Favourite English Opening(s)?

[360]

I voted for 3 and in order they go:

1) Born to be a winner
2) Battle Frontier
3) I want to be a hero

I do like them all except the D&P which I can't stand at all. They butchered that one.

 

[peno]

To be honest, Johto Journeys opening is the only dub song I really like. I don't care to much about other dub songs, with only exception for DP opening and Pokémon world which are the only dub openings I really don't like. Yes, I really hate rap and everything even slightly related to it. That's how I am, so kill me if you don't like it:lol:

 

[ashita]

i personally think my favourite is born to be a winner because it is one of the few englissh theme songs that reli set the tone of the show very well in the way the japanese thems such as batoru furontia (apologies for spelling there) manage all the time

 

[uncutpokemon]

i don't like the dub songs. the Japanese songs are much much better then the dub ones. the dubbers should just keep the Japanese songs intact, or dub them in English!

 

[offkilter06]

Well I voted for three (yay for indecisiveness!) Didn't know if we were counting in movie openings as well, but it does influence my decision.

Gotta vote for the original. I still love to blare that song with my windows down going down the road or driving around campus. It's just so darn fun. Same with the movie version.

Born to Be a Winner: I've always adored this one, especially going back to original lyrics. The movie version is what really won me over on this one. I wish there would have been an official soundtrack release for 4Ever, because I would have bought it just for that song.

This Dream: It's just peppy and I didn't really care for Unbeatable, so this was refreshing when I saw it.

Least favorites for me:

Pokemon World: Waaaaaay to pop-ish. It's fun occasionally, but more than once or twice and I have to put it away for a while.

Diamond and Pearl Rap: Ech. It tries too hard in my opinon. And I shouldn't let it bother me, but the clip with them up in the tree just bothers the heck out of me. Every week I scream at my TV (or computer) 'WTF? Why are they in a tree?!'. Is it dumb reasoning, probably, but it's mine

 

[Kazamatsuri]

You forgot to put Pokemon! Go! for Mastermind (also the Battle Frontier ending theme) and the remixed version of P-O-K-E-M-O-N for Pokemon Chronicles

I cast my vote for my top three, but I'll go down the list.

3. Whole New World

My absolute favorite. It looks like the dubbers really put effort into this one. And the fact (IMO) that it really captures the same feel as its Japanese counterpart helps as well.

7. This Dream

Almost as good as Whole New World. It has a really unique style that distiguishes it from the other openings.

5. I Believe

I know this song isn't high on many people's lists. And I'm also well aware that vocalist got lazy with the lyrics in the full version heard in Latios. But I just had to have this song high on my list given awesome instrumentals that go with the song.

1. Gotta Catch em' All

This song is actually a lot better than people give it credit for IMO. It's not great, but it's certainly memorable for being the first opening. And it's worth listening to in order to get into the series.

9. Battle Frontier

The first PUSA opening on my list. It's short (even tthe extended version) but catchy and worth listening to.

8. I'm Unbeatable

I'll admit, the instumentals are very catchy, and if not for the lyrics, I probably would have had this song on my top three list. I mean, if you listen to the vocals, the make the hero (who I believe this song is supposed to represent) sound like a conceited jerk.

2. Pokemon World

Truthfully speaking, I'm not too fond of rap when it comes to TV openings. But in this case, it's about as good as it gets, which is the only reason it's not at the bottom of my list.

Mastermind. Pokemon! Go!

While I didn't care much for the portion used in the original airing of Mastermind and the BF ending, the song in it's entirety isn't too terrible IMO.

4. Born to be a Winner

All I can say is WTF. The lyrics are mostly just copied and pasted from the first open, which is really lazy IMO (then again, the Japanese counterpart was just an alternate version of their first opening, so I guess 4Kids decided to follow suit). And the instrumentals are just meh. I'm surprised that this song is actually high on other people's lists, but I guess that's the way it is.

10. DP Rap

Ugh, did they really have to start off a new series generation with a rap opening.

6. I Wanna be a Hero

Speaking of first openings for new generations that are bad, I didn't find anything memarable about the series' sixth opening. I know others will disagree, but I found it to be just forgettable.

Pokemon Chronicles. P-O-K-E-M-O-N Remix

And now for the worst Pokemon Opening of all time. And a possible contender for all time worst Anime opening. I guess the golden rule is that a terrible series must be preceded by a terrible opening. I mean, WTF were the producers thinking. Not is it just a lame remix of the Johto Pokerap but the song isn't even that good to begin with.

 

[Snake Bandage]

My favorite... I think I'll choose Born To Be A Winner. The visuals are original and effing pretty, and the song is catchy and has a good beat.

Other songs I like... Gotta Catch 'Em All is classic, it makes me feel all nostalgic. Whole New World has a nice happy tune and really does give me that whole spirit of a "new adventure" kind of thing. And then I Want To be A Hero and This Dream... I'm biased, I love the guy who sang these for the Israeli dub. But they're fun, I really like their sound.

I appreciate PUSA's work, but their music sucks like a two-dollar whore.

 

[Ashfangirl17]

My favorite has to be Gotta Catch em All Heck I sing it a lot. My second favorite has to be Born to be a Winner. Than third favorite would be Pokemon World. I like the others but these are my top favorites.

 

[Amazed4587]

I like "I Wanna Be A Hero" the best, but only I wished they had a full version of it.

But tied with it would be the Johto A Whole New World, another fave and I love the remix of it!

