The Top Ten Opening Songs of 2019
Picture it: You’re walking down the street of your local anime district (follow me on this) and coming from a store, shop, or vendor you hear music playing. And not just any music mind you. No, you’re hearing the opening song from your favorite anime.
Without any visuals, dialogue, or characters, you can instantly recall what a series is simply by its opening song. Over the years, there are many classics that trigger beautiful nostalgia.
Only time will tell if an opening song from 2019 will stand with the greats. As it stands, here are ten that might one day do so.
Here are Anime Hajime’s top ten opening songs from 2019.
10. Rin! Moon! dass! cry!
Wasteful Days of High School Girls
Performed By: Chinatsu Akasaki, Haruka Tomatsu, and Aki Toyosaki Lyrics By: Shingo Yamazaki Composed By: Shingo Yamazaki Arranged By: Shingo Yamazaki
To read my Wasteful Days of High School Girls review, please click HERE.
Throughout my review of the series, I couldn’t help notice the similarities between Wasteful Days of High School Girls and 2011’s Nichijou. Continuing with that trend, both series boasted an extremely catchy opening song, making it easy to connect the tunes to their respective shows.
Granted, Japanese rap has never been a strong suit of mine, and I don’t claim to have an ear for it. Nevertheless, it definitely fits with the tone of this series, and it is undoubtedly one of, if not the aspect that makes this opening song instantly recognizable.
9. KODO
Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka
Performed By: nonoc Lyrics By: Mami Kawada Composed By: Tomoyuki Nakazawa Arranged By: Tomoyuki Nakazawa
To read my Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka review, please click HERE.
You will find that a few entries on this list are from shows I didn’t recommend. Be that as it may, though, that doesn’t devalue the impact a good opening song has. Case in point: Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka’s KODO.
When listening to this song, even having already sat through this series, part of me still expects to get a much more gripping and exciting story than what was actually done. Getting me excited to watch was a huge factor I used to determine what would make this list.
8. Never Lose
Ace Attorney Season 2
Performed By: Tomohisa Yamashita
To read my Ace Attorney Season 2 review, please click HERE.
I did enjoy the second season of Ace Attorney more than I did the first. Also, for those paying extra close attention, Never Lose was the opening song for the half of this series that aired during the fall of 2018. Although I could have gone with the second opening for this show, Reason, which itself was pretty good, it was Never Lose that registered.
Anyone who is a fan of the Ace Attorney video games can tell you that despite the lack of fighting mechanics and action, there is a real sense of excitement when playing, and the music is critical to that. While the anime borrowed the soundtrack of the games, this opening song did tap into that same pool of engagement.
7. Shadow is the Light
A Certain Scientific Accelerator
Performed By: THE SIXTH LIE Lyrics By: Ray Composed By: Reiji Arranged By: Reiji and Tsuyoshi Sato
To read my A Certain Scientific Accelerator review, please click HERE.
In the two other Academy City series, A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun, the respective protagonists are clearly trying to do good, and they do their best to stay away from more sinister options. That was not the case for A Certain Scientific Accelerator’s titular character, Accelerator.
This series was more than willing to highlight a “hero” who had no issues with killing anyone who stood in his way. And that’s not to mention the sheer terrifying amount of violence and brutality Accelerator displayed in his past.
Of the three Academy City shows, it is this one that operates within the dark edges of this world, and this opening song is a good reputation of that.
6. shadowgraph
Boogiepop wa Warawanai
Performed By: MYTH&ROID Lyrics By: MYTH&ROID Composed By: MYTH&ROID Arranged By: MYTH&ROID
To read my Boogiepop wa Warawanai review, please click HERE.
What a way to welcome back a series after a near twenty-year break. The Boogiepop franchise has always dealt with the strange and the mysterious. Fear and hesitation fueled a story where death never felt that far away, and it all centered on a being who was more of a balancer.
The titular Boogiepop was neither good nor evil. They just existed. Was Boogiepop a friend or a foe, that was hard to say. This opening song, shadowgraph, captured the neutral benevolence of its show’s main character.
