It’s time for the seasonal OP/ED roundup! I want to hear about your favorite OPs and EDs for the season (alternatively, your least favorites!). If you are looking for a collection of them all for this season, you can find almost all of them at the link below:
Just a note that you can absolutely use this thread like you would any other general discussion thread. So, feel free to post questions/comments/recommendations like any other week.
As always, remember to be mindful of spoilers. If you want to know more about how to handle spoilers in this community, check the guide here (also linked in the sidebar).
I picked out some of my favorite openings and endings for this season below. Honestly speaking, after doing this a couple seasons now for these posts, this season has been fairly disappointing on the OP/ED front for me. I think my favorite season in recent memory was Winter 2024, which was full of great stuff.
From shows I am watching
- Oshi no Ko ED - Burning - I wasn’t sold on this ED to begin with, but it has grown on me a lot as the season has gone on. They use it to great effect to end each episode with a bit of a musical outro, just like they did last season. (This has also been the most screentime for Ruby so far…)
- My Wife Has No Emotion ED - Wave - I might be disappointed in this adaptation of a manga I really enjoyed, but the ED is one of my favorites this season. Maybe I will just watch this in place of the actual episodes this season.
- My Deer Friend Nokotan OP - Shikairo Days - This has been stuck in my head for a long time. I wrote more about this OP down below the list as there is a lot to say.
- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian - ED(s) - This show is going above and beyond by having a different ED for each episode covering a well known song. My favorite so far is this one. I hope we get a cover of Chiisana Koi no Uta before the season is over.
From shows I am not watching
- Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! ED - LOVE 2000 - A fascinating blend of live action, animation, stop motion, and analog film that creates a pretty unique ED.
- Red Cat Ramen ED - Honjitsu no Osusume - Just a really fun song that fits the summer vibe perfectly.
- Grendizer U ED - Protect You - After a slow start, this song really picks up and never slows down again.
Alright, I promised more discussion of Shikatan’s OP. I ran across a fan summary of an interview with the people that created the OP and it is full of interesting info. I think my favorite bit was how open the anime studio left things to the musical artists:
Fujimori commented that ordinarily, these initial discussion meetings begin with a detailed discussion of what kind of song they are looking for, with reference materials in great detail. For example, pages or cut outs from the manga, image art, storyboard clips or other information that helps the director figure out a direction for the song.
For Shikairo Days, Fujimori was given nothing and he was told make a song that says the manga’s title “Shikanoko nokonoko koshitantan” over and over and given NO other instructions on what kind of style of music or song it would have, or whether the song would even have any other lyrics, and they were given essentially a blank slate other than to be told the title should get stuck in peoples’ heads.
Other interesting bits are the importance they placed on four syllable words and phrases (the first verse is entirely this) to keep the rhythm and catchiness of the title. It was so catchy in fact, that the first draft was immediately approved and is what was used for the show:
Fujimori commented that typically when the music production side delivers the OP, it’s extremely common that they get back a series of requests for edits or changes, and a collaborative editing process begins between the msuci side and the anime production side to adjust the OP to the anime’s needs.
Waga’s Shikairo Days got zero retake requests and was immediately OK’d to go, so the OP piece that’s used in the anime is essentially the first draft that Waga delivered with zero changes.
There is lots of other interesting bits in that interview, and I encourage you to check it out (even if it means opening up reddit)!
So my favorite OPs and EDs this season are:
- Oshi no Ko OP and ED
- My Deer Friend Nokotan OP
- Senpai is an Otokonoko OP and ED
- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian EDs
- Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! OP and ED
- SHOSHIMIN: How to Become Ordinary OP and ED
Weekly ranking roundup:
- Anime Corner - Full Results - Weekly Winner: Oshi no Ko
- Anime Trending - Weekly Winner: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
- Reddit Karma - Weekly Winner: Oshi no Ko
Credit to /u/Abysswatcherbel for making the chart for reddit karma and /u/Nooble5 for the Anime Trending chart.
