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Home > Anime > Anime Lists > Top 40 Best Sports Anime To Watch In 2022

Top 40 Best Sports Anime To Watch In 2022

One Out

source: IMDb

Ananya Khanduriby Ananya Khanduri
Tuesday, 10 May 2022, 12:54 IST

A great deal of significance is attached to sports anime regarding its impact on pop culture and globalization. Therefore, sports fans who love anime will have a lot to look forward to. Check out some of the best sports anime we’ve curated for you. Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime Video offer many of these videos. A hand full of the best sports anime of all time are on this list.

The appeal of sports anime lies in its inspirational, engaging, and thrilling quality. People are fascinated by athletes and games to no end. Combine this fantastic entertainment with the stunning visuals of animation, and you’ll be unable to take your eyes off it.

We have compiled a list of the top sports anime so that you can hit hard, go fast, and beat all your opponents.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • 40. Captain Tsubasa
  • 39. Prince Of Stride: Alternative
  • 38. Days
  • 37. Baby Steps
  • 36. Amanchu!
  • 35. Ace Of Diamond
  • 34. Doomben
  • 33. Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants)
  • 32. Buzzer Beater
  • 31. Dear Boys (Hoop Days)
  • 30. Dash! Kappei
  • 29. Basquash!
  • 28. Ace Wo Nerae! (Aim for the Ace!)
  • 27. Teekyuu
  • 26. Softengi
  • 25. Fighting Spirit (Hajime No Ippo)
  • 24. Bamboo Blade 
  • 23. Air Gear
  • 22. Ookiku Furikabutte
  • 21. Cross Game
  • 20. One Out
  • 19. Ping Pong the Animation
  • 18. Giant Killing
  • 17. Initial D: Extra Stage 2
  • 16. Beyblade 
  • 15. Yuri!!! On ICE
  • 14. Cheer Boys!!
  • 13. Run With the Wind
  • 12. Major
  • 11. Yowamushi Pedal
  • 10. Free!
  • 9. Kuroko’s Basketball
  • 8. Hane Bado!
  • 7. Try Knights
  • 6. Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
  • 5. Slam Dunk
  • 4. Circlet Princess
  • 3. The Prince Of Tennis
  • 2. Whistle
  • 1. Haikyuu!!

40. Captain Tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa
source: Youtube
  • Director: NA
  • Writer: Yōichi Takahashi
  • Cast: Takuya Sato, Yûko Sanpei
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Almost entirely devoted to the love of soccer, Captain Tsubasa is the story of a passionate elementary school student. Tsubasa Oozora, 11, began to play soccer when he was 11 years old, and while it was mostly just a hobby for his friends, it turned into something of an obsession for him.

Tsubasa’s elementary school career aims to play soccer, so he moves with his mother to Nankatsu city, which is well-known for its excellent elementary school soccer teams. However, while Nankatsu was quickly the best in his old town, he now faces much stiffer competition, and he will need all his skills and talents to stand out.

In addition to rivals, Tsubasa makes friends such as Sanae Nakazawa, who shares Tsubasa’s passion and will prove a dear friend who helps him achieve his dreams.

39. Prince Of Stride: Alternative

Prince Of Stride: Alternative

  • Director: Atsuko Ishizuka
  • Writer: Taku Kishimoto
  • Cast: Ryohei Kimura, Nobuhikmoto
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.6
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

The anime’s main protagonists are Nana and Takeru. Their favorite sport is stride, a kind of extreme sport. The members tried to join the stride club but were told there was no active club.

Takeru and Nana get to work on setting up a team and then practicing for the prestigious End of Summer competition. A first-year student with excellent athletic ability, Riku Yagami was recruited by then.

38. Days

Days
source: Pinterest
  • Director: Kōnosuke Uda
  • Writer: Kōnosuke Uda
  • Cast: Takuto Yoshinaga, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Despite his clumsiness and shyness, Tsukushi Tsukamoto is the favorite prey of his school’s bullies. His childhood friend Sayuri attends Seiseki High School, which he chooses to study to avoid these troubles and start afresh.

His plan failed, but why? Because bad people are everywhere and you cannot run away from them. Standing your ground is the only option. Someone else did it for Tsukushi since he couldn’t. Jin did it. And so, they began their careers as soccer players.

37. Baby Steps

Baby Steps
source: The Anime Daily
  • Director: Masahiko Murata
  • Writer: Katsuhiko Chiba
  • Cast: Taishi Murata, Minako Kotobuki
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

A manga adaptation of Baby Steps is available. As a student and a tennis player, Eiichirou lives a life centered around his academics and athletics. His academics come first, like most of us. Rather than love studies, the reason is that he believes it is the right thing to do.

Natsu, a first-year student who aspires to become a professional tennis player, breaks all his beliefs when he meets him. In his free time, he plays tennis and makes progress every day towards mastering the game.

