Anime | Manga Naruto

[Firaga 5,947]

Well, Shippuden's four hundredth and ninety ninth episode dropped, and that means we are, in fact, one episode away from the finale of Shippuden and by extension, the finale episode of the continuing Naruto anime franchise. Boruto not included, that's a different thread.

 

Just to give you a sense of how massive this show has become, here's how much Naruto has been on TV since its inception:

 

The first episode of the original Naruto anime aired on October 3, 2002 and ran until February 8, 2007 with a total of 220 episodes. One week later on February 15, 2007, in typical long-running anime fashion, the first episode of its sequel, Naruto Shippuden, aired and with the 500th episode coming up, the entire Naruto anime franchise will have consisted of 720 anime episodes and will have been airing semi-consistently for a grant total of 15 years.

 

What I'm trying to say is that I feel really old, guys . No but really: even though the original manga has been over for at least three years now, the anime has been our one source of keeping the brand alive, per se. Again, I don't include Boruto because in a way, it's a whole different realm entirely.

 

That's why I'm both happy and sad for the finale of Shippuden. Anybody who's followed anything for a really long time, especially since they were a kid, knows what it's like to finally see that thing come to an end, and for me, and I'm sure a lot of you people too, Naruto is one of them. It's a feeling of letting go but also of cherishing the moments and experiences you've felt along the way.

 

To think, all the way back in 2002, we were introduced to Naruto (well not "we" necessarily, but we as in kids in Japan who watched the anime and/or didn't read the manga) as a misfit little kid with a demon sealed inside of him with a ton of emotional baggage, and now after seeing him blossom into maturity over the years as both a teenager and now a grown man, we're going to experience him at the peak of his adult years with happiness and growth and marrying his soulmate. That's deep stuff right there.

 

I've had a good time with Naruto and I look forward to what his little kid shows us in his own show.

[Shulk 8,623]

  On 3/16/2017 at 11:32 PM, Firaga Sensei said:

Well, Shippuden's four hundredth and ninety ninth episode dropped, and that means we are, in fact, one episode away from the finale of Shippuden and by extension, the finale episode of the continuing Naruto anime franchise. Boruto not included, that's a different thread.

 

Just to give you a sense of how massive this show has become, here's how much Naruto has been on TV since its inception:

 

The first episode of the original Naruto anime aired on October 3, 2002 and ran until February 8, 2007 with a total of 220 episodes. One week later on February 15, 2007, in typical long-running anime fashion, the first episode of its sequel, Naruto Shippuden, aired and with the 500th episode coming up, the entire Naruto anime franchise will have consisted of 720 anime episodes and will have been airing semi-consistently for a grant total of 15 years.

 

What I'm trying to say is that I feel really old, guys . No but really: even though the original manga has been over for at least three years now, the anime has been our one source of keeping the brand alive, per se. Again, I don't include Boruto because in a way, it's a whole different realm entirely.

 

That's why I'm both happy and sad for the finale of Shippuden. Anybody who's followed anything for a really long time, especially since they were a kid, knows what it's like to finally see that thing come to an end, and for me, and I'm sure a lot of you people too, Naruto is one of them. It's a feeling of letting go but also of cherishing the moments and experiences you've felt along the way.

 

To think, all the way back in 2002, we were introduced to Naruto (well not "we" necessarily, but we as in kids in Japan who watched the anime and/or didn't read the manga) as a misfit little kid with a demon sealed inside of him with a ton of emotional baggage, and now after seeing him blossom into maturity over the years as both a teenager and now a grown man, we're going to experience him at the peak of his adult years with happiness and growth and marrying his soulmate. That's deep stuff right there.

 

I've had a good time with Naruto and I look forward to what his little kid shows us in his own show.

I can't believe there's just one more episode left... I was a little late to Naruto (Got into it 2011-ish, I believe. I was curious about it before then but never seriously got into it until my last year of middle school), but it's still one of my absolute favorite stories of all time (I know it doesn't say a whole lot since I'm not into anime/manga, but it is my favorite of those things, so... yeah). Even just in these past 6 years, it's made a lot of memories for me, and I've met quite a few friends as a result of it. Next week's going to be a bit of an emotional ride for me, and for many others I'm sure. We'll see Boruto carry on the Will of Fire next month, and I'm excited for that, but it won't be quite the same as watching everyone's favorite knucklehead ninja grow into an adult...

