Introduction to My Top 5 Favorite LiSA Anime Openings
Rock ballads dominated the music charts during my formative years. I think that explains a lot about my musical tastes. The Baby’s Isn’t it Time is a good example. I also blame pomp rock, like most of the stuff from U2 (in particular New Year’s Day). I like my music big. I like my music powerful. And I like it to make me feel something other than “awww, that was nice.” Kalafina’s music does that, and that’s why I published my 3 favorite Kalafina songs first. When I think of powerful anime openings, I think first of Kalafina.
Kalafina doesn’t have a monopoly on power music, though. A very close second, at least to my reckoning, is LiSA. And honestly? She might be first. It’s hard to rank amazing talent. Her voice is dynamic, powerful, and beautiful, and she has more than her fair share of astoundingly cool anime openings and closings. I thought it would be fun to share my 5 favorite LiSA anime openings with you. So, here they are!
Note that you can see a complete list of LiSA’s OPs and EDs on My Anime List.
My Top 5 Favorite LiSA Anime Openings
Number 5: Gurenge (紅蓮華), OP from Demon Slayer
I had a lot of fun reviewing Demon Slayer with Irina from I Drink and Watch Anime back when it aired. The story and tropes are straight out of a shonen tropes textbook, but its combination of appealing characters like Tanjirou, a great soundtrack, and ufotable’s animation turned it into a cultural phenomenon.
LiSA’s OP was part of that great soundtrack. Here’s the OP on YouTube:
Number 4: rising hope, OP from The Irregular at Magic High
The Irregular at Magic High has a lot of the things that are common in my favorite series. It had an apparently over-powered main character in Tatsuya Shiba (though I’d argue he’s less over powered and more crafty). It had strong women characters like Erika Chiba and Mayumi Saegusa. The magic system was deep, complex, and consistent — which is important to make it feel realistic! And finally, it had a vibrant, kick-ass soundtrack. Here’s rising hope, LiSA’s contribution to the soundtrack (and by the way, you can read Karandi’s review of the series on her site 100 Word Anime):
Number 3: ADAMAS, OP from Sword Art Online: Alicization
I’m not saying that Sword Art Online: Alicization was perfect. I will, however, say that it doesn’t deserve the level of vehement hate it seems to generate. No, Kirito is not overpowered, and having studied over-powered characters as a topic of interest, I can successfully defend that position! That’s probably why I gravitate to balanced, thoughtful review of the series like this one from Dewbond on his site Shallow Dives in Anime. That said, though I can’t say that Alicization is a perfect artistic achievement, I can say that it had a lot going for. That includes its OP, ADAMAS. check it out on YouTube:
Number 2: Crossing Field, OP from Sword Art Online
Of course, as the predecessor of Alicization, the original Sword Art Online seems to have attracted a few, let’s say, disenchanted viewers. That’s fine, but I’m not among them. I really enjoyed this series. I mean, even if all of the other episodes sucked (and they did not suck, just for the record), the third episode, called Red Nosed Reindeer, seriously ripped me up. Some series run for years and don’t pack that kind of emotional punch. I could feel what Kirito was going through, and dramatically, I thought it was fantastic. Likewise, I thoughts that Crossing Fields, its OP, was also fantastic. Here it is on YouTube (oh, and Dewbond reviewed it, too!):
Number 1: oath sign, OP from Fate Zero
It might be because I watched Fate Zero before I watched Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. Or maybe it was because of Fate/Zero season 2, episode 2 (Gold Shine) where Artoria Pendragon took down Gilles de Rais. That scene never gets old! Whatever the reason, it remains my favorite of the Fate franchise series. Others seem to agree that it was enjoyable, as you can see in this review by Traditional Catholic Weeb on his site The Traditional Catholic Weeb. The show has stuck with me, and so has its OP, oath sign. In fact, it’s my favorite of LiSA’s OPs! You can check it out here:
Music makes or breaks an anime series. If the plot is full of holes, and the anime is more like animinus (ani–) a song or group of songs can change it all. LiSA has made Sword Art Online, my best anime series, by far. With Crossing Field, Adamas, Unlasting, and others, these songs have made her, one of my all time favorite singers. It saddens me to admit that Yuke (Aria of a Starless Night) sounds like an elevator song, without meaning or passion, but congrats to LiSA for Gurenge success and hopefully she can become the Queen of Anime theme songs!
Thinking back to when I watched SAO for the first time, you’re right — I can see that Crossing Field made a huge impact on me. It really did elevate the series.
I wonder if in some ways she’s a victim of her own achievements? Yuke isn’t a bad song. It lacks the complexity and flow (not sure what the musical term is) of Adamas, but if anyone else had done it, I would probably have liked it more.
And Gurenge? That’s just good stuff!
So many familiar tracks here! Which is wonderful, since LiSA is a very well-known singer to the anime community. Though it’s not an opening song, I quite enjoyed “Shiruishi” from SAO II’s second half myself.
I’d forgotten about that song! Thanks for reminding me. Her videos are always so well-produced, too.
Aha true. Forgot to mention also “Ichiban No Takaramono” from “Angel Beats” is AMAZING too! That one I was surprised to know she performed that song.
And thank you again for reminding me of that song!
Man, it’s scary how much I’ve forgotten over the years!
It does feel like that sometimes especially when one’s seen a lot of anime on their plate LOL! 😂
Sometimes when I’m writing my reviews I even have to go back to view the episodes and review their soundtracks only to realize, “Oh yeah, I remember this track, how come I didn’t until now?”
Your music tastes are very different from mine! But I still loved SAO notwithstanding! 😁 Don’t get me started on SAO: Alicisation, though… 😤😒
Different music tastes as in not LiSA? Or do you prefer other songs she performed? Which ones did you enjoy?
LiSa has so many great openings! The talent there is definitely real and I love all the songs above although I didn’t know she did the Irregular High School OP. I haven’t seen that show before so I had never listened to the opening. It’s definitely another solid one. I go through phases of which of her songs is my favorite. Right now I’ve been loving the Mugen Train opening a lot so I listen to it on loop but I have yet to see a bad song from her.
Mugen Train’s OP was a good one, too! It was in the running. She has so many good OPs that I had a hard time choosing!