Line #126 Main/IntroductoryOpeningCredits


1	%%
2	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample: when listing examples, please state ''how'' the characters are named and presented.
3	%% Just saying "X uses this" or "Y shows the characters' names" doesn't explain anything.
4	%%
5	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1582421249036387700
6	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
7	%%
8	[[quoteright:349:[[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gravity_falls_opening_4.png]]]]
9	%%
10
11	->''"Splinter taught them to be ninja teens (he's a radical rat)\
12	Leonardo leads, Donatello does machines (that's a fact, Jack)\
13	Raphael is cool but rude (gimme a break)\
14	Michelangelo is a party dude (party!)"''
15	-->-- ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'' theme song[[note]]Each character appears on screen when their name is said[[/note]]
16
17	At any point during an opening sequence, the main characters will appear, each in a separate shot, with their names beside them. There are many reasons for this, but the most common is simply so the audience knows who's who before the show actually starts. On occasion, especially in [[{{Series}} live action]] shows, the actor playing the character will also be listed.
18
19	In [[LongRunner long running shows]] where characters are [[PromotionToOpeningTitles Promoted to Opening Titles]], expect EvolvingCredits. If two characters are introduced at once, that's DiagonalBilling.
20
21	Related to FramedFaceOpening, FunWithSubtitles on occasion, CastingGag also on occasion, and BossSubtitles. For the version at the end of the show, see VideoCredits.
22
23	It's sometimes used in conjunction with ThemeTuneRollCall, where the opening theme of a show introduces the characters, often with shots of the characters as they are named by the song. Compare and contrast WelcomeTitles, when TheProtagonist goes around greeting --and maybe name-dropping-- the cast during the TitleSequence. See also ExpositoryThemeTune.
24	----
25	!!Examples:
26
27	[[foldercontrol]]
28
29	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
30	%%* ''VisualNovel/{{Air}}''
31	* In the animated adaptation of ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'', each character's name is displayed next to them during the opening. The same can be said with its successor, ''Literature/{{Durarara}}''.
32	* The opening credits of the second season of ''Anime/TheBigO'' had each character first listed by their occupation in the team, before cutting to monochrome clips of them from the show with their name underneath it.
33	* Both openings for ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'''s anime adaptation do this with the five main heroines, showing their names next to them as they're introduced to the viewer.
34	* ''Anime/BestStudentCouncil'' does a unique version of this with its opening; the more prominent cast members are shown in the panels of what looks like a tarot card, with their name displayed at the bottom of the card; the secondary cast members are shown just doing things regularly, with a small caption in the corner with their name on it.
35	* The second opening of ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'''s anime adaptation does this with the main characters, displaying their names next to them when they first appear.
36	* A version is used in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers''. In the opening sequence of the first episode, all of the countries are named and their flag is shown when they begin speaking.
37	* ''Manga/HidamariSketch'':
38	** The first season's opening uses this for the entire cast; their names appear on stylized suns, as "Hidamari" means "Sunshine."
39	** The second season's opening applies this a bit more creatively, by putting the main cast's names on mail franks, which are then stamped on the character in question.
40	%%* ''Manga/KOn'' (Though they're harder to see here because the hiragana are partially obscured by the designs on-screen.)
41	%%* ''Manga/LoveHina''
42	%%* ''Manga/{{Magikano}}''
43	%%* ''Manga/SoulEater'' does this with its third ending song, Bakusou Yume Uta (clearing up some InconsistentSpelling issues in the process).
44	%%* ''Literature/{{Toradora}}''
45	* ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'': The opening credits for ''Zero's Familiar'' has each of the main characters displayed with a color-coded bar on the bottom with their name on it, Saito's in kanji while the rest are in English.
46	* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': The opening of the 2005 anime has many variations, one of them being the five main characters introduced with their names in the background in big roman letters.
