premise of wolves disguised as humans who search for a means to reach paradise. Love the clear cut and fluid animation of the opening as well, something that I find really consistent with what I look for in my favorite themes.

7. “Ready Steady GO” (Fullmetal Alchemist) As previously mentioned, L’arc~en~Ciel is one of my favorite J-rock groups, and I found the second opening of the FMA series to be one of my favorites. It’s a fun, fluid animation sequence, and the song is one of those themes that you find yourself bouncing along to. I always get a laugh out of watching the sequence with the military personnel where Armstrong’s flexing his muscles and Roy snaps his fingers in the burst of flame (showoff XD). They seem so raucous that it’s simply fun to watch them, and goes along with the song’s romping theme. The OP in general, like I mentioned in the video, makes me smile.

If you’re interested, here’s the actual PV of L’arc en Ciel performing the song. Likewise, the video does put a different perspective on the song aside from the anime series, and considering myself a fan of J-music in general, I always love to link these as I can find them. I’ll probably edit them in to my previous entries to give a perspective of how they’re different from the anime theme. They look like they’re having a lot of fun in the video though, and the SD characters of the band in the video are awesome. XD

#6 “Grain” (Monster) Another one of my favorite instrumentals from anime overall; I definitely have a fondness for instrumental themes, as noted throughout this list, but it gives you an idea that songs without words can have just as much of an impact in creating the context and mood of a series as those who match a vocal performance to a respective theme or occurrence in a series. Like I mentioned in the video, this is one of the opening themes that caught me within the context of its sequence -showing Dr. Tenma fervently on the run and always looking behind his shoulders for some forthcoming danger, suspenseful and impeccable timing with the melody. There are a lot of things going on with the instrumental that make it stand out among peers: the heavy hitting, yet subtle guitar, the orchestrated subsection, and of course the minimal vocal contributions. All help to create the mood of this suspense/thriller opening to make its coherence and representation for “Monster” very well noted. Loved it when I first heard it, and I’m sure I’ll still love it for years to come.

#5 “Blue Water” (Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water) Before I progress any further, I want to say that Nadia isn’t one of my favorite series of all time, but I definitely liked it for what it had to offer. If only those cursed filler episodes were omitted, this could have been one of the best series of all time, let alone for its respective age. This series had excellent animation for its time (1989?! I was..what…five when this series premiered in Japan? Wow…the animation in this is even better than some of the series I’ve seen in contemporary measures, and that’s saying something considering this series is almost 20 years old.) “Blue Water” is a beautiful theme, with an infectious quality that stuck with me throughout the duration of the series. There wasn’t a moment where I skipped the opening to this series as I watched it; same could be said of all the themes in my top 20 list. I own 2 of the three main Nadia OSTs (yes they’re imports from Japan, and yes, I bought them) and they don’t leave my active CD rack. I love Miho Morikawa’s voice, and she’s contributed to a number of anime series (this and Ranma 1/2 among a few others), but I think this is among her strongest offerings when it comes to an animated/musical match.

#4 “Lilium” (Elfen Lied) One of the most artistic and beautifully orchestrated themes I’ve heard to date from an anime series. “Lilium” continues to have a strong impact on me whenever I hear it to date, and I think it’s probably the best offering to come out of Elfen Lied (I used to love the series when I first watched it, but over the years, I’ve become more neutral about it.) The montage is based on a series of paintings by Austrian Gustav Klimt. My sister has a fond appreciation of art, and helped me discover some of the parallel paintings that went in conjunction with the series. They’re beautifully interpreted and integrated in the framework of the series.

I’m in a debate as to what type of music “Lilium” falls under: the majority of people I noted say it’s Gregorian Chant, and while I’m more than likely resigned to agree with that after thinking it over, there’s still some underlying element to it that I can’t put my finger on. It adds a depth and definition to the series that I appreciated in the long run.

#3 “kiri” (Ergo Proxy) Kiri was an instant favorite for me, and it wasn’t all that long ago that I watched (but still haven’t finished) Ergo Proxy. The grunge-inflected melody, coupled with the dark settings and visually asthetic settings of the opening really caught along with me. It helps that MONORAL has influences that derive from some of my favorite bands, so their modern stylistics really bring out the most that this opening has to offer. Ergo Proxy might not be one of my favorite series (at least not yet, I’m getting closer to finishing it overall), but it’s opening scene and song certainly stand well within my mind.

#2 “Rise” (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG) There are probably three songs on this overall list that Yoko Kanno has contributed to in one way or another, all within my top 20 themes, and this happens to be my favorite of them all. There’s a lot going on with this theme, and it departs from the conventional anime opening by an elongated stride. This used to be my favorite anime theme without question, #1 for quite a few years and it overtook Konya wa Hurricane and Tank which had shifted back and forth before it. Why do I think of “Rise” so highly? Well, for one, it’s my favorite among the Ghost in the Shell SAC series (though I adore “Inner Universe”, I had to only choose one of them. The sequence for the former didn’t appeal to me as much either, regrettably) and Origa became one of my favorite singers as a result of her work with Yoko Kanno. She has a classical vocal style, but it meshes with a modern interpreted melody in a way you wouldn’t think would work; she also brings a lot of heart to it that isn’t lost in translation. I don’t know Russian (I really wish I did), but from what I could take in the translation of it, it’s really a beautiful song. Notably, Origa actually does a great job transitioning from Russian to English and doesn’t miss a step in the melodic notations of it. Yoko Kanno’s orchestration deserves its respective accolades for the way it has all these different elements running through it: electronic predominantly, but you can hear ethereal chants, funk, among others. It comes out brilliantly, I don’t know if anyone else could have done it with as much precision. The theme itself sets your blood running as you hear it, and I always find myself more alert whenever I hear it, particularly in the pulse pounding sequences of the OP. Very well animated and noted in transition.

and now….my #1…..*drum rolls*

#1 “Guns ‘n Roses” (Baccano!) This used to be featured on my overall countdown, but somehow, this infectiously noted jazz inflected instrumental found its way into my heart and came as my favorite anime theme to date. I couldn’t part from it no matter how much I tried. The way it showcases all of its respective era characters, the animation style, the big band romping progression, all of it stood out to me beyond its respective peers. I wish there were more periodic era anime series like this that are fun, engaging and unique in their presentation. Baccano! is a fun series, though I wish there were more people who could appreciate what it has to offer. It’s based on an award winning novel series from Japan and has a unique style of storytelling in that it shifts from one year to another to provide a perspective on each of its characters. I’d compare it to the movie Crash, in that one encounter of a set of characters is viewed in a different perspective by another set of characters, and vice versa, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously in its progression to note a difference. The theme fits the series to a tee, and I can indubitably say it’s one of the best series of its respective year that I’ve seen.

That’s all for my respective favorite anime opening list! I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey, it was a fun one for me, both in making and sharing it with you. I’ll have some posts chronicling my favorite anime endings/inserts and movie themes to come in future lists, but for now, I leave you to your thoughts.

Take care,

Rose

Winding down to the final themes of the countdown. More under the cut

#19 “Sara” (City Hunter 2) It’s funny that both of my favorite themes from the City Hunter franchise are from the same series; it wasn’t like that in the previous version of this countdown where I featured the second OP from the original City Hunter series – “Go Go Heaven” is uber catchy and makes you want to sing along to it, but “Sara” has a more level tonality about it that won me over. I haven’t finished City Hunter 2, but the moment I heard this song, I was attached to it for its romantic undertones. “Sara” is supposed to refer to Kaori, the main female lead in the series. I think in one of the episodes, Ryo refers to her as such, and in an endearing way that it ties into the opening theme appropriately. If you follow the anime series, it’s hard not to grow attached to these characters, even in the crazy, episodic adventures they find themselves within. Ryo’s a pervert with some annoying habits XD, but again, I don’t know, I find him to still be a likable character in and above it all. I had the same sort of vibe when I watched the spin-off series Angel Heart.