[Firaga 5,947]

Aaaaand... it's over.

 

Just like that, 500 episodes of Shippuden are in the bag, the show is done, and now we move onto Boruto.

 

... so does that this mean that this thread is dead now.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

You know, I just started watching Shippuden two days ago, and I'm already on Episode 14, and I gotta say, I love how all the characters have grown, I can tell that they've been training and done a bit of maturing! And the fact that Kakashi is now more of a main player in the show is just awesome, since I thought it was a bummer that he didn't show up much in the first Naruto series! The Akatsuki look like a menacing threat, and overall, I like the tone Shippuden has so far! 

 

I'm watching it Dubbed, if anyone was wondering.

[Firaga 5,947]

So, in terms of… well, pretty much everything, we’re finally into the Boruto stage of the series, and from here on, it feels like we’ll be with him for a long while. The new arc started up in the manga, the first anime episode aired, which along with it of course came its first opening.

 

And you know what, that got me thinking: there’s been a lot of openings used for both the first Naruto anime and Shippuden. So many animated pieces accomapanied by music gone past that we’ve all either watched/listened to once, felt it was “meh” and just started skipping it whenever it showed up on new episodes, or hunted it or the full version down on YouTube to replay it a million times over.

 

So in the spirit of reflection of Naruto stuff gone past, I'm laying down a list that I made of my favorite openings, specifically from the first Naruto anime. That’s right, all nine Naruto openings ranked from worst to best! I was going to do Shippuden but it has twice the number of openings compared to the original anime so... yeah, let's just stick with the first show.

Anyways, here we GO!!!

 

 

|| FIRAGA SENSEI PRESENTS ||

 

|| NARUTO ANIME OPENINGS - RANKED ||

 

|| #9 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 9: “Yura Yura”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDc6u0BJ8lw

 

RIP Shulk

 

I put the very last opening on the bottom slot not because it came last nor because at that point, I and many others had most likely listened to all the other openings so much that one, two, or even all of them had such a lasting imprint on us that nothing was going to top them…

 

No, I put it here because it sucks.

 

Okay, I’m lying. I don’t think any of these openings are bad, for the record. They’re all well animated and have pretty good music built into them, I’m just assigning them rank based on preference and which ones I like more out of the others.

 

Still, I’m not really a fan of the whole smaltzy, lovey dovey songs that are used for action-oriented shows. Sometimes it can work, but here, I just can’t get into it.

 

The lyrics are generic, the visuals are generic (aside from Naruto doing kung-fu), and it’s not really something I like listening to or watching when I flick on a show like this. Again, I don’t think any of it is bad necessarily, it’s still pretty colorful and sweet, but it’s just not my thing. But hey, maybe it’s “Yura” thing… ahem, right, moving on.

 

 

 

|| #8 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 3: “Kanashimi wo Yasashisa Ni”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op0uloAV0wY

 

Another song that I find kind of smaltzy and not really “opening worthy” per se.  Sorry, but when you follow a certain opening that came before this and will definitely be much higher on the list, you better damn well deliver, but unfortunately, I don’t think this opening accomplished that.

 

Despite that, there is a a reason I put it above Yura Yura even though it shares many of the same problems I have with it. That’s because the song itself at least has more of a rock edge to it than the twinkly soft-spoken stuff used in Yura Yura, and that gives me more incentive to bump to it. Plus, that breakdown in the middle leading to that crescendo that leads into the chorus reprisal is pretty sweet.

 

Opening 3 in the series, but number 8 on my list. It turns sadness into kindness, but it can’t turn itself into something that ranks higher. I’ll give it credit for use of Academy era ninja feels at least.

 

 

 

|| #7 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 8: “Re:member”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPwBKzx_74I

 

Ah yes, the second opening that FLOW did for the Naruto anime. And the one that most people probably forget even exists too.

