Anime of 2010 (Music Awards)

The best OP, ED, soundtrack and anisong of 2010! For these awards, I'll also be listing a winner and a few runners up.



Music Awards

Best OP

Winner:

Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge - Sung by Yakushimaru Etsuko and directed by Nakamura Ryosuke, the same guy who did Mōryō no Hako and some episodes of Aoi Bungaku! Love that director, but did not expect him to surprise us with something so different from his usual.

Runners Up:

Angel Beats - The piano at the beginning is so touching and well animated. The OP goes well with the theme and setting of the anime itself.


Durarara!! OP1 - Awesome song by Theatre Brook! What's special about this is that they integrate a summary of the past episodes into the OP itself without stopping the music. Nice way to start each episode and ensures that I watch it week after week (to refresh my memory of what happened so far).


Kuragehime - Here's an example where many wrongs make a right. This OP is full of cool movie cliches and homages that actually tie in to the characters' personalities.


Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (Tatami Galaxy) - A cool song by Asian Kung Fu Generation and a unique looking OP. We take a tour through 4 and a half tatami mat rooms with all the major characters making an appearance.

Best ED

Winner:

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (Tatami Galaxy) - When I watched the first episode and saw this ending, I was totally floored. From beginning to end, the show managed to hook me, but the ED really sealed the deal here. As Watashi regrets his actions and wishes he could do something different, it cuts to a clock, the clock rewinds, we see a whirlwind of shots from this episode played backwards and SNAP! the ED cuts in. Brilliant execution and timing.

Runners Up:

Hanamaru Youchien ED6 - What does Gainax do when their animators get bored because they are forced to work with existing source material? They go all out on the ED. Every. Single. Episode. While this is certainly not the only example of episodic ED (Oreimo comes to mind), it is probably one of the best. The animation and art for each ED differs quite a lot and probably a large portion of the series budget was put into each and every one of them. Be sure to watch ED2, 4, 7 (Kobayashi Osamu?!) and 10 as well, especially 10.


K-ON!! ED1 - Among all of K-ON's OP and ED, this is the only one that I would say I truly love. The other OP and ED have nice animation, but the songs aren't that great. "No, Thank You", on the other hand is a great song, but the animation loses by a bit to this ED1.


Seitokai Yakuindomo - My first introduction to angela. Fast-paced song and great animation, this ED encompasses all that is wacky with this series.


Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru - Comedies this year seem to have appropriate OP and ED. Soredemo's make-shift maid band is explained in one of the episodes, but the song they play here is superior to that insert song. Interesting instruments and great vocals by Kon senpai!

Best Overall Soundtrack

Winner:

Angel Beats! - Awesome rock in the first few episodes and very well done ballads for all the important moments. Loved "Thousand Enemies" (a rock piece), "My Song" (a ballad) and the music that plays in the final scene.

Runners Up:
K-ON!! - Both "U and I" and "Pure Pure Heart" were great (and appropriate) insert songs. Much better than the OP songs actually.
Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt - A heart-thumping soundtrack to all the awesome action scenes! Gainax really knows how to mix music and action.

Best Overall Song

Winner:

Maigo Inu to Ame no Beat - Asian Kung Fu Generation (Tatami Galaxy) - Love this band! The song has a nice beat to it and in their PV they were... weird. Which fits Tatami Galaxy well! lol

Runners Up:
D Rock City - Debra Zeer (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt) - Was animated in episode 10. Well sung English vocals and appropriately dirty lyrics.
Kimi no Kirei ni Kizuite Okure - Sambomaster (Kuragehime) - I'll forever remember Sambomaster as the nerd band. One look at their lead singer and you'll be wondering if he could sing. Well, he can. Pretty damn good at it too.
Koko Dake no Hanashi - Chatmonchy (Kuragehime) - I like the pauses and timing of this catchy song.
Uragiri no Yuuyake - Theatre Brook (Durarara!!) - Awesome band, and awesome song to play on Drum/Guitar Freaks (come on Konami!)