As an otaku, nothing can be more paramount to watchinganimethan having a mesmerizing opening sequence. In the realm of anime, every series has a distinctive opening theme that appeals to viewers of all types and even helps rank an anime to the top. It allows viewers to grasp the intended direction of an anime’s story; in other words, a teaser.
There’s no denying that soundtracks are necessary to breathe life into an anime. Whether they are opening tracks or in-scene influencers, these almost one-minute teasers can work like magic to catch the eye of fans for many episodes to come and make it outshine other anime. The quality of the animation also boosts the reputation of an anime immensely. With 2024 just starting, what better way to celebrate anime than to revisit all the mesmerizing opening sequences over the past few years? Here are some of the fan favorites that have taken the world by storm.
Update July 30, 2025: This article has been updated with even more great anime openings to kick off the new year and inspire your watch list.
10Gurenge -Demon Slayer
“Gurenge” by LiSA is the first opening soundtrack ofDemon Slayerseason one. From the get-go, it attracts the audience with LiSA’s powerful vocals and soft lyrics. The song is an upbeat rock, that symbolizes that through hardship, one can get the confidence to become stronger. It’s almost like a sweet letter to fans. The animation is smooth. Each character gets their own spotlight toshow their powers, while also adding to bits of comedic relief. Gurenge topped the charts as soon as it aired with episode one ofDemon Slayer. Fans were quick to vibe to it, even making short videos to showcase their sword-swinging skills or even their pets dressing up as Tanjiro or Nezuko.
9Tank! -Cowboy Bebop
Arguably Shinichiro Watanbe’s most popular project,Cowboy Bebop’s incredibly catchy theme cemented its place in pop culture during the 00’s era of Adult Swim anime.The show ran for 26 episodes, with the entire soundtrack produced by the group SEATBELTS - who were formed to produce the soundtrack. The iconic opening features the three main characters, often in silhouette against vibrant blocks of color. The credit sequence features many of the show’s most distinguishable iconography, including Spike Spiegel’s pistol and The Bebop ship.
8Departure -Hunter x Hunter
The popular shonen anime,Hunter x Hunteris perhaps the only anime that has rocked every new arc with the same opening soundtrack. Although the animation changes to accommodate each new season, the lyrics and music stay the same, making it iconic. “Departure” by Masatoshi Ono primarily showcases the four main characters; Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika, as they embark on new journeys to become hunters. The opening song symbolizes freedom to explore and overcome enemies. It’s fun, catchy and attracts the viewers by foreshadowing different fighting sequences andwhat they can expect in the current arc.
7Moonlight Legend -Sailor Moon
While the Japanese version was popular, the English version of “Moonlight Densetsu"became more widely known due to its catchy lyrics. The intro toSailor Moonshows how meeting Luna and Tuxedo Mask changed Usagi (Sailor Moon)’s life. All the sailor scouts are then introduced as warriors of justice, each showcasing their uniquebattle outfits and powers. As the lyrics say, ‘’fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight.’’ The animation perfectly depicts Usagi’s journey of fighting against Queen Beryl and her minions to save the world.
Related:Sailor Moon: 6 Iconic Dresses From the Series That Are Actually Real
6Inner Light -Hajime No Ippo
Hajime No Ippois still considered by many to be the best boxing anime of all time and is in close contention forthe best sports anime titleas well. Like the best sporting tales,Hajime No Ippois an underdog story following Makunouchi Ippo’s journey from a bullied high school student to a boxing star. The series has had many incredible openings over its 24-year history, but its second, titled Inner Light, is still its best. The guitar-heavy track encapsulates the mindset and motivation required to be a boxing champion. If you don’t want to hit the gym after hearing this song, you’re doing something wrong.
5Gotta Catch’em All -Pokémon
Anime lovers or not, everyone can admit to knowing the lyrics to this intro. “Gotta Catch’emAll” is a slogan for thePokémonfranchise that made for a catchy tune. Although the song ranked 57 on the UK Singles Chart in 2001, it captured the hearts of millions around the globe. The catchy lyrics were sung by every Pokémon lover at the time and even now by some. While multiple first-generation Pokémon dominate the intro, it primarily shows Ash Ketchum’s journey to become the best Pokémon trainer in the world. In 2016 whenPokémon Gocame out, it was almost impossible not to hear this song playing. Get a room for millennials in a room, and once they hear that opening guitar riff, watch them break out into song.
4Colors of the Heart -Blood+
Avid watchers of anime know exactly how Uverworld has dominated the world of anime opening themes. “Colors of the Heart” is no exception. It first appeared as the season three intro forBlood+. Being catchy and colorful, it caught the attention of fans worldwide. Each moment of the song is gracefully disguised by words of sadness, love, and resolve. Almost like a letter written to Saya Tonashi by her current self, telling her that although she is engulfed by the loss of loved ones, she can come out braver than before. She has many colors in her heart, each depicting a different loved one. The animation works like magic to showcase Saya’s beauty, anger, and resolve throughout her journey to defeat her twin sister.
Related:Uncle From Another World: Why the Comedic Series Shouldn’t be Missed
3Guren no Yumiya -Attack on Titan
With the anime’s military theme, “Guren no Yumiya” by Linked Horizon is no less than a national anthem for the anime world. On the day ofAttack on Titan’s first premiere, this song went instantly viral and became the most sung anime opening of the season. This iconic opening sequence riles up the audience within the first few seconds with the title surrounded by chains, symbolizing how the people within the walls are trapped by the fear of what lies beyond it.
“Guren no Yumiya” does justice to theincoming death, sacrifice and slaughterof each incoming episode with multiple action scenes installed throughout. The lyrics work well to highlight the dark theme, as it speaks about how prayers will not save anyone, all they can do is fight for their freedom. It truly represents the anime and influences fans to feel like they are a part of the Corps as well.
2Battlecry -Samurai Champloo
Kenichiro Watanabe’s stories are renound for their excellent soundtracks and, just likeCowboy Bebop, his follow up animeSamurai Champloois no different. Moving away from jazz,Samurai Champloofeatures a hip-hop inspired soundtrack, featuring scores from artists like the late Nujabes (the pioneer behind lo-fi) and Fat Jon. The juxtaposingly calm and action-packed atmosphere is best captured in its opening track, “Battlecry”, which features poetic lyrics by Shing02, a frequent collaborator with Nujabes.
1The World -Death Note
There’s no anime lover that hasn’t heard of this iconic opening song fromDeath Note. “The World” by Nightmare is a record-breaking soundtrack that depicts the exact feelings of Light Yagami. With each note in the lyrics, fans are reminded of Light’s mission to change this world and become its new god. The animation adds to this intention by showing Light in a godly aura, surrounded by the death of his enemies. The lyrics state that while the darkness continues to spread, he pledges to revolutionize the world by cleansing all the evildoers. Someday he will achieve his ideal world, free from crime.
At the same time, the lyrics state his intentions to kill anyone that gets in hisway of becoming the new god. Fans can also see the intense battle between Light and L., foreshadowing how it will go down between the two. To add to that, using different angles to show Light and L pining their sight against each other makes the intro more attractive to watch.