 

Okay, so I’ve made it clear that I don’t like lovey dovey songs used as openings that much, but what about your typical pump up rock songs? I think I’ve made it clear that the latter is my more sought-after preference, but believe it or not, even that well can run dry, and like the type of song Yura Yura is, I’ll only really get into it if its done really well.

 

Now, FLOW is an amazing band, nobody’s going to deny that, but even their music can’t help what is overall a very, very, very by-the-numbers opening. I mean, it’s literally just the power of friendship. That’s it.

 

There’s some stuff about Naruto’s loneliness in there, but for the most part, it’s the power of friendship, that and probably the most blatant series of “roll call” shots that you see in openings ever. Hell, half the shots are roll call shots.

 

So yeah, nothing much more to say. It’s just meh. Not bad, but meh. So sorry, FLOW, but I’m not going to re:member anything… what were we talking about?

 

 

 

|| #6 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 6: “No Boy No Cry”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tjJZwQbnGg

 

The first ever “Post-Sasuke filler” opening. I didn’t mention this before, but this along with the other “Post-Sasuke filler” openings i.e. Yura Yura and Re:member have the added pressure of being openings that make people think “Oh yeah, I’m watching filler for 80 episodes until Shippuden starts up.”

 

Still, I personally think this is the second best of the filler openings out of the bunch, and yes, that first best will be higher up on the countdown, in the top 5 even, and I will explain how all the reasoning I just laid out doesn’t apply to that one too.

 

But as for No Boy No Cry: this one just has that raw, earnest sentimentality that works for this stage of the show. It’s basically “hey, Sasuke’s gone, but Naruto and co. are gonna keep doing their thing anyway”, which kinda comes off as a negative in its own right, but again, it’s that punk rock rawness and earnest in the vocals and the imagery of seeing Naruto and co. doing their thing with confidence and hope that really sells it. So that’s why I prefer it over the more generic-sounding/looking openings… except that other one, but I’ll get to it. But for now: Don’t cry, No Boy No Cry, because at least you’re close to the top 5.

 

 

 

|| #5 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 1: “R★O★C★K★S”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DM0jNpCmJ4

 

I feel bad putting this one so low (although top 5 isn’t that low, but it’s still kinda low) because it is definitely the most unique of the Naruto openings despite itself. But alas, despite holding that distinction plus the obvious distinction of being the first ever opening that anybody would ever associate Naruto with… again, it’s just not my thing.

 

I mean, for one, getting an obvious Elvis-inspired band like “Hound Dog” to do a slow groove song for a show about ninjas is… odd. I mean, it really does feel out of place, doesn’t it? It’s not even a bad groove though, it’s really nice, and the animation really flows along with it.

 

Still, that weird imbalance is really the only thing I can focus on since the visuals aren’t that interesting. It is the first opening so there wasn’t much to really put in it. The Naruto/Sasuke fist bump is notable however. It’s sweet. Imagine if they did more of that in the original source.

 

Back on point though: when you really think about it, a lot of things in the early Naruto episodes feel out of place. The manga was still relatively new at the time, so the anime didn’t really have a solid theme to work off of, hence why SP threw in all those extra visuals in some episodes or why the soundtrack was experimenting with 70s Bruce Lee movie-esque tracks. So in a way, this opening is a part of that whole experimental process.

 

Again, I really don’t want to bash the artistic merit behind this because it is good to try to do different things but… sorry, it’s just too weird for me. I’m sheltered by the norm. Opening 1 does R★O★C★K★S in its own way, but it doesn’t R★O★C★K★S that much imo.

 

 

 

|| #4 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 7: “Namikaze Satellite”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZFW_bkRBkA

 

Oh boy, I got some ‘splaining to do.

 

So after going on about how filler openings have harder obstacles to climb over to get people to like them, why the Hell did I put this one in the top 5, over the more unique R★O★C★K★S of all things, too?

 

Okay I’ll be honest: I mentioned earlier that sometimes when I felt a song like this is done well, I’ll get into it. And you know what, this song and this opening is done so f*cking well.

