| I love many anime ops as I frequently listen to Japanese songs- but recently I watched a show where I loved the Op but thought the show was just alright So you think it’s fair to rate something higher based on the op or should you judge the quality of the show as a stand alone? |
| The OP, ED, and music are all part of the show are part of it, so yes, it's appropriate to consider them as part of your rating. I haven't really thought deeply about how much each aspect makes up the whole, but neither do I try to stress about scoring in the first place. |
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| This is partly because I am a musician myself, but the BGM plays an important role in conveying the story, let alone the inserts. One of the reasons Love Live Superstar has become one of my favourite anime is because you can understand the story simply by listening to either the insert songs or BGM tracks in order. |
 ♪Strong from the inside, you're still my lifeline! I feel you wherever you are!♪ |
| It could affect my score without me realizing. Like if the OP song sucks then I'm starting out each episode annoyed. Or if it's great then I'll be in a positive mindset. I wouldn't raise or lower a score though just because of the theme songs. |
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| I don't factor Openings and Endings when I rate, I'll prob just say something like, "this show was whatever, but the opening's really good" or vice versa. But I think Ost/Inserts does play a factor, not in rating, but in making scenes more impactful and memorable whether it's used to make it more emotional or hype that could lead to the show being rated higher |
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| Yes. And since this thread has the word music- inb4 zoomers bombard it with 68000 replies with video links by tomorrow morning. |
| Absolutely. It's actually probably the third most important aspect for me in the hierarchical order of concerns: 1.) Writing 2.) Voice acting 3.) Music And I would say that voice acting and music/OST are close to almost equal. Though when I refer to music, I'm mainly referring to the music throughout the series in the background in the actual main body of episodes, rather than the intros and outros. There have been plenty of series where I found the different tracks in the OST throughout excellent while finding either the intro or outro or both just meh and okay. |
| They do improve the scene when we speak about soundtrack and openings and endings are the part of the show, which is why some titles in my list didn't receive 1/10 because of my enjoyment of the opening/ending etc. As example Mahou Sensou was a complete disaster to me and it was tough to watch, opening was fine but the ending sung by Nano is just straigth fire [I guess it ain't a secret that I like a lot Nano's music] Aswell as Unohana's Bankai scene in Bleach TYBW c1 was enchanced because of the ost, which is what makes the show more entertaining when not only animation, plot, acting etc. are good, but also when the music is fitting the scene correctly [not released yet as I recall so gonna show a cover/other version] |
| In my opinion, rating an anime higher just because you like the OP/ED isn’t the best approach. While those songs definitely help set the tone and get you hyped for the episodes, they don’t necessarily reflect the overall quality of the show itself. The music within the anime, how it enhances the scenes and atmosphere, definitely matters and can add to your overall enjoyment. But when it comes to rating the show, I think it’s important to focus on the story, characters, pacing, and other core aspects, rather than the opening and ending songs. |
🎶 MrShabtan | Musician 🎵 Gamer 🎮 Nurse 🏥 Digital and Pencil Artist 🎨 Anime Lover 🎥 Passionate about crafting unique soundscapes, exploring immersive worlds, and bringing creativity to life in music, art, and gaming. Always pushing boundaries and discovering new inspirations! |
| Do you factor music into your score of animes? Not for OPs/EDs, but I do factor in soundtracks when theyre well integrated into the storytelling in a meaningful way. |
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| No. I don't think its fair. I don't think the opening song or ending song should really change how you feel about a show. Its good until the song ends I guess? Even if an alright or bad show has a scene with a good song in it. Sure it may help the scene but at the end of the day the show is still alright or bad. Musical score can still be good. Maybe a bad show with a good musical score can make it an okay show? Etc. |
| Only the BGM/OST matters to me, but I often fail to notice the music. Partly because I really get into the show and forget to pay attention, and partly because a lot of anime soundtracks are pretty forgettable. OP/EDs are just a nice bonus that I almost consider as "separate." It's like they're not part of the show, but they "accompany" it, if you know what I mean... |
| OPs and EDs wouldn't factor into my score, though I love them. The actual OST though does matter. At the very least, it can give the show bonus points. |
| I recently made a thread about this: https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=2187883 |
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| While a great OP/ED or background music might be part of my enjoyment of a show, I've never really taken it into account into my score no :) |
Do you factor music into your score? Yes I do. AlkaliAchiever said: So you think it’s fair to rate something higher based on the op or should you judge the quality of the show as a stand alone? No it's not fair but I totally understand that a song can carry a show. |
