2010 Year-Ender: Anime OPs
It’s that time of year again. So, let’s get, set, ready on taking a journey down the memory lane and remember all the good times. First in line are the Anime OPs~
Yo! I hope this post finds you well. Of course, with December almost at its median point, it’s about time for me to do some drumrolls and recap the year in anime with our year-ender lineup. I’ll try my best to put up a post daily so that the final popular voting gets some time during the Christmas break.
This is the first part of the 2010 Year-Ender series with me listing down my favourites from the anime that released this year (songs, characters, shows, etc.) in no particular order. As I will be listing down many titles, you will have a choice to select the best one(s) as per your liking. Your votes determine, who are the winners by the end of this series of Top 10. The most voted out of the nominees of course win and will be part of our Fan-favourite Year-Ender Special post.
Compared to last year, 2010 was definitely full of some very good music. I had a hard time selecting the final list and couldn’t agree on top 5 so went for a top 7 rather. Let me reiterate that the list is not in any particular order and is based on personal liking.
1. Youjohan Shinwa Taikei – “Maigoinu to Ame no Beat” by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
I have loved this group since I heard After Dark. This song specifically is their trademark offering with the right amount of peppiness to the crazy storyline, which is Youjohan. One of the top-notch anime produced this year by Madhouse, actually not only playing with boundary of animation but flowing creativity. Exactly my kind of anime.
2. Shiki – “Kuchizuke” by Buck-Tick
I still like the first OP than the second. Somehow, this was the start of one of the best horror shows out there. I remember first time hearing this and almost feeling goosebumps. Of course, it was not just the song but animation that went along with it but this is the kind of perfect harmony that produces something amazing. Cheers to the 25-employee company Daume for animating this.
3. Soredemo Machi wa Matteiru – “DOWN TOWN” by Maaya Sakamoto
Oh damn, this is SO ADDICTIVE! Everyone knows I love Sakamoto Maaya so her singing this catchy OP was brilliant. The lip syncing was a good idea. Count on SHAFT to make a splash with a weird maido-based comedy. I still have to catch up on the show so can’t really comment on quality but what I hear it’s fairly doing well and at least not a failure like Vampire Bund.
4. Shinrei Tantei Yakumo – “Key” by Jangled Cat (Ono Daisuke)
Fangirl plug! Fufufufuuu~ This is here because I love OD and you would be seeing him on another nomination as well but I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t like this because of the Engrish but the right mixture of music and visuals to tell the audience exactly what to expect. This is not Shiki-level horror, neither top-quality production (480p releases kill me… I want >720p, yo! T_T), more of a case-by-case series with an underlying character development. You will know what I mean once you get to know our Saitou Yakumo.
5. Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin – ‘”Flying Humanoid” by Shouko Nakagawa
This song is visually breathtaking and gets you totally engrossed in the fast moving images that move fast yet in a very flowing tangent. Shouko does a brilliant job and animation never stops to flow. A win-win situation? Heck yeah!
6. Panty & Stocking with Garter belt – ‘”Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt” by Hoshina Anniversary
Who would think someone would make a streamline animu with Panty & Stocking for a title? On first glance, you could even label it hentai but call this GAINAX SHITE, which is usually good (not brilliant but crazy and wacky, definitely). The song in question, is catchy and you are left singing it even after the show has started. Yeah, GAINAX mind tricks, be afraid, be very, very afraid.
7. Kuragehime – ‘”Koko Dake no Hanashi” by Chatmonchy
Oh Chatmonchy, how I love your music. Not to mention this OP is so WIN that I can’t stop talking about it! Filled to the brim with Hollywood references, it’s always a treat to point out which movies they used; Star Wars, Singing in the Rain, Mary Poppins, 007, Graduate and Dragon are to name a few. Very appropriate for Brain Base and their awesomeness (announce Durarara!! season two already!).
8. Katanagatari – “Katana to Saya” by ALI PROJECT’
I have to be honest; I really didn’t like this OP when I first heard it but came to like it after two/three listens. This is very relevant to the story and gives you the beginning jubilation that was required for all episodes of Katanagatari because well, it released every month and usually left on a cliffhanger making viewers wait. Animation is excellent and properly fits the storyline.
9. Highschool Of The Dead – “HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD” by Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets
Aha! The anime that trained me for ecchi! Very rocking and catchy. If your feet don’t move and head doesn’t nod, maybe you were born with two left ones? I loved this OP because it honestly told you what to expect from it: LOADS of zombies, lots of boobage, panty-shots, dumb blondes and CRAZZZYY heroes. Yeah, basically the shiznit prOn.
10. The World God Only Knows – ‘”God only knows Daisanmaku” by Oratorio The World God Only Knows
This reminded me of the Oasis OP of Eden of the East. Not because it was a copy of it but rather it was brilliant like that. The animation was quite unexpected but Manglobe sure went an extra mile to rope in some good creativity and not to mention the music is peppy enough to keep this on your playlist for some time.
11. Durarara!! – “Uragiri no Yuuyake” by Theatre Brook
“Complication” by ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D
You think I can just nominate one song from Durarara?! You must be crazy. Though Complication would never get around Uragiri but if you measure how fast both of these songs get on your mind, you would agree that it is difficult to choose between them. From one of my all-time favourite shows, again with my-kind of story. xD
12. Arakawa Under the Bridge /x Bridge – ‘”Venus to Jesus” by Etsuko Yakushimaru
“Nante Jibun de Kangaenasaina” by Miyuki Sawashiro
“COSMOS vs ALIEN ” by Etsuko Yakushimaru
Again, don’t even think I can make a choice between these. I simply love Etsuko’s sweet voice and she does an amazing job both in honey-coating both Venus to Jesus and Cosmos Vs Alien. The prize is actually taken by Maria (Sawashiro Miyuki), who does a perfect M. I would have liked to add the Kou-sama song by Takai as well but as I’m already over the limit of nominations, I will close this fast before fangirling even more on SHAFT!
