My favorite Anime Openings & Endings 2022

Ach ja, like I have already mentioned last year, I am not the most qualified person to conduct end-of-the-year lists. At the time of writing this post, I have seen six series and one movie from 2022 with at least four more series on the back burner. However, I do always take the time to at least listen into the seasonal compilations of openings and ending, meaning I have seen at least a snippet of every OP and ED of the year. Incidentally, most entries seem to be from the current fall season, though it is indeed a stacked season. Due to personal bias, I will most likely overlook promising entries, but I did look into anything that caught my eye. I can only give better insight into the sequences I have actually seen the corresponding anime, but I hope I can also explain my fascination of entries I did not see, but consider great regardless.

As always, this is not a ranked list, as my opinion probably shifts three times a day. So, without further ado, here are my favorite anime openings and endings of 2022.

Openings

Normally, this would be the place to explain what I value and look forward in an opening for, but if there is something I learned from compiling those over the years, it is that an opening can work on so many different layers, that either limiting or simply defining what I value in an opening couldn’t possible cover everything I like without at least some exceptions utterly disregarding what I would have written. Alas, a good opening is… if it is good. No, I can nor will get any more specific :D.

Princess Connect! Re:Dive Season 2 Opening — “Lost Princess” by M・A・O, Miku Itou and Rika Tachibana

To be honest, I never really got warm with the first opening of Princess Connect. Sure, the song is also the opening theme for the game, sung by the main trio, but it never felt like Princess Connect, but rather KonoSuba with Kazuma’s gang being replaced by Yuuki’s. While I always appreciate more KonoSuba and its vibe perfectly translates into the actual show, I always wished the opening, just like the ED, would more appropriately capture Princess Connect itself.

The second opening does just that, having a bigger focus on the Gourmet Guild and their mundane mornings, their comradery and even hints towards a larger climax of the series itself. Also, the action sequence with all the characters flying across the screen is just perfection. Literal “Blink and you miss it” goodness of all the characters from the game. If you are a fan of the game, this is the opening you would wish for its anime adaptation and the anime once again delivers on that.

Spy x Family Opening — “Mixed Nuts” by Official HIGE DANdism

Masashi Ishihama simply is a certified god if it comes to opening and ending sequences and he once again brings his A-game for this entry. The OP is a juxtaposition of the daily life of the Forger family and the main jobs of Loid and Yor from the perspective of Anya and her child-like understanding of it. As expected, there are a plethora of creative layouts, great usages of transitions and distinctive color palettes, resulting in a visual feast for the eye. While It might be low on deeper meaning or references to the story, it makes all up for it with unlimited charme.

Lycoris Recoil Opening — “ALIVE” by ClariS

I tend to like OP’s that really follow and commit themselves to one singular idea and execute on it. Lycoris Recoil’s theme is contrast and duality: The way Chisato and Takina always oppose each other in one way or another, either walking into different direction, being isolated into the other side of the screen or by the use of different colors. There are seeral more contrast in the anime that get expanded further in the anime. There is the dichotomy between assassins going undercover as school girls and working in a café, the visual motif of the two towers and even how Chisato’s vibe is totally off compared to the other Lycoris, as seen by her confident stride and posing. However, the opening also gives us some harmony, like Chisato and Takina being in the café, the two girls fighting alongside another perfectly and even pulling a “Stand by me” reference in the end. Add a banger song and you got yourself a good OP.

Ya Boy Kongming! Opening — “Ciki Ciki Bam Bam” by QUEENDOM

This is a vibe. I am always fascinated by “other worlds”, even, or specifically, if they are grounded in our world. I would probably die the second I set foot in a club, but seeing it portrayed in media, I can’t help but thinking about how cool it is. Also, add the most famous chinese military strategist in history to the mix and you get yourself this. No idea what is going on, but it slaps and the dance is just phenomenal. Fun fact, the song is a cover of some hungarian pop-song. Do I ever plan on watching the anime. No, but I have to acknowledge a certified banger.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Opening — “Shukufuku” by YOASOBI

To be honest, I don’t know much about this Gundam entry, beyond the fact that it is supposed to be some mix of Revolutionary Girl Utena and Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but I sure want to watch it someday. The opening already gives me enough incentive to see emotionally unstable teens eventually being forced to betray themselves and start killing each other, or at least this is my reading from the little character glimpses we get and the fact, that this is still Gundam. Also, the full music video is really cool and probably has tons of meaning I can’t fully grasp yet.

