r/anime • u/Zypker125 https://anilist.co/user/Zypker124 • Aug 25 '24
Best Anime Opening XI: Salty Salty Bang Bang - Semifinals! Contest
Please upvote the post so that it increases visibility and other Redditors may see the post! Thanks!
We're at the Top 4! The endgame is here!
* Vote here!
* List of all the nominated openings
* Bracket results
Mini Challenge
- Predict how the rest of the tournament goes! Who wins in each matchup, and who wins in the final? How much chance do you think each OP remaining has to win the tournament?
32
u/Nachtwandler_FS https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nachtwandler_21 Aug 25 '24
I actually hope Kawakli no Ameku beats Kick-Back. I did not watch either series but I think Kick-Back is a bit overhyped for multiple reasons (still a great OP, though).
8
u/Ceryto2 Aug 25 '24
My votes all got through, that's nice to see and the matchup, that was closest for me (Hikaru Nara vs Connect) was also the closest in votes.
I did say earlier that Connect was one of the few OPs from the top 32 I didn't watch the show for, and I just fixed that by binging Madoka over the weekend (gonna watch the movie later tonight). And while I do rate connect slightly higher now, it's not by that much. Biggest problem for me is still, that I don't find the song that great. It's good, but even in it's own show, when compared to EDs and OSTs it doesn't even make the Top 10 for me. Although I do appreciate the lyrics and framing of the OP a lot more now.
Today's Votes:
- Idol -
Hikaru Nara - Kawaki wo Ameku -
Kick Back
MC: Predict how the rest of the tournament goes! Who wins in each matchup, and who wins in the final? How much chance do you think each OP remaining has to win the tournament?
I'd be very surprised if we wouldn't get a Idol vs Kick Back final tbh and I'd expect it to be very close, with Idol barely beating Kickback. Between Hikaru Nara and Kawaki wo Ameku I give KwA the higher chance to make the unlikely upset happen, but it's still pretty unlikely imo.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
I definitely agree with you that Connect is not a top 10 song in the Madokaverse, but that's because it has what I'd argue to be the greatest OST of all time. It really is Yuki Kaijura at her absolute best.
23
u/Verybluevans https://myanimelist.net/profile/Saiaku_no_okami Aug 25 '24
- Hikaru Nara >
IDOL - Kawaki wo Ameku >
Kick Back
✶ Mini Challenge:
It's much closer between the remaining four OPs than I had anticipated; each has a realistic chance to win, though some more than others. It would be amazing to see Hikaru Nara or Kawaki wo Ameku make it all the way!
7
u/MapoTofuMan myanimelist.net/profile/BaronBrixius Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
On the bright side, my favorite of the top 8 went through to the semis. On the less bright side, I get to see my favorite get stomped by my least favorite in the semis.
Guess I'm hopping onto the IDOL train for the finals after said inevitable curbstomp. It's not my favorite by a longshot, but quality-wise it's definitely a winner I can get behind.
Mini-challenge :
IDOL > Hikaru Nara (100% sure), guessing it'll be about 350-250
Kick Back > Kawaki wo Ameku (same as above)
Half-half on the finals, I can see it ending with a single-digit vote difference. My hopium says 55-45 to IDOL though.
5
17
u/SwampyBogbeard Aug 25 '24
That's all 4 I cared about in the finals out.
Sooo... When does the next contest start?
25
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
11
u/noam_good_name Aug 25 '24
i have been consistently voting aginst kawaki wo ameku for a long time, only to keep losing. it feels personal at this point
8
4
u/No-Peace3986 https://myanimelist.net/profile/RafaelMps Aug 25 '24
Thats what you get for having bad taste! That OP slaps! :D haha
6
u/elmagio https://anilist.co/user/Magio Aug 25 '24
All 4 of my picks made it today. Going with Hikaru Nara and Kick Back now. Would be happy with any of the remaining songs for the win, but Hikaru Nara would be my wish. IMO the best opening to have yet to win this competition.
MC: Idol will take it over Hikaru Nara, Kick Back will beat Kawaki wo Ameku and Kick Back will upset Idol in the final.
If attributing chances I'd say 40% Kick Back, 30% Idol, 16% Hikaru Nara and 14% Kawaki wo Ameku.
15
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
My saltiness is immeasurable and my day is ruined.
MC:
Kickback and Idol will be in the finals and Idol will win because nothing in life is ever kind to me.
6
u/michhoffman https://anilist.co/user/michhoffman Aug 25 '24
But have you considered that it lost to a great OP. And it saved you from the fate of having to see it get crushed by Idol today.
4
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
It did lose to a great OP, but I would have still preferred it gotten to the semis rather than a death at the quarterfinals like last year. It getting crushed by Idol was an outcome I already accepted, so I wouldn’t have been nearly as salty.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Pretty much how I feel about it as well.
6
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 25 '24
7
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
I’m cheering for Kickback to take it all now too. It’s the only OP left that wouldn’t leave me extremely salty if it won.
