Anime openings play a key role in the overall aesthetic of any particular anime. For some fans, they are a means to connect to their favorite anime and relive its moments, while for others they can be a banger that they listen to on a regular basis.
Another thing anime openings are infamous for is spoilers, be it character identities, powers, abilities locations, or character deaths. Let’s look at the Top 5 Anime openings that spoiled the anime.
5. Black Clover – Noelle’s Mermaid Form
Opening: Grandeur
The thirteenth opening of the Black Clover anime might’ve gone a bit too far in terms of hyping up the anime. While Shounen openings trying to hint at plot points isn’t too uncommon, this particular opening went and dropped straight-up spoilers.
- It clearly depicted a shot of Zenon Fighting Yuno, with surprising accuracy to the manga panel.
- Noelle’s much-anticipated glow-up with her mermaid form. It was just a shadow, but the shape of the mermaid is hard to miss. Combined with her water abilities, fans already knew what to expect.
4. Sword Art Online – Death Gun’s Identity
Opening: Ignite
One of the core plot points in the second season of SAO was the identity of the murderer who killed people in the real world using the game Gun Gale Online. The season follows Kirito and Sinon trying to discover their identity and put an end to their murders.
However, the opening features a scene of the character Kyouji smiling, which proceeds to catch on fire, getting replaced with a scene of Death Gun. Anyone who played close attention might’ve been inadvertently spoiled.
3. One Piece – Nico Robin joins the Crew
Opening: Towards The Light
In the early days of One Piece, one of the things that most fans were always excited about and were looking forward to was the identity of the next Straw Hat. Whenever Luffy’s crew stops at a new island, theories would start flooding the fandom, speculating about the next member’s identity.
But even before her Miss All Sunday charade was revealed, this opening showed Nico Robin smiling with the Straw Hats, spoiling her addition to the crew.
2. Persona 4 The Animation – Victims and Persona Users
Opening: Pursuing My True Self
The Persona 4 anime focuses on a series of supernatural murder investigations through a TV world. The most intriguing thing about this anime is how the investigation teams are formed and how Persona users are introduced.
However, this particular opening went full-throttle with the spoilers, revealing the identities of the members of the investigation team, victims, and yet-to-be-revealed Persona users. It also revealed the true nature of Naoto Shirogane, a character who was supposed to be mysterious with unknown intentions.
1. Erased – The Main Culprit
Opening: Re:Re
This spoiler is so huge that it could ruin the entire watching experience of this anime if someone notices it makes the connection. Erased is often praised for its mystery, intriguing characters, and the way the murderer was kept hidden in plain sight. All of this could go down the drain if a fan notices a particular detail in its opening.
In one shot of the opening, we see the protagonist being shot by an unknown individual, followed by a scene of glass shattering. If you manage to pause at the right moment, the murderer’s reflection can be found on the shattered glass flying across the screen.