| if your vocaloid music played Oshiete i would give it an automatic 1 ✅ |
| If the Op, Ed or Ost are good, it usually makes me enjoy the anime which ultimately leads to a higher than expected score. |
If you enjoyed the time you wasted, then its not a waste of time.  |
| I consider it either when a show is so bad to the point of its soundtrack being the only big reason I watch the show (i.e. Paripi Koumei, Let the Grieving Soul Retire), or when a show is so great, but I can't decide whether it deserves a 9 or 10; A great show with a good soundtrack and aesthetics to boot earns additional points, imo. |
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| Music is important, because why would anyone consume anime over manga if not for the sound & motion, the 2 main aspects that always sets it apart? |
ZarutakuFeb 15, 4:05 AM
| OPs and EDs don't matter to me. Even when I like them, I see them as something distinct. On the other hand, OST, insert songs and musical performances can be very important. There are three kinds of OSTs in my opinion: - unremarkable, just better than no music at all. This is the case with most anime. - generic but good, when the music is a plus but there's no track in particular that is really memorable. - unique and good, the very few anime that can be singlehandedly carried by the soundtrack. |
| Music in general can improve your experience and make a scene more impactful, so yes, music is the third most important thing for me (after the story and the art style), but I care more about the soundtrack and less about the openings and endings because the soundtrack is what affects the anime directly, and not all good openings belong to good anime. |
| @slint What did I ever do to you XD Anyways I don’t think there’s anime out there with vocaloid op/ed so you’re safe Automatically a one is harsh though 😭😭 |
| I don't even rate anime shows btw. It is not worth the effort. |
Reply to DesuMaiden
I don't even rate anime shows btw. It is not worth the effort.
| @DesuMaiden Yet only 7 out of your 42 listed anime (Excluding plan to watch) are unscored. Clearly it was worth the effort. |
 |
Reply to GrumbleDango
It could affect my score without me realizing. Like if the OP song sucks then I'm starting out each episode annoyed. Or if it's great then I'll be in a positive mindset. I wouldn't raise or lower a score though just because of the theme songs.
Yeah I feel the same I’m going to be honest and say I skip the op a lot and it’s not a main focus so I’m also unlikely to have it negatively impact my score But for instance I love Eve and there are some shows I watched where he did an op/ed and I felt more biased to give it a high score, even though I kind of consider them separate |
| @Desumaiden Taking a glance at your list you’ve rated at least sown shows, so I think the question still stands if you factored music in when you rated them or not |
| Hmm, I'd say like openings and endings don't affect my score that much but what I feel like DOES affect my score is BGM, like I feel like ESPECIALLY with stuff like sad/emotional scenes BGM plays a huge role in making scenes more impactful and stuff. |
| Yes it does. Crappy, forgettable or misplaced music can easily make me deduct a point or two from the score. |
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| Yes a lot for me. Good OPs and EDs make a show more enjoyable with a good way to start and end each episode, and a good OST makes every moment feel more unique. I did that with Evangelion, I don't like the show, but its OP and ED are unforgettable |
| I judge the anime as a stand alone, of course i have many OP's and ED's that i love (some from anime i didn't like) And some anime i loved but didn't like their OP or ED (Servamp's OP for example) or didn't particularly care about any of their OP's and ED's (Spy x Family and Vanitas no Karte come to mind.) OP's and ED's don't really factor into my enjoyment or rating of the anime, of course if it has great OP's and ED's (according to my subjective taste) then that's awesome but if not, that won't lower my opinion of the anime at all. |
 My Shoujo, Josei and Female targeted anime adaptations starting from 2017+ stacks: Part 1: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/9181 Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/9195 Part 3: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/9225 Part 4: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/9280 |
| Not by itself, no, but it's part of a show's quality. |
| "The name's Gambit. Remember it." -Gambit "X-Men '97"  |
| Is music part of the overall product? Yes. So you should. |
 |
| Not really unless there is something that really stands out, as a lot of people tend to overlook the soundtrack that plays DURING the show as well and only focus on the OPs and EDs. a good OP and ED can help a lot, but the OST can make a huge impact as well. There are some shows such as Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Bleach, and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure which have really memorable background music and actively use it to help tell the story to the point where it actively stands out in a good way. The 7-Page Muda Rush from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind elevated one of the most iconic scenes from the manga into a legendary moment among fans with the use of the track "il vento d'oro" which was timed well to the beatdown. Dragon Ball has had many phenomenal composers tackle the series each bringing their own unique spin on the series with almost every track from Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z being insanely memorable and well done in both the Japanese and English scores. TotallyNotMark did an excellent video going over each composer and some of the ways their music helped define the series. What I am getting at is, while often overlooked, the ENTIRE SOUNDTRACK when done well can enhance a show and is just as, if not even more important than just the OPs and EDs as it is what you are listening to for the entirety of the show's duration. |