 

I’m serious, I don’t care if the song is generic friendship crap, and everything about it is beautiful. The animation is goes beyond just well animated Naruto visuals (which are still great) but also combines it with these ambient, almost dream like, shaded drawings that really provoke vivid imagery just with one still frame (the second version at least, but that’s the one I linked because it’s the one I like best).

 

Combining that with the mix of melancholy along with the happiness and excitement of the vocals makes for a really endearing and instantly hooking song. It’s the perfect example of a pump up song that is built in “feelz-y” emotion IMO.

 

So yeah, at the end of the day, I still put a generic opening over a bunch of other openings plus one that actually really unique, but you know what? MY LIST. MY RULES. Go shout at the wind if you got a problem, because Namikaze Satellite is number four. It’s just that damn beautiful…

 

 

 

|| #3 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 4: “GO!!!”

 

 

Okay, after embarrassing myself with that last spot, hopefully I can get back on everybody’s good side with an opening that everybody does like. That’s right, it’s the first opening that FLOW did and is considered one of if not the best opening of the show… except here, where it’s third best… let me explain:

 

To be honest, there is nothing wrong with this opening in the slightest IMO. In fact, everything nice I said about Namikaze Satellite can be said about this opening too, minus the parts where I criticized it for being generic. The visuals certainly aren’t generic. Yeah, it’s mostly fighting, but in terms of how it looks, it’s also got a bunch of those gel-y, slick visuals mixed in alongside well-done standard animation (again, mostly in the second version, which I linked above). The manga-panel transitions and overall theming really help too.

 

As for the song: yeah, it’s about friendship too with the “Fighting Dreamers” lyric obviously casting an allusion over Naruto and co. But this isn’t so much a “power of friendship” anthem as it is a “me and my friends are awesome and we’re gonna kick your ass” anthem, and that gives it a much better edge, which is why I think a lot of people like it: it kicks ass. It makes you feel great and gives you confidence. Something like No Boy No Cry can elicit that feeling too, but again, “GO!!!” has that stadium rock feel that more people can latch onto. And again, none of it is really bad at all. I just think the above two openings are that much better.

 

So GO!!! gets the number three slot. If you don’t like it, then GO!!! away. these jokes aren’t getting better, are they?

 

 

 

|| #2 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 5: “Seishun Kyosokyoku”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psr4rq-ICu8

 

Oh boy… this opening. Where do I even start?

 

From the moment you see those pastel images of Naruto and Sasuke on the screen (similar to the type of art I’ve yammered on about for NS and GO!!!), you know what you’re in for.

 

This is the opening. The opening that will resonate with you for the rest of your existence because it is the opening that accompanies one of if not the emotional arc in the entire Naruto franchise… the Sasuke Retrieval arc. The arc where Naruto and Sasuke part ways… oh, shoot me.

 

This opening does well to match that amount of emotion in spades. The song itself is a punk rock song with some almost orchestral elements accompanied by the visuals which are so smeary but also finely tuned in how they line up with each scene that it really evokes a sense of melancholy parting.

 

That orchestral thing I mentioned earlier is what I think of when that breakdown happens, and it is easily the strongest part of the whole animation since it really packs in the sadness and, believe or not, desperation. I mean, that part alone feel like this song could be sung from Naruto’s perspective to Sasuke, that’s how personal the lyrics are. The ending shots with Naruto and Sasuke standing back to back with flashbacks to their youth and their time as teammates, combined with the Curse Mark and Nine Tails transformations and the final shot of Sasuke’s headband… I don’t think I even have to explain it. It speaks for itself.

 

And that is why Seishun Kyosokyoku gets the second best spot on the countdown. That means there’s only one opening left, and if you’ve been paying attention thus far, you already know what it is…

 

 

 

|| #1 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 2: “Haruka Kanata”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5dZfuQXOiw

 

This… this, my friends, is what I consider the essential anime opening.

 

As soon as that opening burst of guitar comes in with the visuals of Team Kakashi ending with Naruto throwing a kunai onto the opening logo… I’m hooked immediately for the whole Goddamn ride, and it feels like a f*cking rollercoaster of amazingness.

