They're a feast for the eyes and ears! Join Ashley as we look over the most striking anime openings
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the anime openings with
00:10some of the most beautiful, creative, and well-executed animation.
00:22Number 10.
00:23Absolute Zero – Windbreaker Cloverworks produces some of the most gorgeous
00:27anime, and Windbreaker is no exception.
00:30The delinquent series' first opening, Absolute Zero, does a great job introducing its cast
00:36of do-gooder punks in style.
00:43The lighting effects are beautifully rendered, with some scenes tinged with green to match
00:48their uniforms.
00:49Meanwhile, the camera remains in near-constant motion, bringing the opening just as much
00:55energy as the music.
01:02Whether we're watching the boys of Bofurin get in scraps, or spinning down the halls
01:06of their school and town, Absolute Zero never lets up on its incredible visuals.
01:16Number 9.
01:17Rei's Insight – Detective Conan
01:25There are dozens of openings for Detective Conan, but this is perhaps the most striking.
01:31Unlike most openings, Rei's Insight is a blend of live-action and animation.
01:36The animated characters and a few vehicles are instead overlaid onto real-world locations
01:42in Tokyo.
01:43We haven't been this impressed by the seamless degree to which the two mediums are mixed
01:47since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
02:00Seeing Conan and company brought into our world is beautiful enough, but there are some
02:05other great touches too.
02:07Like jumbo TV screens displaying song lyrics, or Conan speeding along a freeway on his
02:13skateboard.
02:19Those add even more visual flair.
02:21Rei's Insight raises the bar for what's possible for anime openings.
02:35Number 8.
02:36JoJo Sonnoji no Sadame
02:44You'd be hard-pressed to name a JoJo opening that isn't a feast for the eyes and ears.
02:50Yet, the inaugural intro really goes all out.
02:53The animation in general is quite unique, as it's a sort of blend between 2D and 3D.
03:05The opening summarizes most of the major events in Phantom Blood, the first part of
03:10JoJo's bizarre adventure.
03:12Although, it does go through dynamic sequences that transition beautifully from one to the
03:18next.
03:26The intro truly feels like the JoJo manga has come to life and leapt off the page.
03:32An impression that's reinforced by the sound effects displayed throughout, and basically
03:36animating a few actual panels.
03:39Sonnoji no Sadame is as rich in detail as it is in epic execution.
03:50Number 7.
03:51Daten – Call of the Night
03:58They didn't have to go this hard for a vampire rom-com's opening, but they did, and we're
04:03thankful for it.
04:05Daten features some creative and beautiful uses of color.
04:09From several minimalistic shots in various shades in the beginning, to the vibrant shots
04:14of the stars and cityscape reflecting one another, this opening is positively sparkling
04:20with exquisite hues.
04:27The cast of characters falling through the air, as well as the assorted shots displaying
04:32the lyrics of the song on screen, also adds some fun visual style to the proceedings too.
04:38It's no wonder we've all fallen for this opening.
04:47Number 6.
04:48Vivid Vice – Jujutsu Kaisen
04:51This supernatural action series is another one whose openings rarely miss.
04:56Yet its second opening, Vivid Vice, arguably has the best visuals.
05:09Directed by famed animator Yamashita Shingo, who's known for his work on anime openings
05:14and action sequences, Vivid Vice brings a spectacular level of detail to its animation.
05:20The fight scenes are fluid and exciting, and the camera work is evocative and creative.
05:32The use of lighting and colors are especially impressive, with the detail on the shadows
05:38and reflections looking downright realistic.
05:41From its beginnings to its rabidly rewound conclusion, Vivid Vice is fantastically, well,
05:50vivid.
05:58Number 5.
05:59Souvenir – Spy Family
06:06Cloverworks strikes again.
06:09Spy Family has a beautiful animation style, and its second opening showcases the absolute
06:14peak of what it can do.
06:16We're treated to various scenes of the Forger family engaging in everyday activities, from
06:22going on drives to walks in the park.
06:31The colors are bright and gorgeous in practically every scene, with elements like flowers, bubbles,
06:38fall leaves, and carnival lights really helping them pop.
06:42The realistic lighting and fluid animation lend Souvenir a joyful atmosphere that just
06:48makes us want to dive through our screens to experience even more of these stunning
06:53sights.
06:59Number 4.
07:00Seisha no Koushin – The Idoten Deities' No Only Peace
07:05This underrated series may have gone under many viewers' radars, but its opening is
07:10wild enough that we'll never forget it.
07:18Seisha no Koushin, or Paradise of Saints, primarily depicts the series' cast, most
07:24of whom are shown splitting apart in various ways.
07:28Bursting with various colors and featuring plenty of bizarre, abstract imagery, the opening
07:33also utilizes some unique visual effects, such as lines akin to those from old CRT televisions.
07:46Seisha no Koushin, much like the characters it depicts, is coming apart at the seams with
07:51creativity.
07:59Number 3.
08:00One – Mob Psycho 100
08:03It didn't seem possible that Mob Psycho could continue to one-up itself with its crazy openings,
08:09yet somehow this anime did just that, with its animation at least.
08:20The show's final opening, One, continues the tradition of insane, abstract imagery
08:26mixed with depictions of its cast of characters.
08:29The lyrics of the song are also displayed throughout, albeit in creative and increasingly
08:34odd ways.
08:42The visuals are absolutely wild, yet despite how bizarre they can get, they're still beautifully
08:48rendered, feel perfect for Mob Psycho 100, and feature some fantastic transitions.
08:54It may not be number one for us, but we can definitely see how One could be your one and
09:00only one.
09:04Number 2.
09:05Naked Hero – Ranking of Kings
09:08Although the art style of Ranking of Kings may look simple, it only makes the lovingly
09:13rendered details of its second intro stand out even more.
09:25Another opening storyboarded by the legendary Yamashita Shingo, Naked Hero is packed from
09:30beginning to end, with evocative shot after evocative shot.
09:46Whether it's depicting its cast of characters in various wonderfully lit and perfectly
09:51transitioned scenes, or showing various sweeping landscapes, this opening is jaw-droppingly
09:57gorgeous.
09:58There is beauty in simplicity, and Naked Hero is a prime example of both that saying, and
10:04an absolutely stunning anime opening.
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10:31Number 1.
10:32OZ – One Piece
10:34This long-running series has had plenty of openings, yet we'd argue that it reached
10:39a new high with OZ.
10:41The show's 26th opening is overflowing with beautiful imagery and dazzling colours.
10:52The Straw Hats' arrival on Egghead is marked by some of the most fast-paced and gorgeous
10:57animation the series has ever seen.
11:00The transitions between scenes, characters, and even outfits are incredibly creative and
11:05utterly smooth.
11:10OZ is also filled from top to bottom with easter eggs, callbacks, and foreshadowing,
11:19such that it's practically impossible to catch everything on first viewing.
11:23And no matter how many times we watch it, it never fails to take our breath away.
11:36Is there a jaw-dropping anime opening that you believe should have been on this list?
11:40Let us know your favourites in the comments below.