Opening Narration: Difference between revisions

Probably an artifact from the days of radio, when, lacking title graphics, shows needed a memorable speech at the beginning to identify themselves to listeners.

 

 

 

Especially common for [[Speculative Fiction]]; often because the assumption that [[Viewers are Morons]] prevails.

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Best Student Council]]'': "At Miyagami Private Academy, there is a group of beautiful girls, who have power and authority on par with the faculty members. Miyagami Academy Maximum Authority-Wielding Best Student Council. Or for short: Best Student Council!"

* ''[[Shugo Chara]]'': "All kids hold an egg in their soul...the egg of our hearts...our would-be selves...yet, unseen..."

* Early episodes of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' had the "Long ago, when the pyramids were still young" speech in the dub, and the "History of Gaming" speech in the original version (based on the opening "narration" of the first manga chapter).

** Same as above: "...''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' will now begin."

** Also featured in ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico]]'', with [[Little Miss Snarker|Ruri]] giving her sarcastic views of the previous episodes' goings-on.

* The English dub of the first season of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' used them... spoiling half the series in the process.

* ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]'': "A butler is one who serves..."

* ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'': "Infinite time stopped beating its heart, and humans burnt away without making any noise..."

* "In matters relating to the world of the dead, there is an institution that judges the sins of the deceased, the Ministry of Hades. The Summons Section of the Judgment Bureau comprises a group supporting the ministry's operating functions by guiding the lost souls that wander the mortal world; they are also known as the Guardians of Death…" ''[[Yami no Matsuei]]''

* ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'' "The Earth, an exquisite, blue planet with more than a million species living on it..."

* In the second and third season of [[Ranma ½]] after the opening themes, there is quick narration of Ranma's arranged marriage to Akane and an explanation of Ranma's curse

* ''[[Asobi ni Iku yo!|Asobi Ni Iku Yo]]!'', rather than having one of its own, starts borrowing and slightly modifying other shows' narrations from episode three onward.

* ''[[Slayers]]'': Particularly the first season does this, but also the fourth and fifth. (The one from the first season is actually at the top of the show's page.)

* ''[[Pani Poni Dash!]]'' didn't always do it, but when they did it would go along the lines of "Rebecca Miyamoto. Born of an American father and a Japanese mother. Graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the youngest graduate in the school's history. She then returned to Japan to become a high school teacher. However... she was only 10 years old at the time!"

 

== Comic Books ==

* ''[[Babylon 5]]'' used a different narration each season.

** Usually ending with, "The year is 22XX...[[Captain Obvious|the name of the place is]]..."

{{quote|"There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens."

* The first season of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', first by a generic narrator and later by Anthony Stewart Head: "In every generation, there is a chosen one..."

* ''[[Burn Notice]]'': "My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy, until..."

* "''Like sands through the hourglass, so are the [[Days of Our Lives]]..."''

* Certainly the most famous is the "Space, the final frontier" speech from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', and its minor variations in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''.

* ''[[Sapphire and Steel]]'', disregarding the [[Artistic License Chemistry|abuse of the term "elements"]] in the cause of [[Rule of Cool|sounding mysterious]]:

* ''[[Hardcastle and McCormick]]'' had one in the early episodes: "Milton C. Hardcastle is a retired judge of the California Superior Court..."

* ''[[War of the Worlds (TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'' used a straightforward description of the show's premise in the first season. The second season replaced this with a vague and frightened news report intentionally reminiscent of the style of the [[Radio Drama]] of the same title (and, by proxy, the famous radio report on the Hindenburg disaster).

** After a short introduction and a disclaimer, the radio ''WOTW'' goes into a musical Big Band Ballroom show which was very popular at the time. Many people who tuned in late were unaware this was a drama, so when the announcer starts breaking in with news of the invasion, it sounds completely plausible.

* ''[[Highlander the Series]]'': "He is immortal, born in the Highlands of Scotland four hundred years ago..."

* ''[[Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad]]'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N34MmqmxqD0\]

* ''[[Charlie's Angels|Charlies Angels]]'' ('This is the story of three special girls...')

