I’ve always thought that the 1996 Eguchi Yosuke / Ishida Hikari drama Kekkon Shiyouyo had one of the very best opening credits EVER, few shows that I’d seen before or since have used the theme song and visuals and blended them so PERFECTLY together! I’d watch each episode and always MARVEL at how well the montage was done. 
Kekkon Shiyouo is the tale of Eguchi as Tonoyama Keitaro, a single father who is in danger of losing his son to his ex-wife unless he can get married and prove to the courts that he can provide a stable environment for him. Ishida Hikari’s character Yuikawa Miwa is a young entrepreneur who needs a place to stay because her apartment has fallen into disrepair. Together they form an agreement that will benefit them both: Miwa will marry Keitaro in a sham marraige in exchange for lodging in his cozy condominium. Will their ruse work? Will everyone’s plans come to fruition? And most importantly, will the two realize they are made for each other and actually fall in love with each other?
These questions are at the heart of the drama, and nothing summed it up better than the awesome aforementioned opening sequence, which with so little, explained so much!
The credits start with the opening notes of Eguchi Yosuke’s TRAVELING BOY~Tokihanataretaya No Youni, a a wonderful song that starts with a simple beginning which, over the course of the opening sequence, builds into a full song, sort of reflecting the way Keitaro and Miwa's relationship develops- a small step towards a serious commitment.
As the show deals with family and home, they’ve chosen the perfect symbol- Keitero is dividing up a cheery breakfast pancake to eat, which he then shares with his son, Ren (Masuda Keita). Then it’s dinnertime, and joining them in this bonding food preparation is Keitaro’s father (Matsukata Hiroki). They’re happy with each other and have no need for anyone else…
Suddenly, on the far side of the couch, we see a new party has arrived! Why, It’s Miwa, and she’s busy reading the paper, at once a very prim and proper lady, and like the boys, very self-sufficient and needing no one else in her life…Moving on, it’s this way with mealtime, too, as we see the boys heartily enjoying a family stew while Miwa fine-dines on French cuisine. It’s clear that Keitaro and Miwa come from completely different backgrounds!
Then It’s socializing time, and finally the two lives intersect, with Keitaro, Ren , his father, ex-wife Nagisa (Aso Yumi) and subordinate Juyna (Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) joining Miwa and her spunky sister Kotori (played by Mabuchi Erika) as Keitaro alternately mingles between both parties andeveryone gets to know one another… 
Then it’s toweling off and drying after a nice hot bath, and it is Ren who makes the great leap of commitment by taking that first step of showing you care, by bringing over the hair-dryer across the couch for Miwa to share! It’s symbolic because it is the love of Ren that first brings Keitaro and Miwa together and makes them feel OK to show their feelings.
When the song comes to the bridge and Yosuke sings the line, Sayonara Koibito…the song sounds so lonely and melancholy, then as the song returns to it’s happy, busy beat, the characters onscreen “revitalize” to begin peppy morning exercises as Hikari stays out of their way…
Then it comes to the heart of the show, as Keitaro and Miwa are inevitably alone together, and we see them moving closer...and closer....and closer to each other...and then, as if they've suddenly realized how close they've been getting, defensively move back to their respective sides of the couch!
The movement on the couch symbolizes their burgeoning relationship- first apart, then closer, then closer, then apprehensively retreating back to their protective shells, and I love how Hikari throws Yosuke a winsome head tilt to acknowledge their playful charade! 
s the keyboard/violins build up to its finish, the credits end with little Ryo sitting on the rooftop gazing through a pair of binoculars into the starry sky- I love the symbolism here, while the couple in the house argues and frets about every little thing, he is optimistically keeping out of it, because unlike the others below, he’ll keep looking positively ahead for his wish of happiness in his future, and the song comes beautifully to a close. 
Such a perfect title sequence and such a pretty, winsome song! I loved everything about it, it was SO closely associated with the love I had for the show. Imagine my happiness when I finally got ahold of the single! I couldn’t wait to listen to it, and once I got the disc on, I closed my eyes and was swept back to my memories of the show…The peaceful, gentle opening chords, the slowly paced verses, that heartfelt bridge, and as I waited for the song to build up to its beautiful conclusion, I did a double take, as the song FADED OUT! EHHH??? What happened? Where was that perfect ending? I grabbed the single case and re-read the credits. Maybe there was another version? YES! But then I played it, and THIS was a ridiculous jungle remix! ARGH! What was up with this fade-out ending!!!
AHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Let's take a look at that beginning song, which started with Miwa and Keitaro's very first brush with each other...
