After posting about some inappropriate EDs last week, I thought a bit more about the subject, specifically about what the hell we expect from OPs and EDs. And it probably isn’t a shocker to know that OPs in general have a fairly defined role (with leeway on execution), while EDs are a different story altogether.
Anime EDs have it rough. In general, they don’t really get the fanfare received by OPs, even though they have a tougher job — OPs are able to set the tone for a series and can pretty much be whatever they want given those bounds. EDs, however, have the burden of playing after a viewer has been swept up in the emotion of an episode. Often times they have to let you down gently after a roller coaster ride, which doesn’t give them nearly as much room to be memorable as OPs. (Not that many EDs don’t manage to be memorable despite this.)
If an ED sounds even a little bit off, then things can get awkward in a hurry. As an anime fan, if you watch enough series, you are bound to come across a few shows with EDs that sound completely wrong. Mood Whiplash is a common occurrence with these songs, I find. Maybe a certain episode will have a particularly dramatic end, you’re completely caught up in all the emotions . . . and the ED smacks you upside the head and is completely disorienting. Perhaps these songs are not bad on their own; however, when connected with the wrong series, even a good song can quickly turn to crap.
So let’s pay tribute to some EDs that make for awkward listening (and viewing!) experiences!