#18 “Yuudachi” (Boogiepop Phantom) When going back through my overall list to make sure I didn’t forget any themes before uploading them accordingly, I totally missed the fact that Boogiepop Phantom’s opening had a great impact on me. I can’t believe I omitted it! It’s such a great song, with a mid-tonal soulful quality. It’s calming to hear and from time to time, I find myself listening to it when I want something relaxing to hear. I really liked Boogiepop Phantom as an overall series. And though this video is older (I finished Boogiepop Phantom, finally, a while back; I’ve been meaning to watch it again from the beginning though). A lot of people say they didn’t understand the series, but if you watch it more than once, then it hits you with its meaning a lot more profoundly than your initial view. Just think of it as something akin to Paranoia Agent and other psychological series of that nature

#17 “Wish” (NANA 2nd OP) Where do I start? There are so many things about this theme/opening that jump out at me that it’s hard to put them into coherent sentences (either that, or typing about 101 Anime Openings is finally taken its toll on me ). NANA’s second opening is my favorite in the series for its gorgeous animation, and illustration of the contrast between the Black Stones and Trapest bands. If you’ve read the manga, you already understand why that’s significant. Olivia Lufkin’s voice is gorgeous and she fits this more melodic rock scope very well, I could see her in the guise of Reira, Trapnest’s lead singer in the series.

#16 “Tank” (Cowboy Bebop) Tank is definitely one of my favorite themes of all time. It’s a classic instrumental that makes you think of the dramatic big band days of the jazz era. I love the orchestration and the coordination with the sequence. Cowboy Bebop has one of those openings that you won’t forget long after you watch it. The colors, the dynamic, the character shilouettes, everything about it radiates this cool vibe and you can’t help but be taken into the personality of it. Yoko Kanno is one of my favorite anime composers point blank for the way she seamlessly blends jazz alongside other elements in her music (since jazz is my first love musically, I appreciate it in that sense). Indeed, she’s one of the first composers you think of when it comes to jazzy elements in a theme, but she’s certainly not the only one. Still, I think of her as being among the first I’ve known to have such a momentum in her music.

#15 “All the Way” (Kino no Tabi) Kino no Tabi is one of my favorite anime series of all time, and the opening I find to be very fitting to its overall mood, undertaking a long journey and undertaking it without reservations. It’s a mellow theme, and the series takes that seamless mood for its majority, though there are some heavy themes the series delves into, such as issues of cultural relations, what it means to be human, etc. Mikuni Shimokawa is known for her theme contributions to the Full Metal Panic series among others, but I would say this is probably my favorite theme from her, and the sequence works brilliantly with the tonality of the song. Love the animation and smooth transitions in the opening; certainly it’s one of those themes I can call to mind very easily, both sequence and song.

#14 “Give a Reason” (Slayers Next) Slayers Next is both my favorite series from the franchise and my choice for favorite opening theme. It’s infectiously catchy, point blank. I couldn’t get this song out of my head even if you asked me to. Its romping melody and sequence is both engaging on a firsthand listen, as well as invests you in the sequence you’re watching. It was one of my top 10 anime themes on a previous run, but I had to take a step back and think about what other songs engaged me the most in retrospect, so it was bumped down a few notches as I saw more series to note. Still, I think of “Give A Reason” rather fondly, especially considering Megumi Hayashibara is one of my favorite seiyuu and J-pop singers. She has a lengthy career and engaging vigor she brings both to her roles and songs.

#13 “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” (Neon Genesis Evangelion) Don’t jump me because I put Evanglion’s theme here. Everyone and their sister, brother, cousin seems to put this theme at #1 (Tank as well, but can you assign any measure against it? They’re both excellent songs; they both made my list rather highly and I have a profound amount of respect for them both), but I can think of several themes that stand out in my mind above Eva’s theme. Still, it’s one of my favorite songs to date, and it does have a nostalgic, energetic feel to it that matches the sequence point blank. Evangelion was not one of my first anime series, and I have a love/hate relationship with it that’s indubitably noted. There are times when I’ll start screaming bloody murder about some of the things I found irking about it, but at the same time, I really enjoyed the series for what it had to offer.

#12 “Konya wa Hurricane” (Bubblegum Crisis OVA) This is how you do an opening if you want to grab someone’s attention, at least where music is involved. BGC has some of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in anime to date, and I love hearing them even if it dates back to the latter part of the 80s. There’s just an infectious amount of energy and melodic sway that the songs from the series have that sets it apart from other anime songs to date. I once noted that you don’t really see moments like this in modern anime series where you have a scene that commands your attention to both the action and the music simultaneously. It has been one of my favorite themes for a long time, was even my #1 for a time, but I note it highly among my favorite anime themes on a classic anime perspective. This isn’t the only BGC theme on my list, so you’ll see at least another coming in the measure of the countdown.

#11 “Rinbu Revolution” (Revolutionary Girl Utena) Utena was another of the shoujo series that was among my first, and I watched this not long after I watched Sailor Moon SuperS. It’s a series that’s hard to appreciate if you’re not into symbolism and if the numerous elements of bishounen (I’m not complaining, I’m just saying ) and the repetitive duels get to you before a certain point in the series. Yet, when the series hits its stride, it bolts to the finish line, and I definitely appreciated the series for what it had to offer in that measure. For the theme song, Masami Okui is yet another of my favorite Japanese singers, she has a vibrant vocal that seems to shine in both her more upbeat and placid songs. It’s not so much that Rinbu Revolution simply has a driving progression, it’s also melodic, and it fits the opening animation very well between the symbolic turns and noting the characters in the duel. I’ll admit whenever I think of this theme, I think of the spinning roses, and almost always the reference to Utena makes me think of the songs from the franchise, one of which is this theme, the others you’ll have to see in my separate countdowns

My top 10 is coming in the next entry! Whoo!

Small error on this video: for whatever reason it has the right theme song, but the wrong set of #s. >.< This is indeed my favorite anime openings 29-20, not 49-40. List of themes in this video noted under the cut.

I usually have a few errors here and there within my videos, whether it’s using a wrong word or something minor like I mentioned in the numbering, but I tried to keep them as minimal as possible. I know I’ll probably have to go back through my posts and find any grammatical errors I’ve made in the past few posts, because I found a few looking back through them. You can tell that I’ve been steadily updating these as much as uploading them will allow, and sometimes that means after a long day of doing other things when I’m a little more relaxed, but still sleepy

On this list, quite a few old and new themes, so I won’t waste any further time, since this is treking closer to the home stretch.

#29 “Scarlet” (Ayashi No Ceres) This dropped a bit from when I last ranked it on the overall list, but it’s still one of my favorite themes. As mentioned in the video, shamefully I did cry to this theme, but I should note I cried with respect to the series subject matter while this song was played, and it’s a beautiful, melancholic piece with prominent piano accompaniment. Ayashi no Ceres is a rather brute title in the shoujo romance genre, one of the darkest I’ve seen to date. This particular opening is the one shown during the last few episodes of the series, and I hesitated to include it in the overall list, but I realized that this montage was much stronger than the original opening sequence. It reasonates powerfully with the song, and I couldn’t omit it. I think that this theme has one of the most beautiful instrumentals of any anime theme I’ve heard to date.