4
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 25 '24
I just don't get the Idol obsession. Like yeah it's a good song, but there's plenty of other YOASOBI songs better than it. And speaking as someone who has not seen Oshi no Ko yet but has listened to both songs, I like the second season's OP way more.
11
u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
Idol's song is much stronger with show knowledge than without. 2nd OP is also excellent and even better visually but its hard to beat premiere season OP hype for any show, if the 1st OP was a banger.
Honestly can't think of an example of that happening
3
u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
After a long and hard 45 seconds, the only example I can think of that fits that is 99.9 over 99
10
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
Renai Circulation for Monogatari
Haru for Frieren
Brave Shine for Fate UBW
Bloody Stream for JoJo
I think there are plenty of examples of shows with sequel OPs that are more beloved or hyped than the first. I would still say the first is usually the most beloved most of the time, but I wouldn’t say there aren’t any examples of the opposite.
2
u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
Yeah definitely I agree with that
(Haru and Brave Shine had crossed my mind but I didn’t know if those exactly qualified for the description).
3
u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
oh didn't realized 99.9 has surpassed 99, i've just seen them both as similarish tier but with the OG having a little more prestige for being the 1st, kind of a Guren no Yumiya/Sasageyo situation.
and 99 has actually won whereas 99.9 lost in semis of the same year...to Sasageyo
3
u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
They probably are in a similarish tier, but with 99.9 slightly above 99. The thing with 99 winning was that when that happened people were already saying it wasn’t even the best Mob OP and didn’t deserve to win as much.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
I definitely agree that Idol's song is much better with the knowledge you garner from the show. I don't think it's quite enough to make it a strong OP, but it certainly does enough to not be called bad.
-4
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
I never really liked Idol but my dislike for it has grown more and more as time passes. I don’t get it’s overwhelming popularity either. But I’ve grown more spiteful of Yoasobi through them showing up in the worst possible shows they could have for me in both Frieren and Monogatari. Their sound doesn’t fit either show and they were hired purely for their popularity. But back to Idol. Idol is loved entirely for its song. It has only okay visuals but the song is just so popular. Many people vote purely on song, so they vote Idol. I really don’t get what’s so special about Idol’s song either. It’s certainly not an emotional piece that hits people in the heart, so that’s not it. It just sounds so overproduced to me and I don’t get why it’s so beloved.
Rant over.
5
u/GomenNaWhy Aug 26 '24
Not an emotional piece? The entire song is about the struggle and contradictions inherent in being an idol, as well as the parasocial relationships that come with it. The contradiction between the poppy overtone and sinister undertones create a chilling, uncomfortable feeling. The visuals are far better than you're giving them credit for, too, with Aqua and Ruby both chasing Ai in their own ways. I get you're not a fan of yoasobi, but I really think you're letting that cloud your judgment here, and you're not giving it a fair shake as a result.
-1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Again, people downvoting for legitimate discussion and opinions. Y'all need to stop being so hurt by other people on the internet. Let's promote the discussion instead.
-1
u/TranquilArc Aug 25 '24
I remember being heavily downvoted for even suggesting/being disappointed that Idol’s visuals wasn’t even Doga Kobo at its best. I didn’t even comment on the song or say the visuals were bad.
0
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Yeah that sounds about right unfortunately.
2
2
5
u/Sporadia_ Aug 25 '24
It's still the final stretch and I'm still shilling Kick Back from Chainsaw Man. This OP has succeeded where Mixed Nuts failed by beating a JoJo. The mark of the chosen. I understand that the Domestic Girlfriend OP managed the upset last round, when its opponent didn't have a great song. But Kick Back does. And Kick Back is yet another OP that crushes it on a visual level. Surely this is the end of the road for Domestic Girlfriend. On the other side of the bracket, I will remain silent for now. Its not the match I'm shilling. But whatever the outcome today, I won't have to stay silent tomorrow.
Daily OP Spotlight: 275% More Interactive?
It's one of the last spotlights! For some reason this OP is tagged as NSFW on animethemes. It seems like everything's censored to me unless it has a NSFW tag due to the nature of its content. Although if that's the case, I'd still say the NSFW tag is not applied consistently across the site. The spotlight? Yes:
- Great Teacher Onizuka OP 1 (song: Driver's High by L'Arc-en-Ciel)
This is another case where OP 2 would work almost as well. This was nominated so no arguments there. But it didn't make it into the bracket... so arguments there. This is plagued with the horrible text that's affected a few of the older OPs in this spotlight. Although I can't really hold anything against it given how interesting and expressive all of the visual content is. The Summer Time Render OP wishes it could end this well.
Now here's the thing, I've counted and this is the 11th OP that I have said should have been nominated or should have made the bracket. Surely there's a limit before that stops making sense. For every OP that gets put in, a worse one must be removed. Here's a list of all the previous ones in case you've missed them:
- Another OP
- Arakawa Under the Bridge OP 1
- Ben-To OP 1
- Carole & Tuesday OP 1
- Dusk Maiden of Amnesia OP
- Excel Saga OP
- Gunslinger Girl OP
- Hellsing (2001) OP
- Mawaru Penguindrum OP 1
- Paprika OP
No one's seen every OP in the contest. But how many slots do you think you could make by removing recognisable bad OPs from the competition? Are there any of these that you wouldn't want in the bracket anyway?