5. Seijaku no Apostle (The Silent Apostle)
One Punch Man 2nd Season
Performed By: JAM Project Lyrics By: Yukinojyo Mori Composed By: Richardo Cruz Arranged By: Makoto Miyazaki
To read my One Punch Man 2nd Season review, please click HERE.
The second season of One Punch Man had a lot to live up to in almost every aspect, including its opening song. Although The Silent Apostle didn’t have quite the same amount of power as its predecessor, it was still incredibly good.
What this opening song does is establish – or in the case of season two – re-establish the insanity that is a series that makes it a routine habit to go big and crazy.
4. Love Dramatic
Kaguya-sama Love is War
Performed By: Masayuki Suzuki feat. Rikka Ihara Lyrics By: Yoshiki Mizuno Composed By: Yoshiki Mizuno Arranged By: Akimitsu Honma
To read my Kaguya-sama Love is War review, please click HERE.
This is easily the most on-the-nose entry on this list, but I stand by its number four ranking. After all, you know precisely what series this song is from when you hear it.
Along with that, Love Dramatic is catchy, upbeat, and fun, which is everything Kaguya-sama Love is War is. Therefore, this is a very fitting opening for this series, and if you’re anything like me, you can expect it to remain stuck in your head long after the final episode.
3. Good Morning World
Dr. Stone
Performed By: BURNOUT SYNDROMES Lyrics By: Kazuumi Kumagai Composed By: Kazuumi Kumagai Arranged By: Junji Ishiwatari and Kazuumi Kumagai
To read my Dr. Stone review, please click HERE.
Speaking of songs getting stuck in your head, there is Dr. Stone’s Good Morning World.
If there is one thing that can be said about this opening, it perfectly encapsulates its series’ sense of adventure, energy, and enjoyment. Dr. Stone was a blast to watch, and it took itself just seriously enough to tell a gripping story while still being fun as all hell. And if you have any doubts about that, you won’t once you hear this song come on.
2. KNOCK on the CORE
Fairy Gone
Performed By: (K)NoW_NAME:Ayaka Tachibana&AIJ Lyrics By: (K)NoW_NAME:eNu Composed By: (K)NoW_NAME:Makoto Miyazaki Arranged By: (K)NoW_NAME:Makoto Miyazaki
To read my Fairy Gone review, please click HERE.
If you read my Fairy Gone review, then you know how much I did not like the series. It was overcomplicated, boring, slow, and completely full of itself. If there was ever an anime to think it was destined to be the next best thing and then fail spectacularly at it, then this would be that anime.
Nevertheless, KNOCK on the CORE does make you think you are about to get a show that is a lot more badass. Essentially, this song is holding a mountain of trash and doing a pretty damn good job at it, too.
1. Kaen
Dororo
Performed By: Ziyoou-vachi Lyrics By: Baraen Avu Composed By: Baraen Avu Arranged By: Jooubachi
To read my Dororo review, please click HERE.
I knew this song had the makings to be one of the best openings of the year the moment I heard it. The sad tones highlight the show’s tragic nature. The fast-paced tempo wonderfully matches the amazing action sequences. Everything about this song tells you that you are about to sit down to a treat.
That is why Dororo’s Kaen is the best opening song of 2019.
Final Thoughts
When trying to watch and review at least two series a week, one finds that time is not on their side. Whenever and where ever it can happen, anything that can be skipped should often be skipped, and the first on the chopping block is a show’s opening song.
Every now and then, though, an opening comes along that forces you to stop and listen. Regardless of what the series might be, if its opening song can get you excited to watch, then it is doing something right.
These ten were the best examples from 2019.
But those are our thoughts. What do you think were the Top Opening Songs of 2019. Leave your thoughts in the comments below; we here at Anime Hajime would love to hear what you have to say.
The 2nd Annual Anime Hajime Highlights continues tomorrow with the Top Animation of 2019. Be sure to follow here on Anime Hajime and on all our social media sites, so you don’t miss out.
For Anime Hajime, I’m LofZOdyssey, and we will see you next time.
The 2nd Annual Anime Hajime Highlights