Urusei Yatsura (2022) Opening — “Aiue” by MAISONdes, Minami and SAKURAmoti

Similar to the last entry, I do not know much about Urusei Yatsura, beyond it being one of the progenitor of anime RomCom’s. However, there is always some interesting aspect to bringing and old property into today’s present. The opening certainly leans into the fact that the original property is from the 70/80s. The very start of the opening might just be my favorite part, opening with a literal Space Invaders parody, but also continues with framing the protagonist around animated, what I assume are the original manga panels and old-school dating sims on the Gameboy. This all eventually transforms into modern variation of the same ideas. We get Lum inserting herself into a widescreen visual novel, a TikTok Hair Tutorial, Instagram and plastering herself all around modern day Shibuya. Solely the Space Invaders reference stays. This is how you bring an old property into modern day!

Mob Psycho 100 III Opening — “1” by MOB CHOIR

I can’t think of another anime witch such a strong line-up of openings. Season 1 Opening? Masterpiece. Season 2 Opening? Impeccable kino. Season 3? I will put down my final judgement when I have completed the anime, but from what I see from the opening already, it certainly is in the right track. I assume the opening is full of references towards what will happen in the story, but I can already get some glimpses into its usage of metaphors. Eyes have already been a constant in the last two openings, but now they are complimented by a weird focus of hands and mouths too. However, most importantly, Reigen keeps being the most sexiest man alive.

Again, while I will abstain from an interpretation until the anime ended airing, the visual component stays strong throughout. Not even the change of director’s alters the fact that Mob Psycho keeps being one of the most visually interesting and engaging anime out there and this opening sequence once again shows the strength of its production. Also the very end with Mob slowly growing in front of Reigen and the name of the studio transforming into the author’s. My heart 😭.

Chainsaw Man Opening — “KICK BACK” by Kenshi Yonezu

Now to the big one. There are most definitely better people than me, that not only have read the original manga, but also recognize the many film references, to talk about the opening. However, since there is no one but as chickens, I will get my word either way. First of, the song is amazing. The bassline alone has more intercourse than I will ever have, but it also really captures the chaos of it all. There are so many different things happening in the same time, but the interconnectedness gives this all a relatively clear through line to follow.

Similar to the Mob Psycho OP, I will refrain from giving anything similar to an actual analysis of the opening, but already taking a closer look into scenes like Makima feeding Denji a parasyte-infected snail, while Venus flytraps grow on his body, gives me hope, that there is a lot of meat on it to bite into.

Honorable Mentions

As always, a list can only be so full, though my reason for putting the following openings into the honorable mentions is mostly because I can barely talk more than a couple of sentences about them, with me often being interested into a singular aspect of them. However, all of them are good in some way and I implore you to give them a wach.

Endings

Same as with the openings, I got the feeling it became more and more difficult to pin down what I value in an ending the more I have been exposed to more endings in general. Please, just give me more than characters sliding across the screen and I will be able to work with it.

Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2 Ending — “Akuma no Ko” by Ai Higuchi

I know I said this is not a ranked list, but if it were, Attack on Titan’s newest ending would easily take the top spot. I already did a more thourough analysis in another post, but to summarize, this ending both perfectly captures Eren’s idea as a character, as well as it feeling final and conclusive… which makes me wonder why this is not actually the final ending of Attack on Titan, despite so clearly being a final ending. AoT never had the strongest batch of ending sequences, but this one effortlessly goes into top tier of endings in general.

My Dress-Up Darling Ending — “Koi no Yukue” by Akari Akase

Initially, I only wanted to write “They very cute together” and leave it at that. I mean, this is my honest opinion, but there is also a bit more to the ending. While limited, the animation is able to accurately portray both leads major character traits with Marin going her merry way, while Gojou is an anxious mess. The setting of space with little cute aliens is a nice touch. Also, please take a look into the music video for some very impressive cosplay.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Ultra Romantic Ending — “Heart wa Oteage” by Airi Suzuki

Kaguya-sama is yet another anime I have to catch up on, but it is good to see the endings still going strong. This time, the love story between the two is framed through a Starship Troopers-esque alien invasion, referencing both the first ED, as well as Miyuki and Kuguya’s talk about the “Tale of Princess Kaguya”, essentially completing the missing perspective of the first ED, while being able to stand on its own feet.

Dance Dance Danseur Ending — “Kaze, Hana” by hitorie

Last, but certainly not least, is an ending from an anime I have literally no relation towards. Normally, even if I have not seen the anime, it is either already on my watch list, or I would theoretically be interested in it in some way, shape or form. This one is neither. However, it is stylistically interesting and very unique. The way the “physical” paper cutouts give the dancing an additional dimension, as well as depth looks surprisingly good and I always appreciate animation going out of its way to create animation in another (look of another) medium.