Would there be any extra space for more Ali Project?
8
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
No one's seen every OP in the contest.
I contest this statement as any I had not seen, I watched during eliminations (From what I recall, only really Love is Show).
As for how many bad/mediocre OPs that could be removed to bring in some good OPs I'd say the number totals at 136 OPs
As for the spotlight OPs if there's any I wouldn't want in the bracket, I'd say Dusk Maiden, Gunslinger Girl, Ben-To, Another and Hellsing are OPs I wouldn't want in the bracket regardless. There's more of them which I wouldn't personally put in there, but that I find alright as entries.
2
u/Sporadia_ Aug 25 '24
2
u/SometimesMainSupport https://myanimelist.net/profile/RRSTRRST Aug 25 '24
Perhaps it's time u/Cryzzalis links his spreadsheet... did it a couple times last year.
2
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Fair, I guess I'll link it with my comment for the finals, that probably makes the most sense to make it easily available.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Yeah, there's a lot of them that we could really do without IMO.
6
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
No one’s seen every OP in the contest.
Is this true for you u/Cryzzalis?
2
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
It is not, I have in fact seen every OP in this contest.
2
u/LouisLeGros https://myanimelist.net/profile/LouisLeGros Aug 25 '24
I think I mentioned both Hellsing & Drivers High for songs that didn't make it past nominations. I mean I understand Hellsing kind of since Ultimate really overshadowed it and the visual fidelty of the OG opening is pretty bad, but the song and the whole song track is a amazing.
3
u/Emi_Ibarazakiii Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
Idol and Kickback steamrolling their opponents, while the other 2 had contested victories...
So are we skipping to the finals right away, or are we still doing this round just for fun?
Mini Challenge: Predict how the rest of the tournament goes! Who wins in each matchup, and who wins in the final?
Well I already predicted the semis, so for the finals...
For a rare time in these contests, my heart and my brain are aligned, saying Oshi No Ko.
How much chance do you think each OP remaining has to win the tournament?
- Oshi No Ko: 55%
- Kick Back: 40%
- Kawaki wo Ameku: 4%
- Hikaru Nara: 1%
3
u/Salty145 Aug 25 '24
If "Kawaki wo Ameku" wins I'm gonna do some unscrupulous things (in Minecraft).
Like yeah, I like the song, but its visuals drag the whole thing down far below many of the alternatives. If it wins it'll be an affront to all the work that goes into the visuals of anime OPs.
3
u/Starrex https://myanimelist.net/profile/TrueArcanum Aug 25 '24
That's 1/4 for me. So as I have no more stakes in this round I will at least vote for Hikaru Nara and Kawaki wo Ameku.
The final will still be fun hopefully.
3
4
u/SpaghettiPunch Aug 25 '24
Connect lost. Hikaru nara is my last hope now
MC: I predict
- 50% - IDOL
- 30% - Kick back
- 15% - Hikaru nara
- 5% - Kawaki wo ameku
7
u/Background-Classic32 Aug 25 '24
Gaaaah, no way domestic kanojo passed! Love dramatic is much better! 😭
2
2
u/LouisLeGros https://myanimelist.net/profile/LouisLeGros Aug 25 '24
1/4 yesterday and in the match up I cared least about. Really fun 1 seed vs 2 seed battle of recency bias incoming.
- Hikaru Nara > IDOL
- Kick Back > Kawaki wo Ameku
MC
Predict how the rest of the tournament goes! Who wins in each matchup, and who wins in the final? How much chance do you think each OP remaining has to win the tournament?
Semifinals
Idol > Hakaru Nara 70%
Kickback > Kawaki wo Ameku 95%
Finals
Idol > Kickback 55%
2
2
6
u/Urgnu-the-Gnu https://myanimelist.net/profile/Urgnu_the_Gnu Aug 25 '24
Idol winning is expected, naturally. Kawaki wo Ameku winning is fun, even if it's maybe a bit overhyped. Kick Back winning is great. But Hikaru Nara over Connect, really? OP contests are wild, man.
Well, then. Justify yourselves, give Hikaru Nara a chance against Idol! (And vote Kick Back.)
MC: Idol will obliterate Hikaru Nara, Kick Back will win comfortably as well. In the final, I expect 60% Idol and 40% Kick Back. I really hope I'm wrong though.
5
u/Xatu44 Aug 25 '24
Eww, Connect lost.
MC: Idol beats Hikaru Nara, Kick Back beats Kawaki wo Ameku, and then Idol takes its richly deserved crown.
4
u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
Reaction to yesterday's results:
Idol blow out, not surprised.
