20 - 11
20. Zankyou no Terror ED - "Dare ka, Umi wo"
No matter how many times I watch this, this ending always gives me chills. By all means, I shouldn't like it as much as I do, but somehow, I just do. The sketchy animation, the soft music, the way it all crescendos, it's all so beautiful. Maybe that's why it keeps landing on my lists.
19. Deadman Wonderland OP - "One Reason"
I'm still cringing at past me who said this opening doesn't have great animation. Because it has absolutely brilliant animation, I was just too stupid to see it. There are so many moments where there's something going in the background, something you need to pause it, so many moments that you can miss if you're not paying attention. On top of that, the song is heavy, grungy, and angry, working well with the other side of this show's brilliant juxtaposition. I really need to apologize to this opening, because it deserves so much better than what my past self gave it.
18. Zankyou no Terror OP - "Trigger"
When I bought Zankyou no Terror on DVD, I insisted on getting the limited edition version, no matter how expensive it was. I need a quality box to go with the fantastic quality of this show, and especially its opening. It's so beautiful, there are so many layers, and it goes well with the lyrics, and, ugh, I could go on and on about how gorgeous this opening is. But I'll leave it at that it's beyond limited-edition quality.
17. Mushishi OP 2 - "Shiver"
I listened to this song so much during high school while thinking of my crush. Because of it, this song takes me back to then almost perfectly. Even beyond that, it's a beautiful, gentle yet sad song that goes so well with the cold landscapes that are used in this opening. It's such a relaxing opening that it goes perfectly with Mushishi, my third favorite anime.
16. Kiznaiver OP - "Lay Your Hands On Me"
I'm so glad I found a loophole to get this song on my phone, because it's such a brilliant song. There are very few songs that feel so big-city and so soaring, like it's something beyond you. Add in the kaleidoscope effect on the animation, and it's beyond something just good or great. The trippy, yet energetic visuals add so much to it. I can't describe it. You know what? Just watch it. Words can't describe how good it is, it's something you'll need to experience for yourself.
15. Rainbow OP - "We're Not Alone"
TV Version | Full Version (spoilers)
Holy cow, this song makes me want to cry. If you had seen Rainbow without the opening, you would be wondering how in the world a song could encompass the pain that the characters through, but this song does it perfectly. The pain, the desperation, and the camaraderie that comes from it, it's all in the song. It's the song I listened to while I wrote one of the most intense parts of my book, and I love it so much for that as well.
14. Eden of the East OP - "Falling Down"
Due to its fantastic sociopolitical commentary, in my opinion, Eden of the East is the most important anime, or at least the most important out of the ones I've seen. And the first thing that drew me into the entire thing was the opening. I just had to stop and read the words (as I always do) and what I saw intrigued me so much. On top of that, the song's lyrics also fits the anime so well. In fact, this song is my go-to song whenever I get riled up about something political. This, too, was my ringtone for a while. Anyway, I better get moving on before I end up gushing about Eden of the East for a few more paragraphs.
13. Beck OP - "Hit in the USA"
Beck is my favorite music anime. It shows such a clear love of its topic, of oldies rock, and nothing shows it better like its opening. It feels so much like taking a tour bus to perform across the states, and of course the song's declaration of "I was made to hit in America!" adds to it. The song is so catchy that's hard for it to not deserve its place on the list.
12. Nanbaka ED - "Datsugoku Riron"
There's no other way to way to describe this ending other than fun. When I first saw it, I never thought I would end up loving it as much as I did. But then I kept listening to it... and kept listening to it... and now I have to admit that it's one of my favorite endings. It's so much fun how it's the characters singing it, and how we even get Hajime yelling at them when they try to escape again XD I can never get tired of it, and that's why it's so high on the list.
11. Yuri!!! on Ice OP - "History Maker"
I've noticed something--the more stressful my life gets, the more I tend to want to watch or listen to things Yuri!!! on Ice related. This was especially true in fall of 2016, when it was first airing. I was going through a hard time--I didn't have very many friends, I could not get along with one of my teachers, and I was struggling as anime club president. But I remember always being super happy whenever a new episode aired. And, of course, I ended up listening to the opening over and over and over again. Sometimes it was on of the few things that made me actually want to go to school in the mornings. Because if that, I can't put it anywhere but as high as it is.
