Hello and welcome to Project Nitsuj. Today, we’re giving our final shout out to 2017 by taking a look at the top 11 anime endings. Why top 11? Because just like someone else I too like to go one step beyond. Much like openings have gotten better and creative over the years, the same can be said for anime endings. What was once meant to help fill in the 24-minute mark has now become a part of the anime we look forward to watching once an episode ends. While this list wasn’t as hard to make as the openings list, this list still had me second guessing myself on which endings I wanted to put on the list and where they should be ranked. Let’s get this list on the roll, these are the top 11 anime endings of 2017.
#11. “Wanna Go Home” from Konosuba S2
https://youtu.be/_0KAFzm9MJE (full)
This song serves as a sequel to the first ending. Once again the song is just so relaxing to listen to and helps you unwind after a long day at work. I especially like how the song is sung from the perspective of Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin who are all very good singers and have their spots to shine in the song. Each of their voices sound so distinct from the other and gives us something new. Like Darkness has a more mature and soothing tone than the others, Megumin has a more child-like innocence to it, and Aqua is more sweet and cheerful. All of these voices combine create a soothing song that I recommend you play on your drive home from work or school.
#10. “Keshin no Kemono” from Juuni Taisen
https://youtu.be/B41DKRNEYnA (full)
One of the underrated endings from 2017 but one that I really did enjoy listening to. The song is mesmerizing to listen to. My favorite part is the visuals where we see everybody just doing everyday things like go on a hike, grab a snack at the store down the street, or build a ship in a bottle. All these pictures are interesting and help give us an inside look into the characters showing us that outside of fighting on the battlefield they’re close to being normal people (some of them at least).
#9. “Dakara Hitori Janai” My Hero Academia S2
Here’s a heartwarming song. While the second ending of season 2 was more creative and cool I actually found myself enjoying the peaceful nature of the first ending more. I just love how it focuses on the six main girls in the class and how they have a bond with each other that’s much better than what the boys have. We see them train together, walk home together, and push each other to do better which results in them blowing the boys away like nothing. Hopefully, when the third season comes around, we get an ending that focuses on the boys and a song that fits them perfectly.
#8. “Tabi no Hidarite, Saihate no Migite” Made in Abyss
https://youtu.be/vxo9WOU_J14 (full)
Once again the anime continues to deceive us by having a cute song sung by our two MCs all while giving it that friendly and child-like animation that makes you feel happy. The song is very upbeat and cheerful and to fair it is nice to hear this after you get done watching an episode (especially after episodes 10-13) to help calm your nerves and give you that sense of peace. It’s a deceiving ending but I more than welcome it.
#7. “Aoi Honoo” from Black Clover
https://youtu.be/9v2Dthlaesw (full)
I enjoyed this ending quite a lot. I always looked forward to listening to it whenever an episode ended. I especially like the beginning with the piano, it really sets the mood for what’s to come and puts your mind on ease. On top of that the singer is great. This is definitely a great ending that feels you up with emotions.
#6. “Windy” from Shoukoku no Altair
Unavailable. Chemistry songs are very hard to find.
Getting Chemistry to do a soothing ending song for the anime. What can go wrong? Nothing, and this song proves that. It’s been a while since I’ve heard them sing that I’ve forgotten just how good these are and well their voices match up with each other. The song is smooth and a joy to listen to. The visuals match up perfectly with the song and tell a story that’s fun to watch and see unfold before our very eyes. It’s another one of those endings I always look forward to hearing after an episode.
#5. “Seishun Prologue” from Saekano S2
Okay this might be cheating but how I can I not put this on the list? It’s Ai Kayano and Saori Oonishi singing together. It’s like landing on Free Parking in Monopoly and getting the huge pot of money. While the song may only have been used once in the anime there’s no doubt it was amazing to listen to and after everything that happened in season 2 it only seems fitting to have these two sing an ending song. The song as you would expect is great and conveys the feelings the girls have for the MC and their desire to get him to notice their obvious feelings for him. It’s because of stuff like this and their roles in the second season it makes me wish that this would have been the official ending of the season.
#4. “Jikan wa Mado no Mukougawa” from Chrono Ruler
If I had to sum up this song in one word it would be beautiful. The melody in the first minute of this song is so enchanting and beautiful to listen to. Hell, it’s so good that even the characters are listening to it with smiles on their face. After that, the rest picks on the pace and shifts gears to give us something that while not as good as that first minute is still enjoyable to listen to and conveys the feelings of our characters. The reviews for this anime are pretty bad but one can’t deny that this ending was beautiful and one of the saving graces of this anime.
#3. “Satō-dama no Tsuki” from Kino’s Journey (2017)
How did this series get Nagi Yanagi to sing the opening and ending theme? That’s incredible. While the opening may have come up short in my top 11 anime openings list, the ending sure as hell made it. Why? For starters it’s Nagi Yanagi, she has the voice of an angel. Second, it’s a beautiful ending song that matches up perfectly with the series. The series isn’t all about being big or flashing but instead asking you to sit down and think about your life and how you live. The ending is perfect at giving you a chance to take in everything that happened in the anime and let you think about it. Thought provoking, beautiful, and meaningful. This song, singer, and anime were a match made in Heaven.
#2. “More One Night” from Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou
https://youtu.be/Yq1JsmrC_LQ (full)
Okay, I enjoyed this song way more than I thought I would. It’s catchy and fun-loving which is something I wasn’t expecting but that’s kind of the anime in a nutshell. Given the anime’s subject matter you would expect something dark but instead we get something that’s light-hearted and fun to listen to. I was listening to this song while bobbing my head to the melody and smiling all throughout the song. It’s an enjoyable song that reminds us that despite everything bad going on in our lives, life is still worth living.
And the number 1 anime ending is. . .
#1. “Step Up LOVE” from Kekkai Sensen
https://youtu.be/wsl8HS_lVHE (full)
It was obvious. No other song comes close to beating this song. This song is just so much fun to listen to. The rapping is on point, the song is a perfect fit for the anime, and you never get tired of listening to it. It’s amazing to see just how far Daoko has come in just one year from being barely known to a top idol. The beat is just so catchy to listen to and the visuals are a joy to watch as they’re creative and give away spoilers for what’s to come. While the first ending is the better of the two, this one is still great to listen to and proves once again that the people behind Kekkai Sensen know how to pick their openings and endings.
And that’s my list. Did I leave any out? If so, you know the drill. With this, I bid farewell to 2017 and welcome 2018. What awaits me in the future? Who knows? One thing’s for sure, I’ll keep moving forward, and supplying blogs and laughs in the days to come. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.
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