About Anime: Year-end babble: Notable anime OP/ED themes of 2009

My second year-end list of anime OP/ED themes which I thought were worth mentioning. I basically just compiled my seasonal list and re-ranked the songs altogether regardless of the season order (although some got bumped out of the list and some got added in). This covers the Winter 2008/2009 season all the way to Fall 2009.

Please note that this list is pretty much subjective as it’s ranked into “Top 10″ according to my preference. From this year on, it will be followed by a list of those that “almost made my Top 10,” and then followed by the usual randomly listed titles as “special mention.”

~ Format :: [Season] – “Song title” by band/artist (OP#/ED# – anime series title)

My Top 10 OP/ED themes for 2009:

1. [Summer] – “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari” by supercell (ED#1 – Bakemonogatari)

– watch: anime ED — music video

- I always keep watching the episode until this ED finishes playing. It’s a really nice song with a great melody, despite having quite bittersweet words. I simply love, love, love this song’s lyrics. Lovely piano, nice guitars and percussion, and Nagi’s voice is so easy on the ears… Everything just blends so perfectly well into an awesome tune. Makes me want to sing along with it every single time. I just can’t get enough of it. ^^

I think Nagi was a good choice to sing this supercell song. Her voice fit very nicely with this song. I think she gave ryo’s composition an even nicer sound with her vocals. She also collaborated with them for “Love & Roll” (which *almost* made my Top 10, see the list following this one) ^^

2. [Winter] - “Ano hi Time Machine” by LONG SHOT PARTY (OP#1 – Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou)

– watch: anime OP — music video

- Awesome song! Very catchy. Makes me tap my feet every time I listen to it. I especially love the high notes and the chorus as well as the trumpet/saxophone parts. Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou is a pretty good watch too. If you haven’t seen it yet, do give it a shot (this is the 2nd season though, so make sure to start with season 1 first).

3. [Winter] – “Sofa” by Suga Shikao (OP song – xxxHolic Shunmuki) – OVA

– watch: anime OP — full song

- A funky ballad with a very nice melody, made even more awesome by Suga-sama’s voice. So far, I think it’s my favorite xxxHolic opening song. I don’t really know what else to say, except I really love this song.

There’s another xxxHolic OVA due out in 2010, and I’m looking forward to seeing that one as well as listening to what kind of OP song it will have (it’s most likely another Suga Shikao song since they usually pick his songs for this series’ OP ^^)

4. [Summer] – “Perfect World” by Rocky Chack (ED#1 – Spice and Wolf II)

– watch: anime ED — full song

- Very catchy tune coupled with a cute ED sequence (which is reminiscent of the previous season’s ED sequence). Makes me tap my feet every time I hear it.

Rocky Chack also did the season 1 ED song for this series and that was a really cute song too.

5. [Fall] – “Hajimari no Hi” by Suga Shikao feat. Mummy-D (OP#1 – Letter Bee)

– watch: anime OP — music video

- Very good song. I love the catchy funky upbeat melody, especially the bass parts, and I really love Suga-sama’s voice~ <3 OK, I might be biased since I’ve loved Suga Shikao’s stuff ever since I heard his songs in Honey and Clover, but really, this is a very good song.

The full song includes Mummy-D’s rap part toward the end. I especially like rapping along with the “let’s escape” part xD (♪ let’s escape, uh! yume no toriko… ♫)

6. [Fall] – “Tsukiakari no Michishirube” by Stereopony (OP#1 – Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini)

– watch: anime OP — music video

- This is a nice song, although I didn’t like it as much when I first heard it in episode 2 of the series. I guess I was kinda expecting a more bada$$ and bit more rock-ish song, kinda like (“Howling” by abingdon boys school) and (“Kakusei Heroism ~The Hero Without a Name~” by Antic Cafe) OP1 and OP2, respectively, from Darker than Black’s first season. But then, after an episode, I realized that this song fit the second season pretty well as Suou is more of the lead character now rather than Hei. I’ve been warming up to this song every time I hear it, and I honestly think it’s one of the good tunes from the Fall 2009 season.