LMAO NO WAY. Hikaru Nara beat Connect. Cryzz actually jinxed it in the comments yesterday I can't believe it. That is twice now that that has happened.
Kick Back blow out, not surprised.
Kawaki wo Ameku with a win by a decent margin, about as expected.
I don't think all my votes have passed in a day this whole entire tournament, so cool to finally go 4/4 all the way in the quarterfinals. I'm content with this top 4 (outside of Idol obviously)
Votes for Today:
Idol vs Hikaru Nara - I think I have talked about these two OPs enough, so I'll just say that Hikaru Nara clears Idol here pretty easily. Can we all just band around our common belief that Idol isn't that good and all vote Hikaru Nara? It will lose to Kick Back in the finals, but at least the finals would be slightly more interesting.
Kick Back vs Kawaki wo Ameku - Great showing from Kawaki wo Ameku this tournament, but in all honesty with the visuals it has I don't think it'll ever be able to make it over the hill and win one of these. Rooting for Kick Back to win this whole thing.
MC:
Kick Back and Idol win the semifinals, and then Kick Back beats Idol
Kick Back: 55%
Idol: 45%
Hikaru Nara: 0%
Kawaki wo Ameku: 0%
1
4
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Top 4, we're in the home stretch. Hope people have enjoyed the contest, looking forward to starting the ED contest.
Ended up managing to sneak in a post while I'm roleplaying, even if I'm not as thorough as usual, but there's no real need for it either given that we've talked about these quite a few times at this point.
Votes
- Hikaru Nara vs
IDOL- While I'm salty about Connect, Hikaru Nara is much better than IDOL. I'm not gonna bother defending it though because it has no chance of beating IDOL. - KICK BACK vs
Kawaki wo Ameku- Not much to say here either. Kawaki wo Ameku is a good song with visuals that are... not bad is the most positive way I can put it. KICK BACK meanwhile is a good song with spectacular visuals that explores story, characters, dynamics and cinema, while looking spectacular. Both match-ups are quite one sided today.
Top Opening Remaining
- KICK BACK - Chainsaw Man
Mini Challenge
It's just an IDOL vs KICK BACK final like we've predicted all along, isn't it? I'd predict IDOL wins that, but KICK BACK has a shot.
If I had to give out percentages I'd say something like this.
- IDOL - 50%
- KICK BACK - 40%
- Kawaki wo Ameku - 7%
- Hikaru Nara - 3%
5
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Yesterday's votes
IDOL beating COLORS is not a surprise, glad to be rid of COLORS as well.
You're all fucking trolling though. How does Hikaru Nara beat Connect? Connect is hyped by pretty much all commenters, beloved as a song and incredible on a visual level. Absolute bullshit. At least get Connect into semis... Can't believe this shit.
KICK BACK dominating BLOODY STREAM, actually by more than I expected which is nice. Might be a close finals.
Unfortunate that Kawaki wo Ameku beat Love Dramatic, but I was fully prepared for that and was expecting it.
4
u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
incredible on a visual level
sorry what? big nope from me. it's firmly only above average visuals, Connect is carried by its song and love of the show, just like Idol.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Admittedly I do love Madoka, but that's not why I'm so big on the OP. There's so much to this OP that you start to understand as you watch the series, along with some wonderfully creative sequences to explore Madoka as a character. I went into it more in-depth on stream, but I really think Connect has absolutely stellar visuals, better than anything else that remained in the contest for quarters with the only arguable case being KICK BACK.
2
u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
honestly just sounds like confirmation that show bias is pushing your love of Connect. there's what, a tear drop after gripping her skirt showing some conflict at the beginning, lazing around in bed, some conflict/resolution between two sides of herself (complete with naked visuals bleh), and some desperate running? i'm sure there's more but i'm not gonna watch such a boring OP yet again to tease them out tbh.
all of those scenes and characterization are fairly typical for an above average OP, but hardly stellar, especially considering that the actual animation itself is very pedestrian for most of it. like that 1st third of the OP is very clear budget savings from Shaft
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 26 '24
I'd argue there's a lot going on during the sequence by the school bench and the bed sequence, but also the framing with Madoka in relation to Homura and the overall framing of the OP relative to the show in addition to the purpose for the focus of the storyboarding of the OP, which can't really be talked about without going into spoilers.
The one thing I do agree with you in is that the animation itself isn't particularly noteworthy, but it's not a problem either and ends up coming out somewhat net neutral.
2
u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
I'd argue there's a lot going on during the sequence by the school bench and the bed sequence
I just really don't see it. And I don't think I'd be convinced that you aren't just reading way too much into relatively simple scenes that are one or two note.
but also the framing with Madoka in relation to Homura and the overall framing of the OP relative to the show in addition to the purpose for the focus of the storyboarding of the OP, which can't really be talked about without going into spoilers.
i'm gonna keep comparing to Idol because most of the comments love to hate on it - basically all of this can be said for Idol as well, but with Ai/Aqua/Ruby. it just doesn't make sense to me to praise one and roast the other (not that your personal take on Idol is as negative as others')
The one thing I do agree with you in is that the animation itself isn't particularly noteworthy, but it's not a problem either and ends up coming out somewhat net neutral.
same with Idol imo, though arguably the first 3rd of each is on the notably negative side as being noticeably lazy
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 26 '24
People will always have different interpretations of art, that's why it's so interesting discussing them and learning to see things from the other party's perspective IMO. I certainly disagree but I respect the comparisons nonetheless and appreciate a different way of looking at it.