 

Take everything I like about GO!!!, double it by ten, and add in an even more rocking guitar sound with that amazing high note and breakdown near the middle that transitions into the rest of the song and… god damn, I just love this opening so much.

 

Again, I’ve been yammering on about how I don’t like genericness and this is honestly nothing new song or visual wise, especially for anime standards, but you know what, it’s hard to really hammer that point in with Naruto openings because it’s not like they’re trying to be Picasso mixed with Mozart or anything, right?  So at the end of the day, I’m choosing the one that just hits that fine level of “Ohhh yeess” for me, and Haruka Kanata does that and more. It’s fun, it’s energetic, and it makes me want to watch, especially since this the opening used for the Chunin Exams arc i.e. one of my favorite arcs of the whole franchise.

 

Like I mentioned, it is the essential anime opening. And I just don’t mean in that it looks and feels like a typical anime opening with the characters jumping around, doing roll calls and all that, but because it does that and it is amazing at pulling it off in the most badass awesome way possible and this is what all anime openings should strive for: being awesome. Because after all, when you’re watching a show that you think is awesome, it should feel awesome, right? And Haruka Kanata does that. You could put this opening alongside any other action anime, and it would be great. You could even put it against Ninja Turtles footage (which I’ve seen) and it would be great. That says something.

 

Again, the music is what really helps this for me because it on some Power Rangers level of sheer rock adrenaline and force and even if this song was about freaking My Little Pony, I’d still bump to it regardless. GO!!! is a good track too, but it lacks that edge that makes me feel I’m being taken for a joyride down the path to Awesomeland.

 

I’m saying awesome a lot aren’t I? Well, of course I am! Because this opening is f*cking awesome!

 

And there you have it, my favorite Naruto opening ever. I’m going to go far away now in case the GO!!! fans are still mad at me.

 

 

 

And there you have it. If you’ve got your own personal rankings, then please feel free to post them down below.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Firaga Sensei

[Weedanort 8,786]

  On 4/8/2017 at 12:34 AM, Firaga Sensei said:

So, in terms of… well, pretty much everything, we’re finally into the Boruto stage of the series, and from here on, it feels like we’ll be with him for a long while. The new arc started up in the manga, the first anime episode aired, which along with it of course came its first opening.

 

And you know what, that got me thinking: there’s been a lot of openings used for both the first Naruto anime and Shippuden. So many animated pieces accomapanied by music gone past that we’ve all either watched/listened to once, felt it was “meh” and just started skipping it whenever it showed up on new episodes, or hunted it or the full version down on YouTube to replay it a million times over.

 

So in the spirit of reflection of Naruto stuff gone past, I'm laying down a list that I made of my favorite openings, specifically from the first Naruto anime. That’s right, all nine Naruto openings ranked from worst to best! I was going to do Shippuden but it has twice the number of openings compared to the original anime so... yeah, let's just stick with the first show.

Anyways, here we GO!!!

 

 

|| FIRAGA SENSEI PRESENTS ||

 

|| NARUTO ANIME OPENINGS - RANKED ||

 

|| #9 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 9: “Yura Yura”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDc6u0BJ8lw

 

RIP Shulk

 

I put the very last opening on the bottom slot not because it came last nor because at that point, I and many others had most likely listened to all the other openings so much that one, two, or even all of them had such a lasting imprint on us that nothing was going to top them…

 

No, I put it here because it sucks.

 

Okay, I’m lying. I don’t think any of these openings are bad, for the record. They’re all well animated and have pretty good music built into them, I’m just assigning them rank based on preference and which ones I like more out of the others.

 

Still, I’m not really a fan of the whole smaltzy, lovey dovey songs that are used for action-oriented shows. Sometimes it can work, but here, I just can’t get into it.

 

The lyrics are generic, the visuals are generic (aside from Naruto doing kung-fu), and it’s not really something I like listening to or watching when I flick on a show like this. Again, I don’t think any of it is bad necessarily, it’s still pretty colorful and sweet, but it’s just not my thing. But hey, maybe it’s “Yura” thing… ahem, right, moving on.