13. Angel Beats! – ‘”My Soul, Your Beats!” by LiSa
Ack! Everyone knows that Jun Maeda is brilliant and he shows it even more brightly with the music composition of this emotional anime, which is a few episodes too short. Whatever shortcomings were in the storyline, it is made memorable with the Girls Dead Monster singles and amazing scores.
TIME TO VOTE!
Phew! This ends the first installment of 2010’s Top 10 nominations up for voting. For Best OP selection, you can vote up to SEVEN (7) choices! So, let us know which of the nominees are you voting for and why? Till my next post, comment away~ ^^
POLLS ARE CLOSED NOW. Results are HERE!
About Kyokai
The Boss lady of Metanorn, who makes it all happen. An animanga enthusiast, who watches/reads almost anything that strikes her fancy. Just beware of her Death Perception and always keep her happy. Regularly found at @KyokaiTM & #[email protected].
POWUH: Metanorn Regular and Infamous Nekomata with 91 comments
This year had really many stunning OPs as well as EDs. I wouldn’t really be able to rank them from bottom to top ’cause they are so different; each song has something the others don’t.
By the way ,Kyokai, your video for “Katana To Saya” is reversed @.@ Just to make sure you noticed~
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Oh I know! It was so hard to just list down and that is the reason I did it without any order or else… D:
And yeah, I know about the mirrored copy, it was the only VDO available on youtube for this ED so had to use it. ;-;
POWUH: Metanorn Regular and Infamous Nekomata with 91 comments
Here you are Kyokai~ Non-reversed and creditless too! Just found it!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Thanks, Eri-kun! <3 It got deleted for copyright though. >.>
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
lets see, ops for HOTD, Angel Beats, both arakawas, soredemo, seikimatsu, kuragehime….
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Fufufuuu~ Good list, Dan! ^^
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
gah, i like everything. ok, not everything. i haven’t listened to number 1, 6, and 7. i’m not into number 5, 9, and 10 too ^^; the list is great!
I used to hate kuchizuke because of the stupid bell, but then i was addicted to it. i’m addicted to calendula requiem though, because it’s just in my nature that i like things like violin and cello xD i like katana to saya too, since the violin is awesome there 8D
btw, anybody watched the last two eps of katanagatari yet? xD
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
OK… You have to watch KURAGEHIME… Like now! Srsly.
Shiki’s music is always awesome, I just cut the kanon song because I had to make this one a 16 nominations post and no more. Very hard, I tell you!
Btw, I’ve finally seen it and whoa… what an end. BAMF! I loved it!!! Cheeeeriiiiooooo!!! XD
POWUH: iLurker with 17 comments
> announce Durarara!! season two already!
Please no – not until they figure out how to fill an entire season with DRR goodness and not have a dull second half that abuses Celty as a deus ex machina.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Err… they have volumes of material in light novel to cover even a third season. Brains base is just being lazy as usual to their awesomeness.
POWUH: iLurker with 8 comments
You didn’t have Sora no Woto’s OP (Hikari no Senritsu) here? D: I’m assuming you probably didn’t watch it cause this is my favorite OP of the year over the rest of these amazing OPs.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
This was in my first draft but it got cut during selection. D:
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
Angel Beats – “My Soul, Your Beats”
Katanagatari – “Katana to Saya”
Arakawa – “Venus to Jesus””COSMOS vs ALIEN””Nante Jibun de Kangaenasaina”
ARAKAWA FTW 😀
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Good picks and MOAR ARAKAWA, yeah! xD
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 83 comments
My vote is for My Soul Your Beats! by Lia..beautiful visuals, great voice and music (but the TV version of the song sounds better than the longer in my opinion), and especially fitting with the emotional and heartshaking anime that Angel Beats! was. (Though it was indeed a number of episodes too short)
It’s also the only OP song I’ve heard this season that was on this list xD (Better go watch more shows!)
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ and Vocaloid Fangirl with 363 comments
My Soul, Your Beats! is awesome ^^
Arakawa’s songs are so brilliant even though they don’t make sense most of the time HAHA.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 27 comments
I picked (and stole this word of the other comments /vocabulary fails):
#’Flying Humanoid’; (Shokotan, congrats for this song~!)
#’Koko Dake no Hanashi’; (This song is love <3)
#'HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD'; (I don't know why, because the anime didn't interested me~)
#'God only knows Daisanmaku'; (When I saw this OP for the first time, I was like 'Ohh~ (°д°；) ', haha!)
#'Venus to Jesus'; (Etsuko's voice is sooo cute! ✿)
#'COSMOS vs ALIEN'; ( ^ [2] )
#'My Soul, Your Beats!'. (Of course! Key's animes are the best~ ç3ç CLANNAD <3)
But it's so difficult to pick only 7! (Good for the ones that love anime's songs, right? ☆)
And I liked DenYuuDen's 'Last Inferno', Yosuga no Sora's (the song, not the anime!) 'Hiyoku no Hane', MM!, and… Oh, but I read some comments, so I know that it's a lot of OP songs to put~
Well, thanks for the post and for read this~! (o*≧▽≦)o
(And a lot of great songs for us in the next animes too~! ♪♫)
POWUH: iLurker with 3 comments
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