Anime Opening Template

A 90 second anime opening as a shot list: what happens in each shot, which part of the song it sits on and where the title goes.

Use this template
  • FitsA 90 second TV size opening
  • IncludesFilled example and blank
  • CostFree to copy

Updated

A lone figure on a hill under a huge open sky, the top of the frame left empty for a title
Five young friends walk side by side toward the camera down a city street at golden hour
A girl with a school bag runs along a coastal road toward the sunrise, side-on

Frames of the example opening, from the Ziztu anime scene library.

The template

An opening is a short music video for the show. The example, Wind Over the Hill, is cut to the song: every shot says where it sits in the music and what is hidden, held or repeated.

Anime opening shot list

Wind Over the HillYour title here

Opening card

Decide the song and the colors first. The shots follow the music.

Show
Wind Over the Hill
Song
A rising pop-rock song with a female lead and a big last chorus
Length
90 seconds, TV size
Look
2D anime, warm gold against cold blue
Rule
The villain's face is never shown.

Shot list

Cut on the beat. The chorus gets the fastest cuts; the last chord gets a held shot.

FrameTimeShotWhat we seeMusicNote
A lone figure on a hill under a huge open sky, the top of the frame left empty for a title0:00 to 0:081. Title cardA lone figure on a hill under a huge sky.Soft intro, one piano lineThe title appears at 0:06. Leave the top of the frame empty.
Five young friends walk side by side toward the camera down a city street at golden hour0:08 to 0:202. Cast walkFive friends walk toward the camera at golden hour.Verse 1, steady drumsCut on every second drum hit.
A girl with a school bag runs along a coastal road toward the sunrise, side-on0:20 to 0:343. The runA girl with a school bag runs along a coastal road toward the sunrise.Pre-chorus, risingCuts get shorter, under one second each.
Two rivals stand back to back, one lit warm orange and one cold blue, under a stormy sky0:34 to 0:464. Back to backTwo rivals stand back to back, one in warm orange light and one in cold blue.Chorus 1One light color for each side of the story.
0:46 to 0:585. EyesFour close-ups of eyes, one per main character.Chorus 1, second halfOne second each, hard cuts.
0:58 to 1:106. The shadowA figure stands in silhouette on a rooftop, face never shown.Bridge, strings drop outHide the face so the villain stays a question.
1:10 to 1:227. All togetherThe five friends raise a hand toward the sky.Final chorusMatch the sky of the first frame.
Five small figures on a hilltop above a town under a huge dusk sky with the first stars1:22 to 1:308. Last wideFive small figures on a hilltop at dusk, the first stars out.Outro, last chordHold the shot until the last chord ends.

Rules of an opening

Three habits nearly every opening shares.

  1. 1Cut to the songShots change on drum hits and on the first word of each line.
  2. 2Repeat one pictureThe first frame's sky comes back in shot 7 and shot 8.
  3. 3Leave room for the titleThe title card has empty sky so the logo is added in the edit, never generated.

Paste it into Google Docs, Word, Notion or any text editor. It is free to copy and use.

The fastest way to use it

On your own

  • Copy the template into a document and fill it in.
  • Find an image tool, a video tool and a voice tool, and move your work between them.
  • Keep the same faces, places and style yourself, shot after shot.

In Ziztu

  • The idea box opens with the example already written. Change the names and press go.
  • Studio plans the shot list, makes every shot and adds the music, in one place.
  • Character sheets keep the cast looking the same in every shot.
  • 40 free credits, no card: write the script, cast your characters, draw the storyboard and hear the voices. Video starts at $12.
Use this template

How to fill it in

  1. 01

    Pick the song and the two colors

    Write how the song builds and choose one warm and one cold color. Every shot after that has a reason to look the way it does.

  2. 02

    Place the shots on the song

    Give each shot a start and end time and the part of the song it sits on. Put the fastest cuts on the chorus.

  3. 03

    Plan the title and the last shot

    Leave a clear space in the title card and decide which picture returns at the end. Hold the last shot for the last chord.

What makes it work

Show the cast, hide the threat

An opening shows every hero and keeps the villain as a shadow. It gives viewers someone to wonder about.

Use one color for each side

Warm light on one character and cold light on the other tells the story of the rivalry with no dialogue.

End on a wide shot

After fast cuts, a wide held shot on the last chord is what viewers remember and replay.

More templates

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Frequently asked questions

What is an anime opening?

An anime opening, or OP, is a short music video at the start of an episode, usually about 90 seconds. It introduces the cast, hints at the story and is cut to the show's theme song.

How long is an anime opening?

A TV size opening runs about 90 seconds. Full songs are longer, but the broadcast cut is almost always 89 or 90 seconds, which is why this template has eight shots across 90 seconds.

What shots does an anime opening have?

Most have a title card over a wide sky, the cast walking toward the camera, a run, a pair of rivals, a set of close-ups of eyes, a hidden villain and a final wide shot that lands on the last chord.

Are the example frames from a real show?

No. They come from the Ziztu anime scene library, made with invented characters. There are no franchise characters, no logos and no real shows.

Can I make my opening with AI?

Yes. Press Use this template to open the idea box with the opening written out, or try one shot in the anime video generator. In Ziztu Studio you plan the whole opening shot by shot with a cast that stays the same.

Is the template free?

Yes. Copy it as text, download it as a Markdown file or print it to PDF without an account.

Related tools

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From the blog

How to Make Anime With AI, From One Clip to a Short Film7 min read
A lone figure on a hill under a huge open sky, the top of the frame left empty for a title

Turn the template into a scene you can watch.

40 free credits, no card: write the script, cast your characters, draw the storyboard and hear the voices. Video starts at $12.

Try it free