# 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.

*By YPB Team · Published August 14, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-16-best-anime-openings-of-the-1990s*

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## Current results (0 votes)

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.

Tags: music, 90s, animation, anime openings