My Top 10: Favourite OPs and EDs of 2009

I really have too many summary-posts planned for the end of the year. So, here’s a little taste in advanced: my favourite OPs and EDs of the year. Any series or OVA is eligible, as long as they had an episode that first aired in 2009. My list might differ a bit from most people’s lists, but that’s just because I don’t like J-Pop (but of course, there are exceptions in everything. ;))

#10: Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen OP 1

Really: isn’t this the best way to enter a hot-blooded and GAR Mecha-show as Mazinger? This opening always got me pumped with adrenaline for this show, it just screams epic all over. The lyrics are a bit cheesy, but hey: what else did you expect? 😛

#9: Bounen no Xamdou OP 1
It’s of course very hard to write a toplist of this year’s OPs and EDs of this year, and don’t have the OP for Bonen no Xamdou included. What I especially love about this OP is how well the music and animation are tuned to each other: they complement each other in nearly every scene. The song is also very nicely composed with fitting vocals.

#8: Birdy the Mighty Decode 2 OP

I usually hate J-Pop, but it’s for songs as this that I’m willing to make an exception. This song really has a wonderful arrangement and a rocking refrain. The visuals also give a small taste of the amazing animation in the rest of the series, and overall it was a great way to enter this series each week.

#7: Zan Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei OP 2

You can say a lot against Shinbo, but the guy at least knows how to create good OPs. While I really didn’t like the series, at least I could enjoy a minute and a half every week of this excellent rock piece with an excellent direction throughout.

#6: Bakemonogatari OP 1

Oh, what an incredible TEASE this one turned out to be. I really was pumped when I started up the first episode of Bakemonogatari, and it came with this visual masterpiece. Even though what the series eventually turned into became a huge disappointment, I still have to admit: this is one heck of an OP that really gets you interested in the rest of the series.

#5: Kuchuu Buranko OP

Denki Groove already composed an OP once before: the very funky one for Hakaba Kitarou. Kuchuu Buranko once again brings nothing but funkiness with its OP, combined with the trademark weird visuals of this show. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an amimated version of this online since Youtube keeps deleting them.

#4: Phantom OP 1

Overall, this is just a very varied song with great dreamy vocals. Phantom was an anime with a huge focus on music, and this piece did a great job of introducing us to the whole series. I really think that it’s among Bee-Train’s best opening songs due to its grace which looks exotic and down to earth at the same time.

#3: Eden of the East OP

For this opening, the creators managed to get Oasis to perform, and it really shows. Noitamina has always been a timeslot of great OPs and EDs, and Eden of the East shows this yet again with not just a well composed song, but it also makes very good use of its sound, and combined with the well detailed and very imaginative animation, I was completely sold when I watched this for the first time.

#2: Shikabane Hime Kuro OP

Definitely and without a doubt Angela’s best work. This song really allows her to get the best out of her voice, and it shows that she has a really wide range and is able to control this really well. Combine this with Gainax-esque smooth animation and a great choice of instruments, and this really is my favourite OP of the year; I can really listen to this over and over without getting bored of it.

#1: Guin Saga ED

Okay, so while the rest of this top 10 has probably shown that I like more upbeat songs, my favourite in the end does remain a ballad. Why? That voice! It’s apparently sung by Kanon, who really has an amazing set of vocals. The full version allows her voice to come out even better, and it really screams epic in a subtle way. It always was a great way to end this series with.

26 thoughts on “My Top 10: Favourite OPs and EDs of 2009

  1. Gotta Love KOKIA in Phantom’s OP and Oasis (why did they break up?!) in Eden of the East, those were my top, great lists so far!

  2. bleh forgot to mention KANON is a beautiful opera singer who I enjoy, Ive bought her CDs actually (she actually sings mainly in English) but she has an incredible voice.

  3. I agreed these were great OP songs: Eden of the East, Phantom, and Birdy the Mighty Decode 2.

    Eden of the East sure have a distinct song because it’s English rather than Japanese. It’s also catchy and gives a feel of what the anime will be about.

    The OP to Phantom gave the feeling that it’ll be a dark, suspense, action anime.

    I usually don’t like J-Pop songs too because most of the J-Pop singers have this high pitch voice but I’ve gotta say that the OP to Birdy the Mighty Decode 2 was exciting and gave a feeling that the anime is good. It’s weird when I first checked this anime out because of the OP I started watching the 2nd season first without realizing there was a 1st season. The 2nd season is better because it focused on Birdy.

    #2, #6, #7 OP: these were animes I didn’t keep up with and OPs are okay with me…nothing exciting. #6 OP does make it look like the anime will be interesting but after watching 2 episodes, there were too many fast pace cut shots and the dialogues were a headache. The fast pace cut shots is a different style and made the anime feel like a manga; however, this style became overwhelming within 2 episodes and it felt like the anime was getting no where.

    #5 and #10: were surprisedly good OPs. #5 is a good song and #10 does make the viewer feel pump to watch a fighting anime.

    #9: the beat of the song does match the animation. I’ve started this anime because it reminded me of Eureka 7 but I lost interest after the first 7 or 8 episodes. Maybe one day I’ll go back and finish watching it.