47	* The opening of ''Manga/MagicOfStella'' follows the manga by showing the characters' names and their personalities, the latter in the form of video game stats. This series is about the creation of {{doujin\|shi}} games, in case you were wondering.
48	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc74IQzKSzY opening credits]] of ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' list the starting Autobot cast, though it never gets updated even when new main characters get introduced or undergo a MeaningfulRename.
49	* The intro for ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'''s ninth season, ''Miracle Friends'', features shots of some of the characters next to their names in Latin script (in order: Mametchi, Memetchi, and Kuchipatchi; Coffretchi and Pianitchi; and Miraitchi and Clulutchi).
50	* The opening of ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'' has a slide each for Hibiki and Kanade, the two main protagonists, with their names written in Latin script during the opening.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
54	* ''Animation/FourAngies'': The first half of the intro gives the names and appearances of the four girls, as well as demonstrating their magic capabilities.
55	* The intro to ''Animation/HappyHeroes'' contains shots of the heroes with their names beside them.
56	* The opening theme for ''Animation/JetAndThePetRangers'' has a short segment that gives the appearances and names of, in order, Gigi, Tiyang, Liksi, and Jet.
57	* The ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' theme songs, if they don't already [[ThemeTuneRollCall name the characters]], tend to at least show shots of the main characters. Examples include the ''Animation/PleasantGoatFunClass: Travel Around the World'' opening which shows shots of each character in a different part of the world and the ''Mr.Wolffy, Mr.Right!'' opening which shows shots of Wolffy and everyone he works with.
58	* The very beginning of the original ''Animation/YoYoMan'' theme song has graphics that show the four main characters and their English names.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
62	* In ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973'' the credits don't just show each character's name and appearance, but also ''species'' (since it's an AnthropomorphicAnimalAdaptation set in a WorldOfFunnyAnimals). It also lists the voice actor right under the character's name.
63	* ''WesternAnimation/RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure'' has each character appear as part of their own credits, as well as list the lead animator of each one.
64	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', each of Mei's friends has a shot with their name beside them and a colourful background after Mei calls their name.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
68	* ''Film/OnTheBuses'' and ''Film/MutinyOnTheBuses'' have captions giving the names and occupations of the lead characters, although at this point most of the audience would be familiar with them from [[Series/OnTheBuses the TV series]].
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* The original title sequence of ''Series/BillyTheExterminator'' introduces Billy, Donnie, Big Bill, Ricky, and Mary, accompanied by a three-second video clip of each of them, as well as text describing their relation to Billy.
73	* The second episode of ''Series/MimpiMetropolitan'' has an opening sequence showing the six main characters, pair-by-pair, with their name and their actor's name. The rest of the series uses a TitleOnlyOpening instead.
74	* ''Series/TheMonkees''' opening shows the boys with their names (since they were all TheDanza, character names equal actor names). They were all first misidentified as Peter, then by their actual names, except for the actual Peter.
75	%%* ''Series/{{Psych}}''
76	* In the opening credits of ''Series/{{Zoom}}'', the name of each kid appears below them as they introduce themselves before they do some a stunt.
77	* The 1981 ''Literature/NeroWolfe'' series presents each of the four main characters (and two frequent recurrers) with a short video clip ending in a freeze-frame displaying both the actor's and character's name.
78	* ''Literature/TheSleepoverClub'': In the TV series, the opening shows each of the main characters with just their first names beside them. Unlike most similar live-action shows, the actors's names are only listed in the closing titles.
79	* Most of Creator/Studio100's children's shows would contain a character introduction while the show's theme song is playing. Shows such as ''Series/KabouterPlop'', ''Piet Piraat'', and ''Series/SamsonEnGert'', would feature live action versions of the characters next to illustrations of them.
80	%%* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': Robot Roll Call: CAMBOT! GYPSY! TOM SERVO! CROOOOWWWWWWW!!!
