Hey everyone, Jacki Jing here to countdown the best opening songs from the Winter 2021 anime season! Typically for The List we've limited the choices to just seven or eight entries but this season is ripe with toe-tapping bops. Also, rules are fake. Let's dive into the best OPs!

10. 2.43 SEIIN HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL CLUB, “MAHI” BYYAMA

Volleyball is just window dressing in this dramatic series about a boys sports team. Two childhoodfriends, Kimichika and Yuni, are reunited in high school when Kimichika moves back to town. He was the star of his previous school's volleyball team but returns carrying some serious baggage.yama's opener has the punchiness that fits a sports-centric series but the use of horns helps it stand out. A little info aboutyama; they're a singer-songwriter that rose to prominence by covering popular songs on social media. They found success last summer with the track “Haru wo Tsugeru” trending onTikTok and Japan Hot 100 charts.

9.BOTTOM-TIER CHARACTER TOMOZAKI “JINSEI EASY?” BYDIALOGUE+

I'll admit, voice actress idol groups usually aren't my fav. The songs tend to have the same general pop-flavor and it takes extra effort to make them stand out.Dialogue+'s song “Jinsei Easy?” caught myattention by adding a layer of classic video game sound effects to the music and...I don't know I justthink it's really cute! Video games play an important role inBottom-tier Character Tomozaki, giventhat Tomozaki's entire world revolves around them. He specializes in a game very similar to SuperSmash Bros but outside the game world, life won't cut him any slack. Then he meets Hinami, a popular girl who found success by treating the real world like a game, and she's here to teach Tomozaki how to do it, too. Pro-tip from Lynzee: try being nice, respectful, and genuine!

8.MUSHOKU TENSEI: JOBLESS REINCARNATION “Tabibito no Uta” byYuiko Ōhara

This opener really sets the tone for the entire world ofJobless Reincarnation. The swelling sounds ofthe piano immediately give off that certain mysterious feeling to let viewers know 'this is a place wheremagic could happen.' The world ofJobless Reincarnation IS beautiful thanks to the amazing work ofStudio Bind, andYuiko Ōhara's song pairs with it seamlessly. That kind of musical magic might beOhara's specialty; she previously created songs forLittle Witch Academia andLand of the Lustrous,two shows steeped in magical qualities.

7.HORIMIYA “IRO KOUSUI” BYYOH KAMIYAMA

On the surface,Horimiya seems like a pretty light romcom about two students. Hori is a popular andsociable girl that has a very responsible side to her as she maintains the house and looks after her littlebrother while her mom works. Miyamura looks like a bookish geek but actually has facial piercingsand even tattoos hidden under his shirt. He's a good boy with a little bit of a dangerous side. YohKamiyama's song highlights how Hori and Miyamura look different but actually have a lot in common,or as the lyrics put it, they wear “the same color of perfume.” Awww~

6.RE:ZERO SEASON 2 , “LONG SHOT” BYMAYU MAESHIMA

All of theRe:Zero opening themes have been intense and “Long Shot” is no exception. The song's titleperfectly fits Subaru's situation: saving everyone and making it out alive is a long shot for sure whenyou're dealing with deadly witches, man-eating rabbits, clones, and a guy who hulks-out into a tiger.“Long Shot” isMayu Maeshima's second single, but she's not a new singer. She was a vocalist forMYTH & ROID until 2017, the same group that performed the first ending and second opening for thefirst season ofRe:Zero. You can also hear her inOverlord andThe Saga of Tanya the Evil.

5.Dr. Stone: Stone Wars “Rakuen” byFujifabric

This opening is, in one word,smooooth. The three-piece bandFujifabric is no stranger to anime themesongs. The group has made slick arrangements forBoruto,Blue Spring Ride,Silver Spoon,tsuritama, andSpace Brothers. The new theme song is paired with imagery of Dr.Stone's distinctive cast and the sun rising. Who will bring about the next era of humanity? TheKingdom of Science or Tsukasa and his Empire of Might?

4.SK8 THE INFINITY, “PARADISE” BY RUDE-A

Here's a song that gets you clapping along right away. It immediately sets thepace for the colorful skateboarding world of Langa and Reki. Reki is a high schooler and skateboarding enthusiast who spends his off time working at a skate shop and competing in high-octane races. He pulls the stoic Langa into his obsession after finding out he has skating experience—sorta (snowboarding, to be precise). Rude-a is a rapper hailing from Okinawa and his previous song “Life” was used as the first ending theme for the first season ofDr. Stone. Honestly, almost everything about this song works, but I think they went a little heavy on the auto-tune in some places.

3.LOG HORIZON: DESTRUCTION OF THE ROUND TABLE, “Different” byBAND-MAID

As the song says, “Let's Go It's Show Time!” This song just doesn't QUIT. The drums and the bass areinsane from start to finish. Is it too over the top for a series about people getting isekai'd into a fantasygame world? …..NAH. The group bringing the energy to this song isBAND-MAID, an all-girl rockgroup that, as you might have guessed, wears maid outfits. They've been going strong since 2013 andpreviously rose to #11 on Japan's Billboard charts with their single “Glory.” “Different” is their first anime-related song, but the group has previously toured the world with stops in Seattle, the UK, and Mexico.

2.JUJUTSU KAISEN SEASON 2, “VIVID VICE” byWho-ya Extended

Honestly, I didn't thinkMAPPA was going to be able to top the first opening forJujutsu Kaisen.Visually, it was one of the best opening sequences I'd seen in a long time. ThenShingo Yamashita laughed in my face and delivered yet another beautiful OP. The entire thing oozes style with each character getting his or her own highlight, even the villains. Also hi, is that Megumi charging into battle with an ELEPHANT? There's tons of moments like this to notice if, like me, you've watched this OP over and over again. The group behind the song,Who-ya Extended, is a bit of a mystery but they previously contributed a song toPsycho-Pass Season 3.

1.ATTACK ON TITAN THE FINAL SEASON, “MY WAR” byShinsei Kamattechan

Now before you all get up in my mentions with “of course they pickedAttack on Titan,” acknowledgethat ONE this song is still giving me chills seven weeks later and TWO onlyAttack on Titan coulddeliver harrowing political commentary in less than two minutes. The title of the song translates to”MyWar” and combines the explosions of atomic bombs, missiles, and flamethrowers with a psychadeliccolor pattern that is, for lack of a better word, kind of disorienting in a way that holds your attention. Ithas more in common with clouds of poison than cotton candy despite the pastel colors. The visualslook more like real-world footage than something from the series itself, from goose-stepping soldiers toNevada atomic test sites. The OP ends on what is presumably Black Rain falling onto the after imagesof the war's causalities. The final shot of Eren in his Titan form reminds me a lot of the closing shot inHideaki Anno's Godzilla. Anyway, that's a lot of words to say that theAttack on Titan opening makes a BIG statement. Respect!