I love anime music. Long before I even took my first Japanese class, I was rocking out to anime theme songs. And as we have 47 new anime this season, that means we also have 47 new openings and endings—and that’s even without the new second half themes from the fall anime that are still on the air.
So below are some of my favorite opening and ending songs from the anime that are currently airing during the winter 2014 season in Japan.
Anime: Kill la Kill
Song: ambiguous
Artist: GARNiDELiA
Why do I love it?: This music truly fits the animation and sets the mood for the absurd awesomeness that is Kill la Kill. In other words, it has an epic battle where the two rivals fight upon the bodies of hundreds of vanquished minions.
Anime: Witch Craft Works
Song: Witch☆Activity
Artist: KMM DAN
Why do I love it?: There is just something hilarious about chibi evil witches singing an insanely cute and catchy song while being tortured in horrible ways.
Anime:Nobunagun
Song: Respect for the Dead Man
Artist: Pay money To my Pain
Why do I love it?: The excellently stylized animation that introduces the cast is made all the better by music that gets you amped up for some serious giant monster slaying—and this is coming from a person who hates death growl singing.
Anime: Magical Warfare
Song: Born to Be
Artist: Nano
Why do I love it?: This ending was clearly animated with the song in mind and has a chorus that I really enjoy. And what can I say? I have a thing for awesome altos.
Anime: Tonari No Seki-Kun
Song: Set Them Free
Artist: Akira Jimbo
Why do I love it?: It’s a big-band style song played on school supply percussion instruments—and watching Rumi start to rock out before catching herself makes this feel like a mini-episode of the show rather than just a song.
Anime: World Conquest Zvezda Plot
Song: Be mine!
Artist: Maaya Sakamoto
Why do I love it?: Sometimes I just like some classic happy j-pop sung by one of anime music's greatest stars: Final Fantasy XIII's own Lightning, Maaya Sakamoto.
Anime: The Pilot’s Love Song
Song: azurite
Artist: petit milady
Why do I love it?: It's an adventurous song with a soaring melody perfect for an anime about flying and dog-fighting air battles.
Anime: Noragami
Song: Goya no Machiawase
Artist: Hello Sleepwalkers
Why do I love It?: It's a good solid j-rock song with catchy vocals and a singer with a great sounding—but not overused—falsetto.
Anime: Wizard Barristers
Song: JUSTITIA
Artist: Lia
Why do I Love It?: It's an exciting yet uplifting song set to some of the most beautiful animation this season.
Anime: Silver Spoon
Song: Oto no Naru Ho e
Artist: Goose house
Why I love it?: It's a song you can't help but sing along with and its message matches the thematic arc of the series itself. Also, the beautiful water-color art of the characters makes it an ending I love to watch every time.
So those are my favorite songs; but that begs one question: What are your favorite openings and endings for the anime currently airing this season?
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