Favorite opening themes

[KingRexII]

Just watched some House on Hulu when I realized just how awesome the opening theme is. It conveys a certain somber gravitas and irony (which the show is great at) without being overly dramatic. Not only is the song unobtrusive to my watching pleasure, but I also find it to be an integral part of the show, qualities most opening themes don't have. I never go for a snack or bathroom break then as I find it necessary to listen to it, as if it somehow sets the rhythm and tone for the rest of the episode and the tempo would just feel wrong without it. Needlessly to say, I'm a fan.

Anyway, just wondering what other great opening themes are your favorites and why.

[Doglord]

Duck Dodgers due to awesomeness, and I think DS9's theme really helps convey the grandeur of the station.

[TheRiov]

Battlestar Galactica's underscores the tragedy they're undergoing.

[Neo]

Mine are the original SG-1 theme and The Unit

[Mando Knight]

...Fastest Thing Alive (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4jd0UWGPgY).

...you're too slo-oo-ow!

[ColonelFuster]

Slayers:try has an awesome theme.

[Fri]

My non anime favourite opening is definitely

The Jack of All Trades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VNsjjYRgjc) opening.

[An Enemy Spy]

Blackadder closing themes are the best

[snoopy13a]

Once upon a time, the Friends theme song actually became a pop hit.

[Poison_Fish]

Best anime OP ever Would be Baccano! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjqlVt6y2A)

For non-anime, I'd say Babylon 5's season 3, 4 and season 5 OP's Good stuff. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVwp41MXpAw&feature=related)

[Innis Cabal]

There really isnt anything better then this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM8ODecbuhA)

[Platinum_Mongoose]

I really loved the opening in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. How the music would build up slowly at the end of the cold open, then burst into full swing as the show's title came on.

Also, that cello tune on Angel is a beautiful piece of music.

The Daily Show has a good theme, too. Dog On Fire, by They Might Be Giants.

HBO is good about opening credits, at least as far as Deadwood and Carnivale go. I think Carnivale got an award for their opening credits, in fact...

And then there are those wonderfully nostalgic cartoon themes from my childhood. My personal favorites are probably Rocko's Modern Life, Rugrats, and Doug.

[RPGuru1331]

There really isnt anything better then this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM8ODecbuhA)

The Internet Has Left me In Despair D:

I always thought Darkwing Duck had a suitably ludicrous OP. I also liked Tekkaman Blade's

[Elhann]

Slayers:try has an awesome theme.

I like the Slayers:Next opening (Give a reason (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXxIIC6SSeo)) better.

I also like the Firefly opening, and, odd as it may seem, How I met your mother. Not because it is a great musical piece, but because it makes me smile.
I agree on Angel, and also liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer themes. Whedon seems to have a good taste for openings. At the very least, they fit the series.

Finally, since I was 4 or so, the D&D cartoon Spanish opening. I named my grandpa's dobermann Sheila after the thief. Good times (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6JdhGBMtc).

[Tirian]

Cartoon themes deserve their own category, there is just so much win out there over the decades.

That aside, though, the correct answer for greatest opening themes are Yackity Sax (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpc5_3B5xdk&feature=related) and The Liberty Bell March (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rutX0I6NxU). I maintain that it is impossible to hear those songs without thinking of the respective series.

[EvilElitest]

i liked Darker than black and the first theme of death note
from
EE

[Satyr]

Mullholand Drive. The opening scene in itself is not that interesting, but it includes major hints what the movie is all about and offer a giant piece of the puzzle, arguably even the key to understand it. And it is pretty easy to ignore it, so when I actually understood what was happening there, my jaw dropped and I had an Heureka! experience.

Also great: the opening titles and introduction narrative of Riget. Even in the traditionally bad German translation, I found it pleasingly discomforting.

[afroakuma]

Darkwing Duck's was indeed great.

Gargoyles has a great one too.

Plug for Cybersix. Awesome opening.

[Mx.Silver]

Once upon a time, the Friends theme song actually became a pop hit.

It was an actual song before they took it for the show. Scrubs is the same. As is House, in fact the song it uses (Massive Attack's 'Teardrop') predates the show by almost a decade.
It's an incredibly common occurrance in anime. Some of the ones already mentioned are actual songs not written for the show.

[Ditto]

I always watch Firefly credits through on DVD. Rome, too. I'm like that in general with DVD TV shows.

I watched some Are You Afraid Of The Dark? over the weekend and fell in love with it all over again.

[TheThan]

Ahem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUYrh9fmMYY&feature=related)

the movie version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AYvg9VWmyQ&feature=related)

[feghoot]

Tank! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zDfxZ4NcE) kind of short, but oh so good.

When I was younger I was rather fond of the xmen theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxOQTaLTFrU). It still brings back pleasant memories.

[Tengu_temp]

Warning! Long post incoming.

Anime without mecha
Fullmetal Alchemist second opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEdtvUJbtFM)
Genshiken first opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYxeivffeB0)
Haibane Renmei (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxY0ALI7izo)
Azumanga Daioh (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huWKSYUX5Fs)
Ergo Proxy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oT2W3gaUBc)
Nanoha A's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg8qD2KXyQU)
(I'll let someone else mention Tank.)