#28 “Daybreak’s Bell” (Gundam 00) Definitely a recent favorite since this list was penned. I’m definitely a fan of L’arc~en~Ciel, have been for a number of years now, probably…since around 2000 or 2001, when I first heard their album “Real”. “Neo Universe” and “All Year Round Falling in Love” were among the first few songs I heard and claimed as favorites. It wasn’t until after that time I started coming into their anime contributed songs. They’ve performed for series like DNA Squared, Rurouni Kenshin, Great Teacher Onitsuka, among many others. I also own some of their CDs among other L’arc collectables at home. So that should tell you about my zealous investment in them as a group.

I think this is one of L’arc’s strongest contributions to an anime theme because of the resonating anti-war message that works within the context of the series to a fault, and it has enough driving momentum to match the nicely animated sequence accordingly. Granted, Gundam 00 is a series I continue to follow to date (and I do have a hard time coming into it), but I think it’s well noted among my favorite anime openings.

#27 “World’s End” (Code Geass R2 2nd OP) I bet no one expected a Code Geass theme on this list, and granted, when I started this list more than a year ago, Code Geass was still a rather recent watch for me, so I couldn’t decide on what theme to really take from it. After finishing R2, I finally did. If it weren’t “World’s End”, the theme I would have likely chosen here would have been “Colors”. Both are strong themes by the same group (FLOW) and have ample amount of this lightly propelling, moderate energy that opens up in surges, with montages of the characters and conflict within the opening. “World’s End” not only caught my attention from the song, but how well animated it was when juxtaposed to the other themes across both seasons of the series. For that, it deserves a place in my top 30.

#26 “Hit in the U.S.A.” (BECK) This song gets my vote for being the most likely anime opening to be sung/hummed/tapped along to at some point in time. It’s that catchy, and it’s one of my favorite anime openings to date. Beat Crusaders contributed a lot to the BECK anime series, but I think “Hit in the U.S.A” is among their strongest. The part of the opening where the characters are singing along with the chorus is one of the moments from an opening that stood out in my mind quite prominently. Great pan shots in what seems to couple a Western, American feel in the overall spectrum. I really liked how both the animation and setting were well adapted to the song itself. The last scene where Koyuki strums the guitar seemed the most appropriate way to conclude it all.

#25 “Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni” (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) I definitely meant what I mentioned in the video about this being one the most well executed horror openings I’ve seen in an anime series to date. It begins with minimal chants and progresses into this menacing progression of electronic rhythms; to my surprise it suits the mood very well. Eiko Shimamiya’s vocals are the strongest to accent it all. She has a unique style unlike other singers I’ve heard, and she’s definitely my favorite I’ve artist for her respective range and diversity of influences. If the music doesn’t quite grab you, then the images certainly will, or you might be taken in both like I was. I know I couldn’t turn away the first time I saw it (I wouldn’t say Higurashi is as blunt as series as Elfen Lied, but it’s definitely has a high creep out factor, especially if you go in not knowing what to expect.) I think this theme will stay a favorite for a long time for me, because it offers a lot that many common anime themes do not.

#24 “rose” by Anna Tsuchiya (NANA 1st OP) NANA’s opening theme had me in its initial premiere. I couldn’t get the song or the respective sequence out of my mind, because I think it fit the tonality of the series very well. A lot of people I talked to said they didn’t think Anna Tsuchiya fit the mold of Nana Osaki’s rock image very well, but on the contrary, I thought she was perfect; her building energy had the right amount of edge and swagger for a frontwoman of a band. Her style tends to be more grunge than punk, but it’s hard to have a set image of what Nana O. encompasses in your mind, because you do think of her as a female vocalist with an edge, and that could cover a wide range of different singers and styles, even taken out of the noted influences in the series (i.e. Sex Pistols). Regardless, I was impressed with the animation style of the opening, particularly in the backdrops and shifting scenes. I think they could have tailored Nana O’s character design a little better (Hachi was fine), but I’m not terribly picky. Considering they went straight from the manga designs, I thought it was a decent adaptation.

#23 “Days” (Eureka Seven) I would note that Days is my favorite theme overall from the Eureka Seven franchise, namely for its lush instrumentation and dynamic sequencing. It might be more noted because it’s the first opening theme, but I would say that FLOW does this style of song extremely well. You’ll note that I chose “World’s End” for similar reasons. I liked how each of the characters were showcased in shifting montages fitting to the style of the song, and the animation is crisp and lucid. If there’s anything most that I loved about Eureka Seven when watching it for the first time, it was that I loved watching the building relationship between Renton and Eureka. I think this theme showcases this nicely in context as well.

#22 “Sore Ga Ai Deshou” (Full Metal Panic Fumoffu?) I chose this as my favorite theme of the FMP franchise because I liked how lighthearted the sequence came across and the clear cut animation sequences. “Tomorrow”, the original series opening, had a stronger song, but the sequence didn’t stand out in my mind as readily. “Minamikaze” is catchy and lush, but didn’t quite stand out as strongly as this one did, at least for me. Mikuni Shimokawa is another one of my favorite female J-singers, and you’ll see another theme of hers in the entries to come as a testament to that.

#21 “Kimi ga Sukebito Sakebitai” (Slam Dunk) I always find myself humming along with the melody of this song whenever I heard it. It’s one of those classic themes that you would think would accompany a sports related anime, because it sets your blood on edge. The melody drives it accordingly, and in a series featuring basketball, I’m not surprised that it fits the tonality spot on. Sakamichi is one of the most inherently likable oafs that you can come across, and as he grows into a formidable basketball player, you can’t help but follow him with a smile on your face. Indeed, this is the type of series you have to love the game or are willing to love the game if you want to come into it, but for the respective sequence and song, I think any one who likes driving rhythms could come along and find it catch on them. As I mentioned in the video, it’s a classic theme full of vigor.

#20 “Night of the Summerside” (Kimagure Orange Road) No doubt one of my favorite anime themes of all time and well worth including in the first slot of my top 20. Its infectiously catchy, nostalgic progression makes it easy to sing along to and the rhythm fits the theme very well. It helps that Kimagure Orange Road is one of my favorite anime series to date, but among the three opening themes, this one stands out beyond the crowd. Ikeda Masanori contributes to some of my favorite songs in the franchise (as does Kanako Wada, but you’ll see more of her in the ending themes.

It’s worth saying that this is probably the strongest sequence to match the respective story, because the series revolves around a guy with ESP caught in the midst of a love triangle. Considering Kyousuke has enough problems managing his ESP powers, it’s worse when he finds his intentions confounded within his relationships….if only by mere accident. XD

We’re finally in the home stretch. Two more videos to showcase my top 20 (well, technically 19) anime opening themes. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ones featured so far. Look for the updates to be sometime late tonight, considering the service I’m uploading them to is quite booked.

Explanation of the themes featured under the cut, as per usual

#39 “Dress” (Trinity Blood) Trinity Blood’s sequence is really a compilation (rather handily I might add) of scenes from the series, combined with some images of the church. It’s interesting they would pair this song with a vampire themed series considering Buck-Tick’s former contribution, but I think since Buck-Tick has that dark, dreamy quality about their songs, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. They remind me of influences based on one of my favorite English bands, The Cure. It explains a little more of why I ranked this theme so high. I found “Dress” to be a stronger theme overall than “Gessekai”, with more melodic arrangement and dynamic instrumentation; it sticks with you not so much for the sequence, but the song is strongly tied with its mood. I think Trinity Blood’s opening is well animated, but I almost wish they could have done a bit more with it in retrospect. I say this only because I’ve seen the series in full and noted it – I thought it was good, typical in a vampire anime series, but Abel Nightroad is a funny leading character, particularly in his goofy stages. Of course…in his vampire form…no comment.

