Anime openings are an irreplaceable part of any Anime series, they provide a visual and musical hook for the viewer to get attached to as a way to keep them engaged throughout the respective series. Anime openings of 2023 are no exception to this tradition, with some of the catchiest and artistically rich openings in the industry just casually releasing throughout the year as the seasons pass by. But only a few can be the best of the best, and we are here to answer that question.
1. Heavenly Delusion (Opening 1)
- Band – BiSH
- Song – Innocent Arrogance
- Studio – Production I.G
- Season – Spring 2023
Words can’t describe the ethereal experience that the opening of Heavenly Delusion exudes in each of its beautifully illustrated shots. The opening is a collective visual symphony of the many vistas and encounters of the world that Maru and Kiruko inhabit, such as the network of broken infrastructure that has been taken over by nature or the odd silence that follows them across the once-bustling world.
It all culminates in a triumphant acceleration of vocals that fill the silent world with noise that the characters run towards in the hope of finding life, but alas as the tempo drops they realize they are truly alone.
2. The girl I like forgot her Glasses (Opening 1)
- Singer – Tsuzuri
- Song – NAME
- Studio – GoHands
- Season – Summer 2023
Probably the least expected addition to this list for many of you but here we are regardless. In clear juxtaposition to the plethora of action isekai and shonen anime openings releasing by the second this year, The opening to Suki na Ko ga Megane wa Wasureta is a triumph of the creativity that Shojou anime have the ability to present.
It’s consistent use of Dutch angles makes each shot exude an exclusive emotion, whether it is of curiosity, realization, embarrassment, etc. The opening is the quintessential shoujo experience, that looks as beautiful as it feels.
3. Vinland Saga Season 2 (Opening 1)
- Singer – Anonymouz
- Song – River
- Studio – Mappa
- Season – Winter (January 2023)
Considering the hype surrounding the release of Vinland Sage Season 2, the opening does not disappoint in the slightest. It arguably contains the most thematic elements out of any anime opening on this list, as well as incredibly haunting imagery that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.
The opening is a clear mirror to the themes of duality that Season 2 of Vinland saga represents, with its clever use of kaleidoscopic shots and elements to symbolize the split of morality that each character is facing throughout the season, as well as a literal representation of the broken life that Thorfinn is living in which he can neither leisure in peace nor enjoy the bloodthirst of battle.
4. Oshi no Ko (Opening 1)
- Band – YOASOBI
- Song – IDOL
- Studio – Doga Kobo
- Season – Spring 2023
This placement is nothing surprising for any individual who has been following anime releases throughout 2023. Yes! Oshi no Ko’s first opening is really that good but to justify its rather low placement on this list there are a few caveats we have to go through. First of all, on an incredibly positive note, the Opening itself is gorgeous and the song “IDOL” greatly enhances its enjoyment and makes it easily the catchiest opening of the year.
However, one of the problems this opening suffers from is the lack of proper connective tissue between the different sections of the opening. It’s honestly kind of all over the place, which is disappointing considering the symbolic value that many of the shots provide but are not given the proper context to actually present them in any significant manner.
5. Mashle: Magic and Muscles (Opening 1)
- Singer – DAIDAI
- Song – Knock Out
- Studio – A-1 pictures
- Season – Spring 2023
Sometimes what an opening needs is not thematic reasoning, beautiful imagery, or an operatic structure. Sometimes all an Anime opening needs is to be fun for the viewer and serve as the dopamine hook for the series it’s trying to hype up, The opening for Mashle fulfills that purpose as the perfect Shonen Anime Opening of the year.
I mean what more can we say? It is chock-full of fun and well-placed references and parodies which reflect the tone of the show perfectly, Its song is hardcore and energetic to no faults, and its shots are fast-paced and action-heavy which just puts us in a trance of pure joy. That’s the key term here “joy”, This anime opening just gives us joy and sometimes there is nothing more we could ask for.
Conclusion
Well, this is our Top 5 ranking for the best Anime openings of 2023, but with the year still going on and plenty more highly anticipated anime series to debut along the way. It is only natural to feel excited over the plethora of anime openings to come throughout 2023 and who knows? we might just as well update our list later down the line if any sleeper hit decides to just drop out of nowhere Cough Cough Frieren Cough Cough.