81	* Starting with ''Series/UltramanMebius'', the Franchise/UltraSeries begins with an opening sequence that introduces the main characters of the show as well as their actors' names, one by one.
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Video Games]]
85	* The intro video for ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' introduces each of the characters and their role, e.g. "Mordecai as The Hunter" or "Brick as Himself".
86	%%* ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor''
87	%%* Early promotional videos of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' had this.
88	%%* ''Yume Miru Kusuri'': a particularly spoilerific one. While [[spoiler:Aeka being bullied]] isn't particularly surprising once you get into the game, [[spoiler:Nekoko being a drugged-up social recluse]] most certainly is.
89	* Each opening of the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' games show the mugshots and the names of the playable characters.
90	* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' had a sequence during the ''Warlords of Draenor'' opening questline features introductions for each of the titular warlords as their names hovered beside them.
91	* Variant: the intro cinematic for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64'' shows the names of the eight default characters before cutting to scenes of them in action, one after another.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	%%[[folder:Visual Novels]]
95	%%* ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
96	%%** The PV for ''[[VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kizuna]]'', which elaborates on Hanyuu's past does this with its central characters (relevant to Hanyuu's past).
97	%%** The fifth volume of the ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' motion graphic is basically a stand alone version of %%this: all of the characters that appeared from ''Legend'' to ''Alliance'' are shown and named.
98	%%[[/folder]]
99	%%
100	[[folder:Web Animation]]
101	* ''Website/HectorsWorld'': The majority of the animated episodes have the main characters ([[HeroicDolphin Hector]], [[GadgeteerGenius Ranjeet]], [[ButtMonkey Sprat]], [[CheerfulChild Tama]], [[LittleMissSnarker Ming]], and Constable Solosolave) introduced with their names onscreen.
102	* ''WebAnimation/RedVSBlue'': The first five seasons, at least on their film-like presentation on Netflix, have an extended introduction to start each series off, complete with name-presenting freezecams and camera sweeps.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Web Videos]]
106	* ''WebVideo/EverymanHybrid'': InUniverse, this was how Evan, Vinny and Jeff chose to intro their exercise series. The three of them would be shown in separate scenes with their names and role given to the audience, introducing Evan as the "Nutritional Correspondent", Jeff as "Camera and Editing", and Vinny as "the [=EverymanHYBRID=]".
107	* ''WebVideo/EchoRose'': Parodied in "bog vlog 1", where every person in the crew of Zipper Films is introduced, alongside joke information, such as claiming that Polo is an "aspiring DILF", and including a random Creator/ChuckECheese doll they called "Capitalist scum".
108	* ''WebVideo/ScootertrixTheAbridged'': The intro, mimicking ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'', intros with freeze framing footage of the characters in order, including Rainbow Dash's in-universe name 'The Bird'.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Western Animation]]
112	* The intro to ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'' starts out with silhouette flashes of the six main characters with their names displayed along the bottom: Jen, Nikki, Jonesy, Wyatt, Jude, and Caitlin, in that order.
113	* The theme song to ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' has a sequence of each of the Rugrats with various clips of them from the first season, followed by their freeze-frame and title card.
114	* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'' has a title card for each of the four nuclear Greens standing outside their house doing something in the intro -- Cricket, Tilly, Bill and Gramma Alice, in that order.
115	* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': A variation; in the intro, each character's number is displayed before they make their entrance, and stays until they leave.
116	%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}''
117	* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': Grim, Billy, and Mandy are each introduced with their name to the side and scenes of them from the show in the background.
118	* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' does this for each of the penguins -- Kowalski, Rico, Private, and Skipper, in that order.
119	%%* The season one intro of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' has this.
120	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' used this up until Season 8, having the main characters appear onscreen along with their names. Since the intro is different for each season, the order is never consistent. The characters who appear in every one are Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Sensei Wu, and Nya, as well as Lloyd starting from Season 2. Seasons 3 and 4 added Garmadon, while Season 6 featured Misako.