#38 “Ai no Hitoribocchi” (Touch 2nd OP) This was almost an instant favorite for me, considering I really like sport adapted anime series with a little something more in the mix. I haven’t finished Touch to date, but I started a while back and I progressively came into it. It’s about as long as Slam Dunk if you can imagine that, and considering I’m almost to the point where this opening theme starts, I have a long way to go. It’s a beautifully done series. Nice elements of romance, comedy and drama rolled into one, and the sport elements aren’t too heavy for one who might not gravitate towards the genre.

On the theme: I really liked the catchy melody, particularly with how well it sequences this “in medias res” stop and start vibe within it. It’s a song (dates back to…1985, I think) with a very nostalgic feel for me.

#37 “I’ll be the One” (Hikaru no Go OP2) This was another theme I had a hard time placing in my overall list, but finally settled since Touch’s theme came so close to it (in the proximity of the countdown, not in relation) in terms of sport anime. Hikaru no Go’s very addictive. If you watch it, you’ll likely be hooked on learning about Go, and it has a nice story and characters to follow with a bit of a supernatural edge (courtesy of Sai, I still remember how much his character made me laugh, alongside his interactions with Hikaru). I miss series like this that extend a bit longer than the standard 13-26 episode series and manage to hook you through progressively. “I’ll be the One” is energetic with a very clear cut animated sequence. HAL’s upbeat J-pop style reminds me a little of Ayumi Hamasaki among other popular J-pop singers, and at least in part, I know that’s what allowed the song to grow on me. I think the reason why it also ranks so high is because I watched this series around the time I really started to be engrossed in anime for what it was (not so much in the same way I was exposed to Sailor Moon, where I didn’t know about anime or its classifications).

#36 “Uninstall” (Bokurano) This is one of the most beautiful songs from an anime series I’ve heard in the past year, and from such a popular adapted manga. Ishikawa Chiaki is an individual artist who has worked countless times with Yuki Kaijura (as a part of the group See-Saw) and contributed a number of different themes for anime (Mermaid Forest, Gundam Seed, .hack//sign, among others). If the number of Yuki Kaijura contributed songs on this list doesn’t boggle your mind yet, you can say she’s one of my favorite anime composers among others. The animation was very well adapted, I liked the focus on each of the characters and the conflict noted in the sequence. For those who don’t know what it’s about, the series revolves around a group of school kids whom are placed in a game environment and literally have to fight for their lives while in the game. I won’t spoil any more of it, but let’s just say it’s becoming a new favorite in my eyes as I come closer to finishing it.

#35 “duvet” (Serial Experiments Lain) Still one of my favorite theme songs for its congruences with the thematic; pretty somber, but you don’t readily get that impression with the melody, so it’s counterbalanced. Lain is a trippy series in a similar measure, and it was the first anime of its kind that I watched. In subsequent watches, I finally appreciated it for what it had to offer (it’s kind of the same way I think about series like Paranoia Agent and Boogiepop Phantom – the latter is still a series I need to finish). To correct a common misconception: boa is not BoA. boa is a British group whom have performed independently for a number of years, I know they have two albums, and I own one of them called “Twilight” digitally. BoA is a Korean artist who has performed anime themes, namely “Every Heart” from Inuyasha. I made the same mistaken attribution the first time I saw this series, but I figured it out after a few Google searches. XD

The sequence itself really stood out in my mind with its transitions. You see Lain in the television among all of these other images and you get the impression that she’s almost like Big Brother from George Orwell’s 1984. Odd? Definitely. She’s so transient and disconnected from reality, and I think that idea is what makes the song work so well with the theme. It’s also one of the reasons why it stands out so much among most of the themes I’ve highlighted thus far.

#34 “Rewrite” (Fullmetal Alchemist 4th OP)/”Ichirin no Hana” (Bleach 3rd OP) To spare any dwellings on the subject, FMA is one of my favorite anime series. Matter of fact, it’s stuck smack dab at #2 on my overall anime list. “Rewrite”, the fourth opening, features awesome animation and the Asian Kung-Fu Generation contribution definitely caught on to me. This is one of, if not my favorite AKFG songs, and I do have a number of songs I love by the group. A lot of people told me in retrospect that this was too low for “Rewrite” to be. I don’t know if I agree, because there were a lot of anime themes that stood out just as well in my mind. It’s hard for me to put into words why this isn’t higher, but I can tell you it’s not the only favorite theme from FMA I have. Most of you can probably guess what is to come if you’ve seen this countdown before, but for those who haven’t, I’ll leave you in thought for just a little bit longer.

So this was my second tie of the overall countdown, and unwittingly; I didn’t intend for it to happen that way, it just did. “Ichirin no Hana” is my favorite Bleach theme hands down. Why? It’s very different from its respective peers, and you wouldn’t even think of this as a typical anime song. Most conventional themes are bubbly, catchy radio friendly J-pop that can get stuck in your head for days on end. “Rolling Star” and “D-Technolife” did that for me instantaneously and I loved them on first listen. “Ichirin no Hana”….I don’t know if I loved it at first listen, but it was one of those themes that you had to either love the stylistic or appreciate how divergent it was to really come into it. It’s also worth noting that more conventional J-rock themes have melodically bouncing rhythms that propel them. This completely goes outside the boundaries and while it’s a heavy melody, it also has this rather teeming, almost seething, tonality that threatens to bubble over at some point, and I think of Ichigo when I hear it (and of course his hollow side, which is shown in the sequence, very clever to come into that). The sequence isn’t one of the most dynamic, but it fits the song well.

High and Mighty Color are one of my favorite groups to listen to, though unfortunately Maakii, the lead female vocalist, left the group a while back. It was one of the few J-groups I knew to have a prominent male and female vocalist coinciding with their divergent styles. Yuusuke switches between singing, melodically rapping, and screaming his lungs silly. Maakii is more melodic, she has a unique vocal, that’s both surging and fits with rock and more melodic ballads quite well.

#33 “Shell” (Witch Hunter Robin) I think Witch Hunter Robin’s animation stood out to me along with the rather darkly textured style of the song. I love Bana’s vocals here, I don’t know whom to compare her to, because she has a style unlike most I’ve heard. Pity that I don’t know much of her work outside her contributions to WHR. The melody as a bit of a grunge flavor, but with a bit of a lighter, more melodic tonality, so it’s hard to put it into one set bubble.

The animation is just as dark and rich as the tonality of the song, very fluid and smoothly executed. I still play this song on my Ipod rather frequently, even to date, it’s one of those songs that stuck with me and didn’t want to let go, only with this, it’s never released it’s grip, whereas with some of the former songs, I’d set them to the side and listen to them to in a set moment. I could listen to this for a long time and not get tired of it.

#32 “Rhythm Emotion” (Gundam Wing 2nd OP) I promised that I’d have another Gundam Wing song on my countdown, and here it is. Wait…what? No, that factor doesn’t mean I arbitrarily placed it here. XD This is my favorite theme from the series, hands down, and one of my favorite Two-Mix songs as well. It has a drive I tend to lean towards, especially with respect to Gundam songs, but what makes it different is that it takes a little more liberty with the melody than “Just Communication” does. I also liked the sequence a lot more than I did with “Just Communication”.

