Now that both the Attack on Titan anime and manga series have concluded, it’s finally time to look back at all off the iconic anime openings and determine the best of the bunch. Here are all of the Attack on Titan openings, ranked from worst to best.
8. My War by Shinsei Kamattechan (Final Season)
I want to make it absolutely clear that this is not a bad opening by any stretch of the imagination; it’s just so completely different to what fans have become accustomed to with Attack on Titan that opening the final season with this felt like it came out of left field. My War takes a completely different musical direction from the other hyped up openings of the season, and more importantly, we barely see any Titans, which can feel a bit jarring for a show that’s all about the horror of the Titans.
That said, it’s a necessary opening for the show, especially because the first half focuses so heavily on Marley and the Warriors. The opening gives us a good sense of what the vibe is like in Marley, and also sets the tone for what would be an incredibly harrowing season.
7. Jiyuu no Tsubasa by Linked Horizon (Season 1)
Attack on Titan started off so strong with Linked Horizon’s Guren no Yumiya, such that when we got into the second half of season 1, Jiyuu no Tsubasa just felt like a watered down version of that song. Again, this isn’t a bad opening by any means, it just feels a lot messier than the former, and I can’t help but wish we’d just stuck with Guren no Yumiya for the entirety of season 1.
That said, there are plenty of cool scenes to be found in here, especially the ominous shot of the Female Titan herself, who proves to be the perfect antagonist to cap off Attack on Titan’s debut season.
6. Under the Tree by SiM (Final Season)
Attack on Titan’s final season ramped things up with its latter two opening songs. The final opening song of the show, titled Under the Tree, is an intense and emotional culmination of everything that’s happened up to this point. It starts off with scenes in both Paradis and Marley, showcasing the wrath of the Titans, followed by the Rumbling itself while intercut with shots of Eren as a young, innocent boy.
While I’m not a fan of the song itself personally, there’s no denying that this song is the perfect encapsulation of Eren himself. There are also shades of Mikasa in here, which is fitting, given the important role she plays right at the end of the story.
5. The Rumbling by SiM (Final Season)
If you hated My War, The Rumbling must’ve felt like a return to form as far as Attack on Titan openings are concerned. It’s not as hyped up as Linked Horizon’s works, but it’s not supposed to be. This is a terrifying, intense, heavy metal screamo song that’s meant to show Eren’s transformation from a young boy to a seemingly emotionless man who just wants to flatten the Earth.
We get shots of Eren’s growth yet again, interspersed with scenes of the Scouts fighting to reach out to him and make him see reason. It’s also the first opening that really showed us what Eren is capable of once he starts the titular Rumbling, and it’s genuinely scary.
4. Shinzou wo Sasageyo! by Linked Horizon (Season 2)
One of the most iconic songs from Attack on Titan, inspired by a line from Erwin himself, it’s impossible to listen to Shinzou wo Sasageyo! and not feel psyched up as hell. Season 2 might’ve felt like a disappointment for some, given how long it took to finally release and its shorter length, but it’s an important season nonetheless.
This is the first watershed event for the show, where we finally get answers to some big questions, as well as plenty of focus on the Scouts themselves. The opening starts off with beautiful shots of all the Scouts getting dressed and ready to venture out, and you get a real sense of unity among these characters, which is ironic when you know what’s coming next.
3. Shoukei to Shikabane no Michi by Linked Horizon (Season 3)
Attack on Titan’s third season ends with an explosive showdown at Shiganshina, where it all began. So what better way than to kick things off with another Linked Horizon song? Especially one that features motifs from iconic songs like Guren no Yumiya and Shinzou wo Sasageyo!.
The entire half of this season is dedicated to the fight between the Scouts and the Beast Titan, Betholdt, and Reiner, and the stakes have never been higher. Winning this battle means finally uncovering the truth behind the Titans and what lies beyond the walls, and the opening is able to capture that feeling perfectly. There are fast cuts between the fights, the sand, and the sea, but it ends with an ominous shot of the stairs leading down to the Jaegers’ basement, where our protagonists will finally learn everything Grisha has been hiding.
2. Red Swan by YOSHIKI feat. HYDE (Season 3)
Yet another opening that gets quite a bit of flack, Red Swan is an excellent song and a huge departure from what you’d normally expect from Attack on Titan. If I had my way, this would be at the top of the ranking, but I’ll settle for second place.
Season 3 marks the biggest twist and turning point for the series, and it’s only appropriate that we get an opening that feels introspective and reflective on everything that’s happened so far. This opening focuses on the childhood innocence of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa, contrasted with Eren’s growing stoicness and determination to find out what’s behind the walls. It marks the loss of innocence as we pave the way for a much darker story.
1. Guren no Yumiya by Linked Horizon (Season 1)
You all knew this was coming, and here it is. This is the song and the opening that really put Attack on Titan on the map, and for good reason.
Guren no Yumiya is by far the most popular song in Attack on Titan, and even if you’ve never watched the series or know the first thing about it, once Guren no Yumiya plays, you’ll just know what anime it’s from. Apart from being one of the most legendary hype songs in anime history, it’s also an excellent opening that sets the stage for what’s to come. Titans! Scouts! Walls! People fighting! People dying! We have everything we could possibly want out of the show condensed into this sub-two-minute clip of non-stop action.
Guren no Yumiya is practically synonymous with Attack on Titan. There is no Attack on Titan without Guren no Yumiya. And while the show does eventually outgrow the tone of Linked Horizon’s energetic, upbeat tunes, we always come back to Shiganshina.
And that’s our ranking of all the Attack on Titan openings from worst to best. Disagree with our picks? Let us know in the comments down below!