7. [Winter] – “After the rain” by cossami (ED#1 – Kemono no Souja Erin)

– watch: anime ED — full song

- A really cute ballad with a very nice melody and gorgeous piano and strings. It helps chase my bad mood away whenever I listen to it. ^^

8. [Summer] – “Hologram” by NICO Touches the Walls (OP#2 – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

– watch: anime OP — music video

- I’ve never seen a single episode of FMA, but I think it has a pretty good line-up of OP/ED songs. Among which, I like this OP song the most. I really love its melody and guitar riffs. The vocalist guy has a very nice voice too.

9. [Winter] – “Your Hand” by Miranosand (ED song – Switch) – OVA

– watch: anime ED – full song

- This song is from the Switch OVA, which comprised of 2 episodes . I included this one because the second OVA aired on February 2009. I really like the guitar riffs in this tune and the vocalist’s falsetto parts. I don’t think a lot of guys can sing high notes and make it sound really good, but I think this guy was able to do it quite well. I love listening to it.

10.1. [Spring] - “Summer Rain” by Kobukuro (OP #1 – Cross Game)

– watch: anime OP – full song

- It’s a tie for #10! First is this song from Cross Game. I love the melody and its disco vibe. It somehow kinda does make me think of summer rain, like a cool and laidback break in the hot summer season.

Cross Game turned out to be a surprisingly good series, too (baseball, comedy, slice of life, with a touch of romance and drama). It ended up being one of my favorite series of 2009. I don’t read much manga, but I picked this one up because I wanted to know what happens next. Yep, it’s just that good.

10.2. [Spring] – “Kimi wo Mamotte, Kimi wo Aishite” by Sambomaster (ED #19 – Bleach)

– watch: anime ED – full song

- It’s a tie for #10! Second is this fun and catchy tune from Bleach. I included this because it was this series’ ED song as spring 2009 started. Even though I don’t watch this series at all, I do check out its OP/ED themes every season because some of them are really nice to listen to. Anyway, this is an upbeat and sweet song. He’s basically singing about how he intends to protect the one he loves, no matter what~

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THESE *ALMOST* MADE MY 2009 TOP 10 LIST:

“Yasashii Uso” by Chrome Shelled (OP#1 – Chrome Shelled Regios)
“Love & Roll” by supercell (ED song – Cencoroll) – Movie
“Snow fairy” by FUNKIST (OP #1 – Fairy Tail)
“Koikogarete Mita Yume” by Ayaka (ED #1 – Cross Game)
“Orange Days” by SQUAREHOOD (ED #2 - Cross Game)
“Moeruyou na Koi ja naikedo” by Tsuru (ED#3 – Cross Game)
“Golden Time Lover” by Sukima Switch (OP #3 – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
“Again” by YUI (OP#1 – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
“From the Beginning to End” by Ryu (OP#1 – Winter Sonata)
“From Dusk Till Dawn” by abingdon boys school (ED#1 – Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini)
“Ai no Oto (English version)” by moumoon (ED #1 – Viper’s Creed)
“Ai Shiteru” by Kourin (ED#1 – Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou)
“kiseki” by NIRGILIS (OP#1 – Birdy the Mighty Decode: 02)
“Questions” by Nakamura Yuu (OP#1 - The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk)
“Egao no Riyuu” by meg rock (OP#1 -Asu no Yoichi)
“BACK ON MY FEET” by BOOM BOOM SATELLITES (TV broadcast OP – Xam’d: Lost Memories)
“Falling Down” by Oasis (OP#1 – Eden of the East)
“Futuristic Imagination” by School Food Punishment (ED#1 – Eden of the East)
“Sky Chord ~Otona ni Naru Kimi he~” by Shion Tsuji (ED#18 – Bleach)
“M/elody” by Shion Tsuji (ED#1 – Tokyo Magnitude 8.0)
“Kimi no Uta” by abingdon boys school (OP#1 – Tokyo Magnitude 8.0)
“Stairway Generation” by Base Ball Bear (OP#7 – Gintama)
“Zetsubou Restaurant” by Zetsubou Shoujotachi (ED#1 – Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
“Jellyfish’s Confession” by Megumi Nakajima (ED #1 – Kobato.)
“Oyasumi Paradox” by Etsuko Yakushimaru (OP #1 – Natsu no Arashi Akinai-chuu)
“staple stable” by Chiwa Saito (OP#1 – Bakemonogatari)
“My Answer” by SEAMO (ED#10 – Naruto Shipuuden)
“Light Infection” by Prague (OP #8 – Gintama)
“Kimi ni Todoke” by Tanizawa Tomifumi (OP#1 – Kimi ni Todoke)