#31 “dis (club-mix version)” (Infinite Ryvius) Infinite Ryvius is one of my favorite sci-fi series, and as mentioned in the video, one could think of it as a “Lord of the Flies” in space if they really wanted to. Yet, it’s so much more than that, combining elements of “1984″ among a number of other different things, and I love how it focuses on different groups to provide a shifting perspective of a space camp attendance gone terribly wrong, and the students are forced to make the journey home for themselves. The song is performed by Mika Arisaka (Gundam Seed Destiny, Twelve Kingdoms), and I have a lot of respect for her as a vocalist. Loved her contribution to this theme, and probably as you’ll see in my ending themes countdown (coming soon…hopefully), you’ll hear a lot from her.

#30 “Hateshinai Tabi” (Bubblegum Crash) Oddly enough, I don’t remember the Crash OVA all that well, but I do remember the music from it, notably. One of which was this opening theme. You can say I have an orientation towards elder sounding themes, but I find the Bubblegum Crisis/Crash soundtracks incredibly appealing. Hard to say exactly why, but I guess it goes along with what I mentioned about Touch’s 2nd OP: there’s something really nostalgic about it. Not to mention it’s chock full of attitude and personality.

I’ve had trouble uploading to the service the past couple of days, so this was the only one I could upload for a while. Hopefully the uploading doesn’t take too long for the coming sets.

Comments under the cut. Sorry it took so long!

#49 “Just Another Sunday” is the translation for “Fuutsu no Nichiyobi Ni”. Hana Yori Dango is a well known romance series that I ended up really enjoying and naming as one of my favorite anime series overall. The song and sequence are both very unique in that they feature the main characters in a dance hall/broadway style that’s classy and fun. Yet, one can say it’s false advertising because that’s not what the series is about at all XD The movie was themed in that manner (I haven’t seen it to date, unfortunately), but the series is a tense love triangle that unfolds after a low-income girl attends a prepatory school and comes into the eyes of the school’s most popular gentlemen, who call themselves F4. There were a lot of moments I loved in this series, but the theme stands out to me in its own execution.

#48 “Ryo-ohki’s Theme” (Tenchi Muyo OVA) One of the most recognizable instrumentals in my mind from a series. No doubt if I heard this playing from another room, I’d fondly say “Tenchi Muyo!” The OVA series blends a nice amount of sci-fi, comedy, action, and drama for a harem related series. In fact it was the first harem series I ever watched. XD I don’t know if the sequence stands out as strongly as the song, but there’s a give and take to it. It has the ability to make you smile, particularly in seeing Tenchi’s facial reactions to the girls and the characters it showcases with the melody. I think it was also the strongest OP for a Tenchi series that came to mind. “I’m a Pioneer” I think was featured in one of the other series I saw, but didn’t quite catch on to me.

#47 “Second Wind” (Onegai Twins) I didn’t like Onegai Twins as readily overall as its predecessor Onegai Teacher, but the theme song for the former actually stuck with me more. The animation sequencing was stronger, and KOTOKO’s usually infectious style was a perfect match for the lighthearted scenes between Maiku, Karen and Mina. I would definitely say this song is among my favorites, if not my favorite, from KOTOKO’s discography. She’s contributed to a lot of anime series (“Shakugan no Shana” is one that comes readily to my mind), and I definitely recognize this among her strongest.

#46 “ex-Dream” (X-TV) I took this off my first list for the measure that I didn’t know where or how to rank it, but for the revision, I’m putting it back, because it does rank well with me. The sequence has strong animation for its respective thematic, and I had a very high regard for the series in general, particularly in past considerations. The animation style is done by CLAMP (Tusbasa Chronicles, Card Captor Sakura, XXXholic, and Code Geass -only in design on the latter) so the character designs are well adapted. I haven’t heard any further songs from Myuji to date; pity because they’re a rather catchy J-rock group from what this song measures, and the lead vocalist has a nice range to sing from. What gets me though is how well the thematic of the song and tonality suits this series. The extended version of the song is even stronger in adaptation. I definitely think of it as one of my favorite anime songs, and while it’s been a few years since I’ve seen X-TV, I definitely come back to this. Like I mentioned in the video, I don’t know what caught on to me first, but the combination and execution made it rank well with me.

#45 “Inori~You Raise Me Up” (Romeo x Juliet) At the time I first crafted this countdown, this was a theme I omitted because the series was far too recent in my mind for me to feature it, but I can say with certainty this is one of the strongest songs I’ve come across in recent years for an anime series. I’m familiar with Lena Park’s music. She Korean-decendency, but sings in English, Korean and Japanese extraordinarily well. Her style is R&B/soul/ballad/jazz, but she covers a well known classical vocal song with such potency that it’s hard not to take notice. A lot of people didn’t recognize this as “You Raise Me Up” (popularly interpreted by Josh Groban” when it first came out. The lyrics are different in meaning in Japanese, but the progression/instrumentation remains the same. The sequence is gorgeously animated and to date, RxJ is one of my favorite recent series in the romance category.

#44 “Cloud Age Symphony” (Last Exile) Definitely what stood out to me about Last Exile’s OP theme was its beautiful animated sequence, though the song is actually quite strong in its own way, with moderate electronic progressions. I don’t know what it was about the melody that stuck in my head, because I wasn’t fond of the vocal style at first, but once it did, it stuck rather prominently. The song later warmed up to me and became one of my favorite themes to date. It might be that the song sounds so different from the regular J-pop that you find in most OPs, and finds a place to stand on its own territory.

#43 “Haruka Kanata” (Naruto 2nd OP) Probably my favorite theme from the Naruto openings; I think this particular opening did everything right with respect to the series: dynamic clear-cut animation, energetic song, and a biting attitude that really sticks with you. I debated with the OP themes a long, long time from Naruto. I had three and even considered four themes featured here on the countdown (the other two in mind were Naruto’s 4th and 5th OPs), but considering that would have meant taking four slots on a limited countdown (believe it or not 101 themes is really not that easy to structure and it fills up fast when you’ve seen a lot of series) I had to cut it down to two in order for it to work where I had series that were both unique and also to be fair to other themes I might not have had two or three OPs to work from. “Haruka Kanata” also features one of my favorite J-rock bands, Asian Kung-Fu Generation. I’d like to think of them as… a J-rock Weezer, if you want a comparison to English music. There is one other theme by them to come on this overall countdown, so keep your ears peeled for it.

#42 “Hitori no Yoru” (GTO 2nd OP) I. Love. GTO. Immensely. I can’t express in words how much I loved this series, and I have fond memories of Great Teacher Onitsuka. It’s very funny and among my favorite series of all time. I considered both of its opening songs among my favorite anime themes, but unfortunately one of them could only make this list. I chose “Hitori no Yoru” because the song and the opening animation drew me in. (I thought “Driver’s High” was excellent, but the animated sequence didn’t really strike me as strongly as this one did). Very catchy song and Onizuka is clearly very funny and reckless in a dream sequence this OP features. For those who are L’arc~en~Ciel fans (myself included) there are two other themes of theirs on this countdown, so don’t worry too much about “Driver’s High” not making the cut.

The song, “Hitori no Yoru” means “A Lonely Night”, and while the thematic doesn’t always go hand in hand with the sequence, it definitely exudes the same type of attitude the series puts across. The actual PV for this song, performed by Porno Graffitti, is very risque…blindfolds, nooses (???), guns, a woman who walks around with a whip (o_O!!!!), long story short, I think I know why I couldn’t find it on some popular video sites to be able to share it. I wish I could, because it actually featured a younger Porno Graffitti who look like they’re really into the vibe of the video.

#41 “Brand New World” (One Piece) This was another theme I had trouble placing on my countdown, but overall, I think this is definitely one of my favorite One Piece themes. Very catchy sequence with respect to its arc and the song fits the vibe very well. D-51 is a J-pop group with a mix of upbeat and ballad songs, so I’m familiar with them, though I don’t know their contributions in full. What I can say is that they bring the sequence to life with this song, and ride right along with how fun and full of anticipation the sequence is. I wish I had a higher quality version of the theme to show you how well its done for its respective style.