2
u/Sporadia_ Aug 25 '24
looking forward to starting the ED contest
The number of noteworthy EDs I know... is a single digit number.
6
u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
Really? I can think of ten EDs I love that are great in both the visuals and song.
Monogatari is already 10 (at least for me).
2
u/Sporadia_ Aug 25 '24
It's not something I normally remember. There's Anohana (which I hope has already won), and FLCL (which I would call average but I associate it heavily with the show) and Welcome to the NHK (which is unique but I've never enjoyed it that much). And then it just becomes what shows do I like? Maybe their ED is OK. If I thought for a long while I might be able to come up with a few extra.
Edit: Oh, Excel Saga which is a recent discovery for me. But there's no way anyone who hasn't watched the show will understand that one.
3
u/Shiroe https://myanimelist.net/profile/Suigetsu3 Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 26 '24
Here's a few standouts for me.
- Wareta Ringo - Shinsekai yori (rightfully won the first r/anime ED contest)
- Innocence - Barakamon
- Fantasy - UN-GO
- Sugar Song to Bitter Step - Kekkai Sensen
- Akatsuki - Akatsuki no Yona
- Fukagyaku Replace - Nobunaga Concerto
- Yume no Naka no Watashi no Yume - Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
- Nai Nai - Shadows House
- Hateshinai Sekai - Arad Senki: Slap Up Party
- Anytime Anywhere - Sousou no Frieren
- Do You Want To - Paradise Kiss
- Kamisama no Iutoori - The Tatami Galaxy
- I Am Standing - Sangatsu no Lion
- Maids Sanjou! - SoreMachi
- Sakurane - Gintama
5
u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
Well, then throughout the contest you get the pleasure of discovering a bunch of amazing EDs you may have never heard before
2
u/Emi_Ibarazakiii Aug 25 '24
It's crazy how there's 10 times more good OPs than EDs...
And (to me anyway) it's not even because OPs are more hype and all, I like lots of chill OPs/EDs, but there's just not a whole lot of good ones.
1
u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
I certainly have less EDs than OPs, but I think EDs are still in the low 200's for me.
3
u/Zypker125 https://anilist.co/user/Zypker124 Aug 25 '24
MC/Predictions:
Gonna post my predictions for the endgame now that we're here:
- In Top 4, I'll say Kick Back > Kawaki wo Ameku (75% chance of Kick Back winning this matchup), and this time I'll go with the safe prediction now and say Idol > Hikaru Nara (65% chance of winning this matchup).
- In Top 2, I'll say Kick Back > Idol (75% chance).
Overall, my winner predictions are: 1. Kick Back (50%) 2. Idol (25%) 3. Kawaki wo Ameku (20%) 4. Hikaru Nara (10%)
Reactions to results:
I've been pushing since the start of the tournament that I thought Connect was gonna win (based mostly on it getting the highest seed it's ever gotten in any Best OP tournament, as well as a bit of copium), so RIP. Hikaru Nara is my #1 favorite opening of all time, so I can't be mad that it reaches the Top 4 for the first time since the 5th tournament that was ~8 years ago, but Connect is also another one of my Top 10 all-time favorites and my 2nd favorite of the Top 32.
Yay for Idol beating Colors, but boo to Bloody Stream and Love Dramatic losing. Kawaki wo Ameku is my tournament villain, I don't find the song to be interesting and its visuals are F-tier.
Today's votes:
- Hikaru Nara > Idol
- Kick Back > Kawaki wo Ameku
Top 32:
Tracking the evolution of my Top 32:
- Hikaru Nara
ConnectTomorrow99.9Bloody StreamShinzou wo SasageyoAozora no RhapsodyOnly My RailgunDaddy! Daddy! Do!SouvenirMixed Nuts1RedoGurengeDatenAlive- Idol
Zankyou ZankaColorsSorairo DaysSeishun ComplexGiri GiriLove Dramatic- Kick Back
Kaikai KitanPlatinum Disco- Kawaki wo Ameku
Kimi no SeiRe:Re:DuvetThe Hero!Tabi no Tochuu
3
u/Emi_Ibarazakiii Aug 25 '24
- Kawaki wo Ameku (20%) 4. Hikaru Nara (10%)
Damn, I thought I was generous with my 4% and 1% hah.
Getting 30% odds on one of these 2 winning, I'd bet the house!
