エンディングテーマendingu tema
Quick definition:An ending theme is the song and sequence that plays at the close of an anime episode, usually with a calmer mood, rolling credits and artwork or short scenes related to the story.
Meaning
The ending theme, often shortened to ED, plays after the main story of an anime episode. It runs for about ninety seconds with credits, and the visuals are often quieter than the opening, with illustrations, slow animation or characters walking through a scene. The song may be gentle, reflective or sometimes cheerful, depending on the series.
Some episodes also finish with an ending card, a still picture or short piece of artwork, often drawn by a guest artist or an animator, that appears after the credits or during the final moments. Both the ending theme and the card give viewers a moment to take in the episode, and some series use them for small jokes or hints.
Fans value endings as much as openings. A song may stay in their minds for years because it played after an emotional scene, and special versions are sometimes used for a finale, where the usual song starts during the last scene. Some series even switch the order of the sequences for dramatic effect.
Origin:Ending theme is the English name for the Japanese endingu tema, which is itself borrowed from English. Japanese television has long closed programmes with a song and credits, and anime followed the same pattern. Fans shortened the phrase to ED, a label that appears on fan lists and in subtitle files.
Example:After a tense battle, an episode closes quietly with a soft song over a still image of the heroes' hometown at sunset. The credits scroll beside the artwork, and the calm contrast helps viewers settle after the action. Next week the picture is different, matching the next stage of the story.
Did you know?Ending sequences often use a reduced style of animation, such as slow camera moves over illustrations, because they are cheaper to produce than the opening. This allows studios to spend more of their budget on the episodes themselves.