#40 “The Light Before We Land” (Gunslinger Girl) The Delgados are a group I’ve actually listened to and was familiar with before I saw Gunslinger Girl, so there’s no surprise as to why the song appealed to me and ranks respectively on my countdown from an English music perspective. It’s moody tonality is prominent, but so placid and subtle that it really doesn’t go over as you might think it would. It made for a fitting theme to the OP of Gunslinger Girl, as these girls are assassins of a unique breed, and the opening animation and character design is gorgeous. I think one individual commented to me about how realistic the bullets and the guns were designed throughout the series, so it took on another level of appreciation for him. I definitely agree the attention to detail and fluid motions in this series, including the opening, was very well noted.

Finally coming down to my top 50 themes. It actually seems like it’s a lot quicker in progression since I’m uploading the videos in full and not have to edit them for content or length. Yet, most of these movies are a bit lengthy, so if you’ve watched them in full, I salute you.

59. “Naraku no Hana” by Eiko Shimamiya (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai) Opening theme for the second series in the Higurashi franchise. This uniquely styled horror/psychological/thriller series is a mind trip in and of itself, and I usually compare watching both series to playing a game of Clue on first note: you know who the players are, but you have to find out what exactly happened, and note that things aren’t always what they seem to be. The opening for the series is strongly noted for me, the character design, fluidity and the coloring actually are much better than last season’s, though for the respective sequence, it fits in tone. Eiko Shimamiya is an excellent singer, and like I mentioned in the video, I tend to have a preference for I’ve artists such as Eiko, MELL, Mami Kawada, among a few other singers. Their usually singers who perform in a mix of electronic progressions, some very upbeat while others are like this one, more calm and melodic.

58. “Towa no Hana” by Ishida Yoko (Ai Yori Aoshi) : definitely one of my favorite romance anime themes, if even on the note that I watched this much later than its respective premiere. Probably one of my favorite harem series that I really enjoyed in retrospect, for the character interactions in particular. You can tell the group becomes close knit, and their chemistry is quite spot on. So what made the OP stand out to me, aside from the series? A very strong song. Yoko Ishida has proved rather successful in contributing to a multitude of anime theme songs (Pretear, Ah My Goddess TV series, and Sailor Moon, interestingly enough), but I find this to be my favorite for its sweet sentimentality and crisp animation.

57. “Tori no Uta” by Lia (AIR TV): This theme continues in the progression of recent themes with crisp animation. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the coloring/sequencing of this opening, with a strong song to match. I’ve member Lia gives one of her best performances here, and I actually prefer this version more than the extended one. The only thing I have to complain about in retrospect, and it’s probably the product of watching one too many Key oriented series (AIR, Clannad, Kanon), I note the character design of the female characters have a bit too much flesh in the face. I’m sure that’s probably an adaptation carried over from the games, but it’s a minor bone to pick in what is otherwise a great opening

56. “Egao no Wake” (Shounen Onmyouji): I had the pleasure of watching this rather understated series in the past year. Shounen Onmyouji was one of the series that was caught in the crosshairs when the American franchise of Geneon folded (I saw it coming because they were acquring way too many series in a limited amount of time). Fortunately, they’re finally releasing the rest of Shounen Onmyouji under Funimation.

“Egao no Wake” was composed by Yuki Kaijura, and as mentioned in the video, noting that factor and the similar style it has to her usual work appealed to me, alongside a beautifully animated, periodic backdrop. Kaori Hikita provides a beautiful vocal for the song, which means “The Meaning Behind Your Smile”. The series revolves around a young spirit mediator (onmyouji) who comes into his powers and forms a bond with his tiny pal Gurren. It’s a good series to the testament of friendship, and I really enjoyed it, though you can probably see the ending a little bit before it occurs, and it’s a bit shorter than I would have liked it to be.

55. “Master Keaton’s Theme” (Master Keaton): You’ll find quite a few instrumentals on the coming countdown, and this is probably the first of those that make an appearance. “Master Keaton” is a series that revolves around a rather witty detective, from the same creator of “Monster”. It’s one I’d definitely recommend if wanting to see an engaging set of episodic stories rolling from one end to the next, and Keaton is a charming character, if a bit haphazard at times. It’s hard to describe in words the appeal of this theme; I love the bagpipes, horns, chimes and the different instruments that bring it together.

54. “Just Communication” by Two-Mix (Gundam Wing) Gundam Wing, as mentioned in the video, was one of my first Gundam series overall. When I first saw it, it aired on Cartoon Network in the afternoons that I would come home from school. I didn’t really have as strong of an investment in anime at the time, but this was one theme that I still find stuck in my head from time to time, and I attribute it to a love of Two-Mix. This isn’t the only GW theme to make the list, and you’ll find out what it is as the countdown continues, and why it was chosen over this one.

53. “Breeze” by Megami Hayashibara (Slayers Try) Love the Slayers franchise; it was very hard trying to choose a favorite theme among the main seasons (I didn’t count the movies because movies are not noted in the scope of this list). Megumi Hayashibara is one of my favorite seiyuu and vocalists for good reason, she has a infectious, catchy style to her music. It’s a strong indication that you like a singer if you can think of a song and associate it with them, rather than just the anime; Megumi Hayashibara is pretty much that definition and then some for me. I won’t even go into how many themes she’s done for anime and how many albums and and roles she’s played. It’s…amazing to say the least. XD “Breeze” takes the award as my second favorite Slayers theme, for its Latin-influenced arrangement and funny, yet well encompassing sequence.

52. “Orange Mystery” (KOR) Kimagure Orange Road is one of my favorite anime series for a reason: it’s hilarious at times, yet whimsical and romantic in its overall execution (considering “Kimagure” means something akin to whimisical, I guess the pun was intentional…hmm.) This was the second theme of the series, and I thought the rather static ridden, black and white montage was a perfect complement to the song. It would be my second favorite KOR song from the TV series, though third if you consider the OVA series as well. So be prepared to see a few more themes from KOR to come. If its any measure, the soundtracks of the series are among my favorites from anime collectively. If only I could buy them, they’re so hard to find, and those that can be found are very expensive. Kimagure Orange Road, the series, also went out of print a while back, so I have no idea when they will re-release it. Makes me want to see it again.

51. “Angel Night” by Psy-s (City Hunter 2 -1st OP) The first of a few City Hunter themes. I watched the original series (which I finished), City Hunter 2 (which I did not finish) and City Hunter 3 (which I did finish) a while after I started the spin off series Angel Heart. Random order, anyone? I think “Angel Night” was one of the strongest the franchise, overall, had to offer. It’s 80s pop cheese to some, but I love it. The first time I listened to it, it stuck, almost immediately. The sequence? Makes me think of an 80s cop show and Ryo Saeba is the invincible hero. Wait…he’s invincible, likable, and a pervert? Something about that combination doesn’t seem right XD I liked the few sequences they featured of Kaori and Ryo. If you know your way around City Hunter, those two have a like-hate relationship that can be measured with a 100 ton hammer. That’s all I’m saying.

