My favorite Anime Openings & Endings 2024

Ach ja, another year, another post about my favorite pastime: talking about those 90-second snippets that open and close an episode of anime. Since I have actually properly started watching seasonal anime, I will probably talk about way more OPs and EDs than ever before. I am sorry about that.

Just like last year, I will expand this self-important listicle a bit. I always complain about how the Anime Awards for Best Opening and Ending tend to be mostly based around the theme song specifically and not the OP or ED sequence as a whole. Introducing the Anime Jukebox: a hand-selected collection of only the finest AniSongs this year’s harvest brought to the market. If you want to judge my taste, at least do it properly. I… I also just want to recommend some music.

Anyway, like the years before it, here are my favorite Anime Openings and Endings of 2024.

Anime Jukebox 2024

Here is a list of all the songs I really liked this year, regardless of my opinions on the OP or ED itself, though I am sure you will see some of them appear later again:

Dandadan Opening – “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts
Dandadan Ending – “TAIDADA” by ZUTOMAYO
Kaiju No. 8 Opening – “Abyss” by YUNGBLUD
Wind Breaker Opening – “Absolute Zero” by natori
Pseudo Harem Opening – “Blouse” by Gohobi
One Piece Opening 26 – “Uuus!” by Hiroshi Kitadani
Metallic Rouge Opening – “Rouge” by YU-KA
Metallic Rouge Ending – “Scarlet” by Dazbee
Solo Leveling Opening – “LEveL” by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Solo Leveling Ending – “request” by krage
Mayonaka Punch Opening – “Gimme Gimme” by Mayonaka Punch Cast
Brave Bang Bravern! Opening – “Ba-Bang to Suisan! Bang Bravern” by Kenichi Suzumura
Brave Bang Bravern! Ending – “Souen no Shouzou” by Ryouta Suzuki & Youhei Azakami
The Elusive Samurai Opening – “Plan A” by DISH//
You are Ms. Servant. Opening – “Otozure” by tricot
You are Ms. Servant. Ending – “Hyoujou Sabun” by DUSTCELL
Delicious in Dungeon Ending 1 – “Party!!” by Ryokuoushoku Shakai
Delicious in Dungeon Ending 2 – “Twinkling Ash” by Regal Lily
Shangri-La Frontier Opening 2 – “Danger Danger” by FZMZ feat. icy
[Oshi No Ko] Season 2 Opening – “Fatal” by GEMN
Senpai is an Otokonoko Opening – “Wagamama” by Kujira
The Witch and the Beast Opening – “Soumonka” by Sokoninaru
Negative Positive Angler Opening – “Ito” by Van de Shop
Negative Positive Angler Ending – “Shounin Yokkyuu” by 96neko
The Apothecary Diaries Opening 2 – “Ambivalent” by Uru
Train to the End of the World Ending – “Eureka” by Rokudenashi
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. Opening – “Made to order” by Mafumafu
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Opening 2 – “Haru” by Yorushika
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Opening – “Namara Menkoi Gal” by Masayoshi Ooishi
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Opening – “Tsuyogaru Girl” by Botchi Boromaru feat. Mossa
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Opening – “Kaijuu” by Sakanaction
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Opening – “GG” by ReoNa
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 Ending – “NOX LUX” by MYTH & ROID
Mashle: Magic and Muscles The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc Opening – “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” by Creepy Nuts

Openings

While the beginning of the year fell a bit flat for me in this regard, we eventually got some pretty good openings down the line. Tetsurou Araki seemingly abandoned his calling for over-the-top action and settled into his more realistic and down-to-earth prowess with both The Dangers in My Heart Season 2 and Blue Box.

For everyone looking for a bit more style, The Elusive Samurai, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!, Mashle, and Wind Breaker got us covered for what could otherwise have been pretty standard shounen outings. Kaiju No. 8 also fits into this, though, while cool as hell, I would really wish the iconography would be easier to identify and not invoke other franchises like Resident Evil. On the other hand of the spectrum, You are Ms. Servant. uses an interesting mix of photogrammetry, puppet animation, and live-action footage for a really distinct aesthetic.

For the light novel adaptations I couldn’t care less about, I Parry Everything almost made me watch its first episode, and Classroom of the Elite III most likely continues its trends of the opening being way smarter than the actual series. For the light novel adaptation I do care about, the third season of KonoSuba brings us another fun encapsulation of why we are following the antics of this wonderfully dysfunctional quartet of idiots.