Oshi no Ko won 2/3 of the charts I try to include in this roundup each week after an excellent episode this past week. MHA must have also had a great episode this past week as it rocketed up the charts. The other thing that jumped out at me is Our Last Crusade jumping into the top 10 of AC this past week despite not even charting on either of the other lists.
Some standout OPs and EDs for me this season are:
- Of course, the Shikanoko OP. They knew what they were doing with that intro.
- NieR Automata part 2 OP and ED. Especially the ED is gorgeous.
- The Mayonaka Punch ED is quite nice too with the dialogue over the music. Really like how they did that.
- Makeine’s OP is good fun
- Alya’s EDs being covers is quite fun as well
Least favourite OPs:
- 2.5D Seduction: my main issue is the singing. It’s too exaggerated and shouty in my opinion
- Suicide Squad Isekai: feels like they cheaped out with this one. The ED would’ve been a better OP imo.
I also really like the Mayonaka Punch ED and Makeine OP. They both play a lot with their visual style. I like it when shows get pretty playful with visual styles during the OP/ED since it is a chance for them to really get creative with it with no impact/consequences for the rest of the show.
Totally agree with Suicide Squad. I think the ED song is wasted with the visuals they paired it with while the OP is really nothing special.
As for 2.5D Seduction, assuming you are talking about the OP, I can’t put my finger on it. I do agree that it sounds a bit off, but I suspect it might actually just be the mixing. The song is very vocals forward, having the other musical elements quieter and pushed to the background whenever the singing happens. They also have a very pronounced section in the chorus where the vocals and music are very punctuated like the shutter of a camera that only emphasized this and I wasn’t a big fan of. I am by no means a composer or anything like that, but that is my feeling having listened to a bunch of these now to prepare this post.
but I suspect it might actually just be the mixing.
Interesting point, but I don’t think that’s the reason why I don’t like it. I think the song being vocal forward actually helps it, due to how busy the instrumental is. I think it’s his voice/singing style that I’m simply not a fan of. Not to say it’s bad, it’s just not my thing
NieR Automata part 2 OP and ED. Especially the ED is gorgeous.
The NieR ED is the only credits song I’m willing to sit through rather than skipping this season. (I’m picky, or maybe just old. Some seasons I don’t find even one OP or ED that doesn’t grate on my nerves.)
Favorites for this season are Pseudo Harem ED, Oshi no Ko S2 OP and Tower of God S2 OP.
Honorable mention to the Nokotan OP for the memes, and for the evolving credits for Tower of God S2, really like how they are a “season so far” summary.
One of my favorite openings and endings has to be the ones for Bye Bye, Earth.
Gotta say, big drop off for Tower of God’s intros and outros.
Haven’t even watched it but Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan’s OP is my instant fave. Can’t wait to watch it someday
Just completed Darling in the Franxx.
Looks like I seriously have a thing for Gundam-like shows.
Thoughts:
I thought that they were over-sexualizing the characters initially and that there’s excessive use of sexual innuendo, but the reveal towards the end explains it.
Darling in the Franxx
Unfortunately, they didn’t really explain why and how reproductive abilities are used to pilot the Franxx or Klaxosaurs.
Unlike most Gundam shows, this one has a way greater focus on romance, which I enjoy.
One aspect of it that I don’t enjoy as much is the excessive narration - instead of telling us, just show us! The narration got bearable for me towards the end though.The songs and music are immemorable, so no comments there.
If I am being nitpicky, I would give it a score of 9 / 10.
I am biased towards Gundam series though, so I am going to be generous and give it a 10 / 10.Maybe I’m not watching the right shows this season, but this season’s OPs and EDs are a letdown from last season, or even the season before that.
I do like the OP and ED songs from Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi/The Elusive Samurai
OP Plan A ED Kamakura STYLE
Visually, I love the Kinnikuman ED for its romp through the very long history of Kinnikuman manga and TV shows
OP Choujin
