Best OPs in the Fall 2024 anime season

There really is an “art” to anime theme songs. By definition, these openings are art, but there is also an “art” to creating a good opening. Sure, the production studio can get the rights to a catchy song, but if the visuals aren't interesting in any way people won't care.

And of course the opposite is true, without a catchy song, who cares how good the opening is? It's about pairing the right song with the right visuals to create an incredibly memorable final product that is more than the sum of its parts. And, at least for anime coming out in the fall 2024 season, these are some of those that manage to best combine these two aspects.

10 Dandan

Otonoke from Creepy Nuts

It makes sense to start with by far the most iconic anime opening of the season, Otonoke from Creepy Nuts. Creepy Nuts have done quite a few openings now, with the most famous one before this being the season 2 opener of Mashle. Creepy Nuts are also known for their incredibly unique sound, which is why they were such a perfect choice for the opener. From Dandan. Dandan it's a show that is incredibly “weird” at its core, unabashedly so.

In the 2nd episode, aliens have attacked the protagonists, a high school teenager has his genitals stolen by a ghost, and is then possessed by that ghost with his curse held back only by the psychic abilities of another student (AKA Momo Ayase) . Regardless, Otonoke isn't just visually stunning as an opener, it's infectiously catchy, beautiful at specific moments, and a total “bop” all the way through.

9 Blue box

Sam Blue of Official Hige Dandism

Next up is one of the best opens of the season from one of the best shows of the season, Blue box. Blue box is an adorable romance series about high school romance, finding your passion, and so much more. It's a very mature series with a very childish exterior, and this opening of Official Hige Dandism is a great representation of that.

For those who might think the singing in this OP is familiar, Official Hige Dandism has also made other well-known OPs such as Cry darling for the The Avengers of Tokyo opening. In any case, the OP for Blue box it's visually and aurally stunning, as every single frame is so detailed and every single second of the music itself hits so hard. All in all, just an absolutely stellar opening to an already beloved manga-to-anime adaptation.

8 Ranma 1/2

Iinazukkyun of Ano

This next one is an absolute classic, or it would be more appropriate to say the modern iteration of an absolute classic. Ranma 1/2 (2024) is a complete remake of the classic anime series that many of us grew up with or cited as one of our introductions to the world of anime in general.

And, as a new modern OP, Iinazukkyun by Ano perfectly walks the line between modern imagery and references to the original series. And on top of all that, the song is so incredibly catchy. This is an incredibly creative opening in terms of visuals with storybook or almost collage versions of the characters, and the music itself never has a dull moment, so it stands to reason that this opening would end up somewhere in this list.

7 Orb on earth movements

Sakanaction kaijuu

The next thing that follows is another recommendation for an incredibly unorthodox opening, and that's the opening from a series called Orb: about the movements of the Earth. This is a series that has some pretty heavy spoilers that can spoil a lot, so we won't get too much into what the anime actually entails, just know that it will tug at your heartstrings. On top of that, the opening itself already manages to make anyone who listens to it feel something without even really knowing the characters.

Piano notes enter Kaijuu they're both so beautiful but also so masterfully placed in a way that constantly keeps the listener on the edge of their seats, which is probably exactly what they were going for. Again, not to spoil anything, but the opening itself actually changes (at least visually) somewhat as the show progresses, so be sure to keep an eye on that.

6 Mecha-Ude: Mechanical weapons

Setsuko Vortex

The opening for Mecha-Ude: Mechanical weapons it's what can only be described as “incredibly comfortable.” It's a very standard shonen style opening that mostly shows all the important characters, their abilities, their Mecha-Ude, and a little glimpse into their personalities based on their poses or actions. However, Setsuko's voice work on the OP Vortex It really pushes this openness to another level.

At first glance, this should simply be a series about a kid who has a cool alien mechanical arm that he punches things with, but while he listens Vortex and looking at the OP's pictures, it seems much deeper and existential. Of course, the show itself has a lot of nuance and depth, but it's a testament to the fact that the OP manages to evoke such emotion despite the ridiculousness of the overall “concept” of Mecha Ude.

5 As a reincarnated aristocrat, I will use my judgment skill to emerge in the world (Season 2)

Ability active via passcode

No one will really argue that the isekai series about a boy who is reincarnated into a nobleman with the ability to see everyone's stats is worth taking seriously, but the show is actually pretty good. The characters are relatively simple but fun to look at, the concept itself is relatively unique for an isekai, and the visuals and overall art style of the show are fantastic.

AND, Like a reincarnated aristocrat it also has something else to offer, its openings. Not only was the opening of the first season of this anime adaptation a total bop, but the OP for the second season (aka Awake skill) is also incredibly catchy.

4 A 5,000-Year-Old Herbivorous Dragon Is Unjustly Evil (Season 2)

Brave One by Fukurow Note

This next inclusion is funny, because it's an opening for what is, for all intents and purposes, a comedy series, but it gets so unexpectedly difficult. This is another opening for the second season of a show, and it's another one that, like Like a reincarnated aristocrat It has a very unique art style.

Not only are the visuals in this opening incredibly captivating (the letterboxing and how certain parts of the visuals are unaffected, in particular, are fantastic) but the song itself pairs perfectly with the visuals. Again, this is a comedy series (for the most part), but sometimes even comedy series get the most impactful OPs.

3 Blue Block (2nd season)

Boujaku No Charisma by Unison Square Garden

Blue block is (understandably) receiving a lot of criticism for the decisions it made in its second season. People have said that the animation in the episodes looks like a Powerpoint presentation, like images scrolling across a screen and more. And, regardless of where one's opinions fall on this matter, everyone can admit that the level of high-quality animation has significantly dropped in the second season of this beloved sports series.

However, the opening of the anime is absolutely tough, is visually incredibly creative, and features some of the best animation moments of the second season overall. The way each of the attackers in the opening has their own 'aura' is really cool and the people who worked on the visuals weren't afraid to experiment with things. On top of all that, the actual song by Unison Square Garden (an incredibly famous band) has the perfect amount of energy to fit something like Blue block.

2 The Yakuza's boyfriend

Under and Over by The Oral Cigarettes

Next up is another great opening this time Below and above by The Oral Cigarettes for a romantic and spicy little show called The Yakuza's boyfriend. This is a series about twisted people, petty revenge, fiery passion, and more. It's part comedy, part romance, part slice of life, and 100% tons of fun to watch.

However, while the show itself (at least in the first 4 or so episodes) is relatively tame and more comedy focused, the OP of the show is incredibly spicy. Frankly, there are some scenes in this opening that most other shows are afraid to do for the big romantic climax. Anyway,

1 You are Mrs Serva

Tricot otozure

And lastly there is the opening of a small series called You are Mrs Serva. This is another video that is so incredibly creative visually and so incredibly enjoyable to listen to audio-wise. However, this anime has to excel in terms of experimental graphics, even compared to all the other great openings on this list.

It almost feels like it's a final college project for an art student, which is how “out there” the images in this OP tend to be (and we mean that as an incredibly high compliment). So, pair these visuals with Tricot's soothing, captivating voice, and you have the makings of an incredibly memorable OP.