50. “Sakura Kiss” by Chieko Kawabe (Ouran High School Host Club) Oddly enough, I start my top 50 series with an anime series that took me completely by surprise. I didn’t think I would like Ouran as much as I did, but something about the characters and humor really pulled me in. And the theme? Very catchy. I should note that I like Chieko Kawabe as a J-pop artist (she also did the ending theme for Elfen Lied, “Be Your Girl”), probably about as much as I like Ami Suzuki or Koda Kumi, but I won’t spare quiddities talking about J-pop music here. The bottom line is that it’s a sweet, infectious song, and it hits spot on in its themes about being in love. A bit of a guilty pleasure as well, considering I’ll admit many of the themes listed prior have stronger appeals in technicality, but I love the song and wouldn’t shy from naming it as a personal favorite.

This part of the countdown features several recent themes that crossed my mind in crafting the countdown, including a few 2007-2008 series that I added into the original countdown. There are more to come like this in the themes leading up to my top 50, but I’ll stick to the current one for proper measure.

#69 “For Real” (Saiyuki 1st OP) I have a good smile on my face with regards to this theme because Saiyuki is definitely one of my favorite series, somewhere on the scale of top 30. Very strong character chemistry, interaction and humor in this series, but unfortunately it never really completes the journey. Fine by me, because I enjoyed watching the journey that Goku, Sanzo, Goujou and Hakkai undertake. Having said that, the OP theme, in melodic progression, seems to fit them to a tee in a reckless kind of swagger. I remember one comment on my countdown said this song reminded them of Aerosmith’s “Eat the Rich”. That might be part of the reason why I like this song as much as I do, because some of the chord progressions are similar, and I had no idea, but I knew it sounded familiar.

The melody aside, I think this is a song that appealed to me even when I took it aside from its context with the anime series. I watched Saiyuki for the first time back in…2006. So it’s a couple of years old from a first impression in my mind. Yet, I still find myself either rewatching the sequence or listening to the song on repeat for fun. I’ll also admit that I had this song on my Ipod with exercising a few times, it’s one of those that are so infectiously energetic, yet melodic, it stays with you. At least, that’s how it affects me

#68 “Super Drive” (Gravitation) Yet another series where the energetic theme caught along with me, though I’ll admit it was hard to place Gravitation’s opening on this countdown in retrospect. The sequence is well coordinated with the song, but it doesn’t quite jump out as much as other themes that might have better animation or character design. I think for a series of the latter 90s, Gravitation did well, and considering it’s also a music series (while being noted as a prominent title in the shounen-ai genre), it does very well with showcasing energetic J-pop songs with a central male vocal, as I mentioned in the video. “Super Drive” is no exception and I’d rank it well among the contributions in the series. Though…you’d expect it to be strong since the series revolves around a struggling musician, who has a conflict of interest when he falls in love with a rather blunt and crabby writer. XD

#67 “Rolling Star” by YUI (Bleach 5th OP). This is a song I’ve listened to for quite a while in the scheme of J-pop, but when it was used as the opening theme of Bleach, I figured it’d be a popular song. She does very well with melodic, driving pop songs like this, and I was glad to see more of that tonality on her album “Can’t Buy My Love”. This particular OP for Bleach is very well animated, loved the colors and the overall progression of it. On my former countdown I omitted this song because I limited myself to two themes, and at the time, I hadn’t watched up to a certain point in Bleach, but I finally came across its use, and decided to include it in my countdown. Yet, there’s still one theme that ranks above this one for me. It comes a bit later in the countdown, but I would rank YUI’s Rolling Star as my second favorite theme from the series. If it’s any measure, this is one of, if not my favorite YUI songs to date.

#66 “Metamorphose” (Kono Mini) I referred to Yoko Takahashi earlier in one of my previous posts, and noted how she tends to have dynamic catchy songs with an orchestrated feel to them. Most would know her as the singer for “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” from Evangelion, but she’s also contributed to a lot of other songs in anime. “Metamorphose” is one of those songs. Kono Mini, or the Ugly and Beautiful World, was not one of my favorite series, but the OP theme song and sequence were permanently grafted into my head. Why? The OP animation and character designs are crisp, down to the fleeting array of red butterflies that open the sequence before the title comes up. Beautiful vibrant use of color and fluid animation in parts. I think the orchestration, in particular, caught along with me with regards to the song. It’s a cute sequence, and it shows the characters very well in respects, but as you’ll see on this and the countdown for my favorite Anime Ending themes, she’s contributed other, stronger themes that hold their respective weight when standing alone.

#65 “Puzzle” (Welcome to the NHK!) I might be a lone voice in the crowd when I say this is probably Round Table featuring Nino’s strongest contribution to an anime series (Chobits “Let Me Be With You” didn’t quite catch on to me, and .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet’s “New World” was probably the weakest theme, imo, in that respective franchise). I think their vocals and the jazzy, orchestrated melody really work for them. Not to mention that NHK ni Yokoso! has a very creative sequence to accompany the song. I’ll admit the abstract colors and the respective montages of Misaki and Satou were very different from what you might see from a typical anime opening, so I have to give it due credit. I found this theme stronger than the “extra-hot mix” that was showcased with the second half of the series, since the horn accompaniment made the song stand out a lot more than the light electric guitar.

#64 “Believe” by Nami Tamaki (Gundam Seed 3rd Opening) This is definitely what I would consider my favorite theme from Gundam Seed, after many hours of mulling over what Gundam themes I should include on this countdown. When it came down to thinking about Gundam Seed, it was a much harder task to choose my favorite because I found elements in all four OPs that I liked. Catchy, dynamic animation, great montages of the characters for their respective story arcs. Very tough decision.

What tipped the balance for me? Going through some of my old anime songs on my Ipod and hearing this song again for the first time in a while. I consider Gundam Seed among my favorite series of the Gundam run, but I noted that this (and “Invoke”, the series first OP – I did feature that theme on the former version of this countdown, but omitted it after I chose this one to represent my favorite in the franchise) was always the one I came back to listening outside of watching the series. Nami Tamaki has a talent for singing infectiously catchy J-pop themes, with an electronic edge to them. Once you really find this song in your head, its hard to get out, and one could definitely find themselves singing along to it.

#63 “Life Goes On -side K” by CHEMISTRY (Antique Bakery): Definitely a new favorite; it’s one of the more recent themes on this countdown (2008). I think the first thing that stood out to me about the opening of Antique Bakery was how unique the sequence was: paper cutouts of the characters in a gorgeous 3-D diner setting. I kept thinking it was something like Honey and Clover meets Bartender the first time I saw it. Hilarious character interactions ensue throughout, and you can’t help but feel taken in by this infectiously appealing bakery. I would say this series is addicting in the way Yakitate Japan was about bread, only this series focuses on pastries, cake, and other baked goods. It’s also probably the most developed and well noted shounen-ai/yaoi series I’ve seen to date.

Regarding the song: I love CHEMISTRY: they are one of my favorite J-R&B groups and they usually have mid-tonal songs that go back and forth between pop, ballad, and soul rhythms. The song fits the series remarkably well considering its themes and trials of the respective characters as they work the bakery while trying to figure out their lives and relations to each other. The title couldn’t be any more appropriate considering those notations.

#62 “Hajimari no Hito” by Natural High (Bartender): If you haven’t seen this series, you need to watch it now, as in right now. It’s one of the best series I’ve seen in the past year for its calm, beautifully understated, yet engaging atmosphere. I don’t drink alcohol, but I felt an overwhelming sense of enticement with this series in the same way I felt for both Yakitate Japan and Antique Bakery. The opening theme is both mature and melodic, a perfect fit to the setting of the series. From what I understand, Natural High is a group that performs songs in jazzy, melodic rhythms. The male and female singers do very well in their back and forth exchanges, and if you note what they’re actually saying in the song, it’s noting a resisted attraction, so it fits very well with the tone set by the series.