For the more slice-of-life adjacent anime, Girls Band Cry will make me watch an anime about music, Negative Positive Angler paints a charming contrast between Tsunehiro’s lowest point in life and the found family he is surrounded by, Shoshimin is deceptively clever in its metaphors and framing, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian is really good at guiding your eye through a sequence that is arguably way too dense for a show like itself (Quick fanservice shots of the girls in cosplay included), as well as giving us the dance that never was, and Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night is simply a great résumé of the show’s core message and themes.

Lastly, since I just couldn’t find a proper place elsewhere, the horny (yet somehow still not horny enough) opening for the second season of The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses might just exactly be my kind of “jingling keys in front of face”. And while we are already on the matter, I gotta appreciate the commitment of Chillin' in Another World to have the main girl essentially hijack the entirety of the opening. Speaking of hijacking, how could I have forgotten Brave Bang Bravern! of all things? This one is fun, because it portrays itself as this classic mecha opening with a semi-serious tone, random fanservice shots of the women, and ominous enemy mechs, as if it were directed by Bravern himself.

Anyway, this is it for the honorable mentions, and next up are the real heavy hitters of this year.

One Piece Opening 26 – “Uuus!” by Hiroshi Kitadani

Megumi Ishitani just keeps on giving, huh? After last year’s phenomenal closure of the Wano arc, she yet again gifts us a phenomenal opening for Egghead and, as is thematically fitting, it is both a look at the legacy and future of what has happened in the world of One Piece. From the fun character introductions to the showcasing of the two main locations of this arc, down to even the individual fights, it is just a really fun sequence incorporating all of Egghead’s best elements. The Straw Hats cycling through the different outfits is just the cherry on top of it all.

From a production standpoint, beyond obviously looking amazing, with an incredible sense of color, I really want to highlight how the line of action, the way the eye is guided, and the transitions make for a rather distinct way in which each scene seamlessly flows to another both visually and thematically. The members of SWORD being followed by Sentomaru and the pacifistas, the sequence match-cutting from Kizaru, Kuma, S-Shark, and Bonney, or the visual game of connection from Sabo to a flock of ravens to doves and finally to Morgans breaking the aspect ratio and eventually ending on the throne room. Add another Hiroshi Kitadani banger into the mix, and we might just have the best One Piece opening to date.

Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Opening – “Tsuyogaru Girl” by Botchi Boromaru feat. Mossa

Honestly, we need more and better integrations of credits in our anime openings. Not just because I think the credit placement tends to be kinda bad or looks like an afterthought most of the time, but also because it can be visually interesting, especially when the characters interact with them, as Makeine’s opening clearly proves. This OP is just plain fun and introduces the cast in a lot of humorous ways, especially our titular trio of losing heroines through their specific idiosyncrasies, but also most importantly by making them chase down the kanji for love through the latter half and eventually dragging Nukumizu into their affairs.

Beyond this, the entirety of the opening is illustrated in this kind of pop art style, which is very pleasing to the eye. It also has some really cool shots, like the nurse breaking the fourth wall by adjusting the camera in reference to the fact she indeed bugged the nurse’s office, or Yanami standing on the school’s rooftop being framed inside a novel.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Opening 2 – “Haru” by Yorushika

Initially, I didn’t even plan for this to make the list. Compared to Frieren’s first opening, it doesn’t follow its main motif that strongly, and on my first couple of watches, I failed to see anything in it, really. It also certainly doesn’t help that a good amount is spent on shots of the new character from the Mage Exam arc, which themselves are mostly rather generic and pretty underwhelming.

But the more I watched it, the more I appreciated the atmosphere and just how calm it is. The butterfly landing on a flower in the beginning, only for the camera focus to shift and reveal Frieren was sitting right next to it all along, her walking alongside her group with interspersed shots of their morning routine and only a few memories of a time long passed. Instead of the great focus on the past, Frieren spends this opening mostly in the present, and the reminiscing is reserved for other characters. Also, while I am mostly indifferent towards most of the shots, Kanne and Lawine creating an ice helix is kinda cute, and I love how Übel, arguably the most over-the-top character in Frieren, gets a lot more characterization out of what is essentially just a still shot of her smiling than if you were to show her acting in her namesake.