Mecha anime
Evangelion (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgATlhZFAfs)
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2_Pgqdt3BQ) (There's more than one opening, but all of them have the same song.)
G Gundam first opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4cLp6G2OMY)
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf8R0IEm-8Y)

Non-anime
Firefly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrAS20mNZUE)
Monty Python's Flying Circus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49c-_YOkmMU)
(Is it so obvious I don't watch a lot of live action series?)


That's without endings, computer game intros, remade intros, intro music performed by other people... gah, help, don't get me started!

[Nerd-o-rama]

My non anime favourite opening is definitely

The Jack of All Trades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VNsjjYRgjc) opening.Why are you all still posting? This is the correct answer.

[Xallace]

The opening theme to Megas XLR (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAPGLO-r4s&feature=related) was always one of my favorites.

[Vespe Ratavo]

The Doctor Who theme is quite lovely. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02hh8_HAGyk&feature=related)

[SilentNight]

A third for Firefly.

[Helanna]

I always watch Firefly credits through on DVD.

Same here, plus I downloaded the music from Youtube.

Also "Arumina", which admittedly is an ending theme and not an opening theme, from Death Note. I've been trying to translate and memorize the words, but it's slow going . . . mostly because I keep forgetting to do it. :smallwink:

[feghoot]

The opening theme to Megas XLR (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAPGLO-r4s&feature=related) was always one of my favorites.

Yes! That song captures the spirit of the show so well.

This theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh_aG5MzPVM&feature=related) will get stuck in your head and swallow your soul.

Edit: I thought of some more...
Hawaii Five O (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w)
Andy Griffith Show uncut! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzrkBZrBMs)

[Dorizzit]

I have to say, I always liked this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3A-585kqwA).

[Sneak]

Without a doubt, the Firefly song. It's beautiful, and it captures the show in a nutshell in a fairly effective manner.

[Coplantor]

Anime:
-Death note first opening.
-Evangelion's opening.
-FMA third opening.
-Slayers try opening.

Non anime:
-Aqua teen hunger force
-Angel (It is epic!)
-Spaceghost Coast to Coast.

Videogame:
-Devil May Cry 3 main theme
-Disgaea 2

[Shraik]

Knight Rider, Dethklok metalacolypse, Doctor Who, and South Park(mostly cause its Primus).

I like Dethklok's theme alot. I think its the ultimate combination between shredding guitar solos, and a screaming vortex of Dethklok intensitude.
I mean...what's not to love?

[The Evil Thing]

In no particular order:

Fate/stay night (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tguFBFhINs) (Note: the game's OP, not the anime's; wishing no disrespect to Mr. Kawaii but the anime OP is pretty terrible)
Shogo: Mobile Armour Division (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-j94S-br9E) (so mecha-influenced that they included an mecha anime-style OP)
Monster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLnEv5w3Hcw&feature=related) (so good you don't get sick of it after 74 episodes)
Baccano! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjqlVt6y2A&feature=related)
Paranoia Agent (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-anabfAg06U) (brilliantly sets the tone for the entire series)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Op-i8xh14)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kcbB2Kh6zM) (I guess I just like Russian :smallconfused:)
Noir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch8QLdBiDqI) (like the main show: style over substance)
Minami-ke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFD-PVIbDyc) (generic on its own, the accompanying images really make it)

I don't have a TV so I can't comment on Western shows.

[Recaiden]

Firefly
Blood+
Death Note
Code Geass
Blue Gender
Full Metal Alchemist

[Doglord]

Oh, and the film version of "Suicide is Painless" from MASH, Im not really sure why but I love it and know all the words.

[Hzurr]

Hmm...

TV:
Batman: The Animated Series (overall, that show had amazing music. I think it won an award for it)
Ducktales (Any theme song that can make random people in the street shout "woo-ooo" just by mentioning the show to them, must be great)
The Office (simple, but it makes me smile when I hear it)

I like the Rome opening theme, but it's a bit long.


Video Games
MegaMan 3
The Halo games (not a huge fan of the series, but it had some great music)
The Legend of Zelda games (again, a series with fantastic music)


Also, the StarWars opening theme has to be mentioned on this thread at some point. I remember sitting in the theatre when I went to see the prequels, and as soon as the theme music started, I felt like I was 5. It was awesome.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I stand by my earlier statement about Jack of All Trades, but the greatest anime opening in history has got to be this:

This is Yoshiyuki Tomino's brain on drugs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgRgF6b3y8). Any questions?

[nothingclever]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ELRZ08hNaU
The season 2 version is better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLT7qMU9vgs

[Tengu_temp]

This is Yoshiyuki Tomino's brain on drugs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgRgF6b3y8). Any questions?

Yes, two - what was he on when he did this, and where can I get some?

