10 Greatest Anime Openings Of All Time

9. Samurai Champloo

Naruto Shippuden
Fuji TV

Charting the journeys of 3 very colourful, very different characters embarking on a curious journey in Edo-era Japan, director Shinichirō Watanabe fused feudal Japan with a high energy, most hip hop setting and vibe. The opening reflects this blending of very different genres perfectly. Serving as a lovely showcase for Edo-era artwork styles through the background work, Samurai Champloo places its 3 leads front and centre. At a first glance, one might expect music appropriate to the time period. Something involving the sounds of the shamisen or perhaps some taiko drums.

Instead, as the characters displays their various stylings and personality quirks, the intro is rocked by Nujabes and Shing02’s hip hop track, Battlecry. A hard-hitting, samurai-centric anthem with flowing verses and big beats, Battlecry changes the tone of the whole show before it’s even started.

An essential component of a great anime opening is the song choice and Watanabe’s pick revolutionises the series. Often praised for his mastery of blending genres, Watanbe’s unique, culture cocktail opening successfully hooks the viewer for the episode to come.

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