The Apothecary Diaries Opening 2 – “Ambivalent” by Uru

Like Frieren, at first, I didn’t really know what to do with Apothecary Diaries' second opening, especially coming after the phenomenal first one. Not to say the first one lacked in symbolism and messaging, which kinda makes me regret writing about it in last year’s post before actually having seen the anime, but because it is a lot less direct. Maomao isn’t the inconspicuous little wildflower anymore that can burst into full bloom in situations where others would wilt. Starting with the second half, she is working in the inner palace as Gyokuyou’s maidservant and also as what is essentially Jinshi’s personal attendant, so the OP reflects these moments of the newfound mundanity through these fun rotating shots of Maomao’s daily life, be it starting her day, dealing with Jinshi’s antics, or doing some sex education for the consorts.

Then there are the more intricate and obfuscated elements, which keep us guessing for the most part of the second half about where it is going. What is the deal with the wilting blue roses that eventually reveal Lakan, why is he reacting that strongly upon seeing Maomao having painted her nails, and how do the succeeding match-cuts fit into it all? Most importantly, there comes a time in the anime where it simply clicks and, like the mystery, comes together in a very satisfying way once you have all the answers to figure it out on your own. I really want to talk about it, but unfortunately, it is one giant spoiler, so maybe my long-overdue write-up on The Apothecary Diaries will have to wait for the second season. Lastly, while the last scene obviously doesn’t hold a candle to the actual farewell dance, it is nice to see it cap off what might otherwise be mostly disjointed silhouettes of the cast.

[Oshi No Ko] Season 2 Opening – “Fatal” by GEMN

My favorite theater kids are back in town and are giving me yet another opportunity to make a complete fool out of myself by analyzing something that is yet again way out of my ballpark… this time with actual theater imagery, so expect me to be even more obtuse in my explanation. Anyway, this opening kinda works as a continuation of the first season’s, as the focus is way less on Ai and how formative she was for Aqua and Ruby and instead focuses on where this obsession has led them to. Though, this aspect of looking back is obviously not gone completely. The OP quite literally starts with flashes of Aqua’s and Ruby’s former selves imposed on their current ones, doubling down on the imagery with them removing their faces as if they were masks and watching memories of Ai in a cinema with an almost pained expression. Lastly, this opening continues the crow motif of the first one, which, with the introduction of Tsukuyomi and her shot in the OP, might make slightly more sense now (He says, unaware).

For what the rest of the OP is concerned, the beginning is stupidly strong, introducing us to the cast in an interesting way by being framed surrounded by the towering buildings of the Tokyo skyline and harbor, showing character relations, hinting at arcs and the role they play. The vibe is also immaculate with its cold and desaturated colors and every character looking directly at the imaginary camera. I can’t be the only one who thinks about the twins from The Shining from the shot of Abiko and Yoriko, right? The shot then seamlessly transitions thematically to the 2.5D stage play by being revealed it is only projected onto the curtains, which subtly splits the cast into its two mostly distinct groups of characters for this arc. Still not sure about the baseball stadium in the background though. Also, do not ask me about why the opening seems to really like to emphasize hands. I do not know.

I really adore the shot of Aqua and Ruby chasing after Ai. Not only are the two camera perspectives separated by actual space, with one being from Ai’s perspective on the stage, as opposed to the roof of a building, but also by time, making it seems like Aqua and Ruby are still chasing after their mother as when they were children, but also running beyond it as a form of ironic character development now that they are older and have found their own footing… though no footing to be found when they are jumping off the building and it transitions yet again to the theater portion of the OP and we get our last motif, in which we yet again focus on eyes: Ruby seeing Aqua embrace acting, Akane being blown away by Kana’s performance, the two mangaka talking it out and Monemone Anemone witnessing Ruby’s turning point. The anime clearly puts great importance in how eyes are portrayed, just pay attention to how Ruby’s star in her eye turns finally black in the beginning or how the black star can yet again be seen in young Aqua being reflected inside the knife that killed Ai… call it a lack of eye/Ai, if you are so inclined.

How have I written three whole paragraphs again, I tried to be succinct and haven’t even mentioned everything?! I should really just bite the bullet and write my own post for the OPs and EDs of Oshi no Ko… well, I guess we will see when the third season will have aired.

