Summary
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead has one of the best openings of the year, matching the fun of the concept while also imparting color and brightness to the zombie visuals. The opening of Undead Girl Murder Farce combines a variety of styles and introduces famous characters, capturing the fun and wild nature of the film. The opening of Vinland Saga showcases Thorfinn’s psychological trauma and the dark beauty of the series, transitioning seamlessly between morbid details.
2023 was a great year for anime openings, releasing some of the best products in recent memory. The opening of an anime is very important in attracting viewers and getting them in the right frame of mind to watch the show with them. However, this does not mean that they cannot be artistic in their own way.
The opening is a combination of animation and music that, at its best, can serve as a perfect encapsulation of their anime. Therefore, openings can be great in many different ways. It could be the stunning animation that highlights it. It could also be the great song that goes with it. Or maybe the perfect combination of these two aspects into a better whole. Aside from the opening, its quality can also come from how it complements the anime that follows. With these criteria in mind, here are the ten best anime openings of 2023.
10 Zom 100: List of dead people
Produced by Bug Films based on the manga by Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata
Name of the song
Song of the dead
Artist
Kana-Boon
Zom 100: List of dead people is a fresh take on the zombie apocalypse genre, with a large cast of characters trying to live their best lives in a world filled with rampaging zombies. Kana-Boon’s show opening matches the fun and optimism of the concept, while also conveying typical zombie images such as blood splatter and gore with color and brightness. It also does a great job of showing viewers the main characters’ personalities as they dance to the film’s infectious song. Although Zom 100 is currently on an indefinite hiatus, at least it left fans with one of the best openings of the year.
There are two versions of the opening version, but the second, more complete version is much better
Watch on Crunchyroll
Zombie girl’s murderous antics
Produced by Lapin Track based on the novel by Yugo Aosaki
Name of the song
Crack-Crack-Crack
Artist
Luxurious
Zombie girl’s murderous antics is one of the best hidden gems of 2023. It follows a half-oni named Tsugaru who accepts a job from the immortal head Aya to search for her missing body. This leads them to travel across Victorian Europe and solve many supernatural mysteries. The opening reflects how fun and wild this idea could be by combining many different styles together and highlighting all the different famous characters that appear in the series. Classy’s songs are also very good at capturing the strange yet fascinating nature of the world and plot. Seeing gorgeous visuals and iconic characters in the opening is guaranteed to leave viewers wanting more, which is the sign of a great OP.
Watch on Crunchyroll
8 Vinland Saga
Produced by MAPPA based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura
Name of the song
River
Artist
Incognito
Vinland Saga is a modern classic anime series about a Viking named Thorfinn, who initially sets out to take revenge on the man who killed his father, but then must redeem all the lives he took during his journey. your submission. The first opening of the second season is a great testament to that. It transitions seamlessly from one morbid detail to the next, demonstrating Thorfinn’s inability to overcome the trauma he has caused. While time passes like a river, carrying with it many other characters of the series such as the bloody king Canute and his slave friend Einar, Thorfinn is sinking in the mud, dragged down by many victims, represented by a chain of bloody arms. The symbolic nature of the opening gives it a dark beauty, much like the show itself.
Vinland Saga’s other 2023 opening act is also grand
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7 Spy x Family
Produced by WIT Studio and CloverWorks based on the manga by Tatsuya Endo
Name of the song
Kura Kura
Artist
Ado
Spy x Family is a fun show about a spy, assassin, and psychic living together as an established family. Watching the Forger family interact with each other and use their unique skills is a lot of fun. The show’s latest opening captures the joy of their relationship beautifully. Not only is it animated in a silly and expressive style, which is a delight to watch, but it also tells a fun and fantastical story about the lengths to which the Forgers would go to make tea. It is also sung by Ado, who sang Uta’s songs in One Piece Film: Red. While some viewers may find it too chaotic, it’s this frenetic energy that makes both it and the show it’s attached to so great.
