{"id":792,"date":"2014-02-26T12:09:59","date_gmt":"2014-02-26T17:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/?p=792"},"modified":"2014-02-26T12:09:59","modified_gmt":"2014-02-26T17:09:59","slug":"the-importance-of-a-good-anime-opening-sequence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sharkpuppet.com\/wordpress\/the-importance-of-a-good-anime-opening-sequence\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of a Good Anime Opening Sequence"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Toonami broadcast of Space Dandy<\/i> recently started using the full opening credits from the Japanese language version of the show.\u00a0 While the change was a nice treat for people who\u2019ve been enjoying the English dub, it shouldn\u2019t have made a particularly big difference.\u00a0 After all, why would a different them song affect how much the audience enjoys the actual content of an episode?\u00a0 As it turns out, a good opening sequence plays a vital role in getting viewers to engage with the world and characters of an anime series.<\/p>\n

\"DandyTitle\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Is Space Dandy’s father named Space Daddy? Because he should be.<\/em><\/p>\n

At an unconscious level, the way we think can be seriously affected by familiar sensations.\u00a0 For example, if we see something we\u2019ve seen before, it makes us remember what happened the last time we saw that thing, and our minds get ready for a repeat of that past experience.\u00a0 This process used to provide vital information like, \u201cI hear a wolf, so I should get ready to fight or run away.\u201d\u00a0 These days, it tends to produce less useful ideas like, \u201cI smell a barbecue, so now I want to eat a hamburger.\u201d\u00a0 In the case of anime, the familiar sights and sounds of a show\u2019s opening sequence can help us get in the mood to watch and enjoy that particular series.\u00a0 By causing us to expect an episode of Attack on Titan<\/i>, for example, \u201cGuren no Yumiya\u201d and its accompanying visuals set us up to be happy when those expectations were met.<\/p>\n

All anime openings do this to some extent, but there are a number of factors that make some more effective than others.\u00a0 One important element is how well the sequence matches the atmosphere of the actual show.\u00a0 Looking at the Winter 2014 crop of anime, D-Fragments<\/i> does this very well.\u00a0 The series itself is a high-energy school comedy that relies heavily on quirky characters and visual gags. The silly lyrics and relentless pop sounds of \u201cStalemate!\u201d echo this perfectly, especially when paired with a rapid barrage of visual references to the show\u2019s most memorable jokes.\u00a0 The D-Fragments<\/i> opening animation is the equivalent of having a shot of espresso before drinking a giant can of Red Bull: it makes you excited to become even more excited.<\/p>\n

\"DFragOpen\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Someone at Funimation deserves a medal for having to translate this song.<\/em><\/p>\n

A good opening sequence should also be enjoyable.\u00a0 If the audience spends a minute and a half being bored before each episode even starts, a series will have extra work to do if it wants to keep viewers.\u00a0 On the other hand, a theme that fans look forward to has the ability to take pressure off an otherwise average show.\u00a0 Look at Engaged to the Unidentified<\/i>, which is a mix of likable but underused main characters and an overbearing supporting cast.\u00a0 It\u2019s a prime example of a series that might be on shaky ground, yet I\u2019ve stuck with it while other shows from this season have long since fallen off my radar.\u00a0 \u201cTomadoi Recipe\u201d has done some heavy lifting as a theme song to help hold my interest (as have the end credits, but that\u2019s an article for another time).<\/p>\n