Top 10 Greatest Anime Opening Scenes
Now this is how you start things on a high note. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we are counting down our picks for the Top 10 Greatest Anime Opening Scenes.
For this list, we'll be looking at the initial scenes in anime series and films that perfectly set the tone for what's about to come.
#10: “Drifters” (2016)
From the mad genius that brought us gun-wielding Dracula, what better way to start a series involving time-travelling warriors then with a good ol’ war. Introducing us to our primary badass, Toyohisa Shimazu, from the very first moment he appears on screen we see him hacking and slashing his way through enemy soldiers. Set during the last leg of the Battle of Sekigahara, we’re given a front row seat as Toyohisa butchers his way through wave after wave of foes, all the while taking unimaginable amounts of punishment. No wonder Murasaki wanted to recruit him.
#9: “Boruto: Naruto Next Generation” (2017-)
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Considering the high note Naruto: Shippuden closed out on, its sequel was going to have pull out literally all the stops in order to win us over, and we’ll be damned if it didn’t actually succeed! Giving us a glimpse of the chaos to come, we see that the Leaf Village lies in ruins, and its down to Boruto’s Dad’s Son to take out the newest threat to the shinobi world, something that not even his dear old papi could handle. Given how much of a brat Boruto can be at times, it’s good to know that at some point he’s finally going to become a ninja worthy of respect.
#8: “Kill la Kill” (2013-14)
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Perfectly capturing the madness and hilarity to come, the sight of Gamagoori kicking his way into a classroom before pursuing a student all across the academy was nothing short of a beautiful, insane medley. Not only did we get to see just how much of an absolute unit the Elite Four’s resident muscle man really was. If that wasn’t enough, we also got a demonstration of the Goku Uniforms and how they could turn a wimp into a beast in no time at all. Sprinkle on our first look at Satsuki and Ryuko, and the stage was pretty much set!
#7: “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” (2014-15)
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This series boasts everything from killer babies, to a monkey who can create an artificial ship, and yet its opening scene is one of incredible simplicity and foreboding. How could something as famously out-there as JoJo accomplish such a thing? One word; Dio. As soon as you see that name engraved on that coffin, everyone knew that things were about to go to hell in a handbasket for the Joestar lineage. Given how events panned out, we weren’t wrong.
#6: “One Punch Man” (2015)
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This one’s opening starts out unassuming enough, after all, you’ve got a generic villain that wandered off the set of Dragon Ball going up against a protagonist who looks like a low-tier cosplayer. Then he lets loose a single punch, and everything changes. Managing to reduce the Vaccine Man to pulp while screaming in frustration over how easily he won the fight, we all knew that we were in for something special going forward with Saitama leading the way.
#5: “Ghost in the Shell” (1995)
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We barely have time to take in the enthralling architecture of New Port City before we see the living weapons that is The Major leap into action. The way she dispatches her target may be ruthlessly efficient, but the one moment that sticks in everyone’s mind is when our heroine slips away from view thanks to her camouflage suit. As if that wasn’t breath-taking enough, as she soon as she vanishes from sight we hear that classic soundtrack break free, leading to one of anime’s greatest title sequences!
#4: “Mobile Suit Gundam 00” (2007-09)
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With the eerie voice of a preacher echoing throughout, we’re greeted to the sight of a battleground, with giant mecha slaughtering everyone in sight, all in the name of a supposedly Holy War. Defiant to the end, we see Setsuna battered as he tries to survive the skirmish, armed with nothing more than a machine gun and a child soldier’s hatred. While it looks like he’s about to meet his end, he finds his own salvation when a lone Mobile Suit enters the fray.
#3: “Neon Genesis Evangelion” (1995-96)
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We’re sure many will be arguing about this anime’s impact and legacy until the stars fade, but if there’s one thing that everyone can agree on, and that the first scene is an excellent set up for the chaos ahead. A sunken city, rows upon rows of fully-armed tanks all locked onto one target, and of course the sight of the Angel gliding through the water towards the main land. The fact that the only sound you hear is the birds chirping overhead masterfully layers the whole affair with tension. Even our first introduction to Shinji isn’t without an ominous edge.
#2: “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” (2011)
Right out of the gate, this anime makes it perfectly clear it’s not your run of the mill magical girl series! While newcomers will have no ungodly idea what’s going on, watching Homura take on the might of a colossal witch while the entire city is left decimated still makes for quite the spectacle. All the while, we see Kyubey trying to goad Madoka into making a decision that could either save or doom them, all the while the battle before them is highlighted by some truly kickass music. Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Bakemonogatari” (2009-10) “Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14) “Psycho-Pass” (2012-13)
#1: “Gurren Lagann” (2007)
It literally opens up with a galaxy exploding. What more do you need? Even without being introduced to the awesomeness that is Kamina or having the faintest idea about how big the mecha are going to get, just watching an adult Simon look on in eagerness as he prepares to take on the millions of enemies before him speaks wonders. With every light in the sky poised against them, the way he declares those immortal words has never felt more poignant. It may not be canon, but that’s how you prep fans for a cosmic roller-coaster like no other.