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SPECIAL MENTION: – in random order –

“Orange” by Rie Kugimiya, Eri Kitamura and Yui Horie (ED#2 – Toradora!)
“R.O.C.K.” by iLL (OP #1 – Viper’s Creed)
“Hiyori Hime” by PUFFY (OP #1 – Genji Monogatari Sennenki )
“RIDEBACK” by MELL (OP #1 – Rideback)
“Kioku” by Younha feat. GOKU (ED #1 Rideback)
“Koigokoro kagayaki nagara” by Naifu (ED#32 – Detective Conan)
“Irodori no Nai Sekai” by Yousei Teikoku (ED#1 - Kurokami: The Animation)
“Mahōtsukai Desu Kedo” by Fumiko Orikasa (ED #1 – The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk)
“Kimi ni, Mune Kyun” by Yu Kobayashi, Asami Sanada and Marina Inoue (ED#1 – Maria Holic)
“Tane” by no3b (ED#1 – Birdy the Mighty Decode: 02)
“Shinai” by Nana Mizuki (OP#1 – White Album)
“Maiochiru Yuki no Youni” by Suara (ED#1 – White Album)
“Free” by Yamada Yu (ED#1 – Basquash!)
“JAP” by abingdon boys school (OP #1 – Sengoku BASARA)
“Break & Peace” by Dustz (ED #1 – Sengoku BASARA)
“Parallel Hearts” by FictionJunction (OP #1 – Pandora Hearts)
“Maze” by savage genius” (ED #1 – Pandora Hearts)
“Cagayake! GIRLS” by Aki Toyosaki with Yoko Hikasa, Satomi Satou and Minako Kotobuki (OP #1 – K-ON!)
“Don’t say ”lazy’” by Yoko Hikasa with Aki Toyosaki, Satomi Satou and Minako Kotobuki (ED #1 – K-ON!)
“Asu e no kizuna” by HIMEKA (OP #1 – Valkyria Chronicles)
“Free and Dream” by Suara (OP #1 – Tears to Tiara)
“Blue sky, True sky” by Aira Yuki (ED #1 – Tears to Tiara)
“Atashi dake ni kakete” by Omokage Lucky Hole (OP #1 – Natsu no Arashi!)
“Kirari Futari” by Ryoko Shiraishi (ED #1 – Natsu no Arashi!)
“Change” by J-Min (OP #1 – Hanasakeru Seishounen)
“Hitomi no Kotae” by Noria (ED #1 – 07-Ghost)
“Marigold” by orange pekoe (OP #1 – Ristorante Paradiso)
“Suteki na Kajitsu” by Lisa Komine (ED #1 – Ristorante Paradiso)
“Kimi Shinitamō Koto Nakare” by May’n (OP #1 – Shangri-La)
“Hajimari no Asa ni Hikari Are” by midori (ED #1 Shangri-La)
“The fine every day” by Kicco (OP #1 – Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-)
“Everlasting Luv” by Breakerz (OP #26 – Detective Conan)
“Doing All Right” by Garnet Crow (ED #33- Detective Conan)
“Shōjo S” by Scandal (OP #10 – Bleach)
“Hatsukoi Limited” by marble (ED #1 – Hatsukoi Limited)
“Wonder Wind” by ELISA (OP #1 – Hayate no Gotoku!! 2nd season)
“Koi no Uta” by Haruka Tomatsu (ED #1 - Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica crimson S)
“Party Play” by Sakura Nogawa (OP #1 – Slap Up Party -Arad Senki-)
“Yume Miru Kokoro” by Kanae Ito (ED #1 – Taishou Yakyu no Musume)
“Romantic Strike” by Kanae Ito, Mai Nakahara, Kana Ueda and Mamiko Noto (OP #1 – Taishou Yakyu no Musume)
“Mind as Judgment” by Faylan (OP #1 – CANAAN)
“violet” by marble (OP #1 – Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~)
“Aoi Hana” by Kukikodan (OP #1 – Aoi Hana)
“Sentiforia” by Ceui (ED #1 – Aoi Hana)
“My heaven” by Annabel (ED #1 – CANAAN)
“Kurayami Shinchuu Soushisouai” by Hiroshi Kamiya (ED#2 – Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
“modern strange cowboy” by GRANRODEO (OP #1 – NEEDLESS)
“Mitsu no Yoake” by Akino Arai (OP #1 – Spice and Wolf II)