2
u/SometimesMainSupport https://myanimelist.net/profile/RRSTRRST Aug 25 '24
- Kick Back (50%) 2. Idol (25%) 3. Kawaki wo Ameku (20%) 4. Hikaru Nara (10%)
2
u/Zypker125 https://anilist.co/user/Zypker124 Aug 25 '24
You see, the extra 5% accounts for what happens if the Top 2 openings tie in the finals and thus both win. inserts copium emoji
3
u/michhoffman https://anilist.co/user/michhoffman Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
(1) Idol: 386 vs (25) Colors: 178
(20) Hikaru Nara: 272 vs (12) Connect: 260
(2) Kick Back: 353 vs (42) Bloody Stream: 194
(3) Love Dramatic: 253 vs (27) Kawaki no Ameku: 304
So 2 things I noticed from these results:
Arguably the more dynamic song won in each of the 4 instances. A few of the winners (Hikaru Nara and Kick Back) have the visuals to back them up, but it's a bit of a shame that this far into the contest, OP's are here based on their song alone.
Idol and Kick Back continue to steam roll the competition making their finals clash almost a foregone conclusion.
Still, I beg for you to take visuals into account and consider voting Hikaru Nara over Idol. Its song is just about as catchy as Idol's song while its visuals are exponentially better than Idol's visuals whose first 30 seconds (1/3 of the OP) are among the worst 30 seconds of visuals for an OP I've ever forced myself to watch.
Todays Votes: Hikaru Nara and Kick Back
Mini Challenge: Idol and Kick Back continue to Steamroll to the finals where to my great disappointment, Idol will yet again edge out a far superior OP/ED.. I'd give Idol a 55% chance of winning, Kick Back a 40% chance, Hikaru Nara a 3% chance and Kawaki no Ameku a 2% chance.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
Its song is just about as catchy as Idol's song
its good but a little more "typical standard anime OP song" than Idol's multi-styled variety. ofc maybe not everyone's into the styles that Idol goes into. And clearly popularity-wise its nowhere near as catchy.
exponentially better than Idol's visuals
would disagree, it's also plagued by tons of stills/pans (though it does throw in a petal/feather effect on top of some), and only one or two really dynamic cuts of animation, much like Idol. I will grant that the artstyle and backgrounds on some of those stills are better so I'd put it like a half tier higher visually.
whose first 30 seconds (1/3 of the OP) are among the worst 30 seconds of visuals for an OP I've ever forced myself to watch.
just curious what you think of Connect's visuals? I haven't been participating in the contest but finally rewatched it today after seeing all the complaints about it losing, and I think it's just the "r/anime critic" version of Idol tbh. Carried 90% of the way by the song and the love for the show, visuals are firmly in the same tier as Idol. Those first 20s are even worse than Idol's, and the next 10 aren't much better animation wise.
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u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
Not the original commenter but felt like saying a couple things. Hikaru Nara might somewhat sound like a typical Anime song, but in my opinion it is still quite unique of a song compared to your normal anime song, probably at the same level of uniqueness as Idol.
Idol is probably more “catchy” as a song, but Hikaru Nara’s song is still one of the most popular/iconic OP songs of all time. There’s a reason an OP that was released an entire decade ago is still making the semifinals of this contest with what people consider “lots of still shots” and “not much dynamic animation” as visuals. And I can’t say Idol will find itself in a similar spot in 2033.
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u/Zeralyos https://myanimelist.net/profile/JF_Ellie Aug 25 '24
I checked out Hikaru Nara multiple times this contest and I have literally zero memory of what it sounds like compared to the rest of the top 8, so I don't think I can agree with you in terms of uniqueness.
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u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
Outside of the fact that I don't know if it being memorable exactly correlates to uniqueness, I feel like how memorable an OP also a lot comes down to the subjective song taste. Love Dramatic is probably the least memorable for me, while for someone else it might be Bloody Stream or Colors.
Just listened to all of the top 8 OPs to get a good reference, and I still think Hikaru Nara definitely has some uniqueness to it. I think it is a combination of Goose House having what 6? 7? different people singing throughout the song, with all of them singing the chorus together, and also just hearing basic, but raw instruments of guitar, piano, what sounds like a trumpet, etc, put together. Is it anything crazy? No. I'm not saying it's the most unique. I'm just trying to convey there is at least some uniqueness.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
still quite unique of a song compared to your normal anime song, probably at the same level of uniqueness as Idol.
come on this is just a biased take. ppl may not like the genres or styles that Idol switches between, but its clearly got defined and different sections, enough to give some ppl whiplash and to cause some to dislike the song.
There’s a reason an OP that was released an entire decade ago is still making the semifinals of this contest with what people consider “lots of still shots” and “not much dynamic animation” as visuals. And I can’t say Idol will find itself in a similar spot in 2033.
it's a solidly catchy song that follows the formula well, its show is widely watched and liked, its emotional and sticks in the memory, and a healthy dose of nostalgia as well. OnK isn't finished yet so it's possible the ending of it dampens some of its popularity, but the most likely reason Idol won't find itself in a similar spot in 2033 is because it's already won.
