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. 1
   Pokemon - Pokemon Theme

   The 1998 English opening whose 'Gotta catch 'em all' line became the franchise's slogan.
2. 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. 3
   Cowboy Bebop - Tank!

   The Seatbelts' big-band jazz opening from 1998, scored by Yoko Kanno.
4. 4
   Sailor Moon - Moonlight Densetsu

   DALI's 1992 theme, reused across the franchise for decades.
5. 5
   Dragon Ball Z - Cha-La Head-Cha-La

   Hironobu Kageyama's 1989 theme that ran through the show's biggest arcs.
6. 6
   Yu Yu Hakusho - Hohoemi no Bakudan

   Matsuko Mawatari's brass-driven 1992 opening.
7. 7
   Trigun - H.T.

   Tsuneo Imahori's guitar instrumental from the 1998 series.
8. 8
   Rurouni Kenshin - Sobakasu

   Judy and Mary's 1996 pop-rock opening.
9. 9
   Slam Dunk - Kimi ga Suki da to Sakebitai

   BAAD's 1993 theme, a fixture of Japanese basketball culture.
10. 10
    Cardcaptor Sakura - Platinum

    Maaya Sakamoto's 1999 third opening, written by Yuki Kajiura.
11. 11
    Serial Experiments Lain - Duvet

    Boa's English-language 1998 opening, unusual for the era.
12. 12
    Berserk - Tell Me Why

    Penpals' 1997 opening for the original Berserk adaptation.
13. 13
    Digimon Adventure - Butter-Fly

    Koji Wada's 1999 theme, sung at conventions ever since.
14. 14
    Mobile Suit Gundam Wing - Just Communication

    Two-Mix's 1995 opening for the series that sold Gundam to the West.
15. 15
    Dragon Ball GT - Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku

    Field of View's 1996 theme, often named the best song in the franchise.
16. 16
    Detective Conan - Mune ga Dokidoki

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

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