 

[Yamato-san]

But gawd-damit, if I have to hear the 1st season song again.... besides it's been overused. People try to sing it on youtube (and look awful and dumb) and the show has an unfortunate image with that song. Seriously, on 4chan, you mention Pokemon DP and some random trolls will come on and post the lyrics to the season 1 song
I hate it soooo

if you have to hear it again.... then what? You said you go on 4chan, so it's not like you're capable of losing any more of your sanity. XD

4. Born to be a Winner

All I can say is WTF. The lyrics are mostly just copied and pasted from the first open, which is really lazy IMO (then again, the Japanese counterpart was just an alternate version of their first opening, so I guess 4Kids decided to follow suit). And the instrumentals are just meh. I'm surprised that this song is actually high on other people's lists, but I guess that's the way it is.

the original animation might've had something to do with it.

Pokemon Chronicles. P-O-K-E-M-O-N Remix

And now for the worst Pokemon Opening of all time. And a possible contender for all time worst Anime opening.

I rarely see people mix English version openings into what would be considered anisongs in the first place (Pokemon Theme might be one of those rare exceptions.... but then again, it DID play in the Japanese version through Pokemon de English).

I guess the golden rule is that a terrible series must be preceded by a terrible opening.

a lot of crappy anime actually have a damn good soundtrack that (somewhat) makes up for it. Dragon Ball GT is probably the most famous example of this (practically nobody likes the show, but Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku, its opening, is widely regarded as a good song... it even made it into a Japanese ranking of top 100 anisongs I've seen somewhat recently, and there was quite an uproar when Funi replaced it with a rap song for the English version).

 

[Dogasu]

The only English openings I actually like are the openings to the first Johto season and the Advanced Challenge season.

Everything else ranges from forgettable to just downright terrible.

a lot of crappy anime actually have a damn good soundtrack that (somewhat) makes up for it. Dragon Ball GT is probably the most famous example of this (practically nobody likes the show, but Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku, its opening, is widely regarded as a good song [...] and there was quite an uproar when Funi replaced it with a rap song for the English version).

I think the fans were more pissed by the absolutely asshole-ish way they revealed it. FUNimation's first trailer for the series started out with Dan Dan Kokoro playing in the background while an announcer said something like "You think you know the real Dragon Ball GT?" Then (and I shit you not), the Japanese theme is interrupted by the English rap theme as the announcer says something like "Think again." And the promo goes on from there.

Talk about a slap in the face.

 

[momogirl]

I like a lot of them, the first theme, a whole new world...and a lot of the AG themes. good stuff.

I'm actually starting to LIKE the rap theme...after hearing it so many times it gets kind of catchy o_o;

 

[nickstr]

As I stopped watching the show after Master Quest I never really heard the newer openings but I like all the openings up to that point. I have heard the Diamond and Pearl rap and I don't really like it much it just is not quite as good as the 4Kids intros.

 

[Kthleen]

In terms of the songs by themselves, my favorite two are "This Dream" and "Believe in Me", probably in that order. They're really pretty. "Pokémon Theme" is likely third, but "Pokémon Johto" is cute, too.

In terms of visuals... honestly, I don't pay much, if any, attention to them after I've watched 'em a few times.

 

[Cybersai]

The only English openings I actually like are the openings to the first Johto season and the Advanced Challenge season.

Everything else ranges from forgettable to just downright terrible.

I don't remember if you talked about it on your site or not, but what do you think of the D/P rap by any chance?

Better or worse than the DBGT rap?

 

[animeforever]

Yay, I'm glad to see that this thread is taking off ^.^

Um, this is kinda off topic and kinda random but I am byeing to know something. Just where do 4Kids take the futage used in 'Born to be a winnner' from?

I've seen every Japanese opening and ending and noticed that some of the clips come from the 4th opening but where on earth do the clips 00.01-00.11, 00.14-00.20, 00.22-00.32, 00.35-end come from? Am I missing something from the Japanese version or something?

Thanks

 

[SilveryBeing]

I voted for "Unbeatable," it's by far my favorite opening. Battle Frontier is just bad bad bad. All the others I like about the same amount.

 

[Dogasu]

I don't remember if you talked about it on your site or not, but what do you think of the D/P rap by any chance?

It's not a good song by any means, but I've heard a LOT of songs that were worse.

And personally, it sounds more like a rock song than it does a rap song.

Better or worse than the DBGT rap?

Much, much, better. Here's the Dragon Ball GT rap.

And this, the opening to the redubs of the first two seasons of Dragon Ball Z, makes the opening to Pokemon Chronicles look decent in comparison.

Thank God Pokemon never got treated as badly as DBZ/GT did.

I've seen every Japanese opening and ending and noticed that some of the clips come from the 4th opening but where on earth do the clips 00.01-00.11, 00.14-00.20, 00.22-00.32, 00.35-end come from? Am I missing something from the Japanese version or something?

4Kids got the Japanese animators to create new scenes for their opening. Probably because the fourth Japanese opening had a lot of scenes with the pokemon's names written out in Japanese that "couldn't" be used.

And since Kthleen brought up visuals, here's my favorite visual from all the English openings:

This is after 4Kids removed Mime Jr., Weavile, and Lucario from the opening. Check out the severed Mime Jr. feet over by Seviper.

 

[RapidPotential]

And since Kthleen brought up visuals, here's my favorite visual from all the English openings:

This is after 4Kids removed Mime Jr., Weavile, and Lucario from the opening. Check out the severed Mime Jr. feet over by Seviper.

Obviously they didn't completely remove Mime Jr., because part of it was still present! XD

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

You'd think, since they were basically forced to take those pokemon out, that they could have gotten Japan to do it.