Pace can mean the difference between an enthralling introduction and a brief stop along your episode for the week. The differences in openings (OPs) between shows from the east and the west are many. However, length is a defining factor. Some play on the element of time, claiming that the faster you get into the meat of the actual program, the better. Others support the emotional impact that a longer title screen can hold. A number of iconic anime have obtained their fame in no small part due to an iconic theme song. Hunter X Hunter’s “Departure!” is a perfect example. The sight of a high-energy opening can have viewers raring to go by the time an actual fight scene starts. Or, like in Kaguya-sama: Love is War, it can even tell a micro-narrative of its own. But although there are many more examples in support of the longer OP, today is the age of the streaming service, and they have clearly elected the shorter style as champion. Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, Ozark and many more have all relied upon a unique take of what is essentially a single title card. These are artistic expressions, beautiful in their own right, but far from the 3- to 4-minute odysseys of animation that other shows provide. So which reigns supreme? Like many of these debates, it depends on the subject matter. The Mandalorian’s cut-throat aesthetic is not paired well with the pomp and circumstance of an all-out animated opening. The solitary title card completes the mood. At the same time the charm of Naruto’s openings are a needed part of eliciting hype from the fans. We all have our preferences because, well, we prefer different shows too.
1 Comment
homer something something
11/18/2020 04:15:46 am
what?! no simpsons mention?
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AuthorMcRae Walker, an 20-year-old writer and lover of many dorky topics. Archives
September 2022
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