5 Best Anime Opening Songs

Anime is undoubtedly one of the greatest gifts mankind has ever received. It's easy to see the amount of talent, skill, and time that creators pour into each episode. In order to give justice to all that effort, anime openings are often times given extra care during production. It's no surprise, then, that the songs that go with them are carefully and thoroughly chosen—although some are better than others.

In this article, we're listing down five really good anime opening themes that you won't ever skip.

1. "Gurenge" by LiSA - Demon Slayer

Let's kick things off with the most obvious entry in the list. Aside from being sung by the Queen of Anime Themes, LiSA, the song boasts of an epic instrumental that's in line with Demon Slayer's whole vibe. When played over the show's opening animation that's just as epic, it truly is an experience like no other.

"Gurenge" has won a number of music awards, including a Newtype Anime Awards for Best Theme Song in 2019, a Japan Gold Disc award for Best 5 Songs by Download in 2020, and the JASRAC Gold Award for 2021. While these achievements certainly cement the song's popularity, its likability is apparent even by just looking at the left and right covers and fan renditions of the song. Anime fans really are something else!

Related: Demon Slayer Gains US Secretary of State as New Fan of Mugen Train

2. "Unravel" by TK from Ling tosite Sigure - Tokyo Ghoul

This opening song is very well-known in the anime community. It's almost always present in YouTube compilations of the best anime opening songs and anime editions of try not to sing challenges. Musicians like to play it not only in anime conventions and gatherings, but also in areas where there are instruments that the public could use.

The song is indeed singable, with a catchy yet heartfelt tune that completely captures the emotion that the whole Tokyo Ghoul series tries to evoke. But it probably wouldn't be as great without TK's vocals which emit a certain kind of longing and pain that are central to the whole story. Some even like to point out how it very much sounds like Kaneki is singing the song himself.

Another thing that makes the song even more special is the fact that Toru Kitajima, better known as TK from Ling tosite Sigure, wrote it for the anime. In an interview, he confirms that he was a fan of the manga and was very glad to take on the offer of writing and performing the anime's opening theme. No wonder the heart-wrenching lyrics couldn't be any more fitting for Kaneki! (Excuse us while we get rid of the sniffles.)

3. "Shinzou wo Sasageyo" by Linked Horizon - Attack on Titan Season 2

This entry is very much for the feels as it is for the song's own brilliance. The song title roughly translates to "dedicate your heart," which is all that Attack on Titan's main characters do all throughout the series. Whether that's touching or heartbreaking depends on how far along you are in the story.

The song couldn't have been better timed as it very effectively mirrors the struggles that Eren and the rest of the Paradis island waddle through as the Survey Corps continues to protect everyone from the titans. You'll know someone is a fan of the series when you play the song and you see them suddenly crying or putting their fist over their chest, or both!

No spoiler tag is needed for when we say that Attack on Titan has some of anime's most unexpected and gut-wrenching deaths, but it has its fair share of funny moments too, thank goodness!

4. "DADDY! DADDY! DO!" by Masayuki Suzuki feat. Airi Suzuki - Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2

LiSA is not the only royalty in this list. We also have Japan's King of Love Songs, Masayuki Suzuki, who sang the opening songs for seasons one and two of Kaguya-sama: Love is War.

The jazz-funk genre isn't a very common choice for anything anime, which is why Masayuki initially worried that his music wasn't going to be received well by anime fans. His worries were quickly crushed when his song for the first season topped charts. His subsequent performance of the opening for the anime's second season was equally as well-liked, proof being the song's winning of the Best Song award at the 7th Anime Trending Awards in 2021.

"DADDY! DADDY! DO!" is catchy, fun, and is most fitting for the series' second season, where Shinomiya and Shirogane are finding it extra difficult to hide their feelings for each other, making the already amusing premise even more interesting. Read the song's English translation and you'll know what we mean!

Can you imagine how great it would be if Masayuki returns to sing the opening for Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3?

5. "Fiction" by sumika - Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

The last song for this list is definitely not the least. The opening theme for the popular Josei anime Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is an upbeat and feel-good song that gets just about anyone going as soon as they hear it. It plays over the opening animation that features the main characters doing an adorable little dance during the chorus.

"Fiction" did so well even after the peak of the anime's popularity that it even made waves on TikTok where users posted videos of them dancing to the song like Narumi, Nifuji, Koyanagi, and Kabakura does in the original opening. It's a cute tune that you will want to listen to for days on end (I know I did!).

The anime world is filled to the brim with melodies that will have anyone feeling all kinds of emotions. But don't take our word for it! Have a listen to these five songs for starters and who knows what other anime songs you'll enjoy next!

Related: 12 Anime with Controversial Endings