What's an anime without a catchy intro?! Let's take a minute to think about the intros to shows in America compared to the intros for anime. I think there's no comparison to be made. Hands-down, anime intros are much, much better! They're extremely upbeat, they have very memorable songs and they really pump you up for the show you're about to watch!
If an anime doesn't have a great intro song, you know that something is up. I can't trust an anime that doesn't kick things off with a great song. Some of those intros might wow me right off the bat, and others might grow on me as time continues, but I can't think of a single anime intro I've come across that I absolutely hated.
It might sound silly, but those anime intros mean a lot to to the success of an anime. That catchy tune sticks in the minds of fans, and it keeps the series fresh. I know I can't be the only one that gets a rush of excitement when I hear the intro song for an anime I'm currently watching. It puts a smile on my face and makes me really appreciate what I'm watching!
Just how important do you think anime intros are? I definitely believe them to be an absolutely necessary staple when it comes to the anime experience. It's a bit of pride that the creators get to show in their series, with a bit more time and money put into really selling the quality of the show.
Gotta agree with you RMC, when I watch certain anime I always watch the opening regardless of how many times I've seen it. The opening always do a great job of setting the mood for a show. Western ones just feel short and tacked on.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to say with the majority of my anime, I usually watch the intro once, then never see it again. Unless there is a new one, then yeah. Seeing it 20 some times gets old.
ReplyDeleteI find the visuals to be extremely important as well. For example, the intro to Baka to Test to Shokanju Ni! is probably the most colourful thing I have ever seen. I have watched that video several times because I like the visuals so much.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are a lot of intros that I really like the music to. Too many to name, but a good example of North America vs. Japan music is Dragonball GT. In Japan the intro is 1:45 long and I really like the song. The lyrics have nothing to do with Dragonball, though. In Canada, the opening is 1:00 long, like in America, but the tune is based on the original Japanese one, but with lyrics relating to the show. As for America's intro... I'd have to say it's the worst rap song I've ever heard. I'm glad I watched GT in Canada.
I also notice in North America the intros tend to have lyrics relating to the show, whereas in Japan the intros are often J-pop songs that can fit well with the show's theme. Sometimes they fit more than others, and sometimes the opening is made for the show, but still is vaguely related to it.