This post is brought to you by your local transfem gamer goblin. Will not tolerate bigotry and will fight against "anti-woke" sentiment to make the anime community a safer place.  |
| I factor all elements; since, each only count for a small proportion of the final score as a holistic. I'd say music is about maybe 4% of the score at most. animation, direction, and color design are debatably all more important than music to me, but they all impact the score between 3-15%. something like the partitioned weights being overarching themes, premise; structure: 20% plot quality and complexity; screenwriting; dialogue: 13% character multidimensionality, personalities, dynamics, interaction: 9% character designs (physical looks); waifu sexiness: 8% animation quality: 11% cinematography: 2% color design: 3% background: 2% sound fidelity: 7% voice acting: 5% music, score: 4% direction, implementation: 10% editing, effects: 5% |
| I don't think that I take OPs and EDs into account when rating shows. Like Rent a Girlfriend isn't magically a better show because the OP is so good. But it can be a great addition to an already good anime or the one thing that I look forward shen watching a mid or bad show. |
| "Those words are meant for those that dare defy god's final warning... An epigraph of their stubbornness" - Maho Hiyajo (Steins;Gate 0)  |
| No I don't for OP and ED since I skip 90% of it, I consider it outside of the shows. But I do factor it for OST/Background music, it's one of the most important factors for me to enjoy the anime and rate it highly :)  |
 (っ◔◡◔)っ 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝔀𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓭𝓪𝔂 ♥ |
| Same as above. I don't take in consideration OPs/EDs when rating shows, but I do with OST. For example, the epic soundtrack of the last episode of Re:Zero 3 give me a better appreciation of that episode. |
| Yes, 10% of my scoring criteria is about sound design ;) |
 |
Reply to DesuMaiden
I don't even rate anime shows btw. It is not worth the effort.
| @DesuMaiden I know right, cause near term human extinction is fast approaching... |
 First Anime: Death Note 100th Anime: The Tatami Galaxy 150th Anime: Hajime no Ippo 175th Anime: Urusei Yatsura (2022) |
| not really since i feel like the vast majority of anime i've seen had such unmemorable soundtracks its like not even worth critiquing, although when a show has not only a good soundtrack but one that elevates the story then i will almost certainly score it higher, since none of that just happens by coincidence its the result of the hard work of the directors, editors, and other production staff. when that effort is visible and effective it definitely deserves being praised. |
| "I can fix her". Patron Saint of Lost Causes. Psych Ward-maxxing. without love it cannot be seen |
| No not really, for me it would be the story and characters. The music would just be the icing on the cake. |
Reply to Zettaiken
They do improve the scene when we speak about soundtrack and openings and endings are the part of the show, which is why some titles in my list didn't receive 1/10 because of my enjoyment of the opening/ending etc.
As example Mahou Sensou was a complete disaster to me and it was tough to watch, opening was fine but the ending sung by Nano is just straigth fire [I guess it ain't a secret that I like a lot Nano's music]
Aswell as Unohana's Bankai scene in Bleach TYBW c1 was enchanced because of the ost, which is what makes the show more entertaining when not only animation, plot, acting etc. are good, but also when the music is fitting the scene correctly [not released yet as I recall so gonna show a cover/other version]
As example Mahou Sensou was a complete disaster to me and it was tough to watch, opening was fine but the ending sung by Nano is just straigth fire [I guess it ain't a secret that I like a lot Nano's music]
Aswell as Unohana's Bankai scene in Bleach TYBW c1 was enchanced because of the ost, which is what makes the show more entertaining when not only animation, plot, acting etc. are good, but also when the music is fitting the scene correctly [not released yet as I recall so gonna show a cover/other version]
| @Zettaiken based, One of my favorite anime ED's (Nano goated) |
| OP/ED as itself: no. OSTs in general, so including OP/ED if incorporated into scenes: yes, indirectly. The OSTs can enhance or ruin a scene so that would affect the watching experience and eventually reflected in the scoring. |
| There are definitely cases where a show's soundtrack can elevate it (.hack//SIGN), so yes. |
Bum Bum Dum Dum |
| Of course! I'm always interested in the soundtracks and OSTs when watching anime (lol I'm listening to anime OSTs on YT Music rn). It usually depends, if the soundtrack is uninteresting, I won't even consider it. But if it was just that good, is filled with jams, or highlighted the scenes really well, and so on and so forth, it'll definitely impact the score. As for OPs and EDs though, nope. Not at all |
Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. Robert A. Heinlein (Stranger in a Strange Land) |
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