Summary
- Anime openings feature unique visuals and abstract scenes.
- Some anime openings can spoil important plot elements.
- Spoilers in the anime openings can actually build hype for the show.
Anime openings are always one of the coolest parts of a new show. Featuring incredible music, amazing visuals, and unique artwork of the characters, openings for most new anime feel like they should never be skipped. With new shows like Dandadan featuring some of the strongest opening music and artwork in the last few years, hype for even the simple opening of an anime is at an all-time high.
However, although anime openings are incredibly enjoyable to watch, many fans have noticed one negative aspect about them; they tend to spoil various plot elements of the show. While most fans want to sit back and watch each opening when it plays, many fans have to use various techniques, including changing tabs when the opening is playing, just to avoid these spoilers. While these spoilers are far from extreme, often only revealing small plot details, many fans are curious as to why these spoilers exist in the first place.
Related
Why the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Openings are Special
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is known for its amazing openings. Here’s why.
Anime Openings Are Abstract And Feature Unique Visuals
However Some Scenes Can Be Spoiled In Them
While anime openings, like the new Sakamoto Days opening, tend to be a bit more abstract than the show itself, making it harder to understand each scene to its fullest, oftentimes, they will play stylized scenes from later parts of the series. The assumption for these moments is that, without the proper context, these scenes don’t make much sense, and will only start to become more relevant as the plot develops. Due to this, the scenes in place aren’t really spoilers in the first place and are more akin to very unsubtle foreshadowing.
However, there are times when anime openings just simply show important plot elements that are going to come later in the series. For example, the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 2 opening shows the character Kars, who is normally susceptible to sunlight, perfectly fine in the sun, hinting at his future perfect form. Additionally, it shows Joseph tying Caesar’s bandana around his head and crying in agony, all but hinting the character is going to die. While this is an extreme example, shows like One Piece, Naruto, and many more iconic series do things like this all the time.
Many Shows Being Made Have Popular Manga
Those Watching The Show Read The Manga First
- Manga Make Spoilers For Anime Less Important
- Spoilers Can Actually Build Hype For A Show
Firstly, one of the main reasons that many people believe there are spoilers in the intros of anime is due to the fact that these series are based on iconic and incredibly popular manga. Shows like One Piece and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure have endured the test of time and have been around since the 90s and 80s respectively. Due to this, many fans who are watching the show are already familiar with the manga, so rather than making an opening for the show itself, the intro pays homage to the manga. This is especially apparent in Jojo’s openings, which frequently include various panels from the manga itself.
Related
Netflix’s One Piece Season Two Cast Adds Three More Names
Netflix’s successful live-action One Piece adaptation has been growing a lot lately, and the production just announced even more new faces being cast.
Other fans believe that spoilers aren’t nearly as big of a deal in some countries, and with a higher population of people who read the manga, like the incredible One Piece manga, of the series they are watching, putting a few spoilers in the intro is far less of a problem. In fact, including spoilers of important moments just builds the hype up more for those who have read it, hinting at the great scenes they know will come. Overall, this is just another tactic to get fans hooked on a show, teasing important things to come.
Some Series Have Deceptive Intros
Madoka Magica Feigns Innocence In Its Opening
However, at the same time, many series don’t include any spoilers in their opening and keep things intentionally vague. For example, the horror-thriller series, Madoka Magica, tricks its audience into believing it’s a cute Magical-Girl series, before revealing the more sinister and horrific tones it holds within. For many shows, it seems like these spoiler-filled intros are more of a thing for action shows rather than any other genre.
We Are! – An iconic One Piece opening
In the end, these seem to be the main reasons shows include spoilers and Easter Eggs in their intros. Mainly, while they try to keep it subtle, these moments are to help hook viewers into watching and build hype for those who have already read the manga. Although these moments can be annoying to some, for many others, spoilers in the intro create some of the most hyped moments an opening can have.