#61 “Silly Go Round” by Fiction Junction YUUKA (.hack//roots) Choosing a favorite opening theme among the .hack series was an easier task than I thought it would be, though it actually came down to this and the theme for .hack//sign. This won out because the song itself appealed to me much more. Fiction Junction YUUKA is one of my favorite groups (notably with their collaborations with Yuki Kaijura, one of my favorite anime composers). They’ve contributed a number of different songs to anime themes, but this one, albeit a bit hard to sing along to, managed to pull me in as a listener. I guess it’s hard to say exactly how it made me feel: it’s haunting, yet uplifting. It’s a contrast that shouldn’t work, but considering Yuki Kaijura has some of these known inflections in many of her songs (a few of which to come on this countdown), I’m not terribly surprised by it. In fact, I think its one of the reasons why I’m indubitably attached to the music she composes.

#60 “Allegro Cantabile” (Nodame Cantabile) I’m a big fan of the series Nodame Cantabile. It’s a charming series and the infectious piano accompaniment with the arrangement of this opening is probably what stands out in my mind alongside the creative sequence. That’s pretty much the bottom line; it was just one of those themes I grew attached to on the first listen and found myself humming along to it afterward.

Personal comments after the cut.

Starting off this part of the countdown with #79

#79 “Cat’s Eye” by Anri (Cat’s Eye): Infectiously catchy 80s era song from City Hunter series creator Tsukasa Hojo. Indeed, this seems like a Charlie’s Angels rip, but it’s actually about a group of sisters who are notorious art thieves, and manage a cafe in their day-to-day lives while keeping their identities hidden. The reason behind their thievery is what makes this series stand out rather well in its storyline, though with some episodic progressions. Sound interesting, that’s because it is. Admittedly, it’s also notably campy and with its share of perversive humor. Still, it’s definitely one of my favorite themes.

#78 “Wedding Wars” by Furil (Wedding Peach) Don’t laugh. This is a rather catchy song and it does have the potential to get stuck in your head, whether you want it to or not. Wedding Peach revolves around girls who can transform themselves into champions of love, protecting the….as odd as it sounds…foundings of love and having the ability to transform into their wedding dresses. This particular theme is the second opening to the series, and I actually like it a lot more than the first OP, in both dynamic and song. It’s a nice series for a shoujo themed, magical girl orientation. Of course…it’d have a hard time keeping up with the next theme which is…..

#77 “Moonlight Densetsu” by Peach Hips (Sailor Moon SuperS) Yes, the quinessential shoujo series considered among many (though it’s really not the first magical girl show: I think Cutey Honey was back in the 70s, or at least the first official noted one). It was one of my first anime series as well, though it wasn’t technically the first (that belonged to the Wizard of Oz dub that used to come on HBO). It’s difficult to not sing along with this theme, and as mentioned in the video, I do have fond memories of it in retrospect, hence its place on the overall countdown. I chose the SuperS sequence, because it was my favorite sequence coupled with the song. If I had to note my favorite of the Sailor Moon series, it would either have to be the original or season R.

#76 “Venus Say” by Buzy (Twin Spica) Underrated series. Underrated song with its mid-tonal, surging inflections, and inspiring meaning. I have a strong gravitation towards series about children, and this one I thought did a good job of representing a coming of age story, albeit some flaws. Asumi is a little girl who wants to become an astronaut, but finds her dreams shortchanged when discovering the truth about the death of her mother several years before. It deals with supernatural themes like spirits (one in the form of Lion-san, Asumi’s friend) as well as peer relationships. What I like about this theme is that it’s whimsical and upbeat, while showcasing the characters very well in their ambitions to go to space. I always have a smile on my face when I watch Lion-san lead the group of kids almost like the Pied Piper playing the flute.

#75 “Lonely in Gorgeous” by Tommy February6 (Paradise Kiss). Definitely one of my favorite modern themes. Paradise Kiss is a well animated, Western-styled influenced story about a school girl who accidentally comes across an art school group and somehow becomes their model. Created by Ai Yazawa (who created NANA! ), Parakiss is a very nice series, and the opening for this series sets it up well with respect to the tone the manga adaptation. Some might recognize Tommy February6 as the alternate alias of Tomoko Kawase, or the lead singer of the J-group The Brilliant Green. If you don’t, then you can say Tommy February6 serves as a parody 80s pop queen with electro-pop influences. Think Cindi Lauper. I love the realistic transitions and the modern stylistics of the opening.

#74. “D-Technolife” by UVERworld (Bleach 2nd OP) One of three Bleach songs featured overall on this countdown. Honestly, I didn’t want it to go to that many (I was able to narrow Naruto songs down to two themes, One Piece to three, and Kimagure Orange Road to 2, if you want to know the most songs from an anime I’ve featured in the countdown, their placements are to come), but I had to mention this song for its well animated sequence and driving melodic progressions, it’s also from one of my favorite arcs in the series, at least before they went to filler city. UVERworld is one of my favorite J-groups for their catchy pop-rock songs, and I usually always find them stuck in my head. This theme was no different.

#73 “Logos Nagi World” (Hellsing) I finally watched and finished Hellsing after years of debating about the quality of the series, and I have to say, Hellsing does indeed have one of the strongest soundtracks I’ve heard from an anime series. The OP theme is brilliantly animated, and like I mentioned in the video: it does a nice job of highlighting a character like Alucard, if you can find a character like him. Hellsing is probably not my favorite Vampire-themed anime, but Alucard and Lady Integra are too cool of characters not to pass up, and the bluesy style of the opening mixes both confident swagger and moodiness to make it stand out in my mind.

#72 Koi Kaze by ef (Koi Kaze) This particular selection stood out in my head not only as one of the best, albeit controversial, romance series themes I had watched, but also featuring one of the most beautiful ballads I’d heard in a while up to the point I watched it. The sequence itself is quite nostalgic showing the characters in their infant stages and growing up, in separate context and noting their different personalities. The character designs and sequence are probably more understated than some of the themes I’ve featured/discussed before, but it doesn’t make it stand out any less because the sequence is so beautiful and fitting to the song. The song translates to “Love Wind” and expresses just how fleeting love can really be. It’s a beautifully done series and the theme is a compliment to that.

#71 “Growing of My Heart” by Mai Kuraki (Detective Conan OP 16). Detective Conan has been on how many seasons now? It’s hard for me to remember, but one thing I do know is that I love it to bits, probably about as strongly as some people love Naruto or One Piece. I really haven’t caught up with all of the episodes to be honest, but in watching the sequences, this song stood out to me as one of the strongest coupled with a nice J-pop song. Mai Kuraki has contributed goodness knows how many themes for the series thus far. What makes this one of her strongest is the driving melodic progression coupled with the tension between the characters noted in the scene. From Shuichi’s transformation into the tiny Conan to the number of adversaries that stand in the path of Ran, Mori, Haibara Ai and the remainder of the cast, it’s hard not to note how Conan is “growing” from these experiences. I loved how well it pulled together these themes and weaved them with a nice song to match.

#70 “Seventh Moon” by Fire Bomber (Macross 7): This is an example of a series that overuses its musical themes to a fault, and probably since Macross 7 is a series about using music to battle enemies…that’s a large reason why. Yet, there were some good songs that came out of the progression of the series, and the opening theme, in my opinion, is the strongest of them all. The lead singer of Fire Bomber has a rugged voice, but with enough attitude and lift to propel the song with its respective sequence. It’s really hard to not find this song in your head after you’ve watched the opening sequence a number of times. It does well because you get an idea of all the characters, and it’s a upbeat anthemic song that you can’t help but sing along to. As I mentioned in the video, Macross does have a number of strong songs in its franchise, and this song is no exception to that.