5. Skip and Loafer
Director: Kotomi Deai
Storyboard: Kotomi Deai
Animation Director: Kazuko Amano
If there’s one on this top 10 anime openings list that fits perfectly with its series it’s definitely Skip and Loafer. It’s nothing over the top by any means. It doesn’t have mind-boggling transitions and it doesn’t do anything groundbreaking. But you know what it does do perfectly? Everything else. The choreography during the chorus is quirky in style and exquisitely animated. And more importantly, it’s Director Deai’s style to a T.
The credit for the wonderful dancing key animation goes to Asuka Kojima and Yusuke Inoue, both of whom were animation directors for studio P.A. Works’ series Buddy Daddies alongside Kazumo Amano, the animation director for this opening. The saying “teamwork makes the dream work” came alive with this opening.
The music before the verse feels like a performance you want to see live because the band members are all smiling and dancing with the sound as well as the crowd. If there’s any word to describe the entirety of the Skip and Loafer opening it’s infectious. Deai worked her magic with this and in the correct fashion, she gave us the best feel-good opening of the spring.
Whether it’s the openings for Teasing Master Takakgi-san, Kageki Shoujo!, Rolling☆Girls, or Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, this one combines everything from her previous works and throws it together in order to form what I believe is her best to date. And that’s saying a lot for someone on this list who has been in the anime industry for over two decades now.
The little shapes, musical notes, and flowers flowing constantly in both the foreground and background around Mitsumi and Sousuke while they dance is such a nice little touch. And when they both throw their hands up at the end, the camera follows suit.
It’s just a wonderfully directed opening from beginning to end with a perfect theme song performance by Keina Suda, which marks his second-ever opening theme song performance, the first being for Shadowverse Flame. If you need a feel-good opening or ending (God of Highschool) look no further than Deai’s work because she has mastered this genre of openings.
4. Hell’s Paradise
Director: Shinpei Kamata
Storyboard: Shinpei Kamata
Animation Directors: Shuuji Takahara, Nobuko Sugino
This was the “anthem” for Saturdays during spring and you’re lying if that guitar riff doesn’t get you at least slightly hyped at this point. This is the second opening theme performed millennium parade, the other being for Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. while this is Ringo Sheena’s fourth.
Hell’s Paradise had its production flaws during the first season but the opening was here to show the potential this series had in what it really could’ve brought to the table visually. The use of 3D space and camera movement is extremely well done and the transitions are some of the best all year round. It’s a beautiful work of art and I have no problem if someone argues it should be number one on this list. Kamata’s influence was felt throughout this, especially his love for 360 camera rotation and camera shakes as we see in the openings for Listeners and Zombie Land Saga Revenge (ranked #36 in my Top 100 Anime Openings of 2021 list).
Kamata and Takahara both worked as chief animation directors on Listeners so it’s no surprise the two were able to give us something that was thoroughly stunning. Sugino, the other animation director for this opening, actually worked on key animation for the first Nana opening that Asaka (see Yamada-kun Lv.999) directed and storyboarded!
But strictly talking about Kamata, Hell’s Paradise is a giant leap forward from his previous opening work. Compared to Listeners, Yusuke, and Zombie Land Saga: Revenge, Hell’s Paradise seems to cater to Asaka’s style a lot more. The transitions were incredibly detailed and the opening is full of small details I love.
Just look at the very beginning of the opening when Sagiri’s face appears on the sword in the middle of the battlefield before zooming out (nod to her character) for the title card. The camera flips between the Tensen and the creatures of Shinsekyo were all fluid as well. Nothing felt wonky and the constant color changes are magnificent.
This is the kind of opening that has the chance to overwhelm the viewer with too much going on. And for some, I can see if they make an argument for that. However, I’ll take the time out to counterargue that because this was overall, from top to bottom, a stellar piece of work that deserves to be on this top 10 anime openings list.