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Opening – “Kaijuu” by Sakanaction

I am in a bit of a bind. On one hand, I have a very strong suspicion that Orb won’t switch to a different opening for its second half, but instead keeps adjusting the current one to reflect the changes in our cast, as it already has done so after its first arc, which means this opening will only really reach its peak once the anime has finished airing and shown all its cards in full. On the other hand, I really want to talk about it already… So just to cover my bases, here is half the stuff I can already tell and we will see each other again next year with the second half completed. Sounds good? Good.

This opening might be the only context where referring to eyes as orbs is not only not cringe, but thematically very fitting, considering how much the anime focuses on the meaning of eyes in the context of not just how we literally perceive the world and celestial bodies around us, but also in reference to everyone else making these observations. So much so in fact, that the first opening seconds upon Rafal, and later Oczy, opening their eyes are not a look at the planets and stars, that would answer the question of whether the earth revolves around the sun or not, but everyone involved in this tragic journey of passing the torch and finding it out. This motif gets further emphasized by the pendant with the star markers turning into an eye, as seen from Oczy’s perspective, but now looking down onto the earth in a smart reversal of the role of the observer. Fun fact, the globe is modelled after the Erdapfel, which is believed to be the oldest surviving globe right now and should actually fit nicely into the time period Orb is set in.

I’m still a bit puzzled about the interspersed shots of the characters, as they don’t seem to reference points in the story and I don’t even know who the three men in the white robes are yet, though I do really like the shot of the lights going out one another in the city, while Jolenta looks up at the sky and while I can’t say with certainty who it is exactly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is Nowak who is squishing the cherry in a very blunt metaphor for the work he does. The second batch of character shots are a lot more clear, with the confrontation between Oczy and Nowak, Jolenta going down the well to sneak into a meeting she was barred from or Badeni puking being references to specific moments in the anime.

Lastly, the image of Rafal being overshadowed by darkness, but, in the literal blink of an eye, finding himself in a church set on fire is such a clever double entendre. It is both his internal struggle to shine the light of truth on the world, while living life on the easy road by adhering to the church’s dogma and the fate of him and everyone else that either already chose, or will later choose to walk the same path he did.

Dandadan Opening – “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts

Dandadan’s opening is just the all-around premium package. Visually creative and oozing with its specific style, showcasing the characters and their relationships in unique ways and framing it around allusions to moments of the larger narrative and story. Hook, line and sinker, despite being not at all what I expected from it at first. For how explosive and loud Dandadan, and Creepy Nuts by extension, can be, the opening has a certain calmness to it, as if all these supernatural happenings are just another part of Momo and Okarun’s life. After all, the first ten seconds are just a microcosm of the show as a whole: Momo and Okarun begin arguing over yokai and aliens, but later begin pouting and yearning to be together, Aira acting as if she were the main character, Jiji looking like a young handsome man, before shattering that illusion near instantly, yet still making Okarun feel inadequate and Seiko and Turbo Granny are also there, all while the golden ball motif is already taking shape. Honestly, incredibly efficient.

The rest of the opening mostly takes a step back and showcases the monsters in Ultraman inspired silhouettes, as well as in short flashes what their specific deal is, as well as the specific powers of our main protagonists. I really like the delicacy in which Momo’s spinning hands later transform into the form in which she handles aura, as well as the sudden shift in aesthetic when Okarun changes into his Turbo form and her reaching out to him. On the other hand, I really like the shot of Turbo Granny winking at the camera, while Aira and Jiji have these really nice portrait shots in the background, like “Don’t be fooled, these are not good people” and while I am personally not as smitten with Momo dancing as everyone else seems to be, it is still fun to see these characters have fun. Eventually, the opening ends with Momo and Okarun finally together, sitting back to back and enjoying each other’s company, while surrounded by yokai and looking up at a spaceship. I couldn’t even imagine a better way to introduce us to the world and characters of Dandadan, because this is just it.

