#kakegerui

I'll be weighing up the sakuga, animation quality, editing and even foreshadowing in the OPs, as I'll be swayed going by song alone. As I'll be looking at foreshadowing, there may be some spoilers, so skip if you don't want any. Mother’s Basement does all the analysis on a whole bunch of these OPs, way better than I ever could, so check him out!

I made all the gifs in this post!

Honourable Mentions for OPs that didn't make the cut!

Assassination Classroom - S2 OP4

"Bye Bye Yesterday"

Cowboy Bebop - S1 OP1

“Tank”

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure - Part 2 OP2

“Bloody Stream”

Kakegerui - S1 OP1

“Deal with the Devil”

Toilet Bound Hanako-kun - S1 OP1

“No.7”

And now on with the chosen ones!

10.

Teasing Master Takagi-san - S2 OP2

“Zero Centimetres - Yuiko Ohara”

If I don’t talk about this OP no one will! It’s not the most spectacular OP ever, but it doesn’t need to be. For an OP so soft, it’s hard hitting with the foreshadowing, such as the joke box Nishikata makes and the rubber Takagi lends him. I think this OP is so sweet, and I remember I used to get butterflies during that dance scene and that scene at the end where Takagi writes on Nishikata’s back. I don’t know the singer AT ALL, but her voice is so lilting and sweet! She really captured the essence of a childhood crush in 90 seconds. I can’t wait for S3!

9. Demon Slayer - S2 OP2

“Zankyou Zanka - Aimer”

Demon Slayer is a simple shounen, and the OP fits that; there’s no grandiose foreshadowing to events that happen seasons from now, but god take a look at this stunning OP.

LOOK! AT! THE! FUCKING!! ANIMATION!!! THE MUSIC!!!! THE FORESHADOWING!!!!! This OP is CRAMMED with sakuga! My poor heart BROKE when I saw Rengoku’s hilt guard at the start. Poor Uzui’s backstory is hinted at, but they get you so hyped up for the upcoming action and BOY DID THEY DELIVER THIS SEASON! I want to kiss Aimer on the mouth for giving us such a good OP, I didn’t think LiSA could be matched.

8. Kaguya-sama: Love is War? - S2 OP2

“DADDY ! DADDY ! DO ! - Masayuki Suzuki feat. Airi Suzuki”

AHHHHHHHHHHH I DIDN’T THINK THIS WOULD BE A FAVE BUT HERE IT IS! The music! The animation! The subtle details! Mwah mwah mwah! Brilliant! They fall in love with each other more every season! Their battle for love in the first season was fierce, unapologetic in its brutality, deadly! Here, it’s blossoming into something gentler, but not losing its intensity in the slightest. Also we get to see the side characters up to their antics at well, which is never a problem.

Btw this song is a MASTERPIECE, seeing the name of the song has you singing along already, I am dying to see what they do for S3.

7. Ranking of Kings - S1 OP2

“Naked Hero - Vaundy”

I already did my analysis on this ahah! Wow, I didn’t think you could pack so much emotion and foreshadowing into an OP but boy was I wrong! You can feel the love pouring out of Hiling’s gaze, and the love that went into making this superb OP. I love Vaundy, and I was so ecstatic to see them doing the OP for one of my now favourite anime ever.

This OP will definitely have the same nostalgic effect in ten years, where you burst out singing as soon you hear it. There’s a few like that on this list too. Oh yeah, and this may be the only OP on here to make me cry upon its first viewing. I would love to give it a higher ranking — I would’ve based on Vaundy alone — it could easily sit in the Top 5 any day, but we’ll see how the season ends first :D.

6. Attack on Titan - S1 OP1

“Feuerroter Pfeil und Bogen”

YEAAAAAAAAH!!! FIRST ANIME BABY!!! And I used to skip the OP WPEOSKDMSOEN. Still, this OP is utterly ICONIC!!! We all scream “JAEGER” at the top of our lungs, there’s no denying it.

The ~cinnamontopography~ 😩. The organised ranks of soldiers in almost blinding monochrome against the chaotic titans in splotchy neon colours. The way Annie, Mikasa and Eren move is so goddamn satisfying and beautiful to look at. That’s some REAAAAAL nice sakuga, straight from Studio Wit themselves. This OP was really the best first OP for a series like AOT, they knocked it outta the park!

5. Nichijou - S1 OP1

“My Ordinary Life - Kataomoi”

If that zooming shot isn’t the coolest thing you’ve ever seen in your life shut up with your butt up. The OP is so funny and the song is such a FUCKING BOP!!! They instantly set you up for all the gags that might take place over the course of the show and let you know you’re in for the craziest “slice of life” you’ve ever seen. Get ready to dance your ass off when this comes on, I’m making sure your feet leave the floor!

4. Neon Genesis Evangelion - S1 OP1

“A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”

ICONIC!!! GODDAMN ICONIC!!!! I love everything about how this OP looks and sounds. All that religious imagery and symbolism. Whatever could it be foreshadowing :0. Seeing flashes of the monstrous Eva 001 sends a thrill up your spine, and those frames of text let you know this ain’t your average mecha. I love those long sweeping shots, this anime really killed it with its editing. I’m glad the song is so iconic— it should be with such a sexy name. If you’re not singing along when you hear the lyrics, I’m gonna cause the third impact on your ass.

3. Beastars - S1 OP1

“Wild Side - Ali”

The minute I saw stop motion I was hooked, there was no doubt this was going down as one of my favourite openings. I love the chase at the start, the foreshadowing of the fountain, the confusion between lust and hunger in Legoshi's mind, THAT BEAUTIFUL DANCE SCENE? I got butterflies for like the first 30 times I watched it over and over. The song is an absolute bop as well, I hope ALI keep making music for a long time to come.

2. Mob Psycho 100 - S2 OP2

“99.9 - Mob Choir”

I nearly orgasmed every time I heard that damn bass riff at the start. Down bad for that bass. This OP is so creative visually, like it’s jaw dropping in the execution of all these different styles and mediums. That 3D spinning Lego animation at the start is fucking AWESOME! My favourite shot would be where all the layers that make up Mob separate and then hit him all at once, that shit gave me goosebumps. S2 went to new heights and the second OP definitely outdoes the first.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - S1 OP1

“Again - Yui”

Anime fans are weeping knowing that something belonging to FMAB is in first place. It’s a good OP!!! It slapped me in the face with it’s foreshadowing and I failed to notice, smiling demurely like a fool!

It is a perfect OP, you hear this shit and you’re already singing. It’s such a beautiful OP as well, with plenty of sakuga, emotional beats and hype moments. Of course, every time you hear Yui start singing you just know things are gonna be good. Starting with the transmutation circle that started all this shit, and ending with Ed throwing his arm in the face (eye?) of GOD??! Wow, I implore you to check out Mother’s Basement for more in-depth analysis of this masterpiece of an OP.

These are some portraits of my friends I drew in the Kakegerui style for some reason?? I also used to draw on Apple Notes :)). If you can guess who I drew each friend as I’ll be mega impressed