“Osaki ni sil vous plait” by Saiwai Koukou GA girls (OP #1 – GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class)
“Coloring palettes Tomokane-iro” by Miyuki Sawashiro (ED #1 – GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class)
“Super Noisy Nova” by Sphere (OP #1 – Sora no Manimani)
“Katayoku no Tori” by Shikata Akiko (OP #1 – Umineko no Naku Koro ni)
“Ringo Mogire Beam!” by Kenji Ootsuki and Zetsubou Shoujotachi (OP #1 – Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
“Hikari” by Breakerz (ED #34 – Detective Conan)
“Hitotsu no Negai” by Hikari Inoue (ED #2 – Valkyria Chronicles)
“Kanashimi Rensa” by MARIA (OP #2 – Valkyria Chronicles)
“Watashi wo Mitsukete” by savage genius (ED #2 – Pandora Hearts)
“Princess Primp!” by Miyuki Hashimoto (OP #1 – Princess Lover)
“S.S.D!” by yozuca* (ED #1 – Princess Lover)
“Futari no Yakusoku” by Eclipse (ED #2 – Basquash!)
“Let it out” by Miho Fukuhara (ED #2 – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
“Believe You” by Yoonji (ED #1 – Winter Sonata)
“Sanagi” by POSSIBILITY(ED #9 – Gintama)
“Sakurabito” by Sun Set Swish (ED #21 – Bleach)
“Anima Rossa” by Porno Graffitti (OP #8 – Bleach)
“Magic” by Rina Aiuchi (OP #27 -Detective Conan)
“Sign” by FLOW (OP #6 – Naruto Shippuden)
“Kataomoi” by Chara (ED #1 – Kimi ni Todoke)
“montage” by Kenn, Ryotaro Okiayu, Yuki Kaji, Masakazu Morita (OP #1 – Miracle Train ~Oedo-sen e Youkoso~ )
“Stories” by Shuhei Kita (ED #1 – Miracle Train ~Oedo-sen e Youkoso~)
“Arrival of Tears” by Ayane (OP #1 – 11eyes)
“Sequentia” by Asriel (ED #1 – 11eyes)
“Light of Dawn” by Annabel (ED #1 – Tatakau Shisho – The Book of Bantorra)
“only my railgun” by fripSide (OP #1 – To Aru Kagaku no Railgun)
“Dear My Friend – Mada Minu Mirai he-” by ELISA (ED #1 – To Aru Kagaku no Railgun)
“Kimi ga Imai Mirai” by Do as Infinity (OP #1 – Inuyasha: The Final Act)
“Upside Down” by Denki Groove (OP #1 – Trapeze)
“Akai Ito” by Suara (ED #3 – White Album)
“Soba ni Irareru Dake De” by blue drops (ED #1 – Sora no Otoshimono)
“Tsunai Da Te” by Lil’B (ED #3 – Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
“Just Breathe” by Kylee (TV Broadcast ED#1 – Xam’d: Lost Memories)
“Over U” by Kylee (TV Broadcast ED#2 – Xam’d: Lost Memories)
“Strawberry ~Amaku Setsunai Namida~” by Asami Imai (ED #1 – Nyan Koi!)
“Niji-iro Pocket” by Natsumi Kiyoura (ED #1 – Sasameki Koto)
“Kanashii Hodo Aoku” by Natsumi Kiyoura (OP #1 – Sasameki Koto)
“Magic Number” by Maaya Sakamoto (OP #1 – Kobato.)
“Hatenaki Michi” by HIMEKA (ED #1 – Letter Bee)
“Shizuku” by Sukima Switch (OP#1 – Kemono no Souja Erin)
“Ai no Zuellni” by Chrome Shelled (ED#2 – Chrome Shelled Regios)
“Find Out” by Miranosand (OP song – Switch) – OVA

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**credit: photo taken from this site.

Most of the songs are from anime I’ve seen (or at least seen 1 episode of within the 2009 season or heard the OP/ED song somewhere, or recommended by someone), so I might’ve missed some other good songs from series I don’t usually watch.

~ So which anime OP/ED songs this 2009 season made your “favorites” list?

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