The List

Our 5 Favorite OPs from Summer 2020

Anime opening songs can truly be an iconic part of each season. Think of songs like Dean Fujioka's "History Maker" or Linked Horizon's "Guren no Yamiya" - you only need to hear a few bars and you're transported to the ice skating rink of Yuri!!! on Ice or an epic battle with titans. With the summer anime season truly kicking off, we wanted to see if any of the new OPs had such an effect. And listen, we weren't disappointed. Today we're listing all the opening songs we've been jamming to this summer season!

KSUKE (ft. Tyler Carter) - "Contradiction" (The God of High School)

EDM is a genre rarely used in anime OPs, but when it's used right -- it SLAPS. DJ and rising star music producer Kay-skay collaborates with American musician Tyler Carter for this absolutely head banging track. Right from the opening beats, it gets your blood pumping, and almost makes you wanna start busting out some martial arts moves yourself. But what really makes this OP unskippable is its pairing with MAPPA's stylised opening. There's an electropunk feel to the whole segment with the sharp colours and contrast that highlight each shot. The OP is awesome to listen to, great to watch, and does a fantastic job getting the audience ready to see some kickass action.

ReoNa - "ANIMA" (Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld Part 2)

Say what you will about the story and characters of Sword Art Online, no one can deny its awesome track record with opening songs. Of the previous nine songs, you can find fan favorite musicians like LiSA and Eir Aoi. With its 10th opening the show didn't have to look too far to find whose song they would use. Musician and cosplayer ReoNa is no stranger to SAO. She had her musical debut in 2018 as the singing voice of character Elsa Kanzaki from SAO spin off Gun Gale Online. Since then two of her songs have been used as EDs in the main Sword Art Online series. In "ANIMA" she takes a step further and creates an absolutely unmissable track. ReoNa's strong voice coupled with the rock beat is fantastic. At just 21 years old, we can't wait to see what else this talented musician has in store.

The Peggies - "Centimetre" (Rent-A-Girlfriend)

Rent-A-Girlfriend's opening animation is pretty stock-standard for romantic comedies. There's shots showcasing each character's unique (and often adorable) personality, and the main character chases the main love interest. That's not to say the animation doesn't have its highlights - seeing the girls doing mini pose dances is just way too cute to discount. But what we really loved about this OP is the song! "Centimetre" is such a playful pop-rock song that perfectly captures the light feel of the series. The three member all female group called The Peggies formed in 2011. Their previous song, "Kimi no Sei" was used as the opening for Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai. There's no doubt this group always gets our heads bobbing and feet tapping to their sweet tunes!

Konomi Suzuki - "Theater of Life" (Deca-Dence)

Konomi Suzuki's voice is one you'll be hearing a lot this season. Not only is she singing the opening song for Deca-Dence, but she also has the opening theme for Re:Zero season 2 and the ending theme for Mr Love: Queen’s Choice. While this season is a big one for her, she's never been a stranger to seasonal anime. Since her debut in 2012, Suzuki has had at least one of her songs used as a seasonal anime's opening or ending each year. Her songs are characterised by an electrifying rock beat that has you jamming from the get-go. NUT, the studio behind Deca-Dence, perfectly complements her dynamic music with their own animation. They certainly don't hold back with the opening, flexing all the different styles and techniques the studio has in its repertoire. It's certainly an amazing opening!

Hiroyuki Sawano ft. Jean-Ken Johnny - "Chaos Drifters" (No Guns Life Season 2)

It's not often we say this, but this song is absolute fire! Everything just comes together, the beat, voice and instrumentals, to form a track that we can't stop listening to. Sawano has previously worked on the composition and arrangement of a number of EDs such as Juni Taisen: Zodiac War. But where he really shines is in the instrumental scores he's composed for series like Kill la Kill, Attack on Titan and The Seven Deadly Sins. Jean-Ken Johnny is a member of Japanese rock band MAN WITH A MISSION. The group is unmissable, each member appears in public wearing a wolf mask. Just like Sawano, this isn't Jean-Ken's first rodeo. Just one example of the band's anime songs is the song "Seven Deadly Sins" which was the theme song of, you guessed it, The Seven Deadly Sins. Together, Sawano and Johnny have created a truly epic OP.

When you start watching a new episode of an anime, most of us do skip the opening song. C'mon don't lie, we get it - you just want to get to the episode. But there's some openings that are simply unskippable. They're dynamic, heart racing and get you all amped up for the show ahead. They may even find their way onto your playlists, each time reminding you of your favorite show. Today, we've shared five songs that do just that. Now excuse us, we're gonna go listen to "Chaos Drifters" for five hours straight.

But while we're still here - Last week, we asked you what the best premiere episodes of Summer 2020 were., here are the results!

1. Deca-Dence
2. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2
3. The God of High School
4. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax
5. Fire Force Season 2

This week let us know what Summer opening song you've been listening to on repeat! Vote by clicking the link here!