Top 20 Best Naruto Opening Themes

Snowkel

Our first opening may have aired during “Naruto”’s dreaded filler saga, but it’s still a solid theme. The music is energetic and somewhat wistful, with lyrics that, according to the translations we’ve read, touch on a wind that connects old friends. The visuals begin with Naruto and his friends in a more shadowed artstyle with a bit of a handheld feeling to the “camera.” After a montage of Naruto running overlaid on key events throughout the show thus far, the song winds down with he and his peers staring at the night sky. The group then puts their hands together and sets off. The recycled footage holds it back a bit, but it’s nevertheless an opening we’re fond of.

Ikimonogakari

“Glow of a Firefly” has an air of oddly cheerful gloominess throughout that makes for good introductory music. It is also notable for its uncommon focus on Sasuke, as it aired during his return to prominence in the story; revealing his new teammates and teasing several plot developments. While a love song may be an unusual choice for a “Naruto” theme, particularly one that spotlights a stoic figure like Sasuke, it actually really works here.

Hound Dog

“R★O★C★K★S” is nostalgic for several reasons. For one, it’s the original “Naruto” opening, so it essentially introduced the series. It gave us our first look at the core four characters - Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. For another, its slow burn, crooning rock sound feels like something you’d hear in a karaoke bar during the ‘80s. While that makes it something of an odd duck among the more contemporary rock and pop heard throughout the rest of the franchise, it certainly makes it distinctive and memorable. I mean, “COME ON!” It’s a great opening to groove out to.

7!! Seven Oops

As its name implies, “Lovers” is a love song, albeit one with a fast pace and a melancholy air to it. The most striking recurring image of the opening features Sakura halfway between Sasuke and Naruto atop a floating mountain which splits down the middle. The physical gulf between them nicely symbolizes their broken friendship. Interspersed between all these shots are images of the various groups involved in the Five Kage Summit arc, as well as several action moments. While not as “loved” as some other openings, “Lovers” manages to evoke plenty of passion whenever we watch it.

Sambomaster

The first and only “Boruto” opening to make our list, “Hajimatteiku Takamatteiku” is easily the best opening in its series thus far. The song is relatively mellow, and features lyrics about looking towards the future and finding your own way, which fits the tone of the series well. The visuals on the other hand feature striking imagery of the Hokage monument being destroyed, as well as action scenes involving Boruto and his friends. The villain group Kara also features prominently. The style on display also pays tribute to several “Naruto” openings of the past, most prominently one we’ll be talking about later, sung by the same band as this one.

Hata Motohiro

“Naruto Shippuden”’s seventh opening, “A World That Was Transparent” is framed around Jiraiya writing his story. We see it passed along to Naruto who is in training, as well as shots of Pain, Jiraiya’s other student. The bulk of the action on screen is devoted to various Konoha ninjas fighting off Pain’s assault on the village, before concluding with Naruto confronting him. The music, on the other hand, is driven by a strong, upbeat acoustic guitar and lyrics that speak of loss. Overall, it’s an opening that fits the tone of the arc it depicts perfectly while also drawing you in to want to watch more.

Flow

Most openings usually have some spoilers, but this one doesn’t! Sure, that’s because it’s from filler, but that doesn’t make it bad in the least! The opening begins dramatically with a POV shot running out of the woods and into the sunlight. Most of it features introductions to nearly every major character in the show to this point, along with showing off each of the young ninja’s special moves (ahem, except Sakura). Add in an awesome, enthusiastic J-Rock song and you’ve got an opening that feels like it could encapsulate the whole of the first part of Naruto’s story!

DOES

An opening during the war arc, “Crimson Lotus” is driven heavily by its drums giving it a punchy, discordant feeling that offsets its sorrowful vocals. It also features heavy verses about persistence in the face of the battle between light and dark. It’s both a lament of the present state of affairs, as well as a promise to overcome them. This theme is carried through to the visuals, which emphasize rivalries and conflicts using a wavering black line to separate characters. Some moments also play with focus and saturation, which give them a dream-like quality – which is appropriate, given the villains’ goals.

LONG SHOT PARTY

If that title doesn’t sound familiar, perhaps you know it as “YOU ARE MY FRIEND!” This line, the vocals in general, as well as the music can be something of an assault on the senses, but its intensity is what makes it so memorable. Naturally, the lyrics emphasize friendship, dreams, and bonds, which carries through to the visuals. It’s bookended nicely with Naruto and Sasuke walking towards each other, both in their pre and post-time skip looks. In between there’s shots of the new Team 7, as well as…uh…naked Sasuke covered in snakes…“Distance” shouldn’t work on paper, given that it can feel like a cacophony of imagery, loud vocals, and instruments. Yet somehow all these disparate elements come together to make a great opening.

Sambomaster

Airing during the climatic arc in the first half of “Naruto,” before filler-hell of course, this theme captures the urgency experienced by Naruto and his friends as they try to bring Sasuke, who has gone rogue in his quest for power, back to the village. Above all, the song and animation convey the nostalgia and angst-ridden turmoil experienced by Naruto now that he is forced to fight against his former friend; making it seem like the true end of an era.