* "''[[The Invaders (TV series)|The Invaders]]'' - alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination: the Earth. Their purpose: to make it ''their'' world...."

* ''[[Dirty Jobs]]'': "Hi, I'm Mike Rowe, and this is my job..."

** This only applies to the shorts. The series proper replicated this by [[Character as Himself|using the characters names instead of the actors' in the opening sequence]], and using the words "Today's Adventure" in front of the title of each episode (which was flashed on screen and no longer spoken.)

* ''Monkey'' (the English-language dub of the late-70s Japanese adaption of ''[[Journey to the West]]'') features extended introductory narration explaining Monkey's origins in what is probably intentionally tongue-in-cheek [[Fauxlosophic Narration|fauxlosophic]] style that might or might not be present in the Japanese original.

* [[Six Million Dollar Man|....."Gentlemen.....we can rebuild him..."]]

* [[Iron Chef|"Five years ago, a man's fantasy became reality... in a form never seen before: 'Kitchen Stadium,' A giant cooking arena."]]

** "Today, these three players are after hiiiigh stakes/biiiig bucks, but they'll have to avoid the [[Whammy]], as they play the most exciting game of their lives! From Television City in Hollywood, it's time to ''[[Press Your Luck]]''! And now, here's your host, the STAR of ''Press Your Luck'', Peter Tomarken!" In a [[Double Whammy]] (no pun intended) of tropes, most episodes started with a "Previously on" montage of past contestants before announcer Rod Roddy went into the phrase.

*** "The game with big bucks and Whammies is back, bigger and better than ever! It's time to play ''[[Whammy (TV series)|Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck!]]''

** It isn't used any more, but ''[[Wheel of Fortune]]'' used to open thusly: "Look at this studio, filled with glamorous prizes! Fabulous and exciting merchandise! Over $-- thousand dollars, just waiting to be won on..."

** "From Television City in Hollywood, it's The (New) $25000 Pyramid. Today's special guests are (insert celebrities here). And now, here's your host, [[Dick Clark]]!"

* ''[[Happy Days]]'' has one in the ''Love, American Style'' [[Pilot]], provided by Richie Cunningham himself:

{{quote|"It's pretty hard to be sixteen and growing up. Maybe it was easier when my parents were young, but... now it's [[The Fifties|the 1950s]] and the world's really getting complicated. Now don't get me wrong, I--I have a great family. My father's in the hardware business, my mom does volunteer work for the Red Cross, [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|my brother]] goes to college... [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|and my sister wants to go to an orthodontist]]. My sister does, however, go to piano lessons and... I always get stuck walking her home. But today I don't mind, because... today's a big day. We're gonna be the first family on the block to get a television set. Heh, my sister has to tell everybody, but... I only told my best friend Potsie."}}

* The first season of ''[[The Fall Guy (TV series)|The Fall Guy]]'' had this opening narration from Lee Majors:

{{quote|"This is the story of one of America's great unsung heroes. I mean, you've seen him but you never knew who he was. You've cheered for him and cried for him and women have wanted to die for him. But did he ever get any credit, or the girl? No! He's what we call the "stuntman" and the reason I'm talking so fondly about him is, well, because it's me, Colt Seaver. Anyway, picture work isn't wall-to-wall employment, so maybe you wonder how a guy keeps his head together. Well, one way is to wait by the phone...and wait...and wait. The other is to take an occasional job with the court system of the United States of America, where a man is considered innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, sometimes a lot of these people get out of jail on what we call bail. Then they run like hell. And that's where I come in. I sometimes pick up rent money trying to find them and bring them back to justice...and that reminds me of a very interesting case..." }}

* In the first season of ''[[The Amazing Race]]'', host Phil Keoghan provided a detailed one throughout the opening theme music. This was dropped in future installments.

* [[Voyagers|We travel through time to help history along; give it a push where it's needed.]] ''(Jeff: Bogg!)'' When the [[Timey-Wimey Ball|Omni]]'s red, it means history's wrong. Our job is to get everything back on track ''("Ding"; Bogg: Green light, kid! We did it!)''.

