Openings are an important part of any anime. They are also one of the most memorable elements, so it's imperative to make the opening impressive. Some projects have special teams working exclusively on this part of the title.
2023 has been one of the most intense and amazing years for new releases in recent memory. There were certainly a lot of good openings, but which were the most popular? Let's find out.
5. Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade — Work (Hell's Paradise)
The Hell's Paradise (Jigokuraku) opening is an example of good exposition. It immediately makes clear which characters the story will revolve around, what the atmosphere and setting will be. In addition to the catchy song Work by Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade, which combines rap and pop music, the opening has some interesting visuals.
For example, unconventional camera choreography and unexpected transitions between images. If for some reason you haven't seen this opening, we suggest you watch it right now!
Undead Unluck is a fall season novelty that didn't become very popular. But this anime has many strong points, and one of them is the opening. First of all, it has an interesting color scheme — a combination of bright shades and dark tones. This is very similar to the idea of the anime itself, as it mixes a pessimistic underlying theme with an amusing, sometimes frivolous realization.
Another entertaining feature is the use of fractured editing and kaleidoscope style. And of course the track! This is not the first time QUEEN BEE has composed for an anime — for example, the ending of Oshi no Ko or the ending of Chainsaw Man Episode 11 were also made by this band.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto) is an incredibly colorful 2023 anime. The title is about an office worker who is excited by the zombie apocalypse. The opening perfectly fits the show's mood.
There are two versions that don't differ much from each other. However, the second one is more popular. The composition is made by the famous group KANA-BOON, which you might know from the 16th Naruto Shippuden opening.
2. YOASOBI — Idol (Oshi no Ko)
What is needed for a good opening? An impressive visual, of course, but a hit song is just as important. Oshi no Ko's opening proves it. The YOASOBI Idol song has already received nearly 400 million views on YouTube, and it seems that's not the limit.
There are no incredibly impressive visuals (except for the sharp contrast between static and dynamic shots). The success is mainly due to the memorable composition. By the way, the music for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren), another memorable 2023 novelty, was also composed by YOASOBI.
It's probably not surprising that the second opening of the Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 tops the list. It has everything — beautiful visuals and a memorable composition. King Gnu, who wrote the track, has worked on Jujutsu Kaisen before, composing the theme song for the feature film Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
Among the visuals, the monumental imagery, expressive color palette, use of slo-mo, and unexpected editing (yes, the hands look cool!) are most impressive.
Can't stop rewatching!
Openings are an important part of any anime. They are also one of the most memorable elements, so it's imperative to make the opening impressive. Some projects have special teams working exclusively on this part of the title.
2023 has been one of the most intense and amazing years for new releases in recent memory. There were certainly a lot of good openings, but which were the most popular? Let's find out.
5. Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade — Work (Hell's Paradise)
The Hell's Paradise (Jigokuraku) opening is an example of good exposition. It immediately makes clear which characters the story will revolve around, what the atmosphere and setting will be. In addition to the catchy song Work by Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade, which combines rap and pop music, the opening has some interesting visuals.
For example, unconventional camera choreography and unexpected transitions between images. If for some reason you haven't seen this opening, we suggest you watch it right now!
Undead Unluck is a fall season novelty that didn't become very popular. But this anime has many strong points, and one of them is the opening. First of all, it has an interesting color scheme — a combination of bright shades and dark tones. This is very similar to the idea of the anime itself, as it mixes a pessimistic underlying theme with an amusing, sometimes frivolous realization.
Another entertaining feature is the use of fractured editing and kaleidoscope style. And of course the track! This is not the first time QUEEN BEE has composed for an anime — for example, the ending of Oshi no Ko or the ending of Chainsaw Man Episode 11 were also made by this band.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto) is an incredibly colorful 2023 anime. The title is about an office worker who is excited by the zombie apocalypse. The opening perfectly fits the show's mood.
There are two versions that don't differ much from each other. However, the second one is more popular. The composition is made by the famous group KANA-BOON, which you might know from the 16th Naruto Shippuden opening.
2. YOASOBI — Idol (Oshi no Ko)
What is needed for a good opening? An impressive visual, of course, but a hit song is just as important. Oshi no Ko's opening proves it. The YOASOBI Idol song has already received nearly 400 million views on YouTube, and it seems that's not the limit.
There are no incredibly impressive visuals (except for the sharp contrast between static and dynamic shots). The success is mainly due to the memorable composition. By the way, the music for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren), another memorable 2023 novelty, was also composed by YOASOBI.
It's probably not surprising that the second opening of the Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 tops the list. It has everything — beautiful visuals and a memorable composition. King Gnu, who wrote the track, has worked on Jujutsu Kaisen before, composing the theme song for the feature film Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
Among the visuals, the monumental imagery, expressive color palette, use of slo-mo, and unexpected editing (yes, the hands look cool!) are most impressive.
