# The 39 Best Anime Openings of All Time

> Some of these openings sold millions of singles; others live on as the songs nobody skips before episode one.

*By YPB Team · Published October 30, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-39-best-anime-openings-of-all-time*

---

## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **A Cruel Angel's Thesis** — score 1000/1000
   Yoko Takahashi's soaring Neon Genesis Evangelion theme, one of Japan's most-sung karaoke songs.
2. **Mixed Nuts (Spy x Family)** — score 988/1000
   Official Hige Dandism's jazzy, piano-driven Spy x Family opener.
3. **Tank! (Cowboy Bebop)** — score 948/1000
   The Seatbelts' brassy big-band jazz opener for Cowboy Bebop, composed by Yoko Kanno.
4. **Ready Steady Go (Fullmetal Alchemist)** — score 886/1000
   L'Arc-en-Ciel's high-energy second opening for the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist series.
5. **Gurenge (Demon Slayer)** — score 744/1000
   LiSA's crimson-lotus rock anthem that opened Demon Slayer and topped Japanese charts.
6. **Ao no Sumika (Jujutsu Kaisen)** — score 744/1000
   Tatsuya Kitani's wistful summer rock song for Jujutsu Kaisen's Hidden Inventory arc.
7. **Cha-La Head-Cha-La** — score 700/1000
   Hironobu Kageyama's iconic Dragon Ball Z opening, beloved across generations.
8. **Guren no Yumiya** — score 650/1000
   Linked Horizon's thunderous march that opened the first season of Attack on Titan.
9. **Crossing Field (Sword Art Online)** — score 650/1000
   LiSA's breakthrough opening song for the first Sword Art Online season.
10. **Blue Bird (Naruto Shippuden)** — score 650/1000
   Ikimono-gakari's soaring third Naruto Shippuden opening, a perennial fan-poll favourite.
11. **Sobakasu (Rurouni Kenshin)** — score 594/1000
   Judy and Mary's bouncy pop-punk first opening for Rurouni Kenshin.
12. **Bling-Bang-Bang-Born (Mashle)** — score 594/1000
   Creepy Nuts' rapid-fire Mashle opener that sparked a global dance trend in 2024.
13. **Silhouette (Naruto Shippuden)** — score 594/1000
   KANA-BOON's fast, nostalgic sixteenth Naruto Shippuden opening.
14. **The World (Death Note)** — score 532/1000
   Nightmare's dark, heavy opener for the first half of Death Note.
15. **Idol (Oshi no Ko)** — score 532/1000
   Yoasobi's 2023 Oshi no Ko opener that topped the Billboard Global Excl. US chart.
16. **Kick Back (Chainsaw Man)** — score 532/1000
   Kenshi Yonezu's chaotic, chant-filled Chainsaw Man theme, the first Japanese-language song certified gold by the RIAA.
17. **Specialz (Jujutsu Kaisen)** — score 532/1000
   King Gnu's sprawling, genre-shifting opener for Jujutsu Kaisen's Shibuya Incident arc.
18. **Again (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)** — score 461/1000
   Yui's driving rock opener for the first arc of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
19. **99 (Mob Psycho 100)** — score 461/1000
   Mob Choir's explosive, psychedelic opening for Mob Psycho 100.
20. **Bloody Stream (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)** — score 461/1000
   Coda's funk-flavoured opening for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Battle Tendency arc.
21. **Hacking to the Gate (Steins;Gate)** — score 461/1000
   Kanako Itō's electronic rock theme for the time-travel thriller Steins;Gate.
22. **We Are! (One Piece)** — score 380/1000
   Hiroshi Kitadani's original One Piece opening, the adventure anthem of the Straw Hat crew.
23. **Departure! (Hunter x Hunter)** — score 380/1000
   Masatoshi Ono's bright, soaring opening for the 2011 Hunter x Hunter series.
24. **Shinzou wo Sasageyo!** — score 380/1000
   Linked Horizon's operatic Attack on Titan season 2 opener with its 'dedicate your hearts' chant.
25. **Kaikai Kitan (Jujutsu Kaisen)** — score 380/1000
   Eve's jittery, groove-heavy first opening for Jujutsu Kaisen.
26. **Peace Sign (My Hero Academia)** — score 380/1000
   Kenshi Yonezu's upbeat second-season opener for My Hero Academia.
27. **Moonlight Densetsu (Sailor Moon)** — score 380/1000
   DALI's dreamy 1992 Sailor Moon theme known worldwide as the 'Moonlight Legend'.
28. **Inferno (Fire Force)** — score 380/1000
   Mrs. Green Apple's blazing pop-rock opening for Fire Force.
29. **Unravel (Tokyo Ghoul)** — score 380/1000
   TK from Ling Tosite Sigure's frantic, anguished opening for Tokyo Ghoul.
30. **Lilium (Elfen Lied)** — score 286/1000
   The haunting Latin choral hymn that opened the cult horror anime Elfen Lied.
31. **Colors (Code Geass)** — score 286/1000
   Flow's emotional first opening for the mecha drama Code Geass.
32. **Butter-Fly (Digimon Adventure)** — score 286/1000
   Kōji Wada's sunny Digimon Adventure opening, a nostalgic touchstone for a generation.
33. **Duvet (Serial Experiments Lain)** — score 286/1000
   Bôa's moody English-language alt-rock opening for Serial Experiments Lain.
34. **Otonoke (Dandadan)** — score 286/1000
   Creepy Nuts' frenetic hip-hop opening for the supernatural comedy Dandadan.
35. **Oath Sign (Fate/Zero)** — score 177/1000
   LiSA's dramatic first opening for Fate/Zero.
36. **The Hero!! (One Punch Man)** — score 177/1000
   JAM Project's over-the-top metal anthem for One Punch Man.
37. **Hikaru Nara** — score 177/1000
   Goose house's sparkling opening for the music drama Your Lie in April.
38. **Pokémon Theme** — score 177/1000
   Jason Paige's 'Gotta Catch 'Em All' English opening for the first Pokémon anime season.
39. **Haruka Kanata (Naruto)** — score 0/1000
   Asian Kung-Fu Generation's punchy second opening for the original Naruto.

Tags: music, animation, japan, soundtracks, theme songs