    #1: Guin Saga was a great adventure anime. The ED by Kanon is awesome and I love her voice and songs. I first discovered her voice for the anime “Angel Heart” and was captured by her ballad “Gloria.” She could blend Japanese and English into her songs very well and thank goodness her voice is not high pitch! ^_^

  4. I happen to like the music from 8, 7, 5, 2, and 1.

    I hadn’t heard that Kanon song before, so that’s the real gem of the list for me.

    On the angela front, I like “My story” better than “Beautiful fighter,” though they’re both pretty good.

    Probably my favorite part of the Zan Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei OP is the section from when the shuttle launches to when Kafuka reaches the camera after spinning in space. I must have watched that dozens of times.

    I want to know where that show depicted in the Bakemonogatari video is, because it looks promising.

  5. My tastes exactly. xD I have the OP to Xam’d and Birdy 2 on my zune…they’re addicting. I’m gonna grab Higashi no Eden OP soon too.

  6. @headachebaby: YES me too, Angel Heart had a fantastic soundtrack and GLORIA was freaking incredible thanks to Kanon, I actually sang a little bit of the song to an ex of mine when it first came out… I was stupid, but the song is still amazing!

  7. Seems like you and I have pretty different music taste~ From the songs you’ve listed that I know, at least. Some of the ones that I don’t know could probably grow on me, though. I must admit I love every song that comes from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Ringo Mogire Beam included.

  8. I once tried making a top 10 opening songs. Not endings, because I don’t like endings 99% of the time. You know how it came out? I ended instead making the top 30 opening songs. There are just too many to chose from xD

    Good list, although I don’t like #1. Some songs I personally love are openings of D.Gray-Man, Gurren Lagann, Gantz, Darker than Black, Code Geass…do you understand now how it ended being top 30? I can go on for ages 😛

  9. Good choice of OP and EDs, I have to say! Kind of surprised the Baccano! OP didn’t make it on the list, it was definitely one of my favorites. XD

  10. Read the title, people. This is my list for 2009, not of all times. 😛

    As for Darker than Black’s OP: it didn’t wow me or anything. It’s a decent song, but I don’t really consider it anything special.

  11. For me, the various Ali Project ones were my faves. Bantorra’s OP is amazing and has some really cool scenes for example.

    Another noteworthy one is Thriller (what gg calls it), Kaidan Restaurant ED. Just fun and actually groovy. lol

  12. I also loved “Guin Saga” op, it was the best of all for me as was the ed of course. Phantom’s op was very original and great, but for me Darker than black’s second season op is even better, the rythm and all seem to attract towards the show and fits the general mood of this show, it’s also kinda nostalgic, that’s why I liked it more. Which doesn’t mean that I liked this show better! I also loved Canaan’s op and Pandora hearts op, as well as Shangri-la op and whaoh, Umineko has an amazing opening as well! Those are definitely the best for me!And I just hated Eden of the east op! The series was pretty good even if not that good but I couldn’t stand the op here from the beginning! Oh and Kemono no souja Erin has a completely heart-warming op, but I don’t know if it started airing in 2009 or just before though.

  13. Actually, about phantom, I thought you were talking about the second opening, this one was was also amazing for me , not less than darker than black.

  14. Pretty much agree with most of your choices. I’d only add the second Phantom ED by Kokia, Cross Game OP (love the song), Tegamibachi OP (love Suga Shikao) and ED (again, love the song), Pandora Hearts OP… and probably some others…

    As for Angela, I still consider Soukyuu no Fafner ED (“Separation”)to be their best song ever, followed closely by Soukyuu no Fafner OP (“Shangri-La”). Angela’s songs used in Shikabane Hime didn’t impress me quite as much.

  15. I thought Eden of the East’s Futuristic Imaginagion (School Food Punishmen) would be a definitely shoe-in. Also, I kinda liked Kimi, ni Mune Kyun (Yuu Kobayashi) from Maria Holic; 8AM (Coldrain) from Hajime no Ippo; R.O.C.K (iLL) from Viper’s Creed; Kimi Shinitamou Koto Nakare (May’n) from Shangri-La; Modern Strange Cowboy (Granrodeo) from Needles and Upside Down (Denki Groove) from Kuchuu Buranko.

    Unsurprisingly, for a series that’s about songs and bands, K-On! can’t be seen anywhere. ^_^

  16. The Guin Saga ED song is amazing, although I think the animation for the ED could have been better.

    The Eden OP was awesome both with the song and animation.

  17. really good choices. I never managed to keep up with Guin Saga but the ED was amazingly mellow. Only inclusion I would have is Spice and Wolf II OP – Mitsu no yoake by Arai Akino…more heavenly vocals there.

  18. this is years with so many great EDs for me…
    winter : Zoku Natsume’s Aishiteru (mellow,but great vocals),Rideback’s Kioku (combinations of both slow and fast tunes)

    spring : 07-Ghost’s Hitomi no Kotae (cute voice…almost moe,but didn’t fall into that),Eden’s Futuristic Imagination (LOVE THE BEAT),Natsu no Arashi’s (love its nostalgia mood),Pandora Hearts (the 1st),Guin Saga’s

    summer : Bakemonogatari’s (that’s one amazing ED),Tokyo Magnitude’s M/elody (again,love the vocalist),FMA’s second ED

    autumn : none,but there’s great OPs like DTB2’s and KnT’s

    Honorable mentions : Umi Monogatari’s Violet (marble’s most mellow song),Higurashi Rei’s Super Scription of Data (Eiko Shimamiya is great,like always)

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