 

 

 

|| #8 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 3: “Kanashimi wo Yasashisa Ni”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op0uloAV0wY

 

Another song that I find kind of smaltzy and not really “opening worthy” per se.  Sorry, but when you follow a certain opening that came before this and will definitely be much higher on the list, you better damn well deliver, but unfortunately, I don’t think this opening accomplished that.

 

Despite that, there is a a reason I put it above Yura Yura even though it shares many of the same problems I have with it. That’s because the song itself at least has more of a rock edge to it than the twinkly soft-spoken stuff used in Yura Yura, and that gives me more incentive to bump to it. Plus, that breakdown in the middle leading to that crescendo that leads into the chorus reprisal is pretty sweet.

 

Opening 3 in the series, but number 8 on my list. It turns sadness into kindness, but it can’t turn itself into something that ranks higher. I’ll give it credit for use of Academy era ninja feels at least.

 

 

 

|| #7 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 8: “Re:member”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPwBKzx_74I

 

Ah yes, the second opening that FLOW did for the Naruto anime. And the one that most people probably forget even exists too.

 

Okay, so I’ve made it clear that I don’t like lovey dovey songs used as openings that much, but what about your typical pump up rock songs? I think I’ve made it clear that the latter is my more sought-after preference, but believe it or not, even that well can run dry, and like the type of song Yura Yura is, I’ll only really get into it if its done really well.

 

Now, FLOW is an amazing band, nobody’s going to deny that, but even their music can’t help what is overall a very, very, very by-the-numbers opening. I mean, it’s literally just the power of friendship. That’s it.

 

There’s some stuff about Naruto’s loneliness in there, but for the most part, it’s the power of friendship, that and probably the most blatant series of “roll call” shots that you see in openings ever. Hell, half the shots are roll call shots.

 

So yeah, nothing much more to say. It’s just meh. Not bad, but meh. So sorry, FLOW, but I’m not going to re:member anything… what were we talking about?

 

 

 

|| #6 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 6: “No Boy No Cry”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tjJZwQbnGg

 

The first ever “Post-Sasuke filler” opening. I didn’t mention this before, but this along with the other “Post-Sasuke filler” openings i.e. Yura Yura and Re:member have the added pressure of being openings that make people think “Oh yeah, I’m watching filler for 80 episodes until Shippuden starts up.”

 

Still, I personally think this is the second best of the filler openings out of the bunch, and yes, that first best will be higher up on the countdown, in the top 5 even, and I will explain how all the reasoning I just laid out doesn’t apply to that one too.

 

But as for No Boy No Cry: this one just has that raw, earnest sentimentality that works for this stage of the show. It’s basically “hey, Sasuke’s gone, but Naruto and co. are gonna keep doing their thing anyway”, which kinda comes off as a negative in its own right, but again, it’s that punk rock rawness and earnest in the vocals and the imagery of seeing Naruto and co. doing their thing with confidence and hope that really sells it. So that’s why I prefer it over the more generic-sounding/looking openings… except that other one, but I’ll get to it. But for now: Don’t cry, No Boy No Cry, because at least you’re close to the top 5.

 

 

 

|| #5 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 1: “R★O★C★K★S”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DM0jNpCmJ4

 

I feel bad putting this one so low (although top 5 isn’t that low, but it’s still kinda low) because it is definitely the most unique of the Naruto openings despite itself. But alas, despite holding that distinction plus the obvious distinction of being the first ever opening that anybody would ever associate Naruto with… again, it’s just not my thing.

 

I mean, for one, getting an obvious Elvis-inspired band like “Hound Dog” to do a slow groove song for a show about ninjas is… odd. I mean, it really does feel out of place, doesn’t it? It’s not even a bad groove though, it’s really nice, and the animation really flows along with it.

 

Still, that weird imbalance is really the only thing I can focus on since the visuals aren’t that interesting. It is the first opening so there wasn’t much to really put in it. The Naruto/Sasuke fist bump is notable however. It’s sweet. Imagine if they did more of that in the original source.

