Are you a sports enthusiast who enjoys Anime? If so, you should read this blog!
In this blog, I will list sports Anime recommendations that are specifically tailored to Anime fans who are into sports.
Although most people wouldn’t consider sports Anime to be the most thrilling genre in the medium, there are several fantastic shows that completely engross the audience with well-written drama and action-packed games.
It might sound boring to some but watching sports Anime can be a lot of fun, no matter your level of interest in sports.
From tennis to basketball, I have recommendations for every sport. Find out the best Anime that you can watch to get your head in the game!
What is Anime?
Anime is a type of Japanese animation that can be either hand-drawn or computer-generated. Outside of Japan and in English, anime refers solely to Japanese animation.
Anime (from the English word animation) refers to any animated work created in Japan and in Japanese, regardless of style or origin.
Anime production, in contrast to Western animation, typically concentrates on setting detail and the usage of “camera effects” such as panning, zooming, and angle shots. Character dimensions and traits can vary widely, with large and expressive eyes being a prominent distinguishing feature.
What is the most-watched genre of Anime?
The comedy genre is one of the most popular in all of anime, with parts of it frequently appearing in other genres. Comedy shows are often lighthearted and entertaining to watch.
Though most people would not consider sports anime to be the most interesting genre, there are a number of fantastic episodes that engage the spectator in well-written drama and action-packed bouts. Sports anime, rather than utilizing fancy power systems or mystical weaponry, adapts the high-stakes action of shonen to every sport imaginable.
Whether it’s classic sports like volleyball or something more unconventional like ping pong, the anime’s depiction invites viewers to fall in love with any sport. The best sports anime features endearing characters with intriguing dynamics. Teammates and competitor teams have a special relationship.
Tennis Anime
What’s better than watching a great tennis match? Watching an Anime about tennis with Pro players, some drama, and a slice of life.
There are several great tennis Anime to check out.
From school sports Anime to sports anime with a more lighthearted tone, there’s something for everyone. Plus, many of these shows feature great matches between skilled players, so you can learn a thing or two (or ten) about the sport.
The Prince of Tennis
Like the title says the Prince of Tennis, the protagonist of this show, Echizen Ryoma is a Tennis prodigy. He has been winning matches since young but there is one person that he cannot defeat yet, his dad.
He joins a Tennis team to train like crazy and face all the obstacles to win against his father. The animations are topnotch plus sports action is quite an impressive treat for all tennis enthusiasts.
Hoshiai no Sora
This Anime is unique because of its realistic plot and slice-of-life theme. It accurately portrays the anxiety and stress that a teenager goes through.
Although it features Tennis, it is a slice-of-life Anime. The realistic characters and the dialogues make it a worthy watch.
Hoshiai no Sora tells the story of Toma Shinjou who dreams to become a successful tennis player. In the meantime, his team is disbanded due to poor performance.
Baby Steps
Although this Anime is not a mainstream sports Anime, it approaches Tennis in a very different way. Just like its title, you’d see the characters hitting the rock bottom and then rising again as unbeatable players.
Baby steps follow the story of Marou Eiichirou, a junior high school student who is a bright student but is terrible at sports. He chooses Tennis as the sport he wants to play and dedicates everything to this sport and becomes undefeatable.
Soccer Anime
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Japan, and Anime has always been dedicated to representing it well.
Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun
This Anime has an excellent combination of Sports, competition, and comedy. Although this Anime is mainly focused on Soccer, the light-hearted comedy is there to keep you glued to the Anime.
Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-Kun tells the story of Aoyama, an adorable clean freak. The strange thing about him is that he is a soccer player. This Anime shows how cleanly Aoyama paves his way to victory despite soccer being a dirty sport.
But it is not as easy as it seems, Aoyama has to face the dirt to win the Nationals along with his striker teammate Kaoru Zaizen.
Days
Days is a sports Anime that focuses on the characters rather than the game itself, introducing us to their anxieties and joys.
Days is, in my opinion, one of the greatest sports Anime character development works I’ve ever seen.
Area no Kishi
Kakeru Aizawa is a high school soccer team manager. He thinks of himself as an okayish player. Whereas his brother, Suguru, is an ace player on the National Soccer team.
Although they are apparently on good terms, Aizawa envies his brother. On the other hand, Suguru thinks the opposite.
He wants to bring his brother’s hidden talent to light. After an unforeseen catastrophe, Kakeru is compelled to enter the world of soccer and reunites with his childhood crush.
Farewell, My Dear Crammer
Nozomi Onda, Sumire Suou, and Midori Soshizaki are the main characters in the story. All three are exceptional at this sport but their talent was not appreciated due to certain circumstances.
As members of the Warabi Seinan High School girls soccer team, the three girls cross paths. And begin to show their full potential and talents in the sport. They, together with their teamwork, bring the sport back into the limelight.
