Best Anime Openings of All Time
The most-watched anime openings of all time, ranked by YouTube views. From YOASOBI's Idol to Kenshi Yonezu's KICK BACK: the themes that defined a generation. Listen on Openingpedia.
Oshi no Ko(2023)
The most-watched anime opening in history, and by an enormous margin. Idol isn't just Oshi no Ko's theme: it's the song that proved an anime opening could top Japan's charts outright and play across half the world. Ayase and Ikura build an impossible piece —tempo shifts, rap sections, a chorus that sticks on the first listen— that mirrors the fickle, dark nature of the series itself. The moment anime music stopped asking for permission.
Jujutsu Kaisen(2020)
Eve was already a Vocaloid and Japanese-indie star, but KAIKAIKITAN for Jujutsu Kaisen took him to another level. His unmistakable nasal voice over a nervous, urgent rock base perfectly captured the tension of season one. It's one of those openings the community will forever associate with the moment Jujutsu Kaisen became one of the most popular anime on the planet.
Beastars(2021)
YOASOBI's second entry in the top three confirms their reign. Kaibutsu ("monster") for Beastars speaks, from the inside, about Legoshi's conflict between his predatory instinct and his desire to be good. Ayase writes one of his most anxious and beautiful melodies here, and the stop-motion sequence is among the most recognizable of the modern era.
Enen no Shouboutai(2019)
Mrs. GREEN APPLE is one of Japan's biggest pop-rock bands, and Inferno for Fire Force was their introduction to the international anime community. Pure energy, an English chorus anyone can sing, and a brilliant production: the opening that turned a show about pyrokinetic firefighters into a view-count magnet.
Boku no Hero Academia(2017)
Before he was the most important artist of his generation, Kenshi Yonezu was already giving My Hero Academia one of the best-loved openings of the 2010s. Peace Sign has that blend of melancholy and teenage drive that defines the series: the feeling of wanting to be a hero while knowing the cost. A generational anthem.
Kimetsu no Yaiba(2022)
Aimer and her unmistakable husky voice for Demon Slayer's Entertainment District arc. Zankyou Zanka is elegant, dramatic, and deeply Japanese in its melodic construction, and it accompanies some of the most spectacular animation ufotable has ever produced. Proof that an opening doesn't need to shout to dominate.
Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?(2019)
Kaito Ishikawa, Hibiki Sakura (Ai Fairuz)
The ranking's wild card, and a lesson in how the internet works. Onegai Muscle, the opening to the gym comedy Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?, became a viral phenomenon thanks to its absurd charm, its deep German-language chorus, and its "do your squats" message. That it sits among the most-watched openings of all time says a lot about how humor and memes amplify anime music.
Domestic na Kanojo(2019)
Few openings convey emotional anguish like Kawaki wo Ameku. Minami sings —almost screams— the teenage pain and confusion of Domestic Girlfriend with a hair-raising intensity. A track that connected far beyond its show's popularity, carried by one of the most visceral vocal performances in the catalog.
Chainsaw Man(2022)
Kenshi Yonezu's second appearance, this time at the height of Chainsaw Man mania. KICK BACK is chaotic, aggressive, and strangely catchy, with a "Mottainai" sample that makes it unforgettable. Co-produced with King Gnu's Daiki Tsuneta, it's the perfect opening for a series about a boy, his chainsaw-dog, and the cruelty of the world. It gained instant global traction.
MM!(2010)
An absolute outlier in the top tier: the opening to MM!, a 2010 comedy, has racked up hundreds of millions of views thanks to the video's longevity and the nostalgia of an entire generation of fans. It proves the most-watched openings aren't always the newest or most mainstream —sometimes it's time, and a loyal community, that builds the number.
Sousou no Frieren(2023)
YOASOBI's third entry, and one of the most beloved. Yuusha ("hero") for Frieren is luminous, melancholic, and perfectly aligned with the series' contemplative tone about the passage of time and grief. Another demonstration that Ayase writes melodies that feel like they've always existed.
Noragami(2015)
The opening to Noragami Aragoto and an instant classic of mid-2010s anime rock. Kyouran Hey Kids!! is all nerve: sharp guitars, an exploding chorus, and the youthful energy that defined a whole wave of openings. Still gets crowds on their feet live to this day.
Shingeki no Kyojin(2017)
If there's one opening that's epic by definition, it's this. Shinzou wo Sasageyo! ("dedicate your hearts!") for Attack on Titan's second season is a military, choral, overwhelming anthem with Linked Horizon's signature theatricality. The war cry of one of the most influential anime of the decade.
Jujutsu Kaisen(2023)
King Gnu are masters of pop-rock sophistication, and SPECIALZ for Jujutsu Kaisen's Shibuya arc is among their darkest and most ambitious pieces. Controlled dissonance, abrupt changes, and Tsuneta's voice pushing everything to the edge: the opening that scored the series' most brutal arc and closes this trip through history in style.
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What this ranking tells us about anime music
If this list makes one thing clear, it's the dominance of a handful of artists who have redefined what an opening can be. YOASOBI appears three times (Idol, Kaibutsu, Yuusha), an unmatched feat that confirms Ayase as the most influential composer of anime's modern era. Kenshi Yonezu has two of the most-watched (Peace Sign and KICK BACK), bridging the 2010s generation with today's.
You can also see the evolution of the sound: from the mid-2010s band rock (THE ORAL CIGARETTES, Linked Horizon) to the complex-production pop and solo voices that dominate now (YOASOBI, Ado, Aimer). And there's room for surprises —Onegai Muscle, Help!!— reminders that on YouTube it's the community, not just the critics, that builds the view count.
Above all, the ranking tells a story: how, in less than a decade, the anime opening went from being a 90-second formality to being, for millions of people, their first doorway into Japanese music.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most-watched anime opening of all time? YOASOBI's Idol, the opening of Oshi no Ko, is the most-watched anime opening on YouTube by a wide margin. It also hit number one on Japan's charts and became one of the biggest musical hits anime has ever produced.
How is this ranking ordered? By each opening's cumulative YouTube views, highest to lowest. It's the most objective measure of real popularity, though it favors videos that have been online longer and series with greater global reach.
Why are there older or lesser-known openings on the list? Because views accumulate over time. An opening like Help!! (from 2010) has had over a decade to gather views, and its community's loyalty has kept it high. View counts reward both quality and longevity.
How often is it updated? Periodically, as view counts evolve. It's a living list: as new openings gather views, the order can change.
Can I listen to all these openings here? Yes. On Openingpedia you'll find the video, the full entry, and the built-in player for every opening, plus the artist's discography and the rest of each anime's songs.