{{quote|Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato, and their rolling arsenal, the Black Beauty. On police records a wanted criminal, the Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner-publisher of the Daily Sentinel, his dual identity known only to his secretary and to the district attorney. And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens, rides THE GREEN HORNET.}}

* ''[[Beauty and the Beast (TV series)|Beauty and The Beast]]'' has paired voiceovers from Vincent and Catherine describing their love for each other.

'''Henry:''' This experience is going to make a great book.

'''Kip:''' You see, it's all perfectly normal... }}

* In [[Grimm]], the opining narration comes in the form of a quote from the fairy tale the villain of the week comes from.

* ''[[K-tai Investigator 7]]'': "Fighting cyber crimes, the walking cellphone Seven. This is the reality of tomorrow."

 

== Tabletop Games ==

** The novels have their own longer variation:

{{quote|"It is the 41st milennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die."

== Video Games ==

* All the in-game movies in ''[[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri]]'' are a CG animation or montage, with a background voice reciting something, usually a fictional quote from the faction leaders, sometimes a passage from a book. Also, the opening sequence also features a montage with a narrator at the end, explaining the events that happened before the game.

* The creators of ''[[Total Annihilation]]'' didn't have enough money for much of a story, but what little story (and money) they had was put into an opening video with some narration.

{{quote|"What began as a conflict over the transfer of consciousness from flesh to machines escalated into a war which has decimated a million worlds. The Core and the Arm have all but exhausted the resources of a galaxy in their struggle for domination. Both sides now crippled beyond repair, the remnants of their armies continue on ravaged planets, their hatred fuelled by over 4,000 years of total war. This is a fight to the death. For each side the only acceptable outcome is the complete elimination of the other."}}

* [[Half-Life 2|Rise and shine Mr. Freeman, rise and shine...]]

* ''[[Star Fox (series)|Star FOX]] 64'': "Corneria, fourth planet of the Lylat System. The evil Andross turned this once thriving system into a wasteland of near extinction. General Pepper of the Cornerian Army was successful in banishing this maniacal scientist to the deserted, barren planet, Venom....

{{quote|'''Kainé''': Weiss, you dumbass! Start making sense, you rotten book, or you're gonna be sorry! Maybe I'll rip your pages out one by one, or maybe I'll put you in the goddamn furnace! How can someone with such a big, smart brain get brainwashed like a little bitch, huh? "Oh, Shadowlord, I love you, Shadowlord! Come over her and give Weiss a big, sloppy kiss, Shadowlord!" Now pull your head out of your goddamn ass and '''START FUCKING HELPING US!'''}}

* "''[[Chrono Cross|What was the start of all this? // When did the cogs of fate begin to turn? // Perhaps it is impossible to grasp that answer now, // From deep within the flow of time... // But, for a certainty, back then, // We loved so many, yet hated so much, // We hurt others and were hurt ourselves... // Yet even then we ran like the wind // Whilst our laughter echoed, // Under cerulean skies...]]''"

* "...We are defenders of the night! We are ''[[Gargoyles]]''!"

** Though it's notable that this narration wasn't added until the second season, along with a change in the clips, adding in second-season material.

* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' features a brief description of the world, bending, the Avatar, and the War with the Fire Nation by Katara, with a longer version in the first episode.

** Katara's son Tenzin is the narrator for the opening credits for ''[[The Legend of Korra]]''.

* ''[[Aeon Flux]]'' ran the opening titles under a dialogue between the two lead characters.

** This one changed several times according to various plot developments, although kept the same basic scheme.

* ''[[Samurai Jack]]:'' "...and undo the future that is Aku!"

* ''[[Three Delivery]]'' has one, narrated by the Titular Trio, Tobey, Sue, and Sid: "Years ago, our Nana was trained in the ways of magic..."

* "...Whatever the challenge, they are ready -- the [[Centurions]]!"

** The Sunbow ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' series as well -- "its purpose: to defend human freedom against COBRA, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world!"

** And the ''[[Conan the Adventurer (animation)|Conan the Adventurer]]'' animated series.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Title Sequence]]

[[Category:Show Parts]]

[[Category:Narrator Tropes]]

[[Category:Beginning Tropes]]