Giant Killing
East Tokyo United (ETU) employs Takeshi Tatsumi as a manager to try to break the jinx that appears to have fallen over the squad after a lengthy string of poor performances in the Japanese professional football league for several years.
Tatsumi will have a difficult time since ETU supporters accuse him of being a traitor and the team is competing against teams with better players and bigger finances.
However, even a goliath may be defeated, and Tatsumi asserts that he is adept at taking out giants.
Baseball Anime
Baseball Anime is a popular genre of Anime and there’s a good reason for that. They’re exciting, engaging, and based on a real-life game.
If you’re a sports fan and don’t have the time to watch a game that is longer than an hour or two, then sports Anime is perfect for you.
Okikku Furikabutte
Ren Mihashi was the start of the baseball team in middle school but his poor pitching brought him no good. The constant defeat led his teammates to bully him and loosing on purpose.
As a result, Ren graduated with very low self-esteem and lost his motivation to join Baseball again as a pitcher. In high school, he has no intention of playing this game but he gets dragged into joining the High school baseball team as a pitcher.
He then realizes his potential with the help of his teammates.
Cross Game
What happens when two people at odds try to compete with each other? A never-ending rivalry! Baseball may be exactly what the duo needs to overcome their difficulties.
Kitamura, Kou Kou, the only son of a sports shop owner, has never expressed an interest in playing baseball.
Despite this, he has an exceptional hitting skill that he has polished through repeated trips to the Tsukushima family’s local baseball batting center.
Whereas Aoba adores baseball and is a superb pitcher with outstanding pitching form.
One Out
When Hiromichi Kojima, a famous hitter for the Saikyou Saitama Lycaons, sees Tokuchi in action, he believes that the man may be just what the team needs to break out of their rut.
Kojima is determined to recruit Tokuchi no matter what and risks his career by defeating Tokuchi in his specialty—One Out.
Diamond no Ace
The show is bursting with high-spirited vitality, humor, and distinctive character personalities. The variety of individuals present in the scene makes the baseball games themselves quite entertaining.
Eijun Sawamura, a pitcher, attends an exclusive school alongside a superb catcher called Kazuya Miyuki. They aspire for Japan’s renowned Koushien titles with the rest of the squad via hard effort and commitment.
Basketball Anime
Other than Soccer, Tennis, and Baseball, Basketball has also been a hot topic in both Japan and Anime.
These Anime series are all well-made, entertaining, and educational, so regardless of your age or interests, you’ll likely enjoy watching them.
Kuroko’s Basketball
The basketball Anime series Kuroko’s Basketball is a must-watch. The series follows the journey of two high school students – Tetsuya Kuroko and Taiga Kagami – who play for their school’s basketball team.
If you’re a sports Anime fan, be sure to check out Kuroko’s Basketball.
Slam Dunk
One of the most well-known classic Anime of all time.
Slam Dunk is a throwback to a simpler time, the early 1990s. This Anime was created and significantly influenced by the NBA‘s global success.
True basketball fans and sneakerheads will appreciate the fan service provided by this Anime. Every shoe worn by the major characters is based on a renowned 90s pair. Furthermore, several of the animations were influenced by the best ballers of the time.
Dear Boys – Hoop Days
Tendoji High School’s outstanding basketball squad was captained by Aikawa Kazuhiko. He relocates to a new location to attend Mizuho high school and play basketball on its team.
However, Mizuho High’s basketball team is far from prominent; in fact, it is no longer in existence.
Nonetheless, Kazuhiko’s perseverance, enthusiasm, and Basketball talents pushed other members of the dysfunctional Basketball team to gear up and resume practice.
Which is the best Anime for sports enthusiasts?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as everyone’s preferences will differ. However, some of the best Anime series that is good for sports enthusiasts are already mentioned above.
You can get some recommendations from this video as well.
One Anime that is mandatory to mention here is Haikyu!!,and I think this list is incomplete without this Anime.
Haikyu!! follows the story of Hinata Shouyou, a short middle school student who develops a strong passion for volleyball after watching a national championship match on TV.
Shouyou joined his school’s volleyball team to emulate the championship’s standout player, a diminutive lad called the tiny giant.
| Title | Haikyu |
| Alternative title | Haikyu!! – L’asso del volley in Italian Haikyu!! Los ases del vóley in Spanish ハイキュー!! (Japanese) |
| Genre | Comedy, Slice of life, tournament |
| Themes | Sport, Volley Ball |
| No. of Episode | 25 |
| Running Time | 24 minutes per episode |
| Created By | Haruichi Furudate |
| Broadcast | April 6, 2014 |
| IMDb Rating | 8.8/10 |
Conclusion
- Sports Anime is popular among Anime fans because they not only feature sports but also some real-life lessons and drama.
- Sports Anime based on real-life sports such as soccer, football, and baseball are popular. Because fans who are into sports can relate to them.