Intros you just can't skip

[Torrasque]

Usually when I am watching a show, I skip the intro. Most of the time its because I just want to get to the show and the intro is in the way of my enjoyment of the show. There are a few shows that I make sure to watch--its more of a 'listen' than watch really--the intro every time though. For example, I always listen to the intro of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex whether it is season 1 or 2. I also always listen to the intro of Firefly, ReBoot, and this anime I've been watching recently, Aria.
The intro of the first season, Aria the Animation is so incredibly relaxing, it is the perfect intro for the anime. I always listen to it because of how relaxing it is, it gets me in the mood for the show itself. The second season, Aria the Origination, is also just as relaxing and I have been listening to it all the time too.

Here is the intro of Aria the Animation, tell me what you think:
<youtube=hOUbZ6Aqn0g>

For discussion value, what are some intros that you never skip?

 

[SomeLameStuff]

I can't skip the opening to Megas XLR, I just dig giant robots too much!


Skip that. I dare you to try!

 

[Casual Shinji]

The intro to Elfen Lied.

Not a very good anime, but that intro song and the rest of the show's music in general was just captivating.


OooOooH... goosebumps.

 

[Kef10]

Clannad


And Elfen lied, Which is posted above so cba linking it

 

[Scarim Coral]

Honestly, I rarely skipped the intro and the only time when I do it is when I don't have alot of time (coming back late from work).
I suppose the recent intros I will never skip are these two
(The beginning is abit cut off.)

While the two shows overal sucks but the music/ soundtrack were the highlights from those two series.

I also can't skipped this one because I love the old retro anime song feel to it!

 

[Ultress]

I can't skip the opening to Megas XLR, I just dig giant robots too much!


Skip that. I dare you to try!

I tried then the video just slapped me and said what the hell man.

Clannad


And Elfen lied, Which is posted above so cba linking it

Nothing against the intro but I honesty preferred the outro on this show.


OT: This right here is pure concentrated awesome

 

[SckizoBoy]

Here is the intro of Aria the Animation, tell me what you think:

Awesome! Another Aria fan... thing is, though, you post one, and it's just not enough... because the op changed (visually, that is) for every episode... so that's 53 opening animations... -_- and its content was typically connected with the episode's plot.

Anyway, loved that series, great manga ('specially when you find out who her penpal is)... and now reading Kozue Amano's new manga Amanchu!, which is just as awesomely slice-of-life-y.

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

The most recent example would be the first intro to FMA Brotherhood.
It really conveys what the show is about and successfully transports some of the important themes that go into it. From the tragedy that underlines the fate of the Elrics over the determination with which they try to make things right again up to the grand and huge scale that the story encompasses later on it's all featured with some very vivid and haunting imagery. It's perhaps one of the most accomplished intros I've seen in an anime. That and the song is ungodly catchy >_>

Other contesters:
Spice & Wolf Season 1 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_WgwEmRaw] (tragic, mysterious and yet strangely uplifting)
Serial Experiments Lain [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9CXmEUwvgM] (active and emotional but also peppered with surrealism)
Hellsing [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL4KWHnjyjo] (Alucard is a cool fucking badass. The intro knows that)

*posts intro of Baccano!*

and that one....

 

[The Wykydtron]

Literally just Angel playing the piano yet it is completely brilliant. See sometimes the simpler concepts are the best.

Technically each opening is unique because they splice a few frames of the episode into the opening, I believe the one I posted was episode 3, maybe 4.


Also Mirai Nikki had one of the best openings I have seen for a while. It fits the anime so well... That is it's dark as fuck with a touch of romance. Completely fucked up romance. Like... REALLY fucked up romance.


Annnnnd Hyouka has to be mentioned. I have no idea why that anime is so good, it is just four highschoolers solving completely boring and inconsequencial mysteries, like why a door was locked or something. Well I say four people solve it but the main character just ends up deducing everything for them.

The characters and the artstyle are awesome and dammit I love mystery stuff so much it doesn't even have to be a murder to be interesting. The writers present these mundane, not even worth trying to solve mysteries so well it actually makes them interesting.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Waitwaitwaitwait hold the phone. How the hell did I forget my all time most cherished and nostalgic anime? An anime that almost the entire Escapist never mentions in every anime thread because it was so forgotten. BEHOLD!

NEEDOLISH!


The entire Needless soundtrack is just several different guitar solos. It's fucking great! Episode 14 is the standard that all anime should hold themselves to. The main character going on this hilarious 3v1 perverted rampage. Actually is Blade supposed to be the main character or is Yamada? Like Yamada was the first person the anime was focused on and he narrates the plot on occasion... But Blade just runs around stealing all the spotlights with his badassery and he is overall more important to the plot.

For fucks sake. I keep remembering more... The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for example. I assume everyone has watched that classic already though. Also The Money of Soul and Possibility Control. Basically the world's economy battle manga-itised

 

[FFP2]

Literally just Angel playing the piano yet it is completely brilliant. See sometimes the simpler concepts are the best.

Technically each opening is unique because they splice a few frames of the episode into the opening, I believe the one I posted was episode 3, maybe 4.

Dammit, I was gonna say Angel Beats! The music in that show was incredible.

Oh well, guess I'll put the intro to the greatest anime ever made on here:

 

[anthony87]

snip

You ninja me on Mirai Nikki and you're the only other one on this site who I've seen mention Needless...

OT: Why, Outlaw Star of course. The intro is too badass to skip.

 

[K84]

Anime:

- Most are mentioned above...
- ZETMAN, holy cow, is that opening something...*damn fine tune too*
http://youtu.be/vF7bbCInpMw

Not Anime:

- Almost every 80'ties cartoon intro.
Galaxy Rangers, M.A.S.K. beeing my personal favorites.

 

[Sp3ratus]

I'll break the trend and post an intro from a live action show(if that's allowed), namely

Spoiler: Treme

I really like that intro, even if I'm not normally into jazz. Also, the show is really interesting as well, which doesn't hurt.

 

[Popadoo]

Spoiler

Just kidding, it's the only part I do skip.

Actual intros I can't skip:

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

Undoubtedly the first two Higurashi openings. Both of them... I just don't have words for other than that they're phenominal.

Spoiler: Season 1

Spoiler: Season 2

Edit: We really should be putting youtube links inside spoiler tags. This page is already starting to take a bit to load.

 

[IndomitableSam]

Spoilered for slow-loading. Game of Thrones is my choice, of course.

Spoiler

 

[Strazdas]

ah, i though you were going to talk about unskippable game intros, and this is tv shows. you can skip those, unless your watching it live on TV, and even then, you can depending on provider.
we already got unskippable show on here.
personally whne it comes to TV shows i skip intros that i find boring, thats around 50% of them. there are of course such as Game of Thrones, where it shows you the map, and those are the best kind.
For games: i always watch them. im actually one of the dieing breed that actually like cutscenes.

Edit: We really should be putting youtube links inside spoiler tags. This page is already starting to take a bit to load.

very true, computer at work freezes for 10 seconds to load all the youtube windows.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

No love for the offspring of Shinichiro Watanabe?

Spoiler: OK 3, 2, 1 let's jam!

Spoiler: Battlecry!

 

[smearyllama]

Not the biggest NGE fan, but I do love that theme song. It is super awesome.