Pokémon is the most profitable media franchise of all time and has become an instantly recognizable icon of pop culture. The long-running Pokémon anime has played a major role in cementing the franchise’s iconic status. The Pokémon anime has created many memorable moments, sometimes even from the very first notes of its episodes’ opening songs. The best Pokémon openings stand out above the rest and have made strong first impressions for some of the anime’s best seasons.
There have been two dozen different Pokémon seasons, each with a different opening song. That’s not counting the fact that each opening has an original Japanese version and multiple localized versions for international audiences. English-speaking audiences may not be familiar with the original Japanese openings that were either rewritten or replaced entirely in the localization process, but Pokémon should be aware that the original Japanese version of the Pokémon anime has produced some truly excellent openings.
10 Under the Alolan Sun
Sun & Moon‘s first English opening
Much like the Sun & Moon games were the biggest change to the series’ established gameplay formula up to that point, Alola is probably the most distinct region introduced in Pokémon so far. To reflect this, the first Sun & Moon opening is the most musically distinct. Like most of the English openings, the song itself only lasts about half a minute, but the unique tropical musical style helps it stand out musically from the other English openings. Although it’s sadly brief to accommodate the opening’s short runtime, “Under the Alolan Sun” features a great dance sequence starring the main human and Pokémon characters from the Sun & Moon season
9 Be an Arrow!
Best Wishes‘ second Japanese opening.
Perhaps referencing the old Japanese proverb that three arrows together are much harder to snap than one arrow by itself, the lyrics of the song compare the three human leads of the season based on Pokémon Black and White to arrows. Ash is a dashing arrow, Iris is a nimble arrow, and Cilan is a thinking arrow. “Be an Arrow!” is unusually poetic and metaphorical for a Pokémon opening. At the same time, it has less musical grandeur but is more uplifting than the typical Pokémon opening. Conceptually and thematic, “Be an Arrow!” does more than enough to help differentiate itself and stand out from the other Pokémon openings.
8 V (Volt)
XY‘s first Japanese opening.
Beginning with a list of all the Pokémon types, “V (Volt)” features impressively fast-paced vocals. Lyrically, it’s a fairly standard song about Ash’s unwavering determination, sense of adventure, and bonds with his Pokémon and human friends. Musically, it’s a bit of a change of pace from other Pokémon openings, being a bit softer and more pop music-influenced than most of the other openings. The greatest strength of “V (Volt)” as an opening is the animated sequence that accompanies the song. The animation is excellent, numerous Pokémon are shown on screen, and Ash, his friends, and even Team Rocket get some focus that helps to establish their personalities.
7 1, 2, 3
Journey‘s first Japanese opening.
“1, 2, 3” is probably the Pokémon opening that gives the most focus to somebody other than Ash, reflecting the fact that Journeys controversially saw Ash basically split the spotlight with Goh. Fittingly, the song itself is a duet performed by After the Rain, who first rose to prominence on the Japanese video-sharing website Niconico. While perhaps not quite as memorable musically as some of the other Pokémon openings, “1, 2, 3” is accompanied by quality animation featuring some funny and endearing dance sequences with the cast of characters introduced in Journeys.
6 Alola!!
Sun & Moon‘s first Japanese opening.
Thanks to being a credentialed and established singer, Ash’s Japanese voice actor Rica Matsumoto has performed several of the anime’s Japanese openings. In addition to vocals by Matsumoto, the Sun & Moon anime’s first opening also features interjections from Ikue Otani as Ash’s Pikachu. The song takes the form of Ash explaining the premise of the series with Pikachu providing a running commentary. Like most of the Pokémon openings, it’s musically catchy and memorable, but it stands out in particular for probably being the best use of the actual characters and really leans into the bond between Ash and Pikachu by being performed in character.
5 Heart-Pounding Diary
Pokémon Horizon‘s first Japanese opening.
Pokémon Horizons in general has remained true to the spirit of Ash’s adventures while also establishing its new main characters’ distinct personalities. Similarly, “Heart-Pounding Diary” nicely establishes that while the general concept of a Pokémon adventure is still driving the series, Liko is a very different protagonist than Ash. The music and vocals are softer and less intense than the openings for the seasons focusing on Ash were, and the lyrics are generally more introspective and even more vulnerable. Ash wanted to be the best, Liko wants to grow as a person. “Heart-Pounding Diary” does a very good job setting up the tonal and thematic differences in Pokémon Horizons compared to the original series.
4 Spurt!
Ruby & Sapphire‘s fifth Japanese opening.
The lyrics of the song are performed in character as Ash — named Satoshi in Japanese, after Pokémon’s creator Satoshi Tajiri — by Rica Matsumoto. In a vacuum, “Spurt!” is the Pokémon opening that feels the most like a quintessential anime opening. The lyrics are fairly non-specific to Pokémon and tonally, the music could fit with any remotely action-oriented shōnen anime. It’s less that it’s a generic piece of music and more that it has enough grandeur and style to thematically fit with any sort of adventure story.
3 Diamond and Pearl
English opening of the anime’s tenth season.
Rap-based songs have been fairly common in the English version of the Pokémon anime. Early seasons featured the memorable and endearing PokéRAP segments. While the “Diamond and Pearl” opening may not be the anime’s first foray into the genre, it’s the best. The opening itself is rather short, but both the vocals and the musical track are catchy and make quite the impression in such a short time. Ending on the lyrics “We can change the world” is also quite uplifting and optimistic, giving the song a surprisingly powerful emotional core.
2 Aim to Be a Pokémon Master
The anime’s first Japanese opening.
The anime’s first Japanese opening, “Aim to be a Pokémon Master”, is probably the best piece of Pokémon-related music most English-speaking fans have never heard. Another opening featuring vocals by Rica Matsumoto singing from the point of view of Ash and a musical track that feels like it’s from a 90s Street Fighter stage, “Aim to be a Pokémon Master” has a markedly different feel from the equivalent English opening but is undeniably catchy and makes a similarly strong first impression of the anime’s early episodes. Fittingly, the original “Aim to be a Pokémon Master” was used as the basis for the original Japanese opening of Ash’s final story arc.
1 Pokémon Theme
Unofficially called “Gotta Catch ‘Em All”, the very first English opening.
“I want to be the very best, like no one ever was” are the words that introduced Pokémon to a generation of fans. This first English opening was powerful enough to help those fans immediately buy into the premise, even before they really understood what a Pokémon was. Many Pokémon fans who were first introduced to the series hearing the iconic opening in the anime’s very first English episode have been following Ash’s journey the entire time all the way to his iconic win at the World Coronation series, a moment destined to go down as one of the greatest scenes in pop culture history.
Admittedly, the “Pokémon Theme” is absolutely goofy, cheesy, and melodramatic. In that way, it’s a perfect time capsule of a lot of trends in 90s anime dubs. On the other hand, it’s presented with the utmost sincerity and becomes legitimately engaging and compelling. As silly as the lyrics are, it’s not for nothing that they’ve been burned into the minds of a generation of anime fans, who can likely still recite the song from memory even three decades later.
Thanks to part to having been consistently popular for three decades, Pokémon has produced some unforgettable moments, including some absolutely amazing musical pieces. In both Japanese and English, the Pokémon soundtrack has some fantastic and iconic songs. The best Pokémon openings are destined to be remembered as some the best songs in anime history.