 

Back on point though: when you really think about it, a lot of things in the early Naruto episodes feel out of place. The manga was still relatively new at the time, so the anime didn’t really have a solid theme to work off of, hence why SP threw in all those extra visuals in some episodes or why the soundtrack was experimenting with 70s Bruce Lee movie-esque tracks. So in a way, this opening is a part of that whole experimental process.

 

Again, I really don’t want to bash the artistic merit behind this because it is good to try to do different things but… sorry, it’s just too weird for me. I’m sheltered by the norm. Opening 1 does R★O★C★K★S in its own way, but it doesn’t R★O★C★K★S that much imo.

 

 

 

|| #4 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 7: “Namikaze Satellite”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZFW_bkRBkA

 

Oh boy, I got some ‘splaining to do.

 

So after going on about how filler openings have harder obstacles to climb over to get people to like them, why the Hell did I put this one in the top 5, over the more unique R★O★C★K★S of all things, too?

 

Okay I’ll be honest: I mentioned earlier that sometimes when I felt a song like this is done well, I’ll get into it. And you know what, this song and this opening is done so f*cking well.

 

I’m serious, I don’t care if the song is generic friendship crap, and everything about it is beautiful. The animation is goes beyond just well animated Naruto visuals (which are still great) but also combines it with these ambient, almost dream like, shaded drawings that really provoke vivid imagery just with one still frame (the second version at least, but that’s the one I linked because it’s the one I like best).

 

Combining that with the mix of melancholy along with the happiness and excitement of the vocals makes for a really endearing and instantly hooking song. It’s the perfect example of a pump up song that is built in “feelz-y” emotion IMO.

 

So yeah, at the end of the day, I still put a generic opening over a bunch of other openings plus one that actually really unique, but you know what? MY LIST. MY RULES. Go shout at the wind if you got a problem, because Namikaze Satellite is number four. It’s just that damn beautiful…

 

 

 

|| #3 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 4: “GO!!!”

 

 

Okay, after embarrassing myself with that last spot, hopefully I can get back on everybody’s good side with an opening that everybody does like. That’s right, it’s the first opening that FLOW did and is considered one of if not the best opening of the show… except here, where it’s third best… let me explain:

 

To be honest, there is nothing wrong with this opening in the slightest IMO. In fact, everything nice I said about Namikaze Satellite can be said about this opening too, minus the parts where I criticized it for being generic. The visuals certainly aren’t generic. Yeah, it’s mostly fighting, but in terms of how it looks, it’s also got a bunch of those gel-y, slick visuals mixed in alongside well-done standard animation (again, mostly in the second version, which I linked above). The manga-panel transitions and overall theming really help too.

 

As for the song: yeah, it’s about friendship too with the “Fighting Dreamers” lyric obviously casting an allusion over Naruto and co. But this isn’t so much a “power of friendship” anthem as it is a “me and my friends are awesome and we’re gonna kick your ass” anthem, and that gives it a much better edge, which is why I think a lot of people like it: it kicks ass. It makes you feel great and gives you confidence. Something like No Boy No Cry can elicit that feeling too, but again, “GO!!!” has that stadium rock feel that more people can latch onto. And again, none of it is really bad at all. I just think the above two openings are that much better.

 

So GO!!! gets the number three slot. If you don’t like it, then GO!!! away. these jokes aren’t getting better, are they?

 

 

 

|| #2 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 5: “Seishun Kyosokyoku”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psr4rq-ICu8

 

Oh boy… this opening. Where do I even start?

 

From the moment you see those pastel images of Naruto and Sasuke on the screen (similar to the type of art I’ve yammered on about for NS and GO!!!), you know what you’re in for.

 

This is the opening. The opening that will resonate with you for the rest of your existence because it is the opening that accompanies one of if not the emotional arc in the entire Naruto franchise… the Sasuke Retrieval arc. The arc where Naruto and Sasuke part ways… oh, shoot me.

 

This opening does well to match that amount of emotion in spades. The song itself is a punk rock song with some almost orchestral elements accompanied by the visuals which are so smeary but also finely tuned in how they line up with each scene that it really evokes a sense of melancholy parting.

