Top 10 Visually Stunning Anime Openings

WatchMojo

They're a feast for the eyes and ears! Join Ashley as we look over the most striking anime openings

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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the anime openings with

00:10some of the most beautiful, creative, and well-executed animation.

00:22Number 10.

00:23Absolute Zero – Windbreaker Cloverworks produces some of the most gorgeous

00:27anime, and Windbreaker is no exception.

00:30The delinquent series' first opening, Absolute Zero, does a great job introducing its cast

00:36of do-gooder punks in style.

00:43The lighting effects are beautifully rendered, with some scenes tinged with green to match

00:48their uniforms.

00:49Meanwhile, the camera remains in near-constant motion, bringing the opening just as much

00:55energy as the music.

01:02Whether we're watching the boys of Bofurin get in scraps, or spinning down the halls

01:06of their school and town, Absolute Zero never lets up on its incredible visuals.

01:16Number 9.

01:17Rei's Insight – Detective Conan

01:25There are dozens of openings for Detective Conan, but this is perhaps the most striking.

01:31Unlike most openings, Rei's Insight is a blend of live-action and animation.

01:36The animated characters and a few vehicles are instead overlaid onto real-world locations

01:42in Tokyo.

01:43We haven't been this impressed by the seamless degree to which the two mediums are mixed

01:47since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

02:00Seeing Conan and company brought into our world is beautiful enough, but there are some

02:05other great touches too.

02:07Like jumbo TV screens displaying song lyrics, or Conan speeding along a freeway on his

02:13skateboard.

02:19Those add even more visual flair.

02:21Rei's Insight raises the bar for what's possible for anime openings.

02:35Number 8.

02:36JoJo Sonnoji no Sadame

02:44You'd be hard-pressed to name a JoJo opening that isn't a feast for the eyes and ears.

02:50Yet, the inaugural intro really goes all out.

02:53The animation in general is quite unique, as it's a sort of blend between 2D and 3D.

03:05The opening summarizes most of the major events in Phantom Blood, the first part of

03:10JoJo's bizarre adventure.

03:12Although, it does go through dynamic sequences that transition beautifully from one to the

03:18next.

03:26The intro truly feels like the JoJo manga has come to life and leapt off the page.

03:32An impression that's reinforced by the sound effects displayed throughout, and basically

03:36animating a few actual panels.

03:39Sonnoji no Sadame is as rich in detail as it is in epic execution.

03:50Number 7.

03:51Daten – Call of the Night

03:58They didn't have to go this hard for a vampire rom-com's opening, but they did, and we're

04:03thankful for it.

04:05Daten features some creative and beautiful uses of color.

04:09From several minimalistic shots in various shades in the beginning, to the vibrant shots

04:14of the stars and cityscape reflecting one another, this opening is positively sparkling

04:20with exquisite hues.

04:27The cast of characters falling through the air, as well as the assorted shots displaying

04:32the lyrics of the song on screen, also adds some fun visual style to the proceedings too.

04:38It's no wonder we've all fallen for this opening.

04:47Number 6.

04:48Vivid Vice – Jujutsu Kaisen

04:51This supernatural action series is another one whose openings rarely miss.

04:56Yet its second opening, Vivid Vice, arguably has the best visuals.

05:09Directed by famed animator Yamashita Shingo, who's known for his work on anime openings

05:14and action sequences, Vivid Vice brings a spectacular level of detail to its animation.

05:20The fight scenes are fluid and exciting, and the camera work is evocative and creative.

05:32The use of lighting and colors are especially impressive, with the detail on the shadows

05:38and reflections looking downright realistic.

05:41From its beginnings to its rabidly rewound conclusion, Vivid Vice is fantastically, well,

05:50vivid.

05:58Number 5.

05:59Souvenir – Spy Family

06:06Cloverworks strikes again.

06:09Spy Family has a beautiful animation style, and its second opening showcases the absolute

06:14peak of what it can do.

06:16We're treated to various scenes of the Forger family engaging in everyday activities, from

06:22going on drives to walks in the park.

06:31The colors are bright and gorgeous in practically every scene, with elements like flowers, bubbles,

06:38fall leaves, and carnival lights really helping them pop.

06:42The realistic lighting and fluid animation lend Souvenir a joyful atmosphere that just

06:48makes us want to dive through our screens to experience even more of these stunning

06:53sights.

06:59Number 4.

07:00Seisha no Koushin – The Idoten Deities' No Only Peace

07:05This underrated series may have gone under many viewers' radars, but its opening is

07:10wild enough that we'll never forget it.

07:18Seisha no Koushin, or Paradise of Saints, primarily depicts the series' cast, most

07:24of whom are shown splitting apart in various ways.

07:28Bursting with various colors and featuring plenty of bizarre, abstract imagery, the opening

07:33also utilizes some unique visual effects, such as lines akin to those from old CRT televisions.

07:46Seisha no Koushin, much like the characters it depicts, is coming apart at the seams with

07:51creativity.

07:59Number 3.

08:00One – Mob Psycho 100

08:03It didn't seem possible that Mob Psycho could continue to one-up itself with its crazy openings,

08:09yet somehow this anime did just that, with its animation at least.

08:20The show's final opening, One, continues the tradition of insane, abstract imagery

08:26mixed with depictions of its cast of characters.

08:29The lyrics of the song are also displayed throughout, albeit in creative and increasingly

08:34odd ways.

08:42The visuals are absolutely wild, yet despite how bizarre they can get, they're still beautifully

08:48rendered, feel perfect for Mob Psycho 100, and feature some fantastic transitions.

08:54It may not be number one for us, but we can definitely see how One could be your one and

09:00only one.

09:04Number 2.

09:05Naked Hero – Ranking of Kings

09:08Although the art style of Ranking of Kings may look simple, it only makes the lovingly

09:13rendered details of its second intro stand out even more.

09:25Another opening storyboarded by the legendary Yamashita Shingo, Naked Hero is packed from

09:30beginning to end, with evocative shot after evocative shot.

09:46Whether it's depicting its cast of characters in various wonderfully lit and perfectly

09:51transitioned scenes, or showing various sweeping landscapes, this opening is jaw-droppingly

09:57gorgeous.

09:58There is beauty in simplicity, and Naked Hero is a prime example of both that saying, and

10:04an absolutely stunning anime opening.

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10:31Number 1.

10:32OZ – One Piece

10:34This long-running series has had plenty of openings, yet we'd argue that it reached

10:39a new high with OZ.

10:41The show's 26th opening is overflowing with beautiful imagery and dazzling colours.

10:52The Straw Hats' arrival on Egghead is marked by some of the most fast-paced and gorgeous

10:57animation the series has ever seen.

11:00The transitions between scenes, characters, and even outfits are incredibly creative and

11:05utterly smooth.

11:10OZ is also filled from top to bottom with easter eggs, callbacks, and foreshadowing,

11:19such that it's practically impossible to catch everything on first viewing.

11:23And no matter how many times we watch it, it never fails to take our breath away.

11:36Is there a jaw-dropping anime opening that you believe should have been on this list?

11:40Let us know your favourites in the comments below.

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