Every year, anime openings seem to level up. Across each season this year, there are tons of examples of quality animation, clever credit integration, great matches to their music, and even unique storytelling all in of themselves. The best anime openings of 2024 are the best of the best, but this year is full of excellent candidates. In preparation for this list, it became hard just to make nominations due to the overall bar of quality going up.
Even with this excellent list, there’s so much more we could talk about. There’s nothing quite like a Bleach OP, and we got another great one alongside a cour that truly elevated Thousand-Year Blood War. Bang Brave Bravern and Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture called back to times past, with Bravern playing like something that aired in the 80’s and Rozé attempting to reverse engineer an AMV. Even more straightforward openings really worked to create something notable, like True Beauty’s scrapbooking motif. And of course, the inescapable Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan took TikTok by storm on cuteness and repetition alone.
But, what we here at InBetweenDrafts see in the best OPs is a desire to watch them again and again. In an age where it’s so easy to skip the intro, the best are the ones that become just as attendant viewing as the series they’re introducing. These openings are the ones that don’t just become fun to watch each week or even just put their songs on our playlists. A best opening is a highlight of its series and becomes as critical a memory of that series as any hype action scene or emotional confession. And here are those very ones:
10. “Tsuyogaru Girl” — Botchi Boromaru (Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!)
Blessedly, the Too Many Losing Heroines OP matches the vitality of the series. Hyper-charged with kinetic, flashing movements and near-constant motion, the song, written by BotchiBoromaru, is an overtly cutesy number that plays into the many personalities we meet throughout the series. It’s lively and vibrant, pulsating with an over-caffeinated edge that threatens to spill over. While both the song and visuals marry to complete a full picture, the most substantial element is the characters’ appearance. Every glimpse of them is bursting with personality specific to their character, allowing the OP to be even more infectious. It’s a rapid-fire number that is as dizzying as it is charming. [Ally Johnson]
Watch Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! on Crunchyroll.
9. “CRANK UP” — Ikusaburo Yamazaki (Twilight Out Of Focus)
Now, with so many great anime OPs this year, it’s hard to pick favorites. But “CRANK UP” by Ikusaburo Yamazaki is definitely up there for me. What I love so much about this OP is that it focuses on all of Twilight Out of Focus‘s characters, not just the main couples of this Boys Love romance. This wholesome OP that shows different versions of the characters through the lens of movie genres —mirroring a major plot point of the anime. The song itself is acoustic, making it feel soft and pretty cozy. Yamazaki is the perfect pick for this OP track. He embodies the tone of the anime so perfectly. [Kayla Chu]
Watch Twilight Out Of Focus on Crunchyroll.
8. “Preview of Me” — Tatsuya Kitani (Go! Go! Loser Ranger!)
Tatsuya Kitani has been on an undeniable hot streak with his recent contributions to anime, and his newest for Go! Go! Loser Ranger! shows his momentum has no signs of slowing down. “Preview of Me” is one of the more unique sounding and adrenaline pumping songs on this list. The pulsing synth beat and the children’s chorus ad libs keep the momentum mounting up until the chorus explodes into an hyperpop banger.
The visuals take the same approach, moving from minimalist CGI puppetry and MC Escher stairways of its first half into a literal freefall when the chorus drops. When added with the army of grasping hands and creepy dancing planet, make the whole thing feel like a psychedelic sugar rush. Sometimes the best OPs don’t need to show or tell much about what their actual show is like. OPs like these only need to be so cool and catchy that you just can’t help but tune in to see what the hell is going on over there. [Quinn Parulis]
Watch Go! Go! Loser Ranger! on Hulu.
7. “Same Blue” — OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM (Blue Box)
No matter how good the song or animation, an opening has one job above all: it should make you want to watch the anime. Blue Box’s beautiful opening, backed by OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM’s “Same Blue,” is a perfect example. Almost every frame of “Same Blue” is gorgeous — so much you might miss the inserting of an episode shot. The OP uses perspective and lighting to heighten the emotions around scenes. Cooler colors highlight the early morning practices Chinatsu and Taiki first connect over. Light begins to wash over their interactions and dims as Taiki hits a wall in his badminton performance. The OP hits its climax, in tandem with the track’s warm vocals, when Taiki overcomes that wall and expresses that raw and passionate feeling of triumph. It’s very difficult to not want to binge the whole series after seeing that. [Travis Hymas]
Watch Blue Box on Netflix.
6. “Curtain Call” — Yuuri (My Hero Academia Season 7)
My Hero Academia swings on the pendulum in terms of openings from series defining and epic to forgettable. For its seventh season it seemed like it would actually be the first cour ED by Omoinotake, “Flower Bud,” making the biggest impact. Instead, the second cour OP, “Curtain Call” by Yuuri, slams the door open and makes itself known with bracing and crisp vocals and stripped down but wildly effective imagery. The OP is the perfect setup. It shows the beginning and end of Midoriya, and his tireless resolve as he races to try and rescue anyone in need, even our main antagonist.
Through well placed shots, it also sets up the different characters and how they act as one another’s inverse and foil. Midoriya could’ve been Shigaraki, Todoroki could’ve been Dabi, and Urakaka could’ve been Toga. Aizawa’s fate barely missed Kurogiri’s. Yet our heroes persevere due to their spirit, something beautifully captured in the light on its feet, guttural track. The song swiftly captures our attention due to the strong voals, carrying us until the image of child Midoryia runs towards Shigaraki. It’s a strong, cyclical reminder that tells us everything we need to know about our main hero in one potent image. [Ally Johnson]
Watch My Hero Academia Season 7 on Crunchyroll.
5. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” — Creepy Nuts (Mashle: Magic and Muscles)
I’m aware that Mashle: Magic and Muscles is a show—I know it exists. However, I haven’t watched a single episode and couldn’t provide details about its plot or characters. There’s no reason I haven’t, but if anything would convince me to it’d be the opening to the second cour. The art style leans minimalist with monochromatic frames. Yet, there’s something slightly off-putting about the pairing of vibrant yellows with the blank expressions of characters moving to a xylophone-heavy melody. With each listen, I find myself almost possessed as I can’t help but lower my voice to join in, singing, “Who’s the best? I’m the best! Oh yeah,” followed by the repetitive chant “Bling-bang-bang, Bling-bang-bang, Bling-bang-bang-born.” Strangely addictive yet mildly unsettling is a winning combination for me! Maybe I’ll watch the show someday. [Carly Johnson]
Watch Mashle: Magic and Muscles on Crunchyroll.
4. “Unmei” — sumika (Delicious in Dungeon)
It’s no secret from my coverage that Delicious in Dungeon is my favorite anime of the year. Getting two different OPs makes the anime that much better. But in my professional opinion “Unmei,” by sumika, is the winner. sumika sings a catchy song that gets stuck in your head in the good way. Every time I find myself humming it, it brings a smile to my face. Additionally, the OP changes throughout the second cour to include Izutsumi once she becomes a member of the party! This detail, combined with the general upbeat nature of the song really makes it an OP that sticks with you months after the season concluded. Not to mention the OP’s juxtaposition with such a happy, uplifting song as the plot grows far more serious is always a good time for me. It’s a nice little twist that catches people by surprise. [Kayla Chu]
Watch Delicious in Dungeon on Netflix.
3. “Sleep Walking Orchestra” — Bump Of Chicken (Delicious in Dungeon)
Delicious in Dungeon’s first OP, “Sleep Walking Orchestra” by Bump of Chicken, may well be the opening on this list best at selling its show. Kicking off with instrumentation as if out of a renaissance tavern, the jaunty and soaring tune soundtracks a montage of scenes of our heroes exploring dungeons and cooking up delicious monsters. The scenes of the party exploring around giant versions of themselves frames them almost as if they were miniatures being pushed around a tabletop fantasy game. Meanwhile, the abstract shots like ominous red water or Falin sitting alone in darkness hints at more depth. In a year full of fantastic OPs, this one has the pristine table setting. [Quinn Parulis]
Watch Delicious in Dungeon (again) on Netflix.
2. “UUUUS!” — Hiroshi Kitadani (One Piece)
One of the many delightful aspects about the 26th opening for One Piece is how it appeals to different viewers. The opening hits the rightful, epic note for long-standing series fans through Hiroshi Kitadani’s expressive, range-defying vocals. Directed by fan-favorite Megumi Ishitani (of highlight episodes 982, 1015, and One Piece Fan Letter), the opening hits peaks repeatedly. It thrums with life by eschewing the typical hard lines the series in the past has favored. Instead, there’s a cyclical direction to the opening; highlighting the large cast’s actions and their influences on each other’s story.
It also marks a triumph for those of us who, in feats of foolhardy stubbornness, decided to binge the entirety of the series as fast as possible. Those opening notes of “UUUUUS!” is a welcoming beacon that we’ve finally caught up and now too are nearing the end. The music and visuals that cycle through images, moments, and motifs spotted throughout this legendary saga are a euphoric, dizzying reminder of the epic, global scale that One Piece has achieved. And it does so with vibrancy, color, a sense of adventure, and laughter, beautifully befitting our wonderfully goofy and elastic protagonist. [Ally Johnson]
Watch One Piece on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
1. “Otonoke” — Creepy Nuts (Dandadan)
What else can be said except “Creepy Nuts sweep”? Well, a lot actually. Creepy Nuts’ ascension is overdue, as many slept on the great Call of the Night opening back in 2022. Even so, “Otonoke” is definitely their anime opening peak. The track is a powerful mix of boisterous vocals, pumping beats, and very clever sampling. The result is exactly aligned with Dandadan’s eccentric vibe. Hip hop is still a genre doesn’t get to breathe much in this space, but “Otonoke” is the kind of ear worm that is sure to change that in years to come.
But Creepy Nuts isn’t the only ones doing some sampling. Science Saru borrows from all over Dandadan’s inspirations to put the visual elements of “Otonoke” together, particularly from tokusatsu. Much like the series itself, this opening is building on everything that came before it — sharpening up along the way. Most notable may be the homage near the end that Science Saru adds for itself. As Okarun does the “Akira run” from its own high mark work Devilman Crybaby out of frame, its as if the studio is challenging itself to go even harder and further than these things that make up Dandadan’s foundation. Given how much “Otonoke” has blown up since it first leaked, they just might have done it. [Travis Hymas]
Watch Dandadan on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Featured Images ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueshia, Toei Animation; ©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee; ©Takibi Amamori/Shogakukan/Losing Heroine Cheering Committee; © Haruba Negi, Kodansha / “Sentai Great Disqualification” Production Committee; © Ryoko Kui / KADOKAWA / “Delicious in Dungeon” PARTNERS, Netflix
Travis Hymas is a freelance writer and self appointed Pokémon historian out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Known to be regularly obessive over pop culture topics, gaming discourse, and trading card games, he is a published critic featured on sites such as Uppercut and The Young Folks.