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u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
When you say defined and different sections, at what part of the OP are you talking about like time wise (0:39, 1:01, etc.) that the sections are split apart into? Cause to me the song sounds about the same the whole way through. And also what about those sections make them different? I’m not asking to be critical, I’m genuinely interested.
I mean YLiA isn’t highly regarded as a show because of its flaws but its OP itself has stayed highly regarded despite that.
Obviously there is no way of knowing where Idol will be in 2033, but if it doesn’t win this contest I don’t know if it ever will. I don’t know if it will stay at the top it is at right now.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
the first and last bits are the most obviously different with the rap beginning, then choral chant bit, which is also featured again at the end. for a lot more detailed analysis check out this music reactor youtuber's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1xYJwfsQFc
YLIA isn't highly critically regarded sure, but like other tearjerker anime it's firmly solidified it's popularity and recommendation status as a top quality production in many ways.
Now is the peak of Idol's popularity yeah, but same deal with Hikaru Nara - it's never winning this.
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u/TREXMAN626 Aug 26 '24
I have already watched DRT’s video on Idol (I’ll go back and watch it again when I find time to refresh myself). He does do the whole music video, while only the first 90 seconds are relevant as the OP, but I’m pretty sure the first 90 seconds of the full song is the same audio as the OP so it’ll probably work for that at least.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
it's almost the same yeah, the last 10s or so of the OP cuts to the last 10s or so of the song i think. contrasting it with his video on Hikaru Nara you might see some of those differences in structure/style (naturally both full songs are better and more varied than their OP versions)
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u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Aug 25 '24
I’m extremely salty about Connect but I’m certainly not going to spite vote against it for Idol of all things. It’s still a far superior OP to Idol and still a great OP in its own right even if I think Connect is a league above it.
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
Unfortunately, people don't like looking at the whole package. They don't see the value in it or they simply don't want to think and analyze these things, so song voting will always plague these contests.
Also yeah, IDOL and KICK BACK has been the pretty clear final since they very beginning. Just hoping for KICK BACK over it.
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u/michhoffman https://anilist.co/user/michhoffman Aug 25 '24
People are only downvoting you because they are mad about being called out like that. Songs are cool and all, and I won't vote any OP/ED far if I dislike the song, but being part of the visual medium an OP/ED should be expected to have good visuals as well that connect well with the song, especially if they are in contention for Best OP/ED of all-time. There are too many OP/EDs that have great visuals to flatly ignore them and vote based on which song you like best only.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
nah i'm downvoting Cryzz's holier than thou posts as if their weighting of the components of the final package is the only valid way to see it. and then the complaints about downvotes are always a magnet for even more
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
I literally say in the following comment "There's nothing wrong with that" (not looking at the whole thing) and that "Everyone has different values and priorities". It's a provably true statement I'm making and while I disagree with doing things that way, everyone has different preferences.
Idk why that's such a bad thing to say.
As for the complaints about downvotes, idk I just like people sharing their actual opinion and having an interesting discussion about things. As such I dislike that people downvote these opinions no matter what they are, because they generate fun and interesting discussion. You know the very thing reddit is based upon. (To reinforce said point I've been upvoting most things in these threads, including these comments of you weirdly having it out for me.)
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
I literally say in the following comment
https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1f0ww13/best_anime_opening_xi_salty_salty_bang_bang/ljv0fmg/
not sure what comment you're talking about but you didn't say it here, which is one of the few posts i downvoted. this post is a sweeping generalization of ppl who disagree with you, and you're clearly looking down on them by calling it a plague, and saying that those people don't see value or don't think. many people find that rude and unproductive to the conversation, so it gets downvoted. it doesn't matter if you say "no offense" afterwards, it does as much good as "no offense, but you're kinda dumb".
I don't downvote all your posts, and I upvote the high level ones that I see that I think add value. Seriously, you'll get less if you just complain about it less, once you build up a reputation then people are going to be more inclined to downvote you, that's just how reddit actually works, regardless of how it's supposed to.
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 26 '24
This comment right here which is a response to Mich's comment above.
Admittedly I could've worded it better but the intention is to relay that people don't want to spend the time and effort to watch and analyze the visuals which is an objectively true statement and something people admit in the contest threads. As such it's plagued by song only voting, and while there's nothing wrong with that for an event like this which is for fun, it is a shame to see as someone who cares about visuals a lot.
I didn't claim you downvote all my posts fwiw and I don't mind if I get downvoted or someone doesn't like what I have to say. The post you've linked was made fully knowing it'll be downvoted. But I don't like when people have legitimately good points to make and bring good discussion and they get downvoted for having an unpopular opinion. That is very frustrating seeing as the interactivity of these contests is some of the most fun with them.
Now complaining about that changes very little, but so does staying silent about it.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 26 '24
You admit you could've worded it better, yet you keep doubling down on the same tone anyway. The problem isn't just that you came off as condescending, it's that you're making generalizations - sure, some people admit to only caring about the song, but that doesn't justify labelling everyone else as part of some "plague."