Endings

Personally, I think this year was a bit lackluster in terms of genuinely great endings. We’ve got a plethora of good EDs, don’t get me wrong, and I am even omitting some more entries simply for the sake of brevity. But I kinda struggled to compile a list of endings I could actually talk about a bit more, but this could also just be my selective bias of which anime I have actually seen. Well, with that being said *big inhale*:

Too Many Losing Heroines! gave us not just one, nor two, but three great endings focusing on each heroine, each one in a very distinct and unique style. Days with My Stepsister also goes a bit out of its way to match the calm and somber atmosphere of its relationship. Meanwhile, Mecha-Ude goes completely against its explosive core and instead utilizes a retrospective ballad which confronts its characters from moments of a bygone past. Gun Gale Online II doubles down on what the character of LLENN means to the player behind the avatar, and Orb, more specifically its later versions, continues its theme of passing on the metaphorical torch.

Next up are the endings that are just plain fun: Elusive Samurai has the characters transported from the late Kamakura period into a relatively more modern school setting, Dandadan has Turbo Granny adopting a cat and just straight up vibing with it, and Magilumiere Magical Girls is all about going through the good and bad as a company together. As far as dance EDs are concerned, Suicide Squad Isekai has Waller breaking it down to a Calliope Mori song, and Go Go Loser Ranger! leans full into the commercialization of its in-universe heroes.

For the stuff I am most definitely not qualified to talk about, the newest entry in the Monogatari Series gives me yet another reminder to eventually just start watching it someday, and Re:Zero’s third season seems to continue going strong with its ED.

Lastly, we have some anime with very nice audio-visual combinations: The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases has one idea and plays it to its fullest, You are Ms. Servant. continues to be way more experimental than the actual show, and Train to the End of the World could have easily risen up in my ranking with some even more ambitious visuals. Then there is the new Pokémon Terastal Debut, which has a Glalie more locked in than honestly anything I have ever seen in my life. Like, what’s up with you, buddy?

And because this list is still not long enough, may I interest you in a cover you would never have guessed from the weird slime girl thingy? Also, the fifth ending of VTuber Legend might be the closest thing to a dropkick I have ever received.

Solo Leveling Ending – “request” by krage

Normally, I would know better than to talk about something I have neither seen nor plan to do so in the future and otherwise lack any interest in, but I don’t know where else to put it, so here it is. Initially, I only knew of the song and eventually watched the actual ED on a whim, and I sure as hell did not expect so much heat from what I thought would be the manhwa equivalent of a shitty light novel with above-average production values… so, what is up with this semi-horror-psycho-thriller-esque sequence?

I doubt I can put into words how much I dig the entire aesthetic and atmosphere of this ED. The semi-realistic rendering of the backgrounds, the liminal and claustrophobic spaces, the sense of being watched and being not alone, but also lonely and vulnerable. The tree being set on fire and Jin-Woo breaking down in an out-of-control elevator? The imagery goes so incredibly hard for what is honestly just a normal hotel at night, and judging from some of the comments, there might be some actual substance behind all the cryptic stuff. I kinda get him saving himself from the room he seems to be locked in, but everything else really tickles my brain kininarimasu-style. Well, not that I will ever figure it out, but it is nice either way.

Brave Bang Bravern! Ending – “Souen no Shouzou” by Ryouta Suzuki & Youhei Azakami

Gay Robot Sex 👍… well, sans the robot, but the implication is still there. I can’t stress enough just how funny this ending is in the context of the actual show. It starts as a serious war drama, then this weird mecha from another show crashes the party, and at the end of the episode, we go full dramatic again, only for it to be revealed that Isami and Smith are on a stage and are doing a musical number while undressing as what can only be described as the anime version of Top Gun. No bigger analysis to be found here, just basking in the shining light of pure distilled kino.

One Piece Ending 20 – “Dear sunrise” by Maki Otsuki

What a nostalgia bomb for something that wasn’t even part of my childhood (Anemoia, anyone?). Maki Otsuki sang the very first ED for One Piece in 1999, and now, 25 years later, we are looking back at what has changed in all these years. The Strawhat crew has doubled in size, the end of the Grand Line is closer than ever before, and memories pave the way for another day. Meanwhile, we get a montage of some of the most important moments of the characters and recreations of them joining Luffy on his silly journey. Add the match cut of the cups to the Going Merry transitioning into the Thousand Sunny, and we go full circle on this little nostalgia trip. Again, it doesn’t take much to be weirdly effective in its messaging.

And that’s about it. Arguably a way better year for openings than endings, but still a very good year overall. I think I am finally happy with how these posts turn out, so I doubt there is more for me to say than to wait for what the upcoming seasons have in store for us. See you again next year ^^.