One Piece, Dragon Ball, and One-Punch Man share a common thread; they are undoubtedly among the most popular shonen and seinen manga series currently available. Although the manga may vary greatly in themes, all three of these works are known for their exceptional anime adaptations.
Moreover, the anime series One Piece, Dragon Ball, and One-Punch Man have become increasingly popular, with their iconic opening themes being a significant part of their appeal. Notably, renowned composers have created many memorable opening tracks for these anime, including “We Are!” from One Piece and “Cha-La Head Cha-La” from Dragon Ball Z.
One lesser-known fact is that Hiroshi Kitadani, the artist behind the iconic opening theme “We Are!” for One Piece, has also contributed to numerous other hit songs such as “We Go!”, “Over the Top”, and “ASSU!”. He is a member of the famous rock band JAM Project. Fans of One-Punch Man may instantly recognize this name as the group behind the opening themes that embody the series’ essence, including “The Hero!!” in Season 1 and “Seijaku no Apostle” in Season 2.
Furthermore, one of the founding members of JAM Project, Hironobu Kageyama, is particularly well-known among Dragon Ball fans for his powerful vocals in some of the franchise’s most beloved opening songs, including “Cha-La Head Cha-La” and “We Gotta Power”.
A Band that Represents the Most Iconic Opening Themes in Anime
Founded in the early 2000s by Ichirou Mizuki, JAM Project, short for Japan Animationsong Makers, was created with the primary purpose of composing music for Japanese anime. Hironobu Kageyama from Dragon Ball was among the founding members alongside Ichirou Mizuki, Masaaki Endoh, and Rica Matsumoto (who is famous for voicing Ash Ketchum). Hiroshi Kitadani from One Piece joined the group two years later, contributing to the ensemble that became synonymous with many of the most recognizable anime songs.
As a group, JAM Project is most renowned for their hard rock and metal style, heavily influenced by Western music legends such as Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Beatles, Queen, KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bon Jovi. This iconic band infuses vibrant energy into every anime opening theme they create, leaving fans excited and engaged with their favorite shows.
