Summary
The best anime EDs of 2023 masterfully combine music and animation, providing a place for fans to vent or build hype. A good ED is judged based on animation, songs, synchronization and suitability of the show. Prominent examples include Trigun Stampede, Vinland Saga, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End for their emotional impact and visual beauty.
While they’re often not as eye-catching as anime openings, EDs can still be extremely impactful, like many other openings. The best anime EDs of 2023 Shows. These EDs often serve as great places for fans to relieve tension after the events of the episode or build hype for the next episode. To do this, these EDs masterfully combine music and animation.
A good ED can be classified based on many different criteria. The animation and song itself are of course key factors to judge, and a great example of one can often make up for shortcomings in the other. In addition to these individual factors, the degree of synchronization of the two may also be a key component of ED effectiveness. The final major criterion is how well the ending actually fits the show, as an out-of-place ED can often leave viewers disoriented. Based on these factors, here are the ten best EDs of 2023.
10 Bleach: The thousand-year blood war
Produced by Studio Pierrot based on the manga by Tite Kubo
Song
Artist
End of book
Yoh Kamiyama
BleachThe latest ED isn’t the most exciting installment in the long-running and iconic series, but it’s still very good. Symbolically represents the series’ main villains, Quincy, in a series of striking images that blend together beautifully. Unfortunately, it lacks the dynamism of many other EDs released in 2023, instead feeling like scrolling through a big picture. However, that doesn’t detract from the grandeur of the ending or take away from the awesomeness of the accompanying song.
Watch on Hulu
9 Trigun stampedes
Produced by Studio Orange based on the manga by Yasuhiro Nightow
Song
Artist
Hoshi no Kuzu α
Salyu and Haruka Nakamura
Many EDs choose to present their characters in different ways, but Trample TrigunInstead, the ending focuses on the anime’s setting. In a dazzling display of animation, stars dance across the screen, forming shifting and separating constellations. For a sci-fi series like Trigun, it seems a bit fantastical, but the emotional effect it creates is incredibly strong and shows off the beauty of space very well. The song itself is good, serving as a tonal change from the action featured in the anime’s plot.
Watch on Crunchyroll
8 Vinland Saga
Produced by Studio MAPPA based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura
Song
Artist
No love
LMYK
Vinland Saga is one of the most emotionally complex anime of 2023, so it makes sense that its ED would be similar. The ED shows Thorfinn struggling with his trauma and depression as a sorrowful song plays about his suffering. Even so, ED remains hopeful, suggesting that Thorfinn can find a healthy way to deal with his past if he opens up to others like Einar and engages in meaningful work. The ED also has some interesting subtleties, such as the song’s use of English lyrics that likely reflect the Western setting. ED proves why Vinland Saga is a modern anime classic.
Vinland Saga’s other ED in 2023 is also extremely good.
Watch on Crunchyroll
7 Zom 100: List of dead people
Produced by Bug Films based on the manga by Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata
Song
Artist
Happiness of the dead
Shiyui
Zom 100: List of dead people is a show about enjoying life even when the world falls apart and its ED encapsulates this feeling perfectly. The ED has some fun iconic shots like mug shots with characters spelling out the English word “death,” but its focus is on Akira and his new friends hanging out together and have fun. Accompanied by an energetic song by Shiyui, it’s impossible not to smile along with the characters as they enjoy each other’s company. This infectious energy is a big part of what makes Zom 100 a modern anime classic.
Watch on Crunchyroll
6 Illusions of Paradise
Produced by Production IG based on the manga by Masakazu Ishiguro
Song
Artist
Daremo Karemo Dokomo Nanimo Shiranai
ASOBI Doumei
Like Zom 100, ED’s Fantasy of paradise shows a diverse cast of characters hanging out together and having fun. What makes this especially poignant, however, is that Heavenly Delusion is overall a much darker show than Zom 100, with much of it taking place in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. This makes seeing the characters share happy moments even more enjoyable. The ED also has a beautiful and fluid animation sequence near the end, which is amazing. This is more proof that Heavenly Delusion is one of the best hidden gems of anime from 2023.
Watch on Hulu
5 Konosuba: An explosion on this wonderful world
Produced by Drive based on the light novel by Tsume Akatsuki
Song
Artist
Click here
Takahashi and Aki Toyosaki
The ED for the main entries in the Konosuba series are incredibly quiet glimpses into life within Kazuma’s group, which are mildly entertaining. With spinoff anime Konosuba: An explosion on this wonderful worldfocusing on the bombastic Megumin, it only makes sense that that show’s ED would break away from this stereotype. In the ED, Megumin and her friend/rival Yunyun are energetically imagined in a childish doodle style, adorably expressing their personalities. This ED is proof that a unique art style can elevate a relatively simple sequence into something truly special.
Watch on Crunchyroll
4 Jujutsu Kaisen
Produced by Studio MAPPA based on the manga by Gege Akutami
Song
Artist
more than words
Hitsujibungaku
Given the brutal nature of the Shibuya incident, it would not be strange if Jujutsu Kaisen‘s latest ED is a dark and gritty display of violence. What’s surprising, however, is that the ED of Shibuya Incident is emotionally relaxed and tender, showing Yuji and his friends happily hanging out together. This initially seemed off-putting to some fans, but it proved a welcome contrast to the brutal cliffhangers that many recent episodes have ended with, giving viewers time to decompression. While much of this ED’s greatness can be traced to this emotional backdrop, it’s still easily one of the best EDs of 2023.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s other ED in 2023 was used for the same purpose in Gojo’s Past arc.
Watch on Crunchyroll
3 Oshi no Ko
Produced by Doga Kobo based on the manga by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari
Song
Artist
Mephisto
QUEEN BEE
A show about the music industry naturally has to have ED and Oshi no Ko easily meets this expectation. Its visuals are fantastic, showing Aqua and Ruby’s different reactions to their mother’s death, with Ruby moving forward to achieve the dreams she was never able to have in her previous life and Aqua sinks into darkness to seek revenge. Where the ED really shines, however, is QUEEN BEE’s beautiful song, which somehow manages to rival and sometimes surpass Yoasobi’s extremely popular Oshi no Ko opening theme. This impressive musical tour de force makes this ED one of the best of 2023.
Watch on HIDIVE
2 Spy x Family
Produced by Wit Studio and CloverWorks based on the manga by Tatsuya Endo
Song
Artist
Todome no Ichigeki
Voundy and Cory Wong
Spy x Family has a long history of great EDs, which often capture the fun and wholesome nature of the show. Its latest ED is no exception, this time featuring a visually stunning recreation of some of Anya’s drawings. Based on a child’s creation, the ending itself is quite creative, skipping through various elements of the Forger family’s life and showing Anya doing things like clinging to a musical note or flying through the air central. The ending is also animated in a fun papercut style, perfectly fitting the song’s fun tone and Anya’s bizarre fantasies.
ED greatly improves Anya’s more conventional abstract art style.
Watch on Crunchyroll
1 Freeze: Beyond the final journey
Produced by Madhouse based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe
Song
Artist
Whenever, wherever
Nation
What a blessing for the fans Freezing: Beyond Journey’s End there really is an ending, as its ED is easily the best of the year. Animated in a drawn-out style, the ending transitions from various characters in clever ways that highlight the passage of time, a core theme of the film. Additionally, Milet’s accompanying song is one of the best of the year, and its emotional chords allow viewers to decompress from whatever happened in the previous episode. All of these elements combined give Frieren a great, effortless ending theme Best ED anime of 2023.
Watch on Crunchyroll