While anime draws most of its attention and likability from, of course, its stories and characters, the anime community also tends to enjoy the wide-ranging collection of theme songs, hooking viewers into watching more and enjoying more of what certain shows have to offer. In fact, collecting playlists of anime theme songs has gotten so popular over the years that it’s even become somewhat of a popular pastime. Some people even compete on platforms like Anime Music Quiz for fun and to showcase their repertoire of anime knowledge.
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Sometimes, fans also get involved by genre-mixing the themes and creating lofi, city-pop, synthwave, and other versions or making their own anime music videos, or AMVs. With anime theme songs being such a popular subculture to otakus everywhere, which theme songs are the best, most iconic bangers? Here are some of our top picks for anime opening themes that we think should go on any otaku’s playlist! And if you haven’t seen some of these shows, we highly recommend giving them a try if their opening songs are enough to hook you on the theme song hype train!
Pokémon: “Gotta Catch ’em All”
“Gotta Catch ’em All” by Jason Paige is the first opening theme in the Pokémon series and is one of the most iconic anime theme songs of all time. While it’s emblematic of ’90s anime opening theme songs tailored for English dubs, being catchy while also having lyrics impossible to mistake for another series, potentially to a fault.
How could it not be, with such iconic lyrics like “I wanna be the very best like no one ever was” immediately spelling out the entire theme of the show? Sure, Ash doesn’t necessarily “catch ’em all”, but he does indeed “travel across the land” with his best friends “in a world they must defend,” making for an adventure near and dear to many anime fans.
Pokémon can be streamed on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi TV, and Roku.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”
“A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi is the main theme throughout the 26-episode series of Neon Genesis Evangelion. With the opening lyrics beginning as “Like a cruel angel, young boy, become a legend”, the song goes on to illustrate the obstacles Shinji is fated to face.
With flashing visuals of religious imagery, the characters’ silhouettes and facial profiles, text cards, and monsters to be faced within the series, this song is a top-tier ’90s anime classic banger. It’s even been referenced in modern pop culture, such as a fan-made parody featuring King of the Hill and an official parody by Regular Show.
Neon Genesis Evangelion can be streamed on Netflix.
Soul Eater: “Resonance”
“If the lamplight of connected souls points toward your heart, can you hear a resonance stronger than words now?” “Resonance” by T.M. Revolution is the first of two openings for Soul Eater, spanning the first 30 episodes of the series. With a steady, heavy beat and the singer’s clean vibrato paired with the show’s unique stylized visuals, “Resonance” is a widely renowned opening fit for any upbeat anime music video playlist to keep the hype going.
Soul Eater can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
Steins;Gate: “Hacking to the Gate”
“Hacking to the Gate” is composed and written by Chiyomaru Shikura, arranged by Toshimichi Isoe, and sung by Kanako Ito. Something that fans may not catch is that, while it’s the theme song throughout the entirety of the first season of Steins;Gate, there are in fact two versions of the song that play during the series, one, dubbed alpha, for the first 22 episodes and the other, beta, specifically for episodes 23 and 24. Along with some subtle differences to the opening visuals, the lyrics between the two versions shift to different verses within the full version of the song.
Steins;Gate can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Dandadan: “Otonoke”
“Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts has been a recent pinnacle of anime opening theme virality. As the brightly colored, uniquely stylized visuals of the characters and monsters synchronously dance across the screen to a cacophony of soundbites oddly reminiscent of Invader Zim while the apt lyrics both repeat the show’s name and are riddled with connections to the occult, this song accurately captures the very essence of the show. With the name “Otonoke”, it’s surmised that the name itself contains occult references, “oto” meaning sound and “ke” meaning strange/ monster/ spirit/ yokai, so “Otonoke” befitting the “spirit of sound”.
Dandadan can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
[RELATED: Dandadan’s Theme Song Hides Tons of Occult Easter Eggs]
Tokyo Ghoul: “Unravel”
“Unravel” by TK from Ling Tosite Sigure, with a breathy falsetto voice spiraling from gently questioning what to do with a shattered worldview to unleashing one’s inner turmoil, depicts Ken Kaneki’s own inner struggle as he grapples between the human and ghoul worlds trying to accept his transformation while fearing the loss of his former self and the potential harm he might inflict on his loved ones.
With such a classic sound of poignant lyrics against an emotional backdrop, it’s no wonder this song has been a fan favorite since the hype surrounding Tokyo Ghoul took root.
Tokyo Ghoul can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
Link Click: “Vortex”
The second opening in the Chinese donghua series Link Click, “Vortex” by JAWS is unique in that, with a beautiful mix of 3D and 2D visuals, they eventually play in reverse just as the lyrics do, mirroring the time-traveling theme of the series. With the lyrics singing “Let it unfold… Place our fate into the ones aren’t in control… Time is like music, play it ’til the end and then reset”, the visuals depict main character Cheng Xiaoshi being uncontrollably tossed about as imagery and characters reminiscent of and foreshadowing conflicts flies past, physically and metaphorically just out of his reach and control, the lyrics and visuals reversing just as he Lu Guang do with time.
Link Click can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Oshi no Ko: “Idol”
“Idol” by Yoasobi reflects the story of Oshi no Ko itself with the dichotomy of an upbeat façade against dark implications. The lyrics depict the life of famous idol Ai Hoshino always having to act happy, always having to put up a façade in order to convince fans and the media that she’s the perfect pop icon.
The “essential” deception blurs the lines between truth and falsehood, fooling everyone, even herself. The tone and lyrics occasionally fall away to reveal the true emotional turmoil the idol faces when dealing with trying to know what it really means to love. But even if the fans screaming their love isn’t genuine, she still strives to keep them happy, believing the lies to keep the show going.
Oshi no Ko can be streamed fully on HIDIVE, with Season 1 also available on Hulu.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: “Again”
If you ask any fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, they’re bound to say that “Again” by Yui is a favorite out of all the opening themes in the series. The first of five openings of Brotherhood, “Again” is used in the first 14 episodes of the 64-episode series.
“Again” opens with more gentle lyrics against the backdrop of an acoustic guitar until it momentarily drops a sick electric guitar riff for the title before reverting back to the gentle, speculative tones. Then the tempo unravels into quick dispersal just as the main characters do, the percussion upping urgency mirroring the visuals. The tempo and tenacity in this theme tightens and loosens its grip in waves just as the story itself does.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood can be streamed on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
Berserk: “Inferno”
Although the 2016 remake of Berserk wasn’t exactly received well by fans (a massive understatement), the first opening in this series was, nonetheless, the radical tone the show needed, unlike the original 1997 version’s iconic yet lackluster opening.
Unlike the misdirecting lyrics in “Tell Me Why” by PENPALS telling the viewer “Nothing will be wrong”, “Inferno” by 9mm Parabellum Bullet instead riffs some radical progressive post-hardcore licks against more apt lyrics like “I’ll burn this life until it goes out,” “This reality is stained by nightmare,” and “I’ll keep up this hopeless struggle.” It’s perfectly emblematic of Berserk’s themes of overcoming trauma, finding purpose beyond revenge, and Guts’s tragic fate as an eternal struggler.
The 2016 adaptation of Berserk can be streamed on Crunchyroll;
The original 1997 version of Berserk can be streamed on Netflix.
What’s your favorite anime opening? Tell us in the comments if you have a pick not listed here that any fan should check out!
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