121	%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'''s opening identified a handful of key characters - which changed depending on who plays the most important roles in a given episode.
122	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': The intro to the disks for the Complete First Season box set show scenes of the main characters from Season 1 which freeze and display their name aside them -- [=SpongeBob=], Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, Mr. Krabs and Plankton. The only main character who doesn't get a freeze-frame is Gary.
123	* The intro for the first season of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' has separate scenes showing the names of each of the Crystal Gems with the corresponding Gem beside them as they call themselves out, with Steven also getting one with [[ProtagonistTitle the show's logo]] at the end. This was dropped for the second intro, though the ThemeTuneRollCall was maintained.
124	* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has character introduction bits for Dipper, Mabel, and Stan, which shows a scene of each of them doing something and then another scene of them doing something with their name beside them in big white letters. During the "Weirdmageddon" StoryArc, they were replaced with each of Bill Cipher's friends -- 8 Ball, Teeth, Keyhole and Hectorgon, respectively.
125	* ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes''' intro has the heroes (and Lord Boxman) posing while their name appears somewhere around them. K.O. then punches the show's logo (which has his name in it) to pieces.
126	* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' introduces the characters via color-coded splash screens with their names beside them. During a period early in season 2 when Daphne wasn't part of the gang and Velma's friend Marcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach was in her place, the opening credits were adjusted accordingly.
127	* ''WesternAnimation/HiHiPuffyAmiYumi'': The opening theme has a brief sequence of Ami and Yumi's name cards displayed onscreen, complete with split screens of their cartoon forms and real life selves.
128	* ''WesternAnimation/LoliRock'': The opening theme shows a scene of each of the three girls in the titular band (Iris, Talia and Aurianna) performing onstage, with their name displayed aside them.
129	* ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed'': In the first season, the opening is instrumental and the visuals show the main characters with the names and their powers written onscreen. In season 2, it was changed to a ThemeTuneRollCall.
130	* ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'': The opening introduces the characters and their respective WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes names as if they were actors (e.g. "Starring WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck as Duck Dodgers").
131	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollz}}'': The theme song features all five members of the {{BFFL}} featuring clips of them from the first arc with their names and gem shapes displayed alongside -- Ruby, Amethyst, Sapphire, Topaz, and Onyx, in that order.
132	* ''WesternAnimation/TheWeekenders'': The theme song is interspersed with scenes of the four main characters (Tino, Lor, Carver and Tish, in that order) dancing on a colored background with their name displayed aside them, along with a scene from one of the episodes featuring that character.
133	* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'':
134	** The season 1 opening shows all the girls and their names, one by one, in a coloured background followed by a scene for each of them (oddly enough, the protagonist, Bloom, is the fourth Winx introduced out of five, while ''Stella'' was the first up). This was removed from season 2 onwards.
135	** The alternative Nickelodeon opening theme also shows all the girls and their names in a coloured background for the first three seasons. This was removed from season 4 onwards.
136	* ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'': The opening always shows a scene (or two scenes at the same time) for each of the three spies with their name beside them.
137	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': The intro shows each of the characters doing something they could typically be found doing in the show while their name appears on the screen behind them.
138	* ''Franchise/XMen'':
139	** The first ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'' cartoon showed all nine main characters alongside their names during the intro. Wolverine's, Beast's and Gambit's were actually their respective logos from the comics (the others had never had solo books at the time).
140	** ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' did something similar to the 1992 animated series, except the names weren't the characters' comic book logos, and while ComicBook/ProfessorX appeared as a main character, his name did not appear in the intro, unlike the 1992 animated series.
141	* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' season 4 has this. Each character appears with their name and team code number from season 1, which then changes to their current one if it's different (i.e. Robin to Nightwing, Artemis to Tigress, and Aqualad to Aquaman).
142	[[/folder]]

Context Main / IntroductoryOpeningCredits