Watch on Crunchyroll
6 Illusions of Paradise
Produced by Production IG based on the manga by Masakazu Ishiguro
Name of the song
innocent arrogance
Artist
BiSH
Fantasy of paradise is one of the best anime of 2023. It’s a confusing show, alternating between Maru and Kiruko’s post-apocalyptic journey and a mysterious school. Although the opening mainly focuses on the former plot, it still hints at the latter through subtle symbolism. This symbolism makes the opening as close to Evangelion as possible. However, while these trailers are interesting and hint at the overall nature of the film, what really makes this opening great is the absolutely beautiful animation. The animation looks extremely realistic but at the same time is a bit off, giving it a slightly uncomfortable feel, much like the show itself.
Watch on Hulu
5 Jujutsu Kaisen
Produced by MAPPA based on the manga by Gege Akutami
Name of the song
Ao no Sumika
Artist
Tatsuya Kitani
Jujutsu Kaisen released two great openers this year, but the first was only marginally better than the second. The opening is framed as part of Gojo’s memories as he thinks back to his mission with Geto to save Riko from the brutal mercenary Toji. Seeing the characters happy with each other in the face of the tragic events at the end of the arc is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. However, the song and great animation make it an enjoyable watch with an extremely interesting fight that is not shown in the anime. All of this makes it not only better than the sadder second OP, but also makes it one of the best openings in 2023.
Watch on Crunchyroll
4 demon assassins
Produced by Ufotable based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge
Name of the song
Kizuna no Kiseki
Artist
PEOPLE WITH A MISSION and important milestones
Demon slayer is one of the most beautiful Shonen anime series ever made, and its openings often reflect that. The opening of the Blacksmith Village arc takes things to the next level though in its animation and music synchronization. Tying the song’s rhythm to the sound of sword-making hammers was a wise decision that allowed the placement of the arc to become an integral part of the opening. And of course, like previous Demon Slayer openings, the battles in the OP are also extremely interesting and beautifully animated.
Watch on Crunchyroll
3 Heaven and Hell
Produced by MAPPA based on the manga by Yuji Kaku
Name of the song
Job
Artist
Ringo Sheena and the Millennium Parade
Heaven and hell has a large cast of characters and its opening does a great job of introducing viewers to them in an engaging way. The transitions from one character to the next are incredibly smooth and creative, making this opening fun and easy to watch. Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade’s songs also beautifully express both the skepticism and hope of the various criminals sent to find the elixir of life. This makes the entire opening a beautiful and somber encapsulation of the entire show and easily one of the best openings of 2023.
Watch on Crunchyroll
2 unlucky zombies
Produced by David Production based on the manga by Yshifumi Tozuka
Name of the song
01
Artist
Queen bee
Unlucky zombies is a show that pushes the boundaries of what a normal Shonen series is capable of, so it makes sense that its opening is equally chaotic. Flashing rapidly between hallucinatory images and important characters or plot points, the opening gives viewers a glimpse into the world of the Negatives and the UMA to get a general idea of the strangeness. Its strange without spoiling any major details. In many ways, this makes viewers more sympathetic to Fuuko, the series’ protagonist thrust into a conflict she doesn’t understand. This combined with Queen Bee’s excellent song makes the opening of Undead Unluck stand out above the rest.
Watch on Hulu
1 Oshi no Ko
Produced by Doga Kobo based on the manga by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari
Name of the song
Idol
Artist
YOASOBI
Idol anime Oshi no Ko took the anime community by storm in 2023 and for good reason. It’s an interesting look at the dark realities and realities under the glamorous image of the entertainment industry. Yoasobi’s opening song Idol reflects that brilliantly, being an upbeat pop song with a dark tone. It is also sung from the perspective of a character who doesn’t have much screen time in the show, but is extremely important, and this opening thus gives her more presence in the anime. The song’s deep meaning combined with the beautiful images of the main characters make Oshi no Ko’s OP the best song. Best anime opening of 2023.
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