That's something unexpected.
Opening tracks in anime set the mood, and quite often they are made specifically for the title. The lyrics fit the narrative, the music itself somehow mirrors the mood of the series — or maybe purposefully contrasts it. But sometimes studios use licensed music instead of the tracks created specifically for this media. And sometimes this music is produced by non-Japanese artists.
It's a risky move, so the amount of shows with non-Japanese openings is low. But we decided to put together a little list of the most interesting ones.
Daicon IV Special (1983) — Twilight by Electric Light Orchestra, UK
This short animation was created by a group of animators called Daicon Film for Nihon SF Taikai conventions to promote their work. This group of animators would later form an actual animation studio Gainax, quite a famous one.
Daicon Film's animations were of very high quality and quite often included references to otaku culture. A brief lesson in anime history: Daicon Film and, later Gainax, were the ones who actually introduced the term "fan service" to the masses due to the abundance of it in their work. They were the first ones to think of breast physics, for example.
An epic track from Electric Light Orchestra complemented one of their early works, fitting the swift and detailed animation. Technically it's not an opening, but still a very notable usage of non-Japanese music.
Whisper Of The Heart (1995) — Take Me Home, Country Roads by Olivia Newton-John, USA
This cover of the famous song that was originally sung by John Denver adorns a solemn yet wholesome story from Studio Ghibli. The song is featured throughout the whole movie: the main character, Tsukishima Shizuku, translates the English version to Japanese for her school club, but the opening sequence unravels with the voice of Olivia Newton-John. Boomy choir in the beginning and cheery verses fit the art style of the movie and its mood perfectly. After all, it's Ghibli — it has to be a mix of sweetness and painful realizations.
Serial Experiments Lain (1998) — Duvet by Bôa, UK
Serial Experiments Lain turned out to be horrifyingly prophetic in some aspects of our modern relationship with a global network. The alternative rock track with the lyrics "And all the fears you hold so dear Will turn to whisper in your ear" corresponds to whatever transpires in this short series, as we know it now.
The problems of youth entwined with the advancing technology are paired with a soft, non-aggressive sounding opening track that nearly catches you off guard. It's a nice contrast.
Hanada Shounen-Shi (2002) — The One by Backstreet Boys, USA
The story about a mischievous young boy named Harada got an opening theme from the main heartthrobs of the beginning of the 00s — the Backstreet Boys. It's a comedic slice-of-life with a pinch of supernatural stuff, because Harada's restlessness leads him to the event in which he gains the ability to see ghosts. That's not the worst payoff for the Backstreet Boys' soundtrack.
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) — Inner Universe by Origa, Russia
The collaboration between Yoko Kanno, a renowned Japanese composer, and Russian singer Origa, is insane. The tracks they created together are a unique mix of neoclassical, electronica, and new-age, and this weird concoction suits the story of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex extremely well. Origa uses two languages in the lyrics, creating an almost magical, chant-like atmosphere with this combined phonetics. The mix of genres and languages correlates with the cyberpunk setting of Ghost in the Shell, diverse and eclectic.
Texhnolyze (2003) — Guardian Angel (Xavier's Edit) by Juno Reactor, UK
An experimental setting calls for an experimental genre. The American release of this sci-fi action thriller got an opening theme by Juno Reactor, a band that was popularizing psy trance all around the world. The track that became a classic in the middle of the 90s made people anticipate the fiery action of the series itself.
Speed Grapher (2005) — Girls on Film by Duran Duran, UK
A mix of thriller, action, supernatural, and drama, Speed Grapher follows the story of a former war photographer turned photojournalist trying to uncover the most deranged stories from the city's underbelly. His efforts almost get him killed, but instead, he gets a certain deadly power. The unique story is complemented by the flashy opening that features a track by Duran Duran, which feels a bit too upbeat for the series’ topics — but the lyrics are on point.
Higashi No Eden (2009) — Falling Down by Oasis, UK
The bizarre plot of Higashi no Eden follows a seemingly amnesiac character who fights a flock of other players in a game where they have a phone and a bank account and can deplete it by ordering the person on the phone to do specific things. And that person's abilities seem to be almost limitless — that is, limited only by the amount of money in the account. When you gather a bunch of overpowered and at the same time power-hungry people in one world, mayhem will definitely ensue. And the track by Oasis with the words that at the same time feel helpless and fighty falls right in line with the plot.
A Silent Voice (2016) — My Generation by The Who, UK
It's hard to find something more fitting for a movie about coming of age, sexuality, bullying, mental health, and other things that follow teens than a track called "My Generation". The opening shows a bunch of boys goofing around, but the movie itself is quite serious, so the punkish rock song from The Who is at the right place.
Lookism (2022) — Like That by Ateez, South Korea
South Korea is known for its barely realistic beauty standards, not only in the entertainment industry, but also in the lives of regular people, too. So the adaptation of manhwa Lookism that was released in 2022 deals with these issues. The opening theme by a popular Korean band Ateez is super catchy to the point that you don't wanna skip it and maybe by the end of the series you'd even learn the dance sequence.