3. Vinland Saga Season 2 (OP2)
Director: Tetsurou Araki
Storyboard: Tetsurou Araki
Animation Directors: Shuuichi Inoue, Takahiko Abiru, Kouki Tsujimura
A lot of people rag on English opening theme songs for some reason. But Survive Said The Prophet is back with another smash hit for Vinland Saga, making it their fourth anime opening theme song. And who better to direct this second opening of Vinland Saga Season 2 than Tetsurou Araki? After directing the top anime opening of 2022 in Spy x Family Season 2, Araki is back and showing why he’s among the best of the best nowadays at what he does. Not only did Araki take the reigns for this but he also brought along almost the exact same team that worked on the Spy x Family Season 2 opening as well. So it’s no wonder it’s visually gorgeous.
The composite team of Rina Mitsuzumi and Toshiyuki Yamashita is back along with the coloring team of Ken Hashimoto (color design), Minori Nishida (color design), Mizutamari Higashi (color script), Nao Kanegae (color script), and You Moriyama (color script) — also the director of Megalo Box.
This opening isn’t nearly as symbolic on an abstract level as the first opening from this season was, but Araki still manages to give us plenty of symbolism as he’s accustomed to. Despite the gigantic differences in themes and each series overall, Araki still manages to deliver one of the most visually stunning openings while holding close to a lot of aspects from his former work on Spy x Family and it’s amazing.
His use of a lens flare to constantly transition from one scene to the next is not just a simple plug-and-place transition filler. He actually places objects in the spot where the lens flare is the brightest.
For example, go back up to the opening video and fast forward to exactly 0:20. Click the gear and slow the playback speed to 0.25. Now hit play and watch as the lens flare hits, Snake appears in that same exact spot right after it. The little details like that are throughout the opening and it’ll take you hours to find more amazing stuff!
The framing and symbolism that Araki used in the Spy x Family Part 2 opening were brought over to this one for Vinland Saga Season 2, including his quick-cut approach to visuals, which was noticeable right out of the gate. In simple terms, he has a tendency to have either still shots or animation sequences that are very quick.
While they are quick cuts and they can be hard to miss (i.e. the Anya one above), they’re always beautifully detailed and with every little piece accounted for with care and precision. This was a carefully crafted spectacle that deserves to be in the top 10 anime openings for the Spring 2023 season.
2. Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Storyboard: Haruo Sotozaki
Animation Directors: Mika Bandou, Miyuki Satou, Akira Matsushima, Kouji Akiyama, Mika Kikuchi
While some may argue that the opening is the weakest that Demon Slayer has given us so far, I’m here to stick up for those that beg to differ. This one combined so many elements from the previous three Demon Slayer openings and meshed it into one with the best theme song yet!
Tokyo Tanaka (MAN WITH A MISSION vocalist) and milet harmonizing together on this track is like musical gold. The hard rock mixed with their incredible vocal talent definitely lands them the best theme song of the entire top 10 anime openings list. This makes it MAN WITH A MISSION’s ninth anime series opening performance and milet’s first — she also performed the ending theme songs for Ranking of Kings and Vinland Saga!
I’m not sugarcoating it when I say Haruo Sotozaki knows exactly what he’s doing with the Demon Slayer openings. While every single one has its unique parts and even consistencies (like the title card shot with characters), this one for the Swordsmith Village Arc felt like I was watching all of the previous openings in a single, more improved version.
The opening is very consistent with the others during the verse of the song and portrays that little bit of Demon Slayer comedy we all enjoy. And when the chorus hits the action is what we all love the most about this opening. It’s a formula that Sotozaki created that works to perfection and is what a shonen anime opening is all about.
Sotozaki’s focus on transitions lies within proper cuts rather than adding elements. Almost the entire opening flows from one scene to the next through the use of eye tracking and focal points. Take for example the beginning of the opening in the clip below.
Your eyes are guided to what the swordsmen are crafting which leads to Tokito crying in the same place within the frame. Then the training doll Tokito is practicing against begins running from that same side of the frame. Once it ends with Tokito, your eyes are immediately drawn to Mitsuri in the background of the next cut in that same focal point. When the feet start moving, you notice him stepping on the flower then your eyes go back to Mitsuri when she moves ever-so-slightly. It transitions to her in the same frame slot and then rotates the camera to see her face, which you didn’t see in the previous cut.