Flow

Often referred to by viewers as “Fighting Dreamers,” “GO!!!” just has a lot of get up and…go. The song is a straight up awesome rock song that’s so catchy it might as well be a crime! While visually it’s not as complex as most other openings, given that it features a lot of static images of the characters, it still presents them in an entertaining way. The opening unfolds from left to right like a scroll and the characters either become part of it, or run alongside it, which offers opportunities for gags. “GO!!!” is so energetic, cheerful, and fun that it gets you excited for some “Naruto” every time! And anyone who says they didn’t try to sing along with it is LYING!

Joe Inoue

Naruto Shippuden’s fourth opening, “Closer” is, right from its hauntingly ethereal first notes, a great song. The lyrics are generally inspirational, emphasizing the importance of life and savoring it while we can. This message matches quite well with the storyline it is set against, namely prominent side-characters Team 10, especially Shikamaru, dealing with the loss of their teacher, Asuma. With its stirring message, and goosebumps-inducing melody, this one was an essential pick.

Asian Kung-Fu Generation

One of the final “Naruto Shippuden” themes, “Blood Circulator” is a fantastic rock song, with strong vocals, guitar work, and emphatic drums. The lyrics espouse the attitude that one should not give up in the face of despair, which matches up perfectly with the climactic final battles. The visuals focus primarily on darkness enveloping the extended cast, with Naruto slowly sinking, both literally and figuratively, to join them. However, the efforts of his teammates in combating the shadowy foes lift his spirits such that he gains the will to fight back too.

Ikimonogakari

Appropriately enough, this opening uses a blue bird, as a thematic element; with the bird and its feathers acting as a transitory device between images. Apart from the usual character introductions, the visuals also focus on the fight between members of the villain group Akatsuki and ninjas from Konoha, in an event that ultimately results in the death of certain comrades. The song itself has a very unique sound, supplementing its strong vocals with a lot of string instruments and even a harmonica. “Blue Bird’s'' distinctive, emotional music and beautiful animation definitely make it worth repeat viewings.

NICO Touches the Walls

Although not as varied as some of our other entries with respect to animation style or cuts, “Diver” makes up for this by vividly capturing the spirit of its lyrics, which touch on sinking in despair, with near continuous imagery of Naruto slowly drowning, surrounded by enemies. However, while Naruto is eventually lifted up and above the water, by his friends, Sasuke remains underwater, unsupported by anyone, leaving it up to Naruto to pull him up. “Diver” essentially sums up the character arcs of its protagonist and his rival in a way that is metaphorical, a feast for the eyes, and a pleasure to listen to.

Nobodyknows

The first opening for “Naruto Shippuden,” the aptly titled “Hero’s Come Back!!” revealed the new, more mature looks for the characters after the two-year time skip between “Naruto” and its sequel show. This maturity is reflected both in the song, which has a darker and more intense air about it than those openings that preceded it, even including rap sections, as well as the visuals, which consist of a variety of styles, some of which are presented with rough or monochrome animation. Overall, this opening did a good job of renewing our excitement for the story and what would happen next to the orange-clad ninja.

NICO Touches the Walls

One of more visually striking entries on our list, this opening, set against the backdrop of the long running war arc, features several recurring elements. The first is the five Kage, the strongest ninjas in the “Naruto” world, who are all introduced onscreen and shown in a dynamic fight scene with Madara Uchiha, one of the chief villains. The other major element is the contrast of light and darkness. The lyrics emphasize hope, and help reinforce the message that Naruto, who reveals a glowing new transformation by the theme’s end, is the best chance to win the war.

Flow

This is an intro that gets straight to the point, emphasizing its message of loss with its nostalgic footage of Naruto and Sasuke with their loved ones. After some brief, establishing character shots, the bulk of the video is devoted to excellently animated fight scenes, showing the battles that will ultimately claim the lives of both Jiraiya and Itachi. The song, despite its somber lyrics, has an upbeat and energetic attitude about it, giving the characters’ last fights, and the profound effect their deaths will have on Naruto and Sasuke, a somewhat bittersweet feeling.

Asian Kung-Fu Generation

It’s difficult to quantify what makes this opening so great, but we’ll give it a try. The visuals begin with images of Naruto, his teammates, and their teacher. We are also treated to some action beats and foreshadowed plot points. The song meanwhile has a tone and lyrics indicative of angry youth, the desire to kick things up a notch and prove oneself. This fits perfectly as a theme for the arc, which was all about the young ninjas demonstrating their skills, and also because this was when “Naruto” really took off.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Turning Sadness Into Kindness”
Little by Little

“Newsong”
tacica

“BAKU”
Ikimonogakari

“Size of the Moon”
Nogizaka46

“Wind”
Yamazaru

Kana-Boon

This is the big one folks! “Silhouette” is a masterpiece of an opening! It feels like a culmination of the series to this point - from the opening montage of stylized character faces, to the numerous flashbacks to earlier moments in the story, to showing the growth of the two main villains and Naruto himself. The rest of the visuals are superbly animated, using various styles and featuring beautiful fight scenes. The song pairs perfectly with the animation, evoking sadness, optimism, gravity, and momentum all at once! If “Silhouette” is a silhouette of anything, it’s the outline of what a “Naruto” opening should be!