[fraud]

Star Trek: Voyager

NO COMPETITION!:smallamused:

[Telonius]

Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Gilligan's Island
MST3K
Fraggle Rock
Sesame Street
Cheers
MASH
The Addams Family
The Twilight Zone

[Querzis]

There is lots of great openings so I guess I'll just say my 3 favorites:

My favorite anime opening is definitly the last One piece opening (http://www.veoh.com/videos/v16152257HxKdJSgf?rank=2&jsonParams=%7B%22numResults%22%3A20%2C%22rlmin%22% 3A0%2C%22query%22%3A%22one+piece+openings+10%22%2C %22rlmax%22%3Anull%2C%22veohOnly%22%3Atrue%2C%22co ntentRatingId%22%3A2%2C%22order%22%3A%22default%22 %2C%22range%22%3A%22a%22%2C%22sId%22%3A%2228299306 3534892785%22%7D&searchId=282993063534892785&rank=3). Though I realize thats its probably hard to understand for anyone who dont know One Piece.

And my favorite cartoon opening is definitly the X-men opening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6KPt-QKDFU&feature=related)

And of course:



The Jack of All Trades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VNsjjYRgjc) opening.

I still cant believe it was canceled...

Edit: I just read Hzurr comment...can we actually talk about videogames openings? If we can then definitly SMBB (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8tt67AwH5Y) opening if only for the awesome song.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Yes, two - what was he on when he did this, and where can I get some?Jusdging by his other shows, several truckloads of Prozac.

[KazilDarkeye]

I quite like the theme music for the 2nd and 3rd seasons of House. (I didn't like the 1st serie's music, and I havn't watched any 4the series yet).

[nothingclever]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IzFzZklVu0

[AKA_Bait]

I agree with Tank! and Suicide is Painless (although I actually prefer the instrumental version from the TV show).

Also, for some reason, I really like the theme to Mushi-shi.

Oh, and I love that Cello peice from the beginning of Angel. Anyone know who wrote/performed that?

[Ravens_cry]

Doug
Lexx
Star Trek: Next Generation
Star Trek: Enterprise
Deep Space Nine
The Oblongs
Mission Hill
M.A.S.H.

[feghoot]

The Beverly Hillbillies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZp2JcmUU6o)
Last Exile (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWYJZRvtuZw&feature=related) (I don't know the lyrics in english, it just has a really catchy beat.)
The Angry Video Game Nerd (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuYRAmqw8Mc) (warning: offensive language, and images)
Johnny Quest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV_-u9sxYZM) sadly the show never seemed as cool as the theme would lead you to believe...
Speed Racer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALzDcMDhf2o&NR=1)
The Princes Of The Universe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnrXiaPVeHY) for both the Highlander movie and TV show!
Spider man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o29VoxtsFk)
Silent Hill 2: Theme of laura (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKPOGJvhAII)
Legend of Zelda (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Iy78XTDdE)

Thanks for starting such a cool thread kingrex!

[BRC]

Baccano! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjqlVt6y2A&feature=related)
This link got me watching that, unfortunetally I can't find subs for anything past Ep 4:smalleek:

[Ponce]

CSI.

...

YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHH

Love the Who. Hate the show, though.

[Cheesegear]

No-one's mentioned Star Wars yet? Amazing.

[bosssmiley]

The Raiders of the Lost Ark theme. That is what adventure sounds like. :smallcool:

I also have love for the "Superman", "Star Wars" and "Adventures of Don Juan" theme tunes. Williams and Korngold = win.
PS: thread over!

[BRC]

Without a doubt, the Firefly song. It's beautiful, and it captures the show in a nutshell in a fairly effective manner.
Agreed. Specifically, it captures Mal in a nutshell, he's somebody whose lost everything except his ship and his crew, so he's not letting them go.

[Totally Guy]

I like the fairly happy bop that is the intro to QI.

[Doglord]

Ah yes, I agree completeley on the Legend of Zelda. Best videogame music ever.

[Silent Hunter]

Some not already mentioned:
[spooks] (dum dum... dum dum dum dum dum)
Airwolf
Knight Rider

Movie themes
Casino Royale's "You Know My Name"
The Living Daylights
A View To A Kill

[Optimystik]

Anime:
-Death note first opening.
-Evangelion's opening.
-FMA third opening.
-Slayers try opening.

Non anime:
-Aqua teen hunger force
-Angel (It is epic!)
-Spaceghost Coast to Coast.

Videogame:
-Devil May Cry 3 main theme
-Disgaea 2

Pretty much this whole post.

But don't forget D-Gray-Man OP 2 ("Brightdown" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAQCLka0cUM)) and 3 ("Doubt and Trust" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCJiRrQGtt0)) also!

[streakster]

Bravestarr and Lasers, Ho!

Yeah, I like 80's scifi western cartoons. Sue me.:smallsmile:

[KerfuffleMach2]

Some of my favorites:

Robot Chicken end theme
Pinky and the Brain
Beetlejuice
Ghostbusters
Bowser's theme from SM64

[GAThraawn]

I second most of what's been said already, especially QI and all of Joss Whedon's stuff.

I quite amazed we've got this far without anyone mentioning Dexter's opening theme. Brilliant title sequence, with such a happy, jaunty tune that's both catchy and a marvelous juxtaposition for everything else.

EDIT: Oh, and the Dandy Warhol's "We used to be friends" for Veronica Mars.