Matsushima definitely brings a veteran presence among the animation directors for this opening given the fact he’s been in the industry for 30 years and was an animation director for big-name series such as Naruto, Rurouni Kenshin, and Hunter x Hunter.
Kikuchi and Akiyama both worked as assistant directors under Matsushima for the Entertainment District Arc opening and are back with him for this one, giving us one of the best openings of the entire year so far and arguably the best of this entire top 10 anime openings list.
1. Tengoku Daimakyo: Heavenly Delusion
Director: Weilin Zhang
Storyboard: Weilin Zhang
Animation Director: Weilin Zhang
The opening for Heavenly Delusion is not only the best opening of the Spring 2023 season but it may end up being the best anime opening of the year when all is said and done. Despite Zhang not having the directing experience a lot of others on this list have, the United States native has key animation work for plenty of big-name series such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Mob Psycho 100, and Azur Lane.
Despite the lack of directing experience, Zhang is the only one on this list to direct and storyboard an opening while handling the animation direction. He took over the photography while key animating some cuts and working on in-between animation as well. This opening is Zhang’s artistic genius coming to life.
While that could account for the less detailed art style of the opening compared to basically every other one on this list, it made up for it in originality. But for those who know, that’s always been Zhang’s style. To add to the fact Zhang basically handled the heavy work of the opening himself, he was also the key animator for what is considered many fans’ favorite cut of the opening (shown below).
The opening gets a 10/10 on everything. You want amazing transitions? This opening has it. Camera work? The best. The animation? Fluid. The creativity? Off the charts. Not to mention the key animator lineup for this opening even features Shingo Yamashita, the director for openings such as Chainsaw Man, Ranking of Kings (OP2), and Jujutsu Kaisen (OP1-2).
Other veteran animators that worked on the opening include Kouki Fujimoto, Masami Mori, and Hakuyu Go — who worked on the cut below which is one of the most amazing and creative things I’ve ever seen in animation period. Whether it was Go or Zhang’s influence on this cut doesn’t matter because the idea of a character literally running into their own line art like this, especially knowing the meaning behind this after watching the first season, is mindblowing.
The constant rack focus that was used throughout the opening (0:07, 0:45-46, 0:50-0:51, 1:02-1:06) is beautifully done. And in short, rack/pull focus is just a fancier term for changing the camera focus without changing the cut to another angle or scene. It’s one of the most simple techniques used for camera work but when done right and timed perfectly it can make a huge difference. This opening truly is jaw-dropping on every level that I could probably write a book about it.
Despite BiSH disbanding, they made sure to deliver one last banger of an opening theme song for this work of art. The idol group has performed many popular opening theme songs over the years including Fairy Tale: The Final Series (OP4), Kingdom Season 3 (OP1), and Black Clover (OP2).
Group member Sentochihiro Chicchi claimed that they wanted to go out on top to end their run. And if that conclusion includes one of the best opening theme songs of the year then we seriously wish all the members the best and graciously thank them for their amazing work!
Heavenly Delusion will go down as one of the best new anime, and one of the most controversial of the year. But regardless of what many have to say about the series, this masterpiece by Zhang, and all those that worked on it, deserved to be number one on this list.
Your Thoughts on the Top 10 Anime Openings of Spring 2023?
Did you have a favorite from this top 10 anime opening list? Did I leave out one that you loved? Dead Mount Death Play, Tonikawa Season 2, and KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! were just a few that barely missed out on this top 10 anime opening list. But if you’re the type of fan that’s in it for the music then be sure to check out our best opening and ending theme songs list for Spring 2023!
Vinland Saga © Makoto Yukimura, Kodansha/VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2 Project
Oshi no Ko © Aka Akasaka x Mengo Yokoyari / Shueisha, “OSHI NO KO” Partners
Demon Slayer © Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA / Aniplex / ufotable
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