 

That orchestral thing I mentioned earlier is what I think of when that breakdown happens, and it is easily the strongest part of the whole animation since it really packs in the sadness and, believe or not, desperation. I mean, that part alone feel like this song could be sung from Naruto’s perspective to Sasuke, that’s how personal the lyrics are. The ending shots with Naruto and Sasuke standing back to back with flashbacks to their youth and their time as teammates, combined with the Curse Mark and Nine Tails transformations and the final shot of Sasuke’s headband… I don’t think I even have to explain it. It speaks for itself.

 

And that is why Seishun Kyosokyoku gets the second best spot on the countdown. That means there’s only one opening left, and if you’ve been paying attention thus far, you already know what it is…

 

 

 

|| #1 ||

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

Opening 2: “Haruka Kanata”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5dZfuQXOiw

 

This… this, my friends, is what I consider the essential anime opening.

 

As soon as that opening burst of guitar comes in with the visuals of Team Kakashi ending with Naruto throwing a kunai onto the opening logo… I’m hooked immediately for the whole Goddamn ride, and it feels like a f*cking rollercoaster of amazingness.

 

Take everything I like about GO!!!, double it by ten, and add in an even more rocking guitar sound with that amazing high note and breakdown near the middle that transitions into the rest of the song and… god damn, I just love this opening so much.

 

Again, I’ve been yammering on about how I don’t like genericness and this is honestly nothing new song or visual wise, especially for anime standards, but you know what, it’s hard to really hammer that point in with Naruto openings because it’s not like they’re trying to be Picasso mixed with Mozart or anything, right?  So at the end of the day, I’m choosing the one that just hits that fine level of “Ohhh yeess” for me, and Haruka Kanata does that and more. It’s fun, it’s energetic, and it makes me want to watch, especially since this the opening used for the Chunin Exams arc i.e. one of my favorite arcs of the whole franchise.

 

Like I mentioned, it is the essential anime opening. And I just don’t mean in that it looks and feels like a typical anime opening with the characters jumping around, doing roll calls and all that, but because it does that and it is amazing at pulling it off in the most badass awesome way possible and this is what all anime openings should strive for: being awesome. Because after all, when you’re watching a show that you think is awesome, it should feel awesome, right? And Haruka Kanata does that. You could put this opening alongside any other action anime, and it would be great. You could even put it against Ninja Turtles footage (which I’ve seen) and it would be great. That says something.

 

Again, the music is what really helps this for me because it on some Power Rangers level of sheer rock adrenaline and force and even if this song was about freaking My Little Pony, I’d still bump to it regardless. GO!!! is a good track too, but it lacks that edge that makes me feel I’m being taken for a joyride down the path to Awesomeland.

 

I’m saying awesome a lot aren’t I? Well, of course I am! Because this opening is f*cking awesome!

 

And there you have it, my favorite Naruto opening ever. I’m going to go far away now in case the GO!!! fans are still mad at me.

 

 

 

And there you have it. If you’ve got your own personal rankings, then please feel free to post them down below.

 

 

 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

The amount of times I've watched TF2 videos where people use Naruto's OP3 as an example for "weeaboo" people is cringeworthy

 

That OP is now ruined for me x(

 

[Firaga 5,947]

Well, that didn't work.

[Kaneki Ken 1,516]

Read your opening rankings firaga. I agree on most of it. For me however, the top two is switched around. A friend of mine introduced me to Naruto during the english version of Sasuke Retrieval arc. I barely had an idea of what's happening, and it was my first exposure to actual anime content. I remember tripping nads when i first saw how extremely violent it was at the time since my parents didn't want me watching violent stuff back then. It was when Kiba, Shikamaru and Naruto started fighting their respective enemies. I told myself i wasn't gonna watch it again, but i checked out again the next week. . .  and well you know. . . I got into it.

 

It was due to the opening Seishun Kyosokyoku and how epically animated and put together it was. I wanted to see what happens when Naruto and Sasuke combat with each other. Would Naruto win and bring him back? that was on my mind at the time. Hell, after getting better at the guitar, I even learned how to play this song. I guess you could say that I got into the series a little late, but if it weren't for my friend, I would've never started spiraling down the world of anime/manga.