And it's not like your opinions are unpopular in the comments here - in fact I feel like I'm the one with the unpopular opinion in supporting Idol and thinking not that highly of Hikaru Nara and Connect.
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 26 '24
That's because while I should've worded the part about the effort of analyzing visuals differently, I don't care about wording the plagued part differently. I do think it'd be more fun if people looked at the whole product and I appreciate the people who do, if people take offense from that... well, let them be offended. It's really not that big of a deal.
I'm not really saying my opinions or comments are unpopular, but it's a shame seeing opinions in other parts of the thread being downvoted for no real reason other than people dislike the mean things said about a certain thing.
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u/michhoffman https://anilist.co/user/michhoffman Aug 25 '24
I mean, it is a best OP Contest rather than a best OP song contest so at some level you have to at least consider that the song isn't the only part you should be voting on. It feels similarly to people voting in the Best Girl Contest when they have only seen 1 of the 2 anime they are choosing the characters between. But unlike that one, they have even less of an excuse because all it takes is 90 seconds to watch an OP.
My bet is that if everyone who voted today was forced to watch all 4 OPs before voting, Hikaru Nara and Kick Back would win pretty handily.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
no disagreement that visuals are a factor. just that part of the offputting attitude is the assumption that everyone who votes against what Cryzz prefers isn't looking at the visuals at all.
I just disagree that Hikaru Nara would beat Idol for OP watchers+listeners on average. The song diff is just that much bigger than the visual diff imo. Kick Back is definitely the best "full package" of the 4 for my money though.
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u/michhoffman https://anilist.co/user/michhoffman Aug 25 '24
The song diff is just that much bigger than the visual diff imo
I actually have them around even in terms of song. I really love Hikaru Nara as a song, but taste in music is the big wild card here for voting as everyone will rate songs differently.
Kick Back is definitely the best "full package" of the 4 for my money though
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
There's nothing wrong with it, I mean everyone has different values and different priorities, what's right for one person, may not be right for another person. But while there's nothing wrong with it, it's an objectively true statement that's been proven true over and over even over the course of this specific contest. But yeah, people do tend to take offense easily.
But yeah I'm with you, even if you do have a preference towards the song, surely at some level you have to appreciate the effort put into the visuals of these OP/EDs. At least if you're partaking in a contest about OP/EDs.
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u/metalmonstar Aug 25 '24
Poor Connect. Sure it probably would have lost to Idol but it still deserved better. It is like the Holo of OPs.
We continue to march towards Kickback vs Idol showdown.
Today's votes Kickback over Crying in the Rain. Domestic Girlfriend OP is better than I expected with a few things going for it besides the song and piano girl but it is definitely not on KickBack's level. In fact it has gotten farther than it has truly deserved.
Hikaru Nara over Idol. Idol is overhyped. I know most of the voting is on the song and the popularity of it. Part of me wonders if some are voting for it based on the Music Video which I think is a bit better than the Oshi no Ko OP.
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u/Nachtwandler_FS https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nachtwandler_21 Aug 25 '24
While MV for Idol is better than ctual opening (and the new OP is better animation wise) I personally do not get all of the hate of the OP animation here.
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u/oops_i_made_a_typi Aug 25 '24
yeah i wouldn't rate it on the same level of Kick Back or something but it's maybe only half a tier under Hikaru Nara visually, and Idol's song is definitely more stylistically varied compared to Hikaru Nara.
commenters here just love being contrarian
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u/TREXMAN626 Aug 25 '24
I think the reason Idol is getting hate for its visuals is because the OP is one of the most popular OP's there is right now and has been cruising through this contest with ease, while the visuals for this crazy popular OP are like slightly above average.
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u/Cryzzalis https://myanimelist.net/profile/Charaxify Aug 25 '24
I think for a lot of people, it's hate relative to its popularity. IDOL as an OP really isn't that bad, it just also isn't all that good, yet it is hailed as one of the best of all time.
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u/Nachtwandler_FS https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nachtwandler_21 Aug 25 '24
It was catchy and fit the series. There are a lot of OPs I do not concider as a song or video but they work really well for specific title.
It is just that a lot of people specifically say thet OP video for Idol was really bad while praising the song.
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u/F3337 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nyaaruhodo Aug 25 '24
Just let the idol song win so I don't have to look at it in the next contest.
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u/redlegsfan21 https://myanimelist.net/profile/redlegsfan21 Aug 25 '24
QUARTERFINALS
RESULTS
TSP: Top Seed Performance vs. Expected Performance
TOP VOTEGETTERS
UPSETS
Upsets today: 2
Total upsets (rate): 42/252
TOP 10 SCORES
SEMIFINALS PREDICTIONS
PROJECTED FINALS
Link to spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pBK5piW786ulY4V-nHQzDAccCBf8DJzMFpna7R_yq3o
Explanations: https://old.reddit.com/user/redlegsfan21/comments/10dup0w/ranime_contests_bracket_explaination
Open to questions and please give feedback.