10. Trigun - H.T.

The funny thing about "H.T." is that it really doesn't capture the personality of Vash the Stampede the way he exists in the series. However, it nicely sets up the mystery of Vash for the first episode, and serves as a constant reminder that he isn't totally the goofy geek that he seems to be in the beginning. I don't know how they got electric guitars to sound so completely right with the Wild West setting, but they did it. Probably the only big problem is that one of the most important characters, Wolfwood, fails to make an appearance alongside Meryl, Milly, and Kuroneko-sama.

9. Revolutionary Girl Utena - Rinbu Revolution

I confess that "Utena" is my favorite anime series, and the opening is on this list because it's such a perfect tease for everything to come. The psychedelic spinning roses. The Student Council. The first hints of Utena and Anthy's unconventional relationship. It takes all the normal things we'd expect in a magical girl show, and just twists them ever so slightly. If you look closely, you actually have the entire plot laid out in the opening. The theme song suffers from a few too many odd English lyrics, but it sets the tone just right.

8. Ping Pong Club - Shanimuni Shake! Shake!

The madness of the Inachu Ping Pong Club, plus a wild opening number, equals a new dance craze just waiting to happen. I doubt anyone will understand half of the outrageous costumes and frantic cultural references, but you don't need to. The energy and the fun of the song rise above the cracked lyrics, strange imagery, and the general perversity of the characters. You won't even think about what you're actually singing when this tune gets stuck in your head. And it will. More importantly, the opening instantly dispells any notion you might have that you're going to be watching a serious show about ping pong.

7. Great Teacher Onizuka - Driver's High

All the "GTO" openings focus on Eikichi Onizuka's subversive behavior, but the first one seems to underline his particular philosophy of life the best. Done in black and white, and set to a rousing L'Arc en Ciel song, we watch him go about his business in a way that only the GTO could. The way he smokes, the way he rides his motorcycle, you can already get a sense of who he is, without a clue to the plot. It's very much like a mini-music video in the way the shots are used and composed, the simulations of different camera angles and lenses. The last shot (literally) is the icing on the cake.

6. Cowboy Bebop - Tank!

More than enough has been said about Yoko Kanno's fabulous score for "Cowboy Bebop" to fill phone books, and she deserves every word of praise. The jazz-saturated soundtrack is what drives much of this spectacular series, and the opening is no exception. With its fleeting glimpses of the characters and their fancy machines, the visuals aesthetic is somewhere between James Bond and Andy Warhol, but seems to have its strongest roots in "Lupin III," "Bebop's" most direct predecessor. But enough of overanalyzation. "Tank" is an adrenaline rush that mixes the old with the new, and really revs you up for more.

5. Child's Toy - 7 O'Clock News

There are simply not enough dance sequences in television anymore. "Child's Toy," gives us one of the good ones with its high-spirited opener, and a brief, but telling look at the two main characters in the process. I fail to see how anyone could resist the charms of the hyperactive Sana-chan, whose personality matches the show's theme song. Likewise, you see exactly how standoffish Hayama fits in this universe by the way he behaves in the sequence. With mascot Babbit leading the charge, it's a taste of the show's own special brand of zaniness, yet still somehow not as insane as the show itself!

4. Record of Lodoss Wars TV - Sea of Miracles

The show itself was a disappointment, but the opening is one of the most gorgeous pieces of anime ever made. Though there's very little action to speak of, you get a sense of the epic scope that the story wants to acheive, and the sheer size of the world of Lodoss. Straight away, it's obvious that this is going to be a show more concerned with its characters, than trumped-up fights or special effects. The theme is a bit sad and a bit strange, and lends a quiet sort of gravity to the proceedings that does make it feel very old and wonderful.

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion - Cruel Angel's Thesis

I like to think of "Cruel Angel's Thesis" as a peek into the brain of Anno, "Evangelion's" director. We get brief flashes and shapshots of nearly every character and plot development in the entire series, but mixed up and fragmentary so that it remains forever intriguing and unclear. This is certainly not your average giant robot anime, and the intensely introspective opener has little that resembles the usual Gundam and Macross hero shots. Of the theme, the only thing I can think to say is that it makes an impression very hard to forget, and is a perfect fit to the show.

2. Witch Hunter Robin - Shell

Strange as it may seem, I think the heart and soul of "Robin" is the opening sequence. The show itself is so tightly wrapped up in its own mysteries, little time is ever really devoted to the emotional side of the battles being fought. It's here that we see the depth of the nearly completely unacknowledged reationship between Robin and Amon. It's here that we see Robin's true character laid out without any masks or pretenses. The animation is nothing short of amazing and the theme song makes the heart ache. So brief, yet it has so much impact.

1. Hakkenden - Second Opening

Somber, slow, and almost impossible to find, but there's something very, very special about this one. Most will see it as a simple introduction to the eight major characters, plus one, who are the subject of the anime. The mood and the tone of the opening, however, is something else altogether. The music is a quiet, uncomplicated instrumental, but lends a steadiness and strength that is remarkable. Destiny is a major theme of the story, and you can literally see the threads of fate pulling everyone together. The graphics are simple, but impeccable. To be honest, I don't really know why this opening affects me so much, but it gets me every single time. The first and second openings are essentially the same, except for one reworked shot.

And. . . One Piece - Run! Run! Run! -

"One Piece" is one of those shows that you can't help but enjoy, and the second ending sequence is everything I love about it in a little over a minute. All the major characters get a moment to themselves in chibi form, chasing their dreams, and then we're treated to a typical chaotic morning aboard the Going Merry. It's cute, it's sweet, it's fun, and it's the ending sequence that always makes me want to see what happens next. There's nothing really special about the ending song, except that it works so nicely with the visuals, and that's really all that matters.