The 16 Best Anime Openings of the 1990s

Ninety seconds of animation and a song people still know by heart. The decade that made anime openings a genre of their own.

1

Pokemon - Pokemon Theme

The 1998 English opening whose 'Gotta catch 'em all' line became the franchise's slogan.

2

Neon Genesis Evangelion - A Cruel Angel's Thesis

Yoko Takahashi's 1995 theme, still one of the most-performed songs at Japanese karaoke.

3

Cowboy Bebop - Tank!

The Seatbelts' big-band jazz opening from 1998, scored by Yoko Kanno.

4

Sailor Moon - Moonlight Densetsu

DALI's 1992 theme, reused across the franchise for decades.

5

Dragon Ball Z - Cha-La Head-Cha-La

Hironobu Kageyama's 1989 theme that ran through the show's biggest arcs.

6

Yu Yu Hakusho - Hohoemi no Bakudan

Matsuko Mawatari's brass-driven 1992 opening.

7

Trigun - H.T.

Tsuneo Imahori's guitar instrumental from the 1998 series.

8

Rurouni Kenshin - Sobakasu

Judy and Mary's 1996 pop-rock opening.

9

Slam Dunk - Kimi ga Suki da to Sakebitai

BAAD's 1993 theme, a fixture of Japanese basketball culture.

10

Cardcaptor Sakura - Platinum

Maaya Sakamoto's 1999 third opening, written by Yuki Kajiura.

11

Serial Experiments Lain - Duvet

Boa's English-language 1998 opening, unusual for the era.

12

Berserk - Tell Me Why

Penpals' 1997 opening for the original Berserk adaptation.

13

Digimon Adventure - Butter-Fly

Koji Wada's 1999 theme, sung at conventions ever since.

14

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing - Just Communication

Two-Mix's 1995 opening for the series that sold Gundam to the West.

15

Dragon Ball GT - Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku

Field of View's 1996 theme, often named the best song in the franchise.

16

Detective Conan - Mune ga Dokidoki

The High-Lows' 1996 opening for a series still running today.