It’s not often that anime is made to be a piece of art. Of course, in the sense of the word, every series can be considered artistic in one sense or another, but very rarely does a series come to be so artistic that its essence lies in the value behind the meaning and message. Katanagatari, airing in 2010 and only airing one episode each month, definitely pushed for a more stylized, artistic look, trying to convey the stories of ancient Japan and lure the audience into watching with its unique and pleasant imagery. The opening shows the extension of that, by mixing a rather lovely song with stylized imagery. Not only that, but the animation can easily be seen matching the music with simple techniques, such as the shutters closing in sync with the music. The beauty behind this opening lies in the simplicity, and while it stands to be a simple opening, it still manages to convey a message and introduce the story. Truly magnificent.