36. Amanchu!

Amanchu!
source: The Cinemaholic
  • Director: Junichi Sato
  • Writer: Deko Akao
  • Cast: Eri Suzuki, Ai Kayano
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Likewise, Futaba could not turn her gaze away from the sea and imagined the endless possibilities hidden beneath it. In the end, she joins a diving team after catching the attention of a local diver.

Hikari is her first partner. With Hikari’s passion for diving, she gets involved with her school’s diving club as well. She looks at everything, both above and below the layers of water.

35. Ace Of Diamond

 Ace of Diamond
source: Anime Filler Lists
  •  Director: Mitsuyuki Masuhara
  • Writer: Kenji Konuta
  • Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Natsuki Hanae
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.2
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Eijun Sawamura’s final middle school baseball game is lost due to a stray pitch that completely missed the batter. Nevertheless, Eijun’s team vows to make it to the national tournament once he is in high school, humiliated by this defeat.

Then, a scout recognizes the potential in his unusual pitching style and invites him to Tokyo’s highly regarded Seidou High School.

Eijun accepts the offer after being encouraged by his teammates to improve his skills and play at a higher level. Eijun struggles to find his place on the team now that the team is so crowded with skilled players.

Satoru Furuya, a fellow first-year pitcher, has his breakneck fastballs, which earned him a coveted spot on the starting lineup, so he says that he will be the team’s Ace one day but only if he doesn’t beat him first.

34. Doomben

Crunchyroll

  • Director: Nippon Animation
  • Writer: Shinji Mizushima
  • Cast: Hideyuki Tanaka, Tessho Genda
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.2
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Doomben is known in Japan for portraying the struggles of a high school baseball team. The word dokaben means bento box in Japanese. Tarou Yamada, the main protagonist of the series, loves bento boxes. So this is how the series got its name.

33. Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants)

Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants)
source: IMBD
  • Director: Tadao Nagahama
  • Writer: NA
  • Cast: Tōru Furuya, Seizō Katō
  • IMDb Ratings: 7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Unlike other sports manga, Star of the Giants has been adopted to television. Hyuuga Hoshi, the young pitcher whose dream is to be a big-league baseball player like his father, is the main character of this baseball anime.

32. Buzzer Beater

buzzer beater anime
source: FandomSpot
  • Director: Shigeyuki Miya
  • Writer: Akatsuki Yamatoya
  • Cast: Fujiko Takimoto, Sanae Kobayashi
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.5
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

There’s nothing crazier than humans and aliens playing basketball together, so if you thought it couldn’t get any stranger, then you’re wrong. It is unorthodox and different from the usual shounen shows, so you will be intrigued by the idea of intergalactic basketball.

31. Dear Boys (Hoop Days)

Dear Boys (Hoop Days)
source: Anime News Network
  • Director: Susumu Kudo
  • Writer: NA
  • Cast: Kōhei Kiyasu, Masaya Matsukaze
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Another shounen anime, Dear Boys, tells the story of a high school basketball team attempting to achieve success. However, Aikawa Kazuhiko, a former team captain who now lives in another town, finds himself surrounded by sad, disillusioned teammates. Does he have what it takes to motivate his teammates to practice again?

30. Dash! Kappei

Dash! Kappei
source: Simkl
  • Director: Masayuki Hayashi 
  • Writer: Noboru Tokuda
  • Cast: Mayumi Tanaka, Mizuho Tsushima
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.9
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

This is a pretty old ecchi sports anime series from the 80s that revolves around a short high school boy Kappei and his journey of becoming a basketball player. You might like this if you enjoy anime shows from the 80s and their art style.

29. Basquash!

Basquash!
source: Youtube
  • Director: Shōji Kawamori
  • Writer: Tatsuo Satō
  • Cast: Hiro Shimono, Yuichi Nakamura
  • IMDb Ratings: 7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Basquash! Robot basketball, which features robots dribbling and slam dunking instead of humans, is a new game genre. Basketball lovers who also enjoy sci-fi and mecha will enjoy this anime.

28. Ace Wo Nerae! (Aim for the Ace!)

Ace Wo Nerae! (Aim for the Ace!)
source: Zerochan
  • Director: Osamu Dezaki
  • Writer: Sumika Yamamoto
  • Cast: Makoto Kousaka, Kôji Nakata
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.1
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

The series’s protagonist is Hiromi Oka, a high-schooler who aspires to become a tennis player as great as the Ace of their school, Reika Ryuuzaki. In addition to 18 manga volumes, the series was developed into an animated film, a live-action movie, a second anime series, and two OAVs.

A large part of the series focuses on the protagonist’s training, relationships, and friendships. When it comes to transitioning from a rookie to an Ace, Hiromi encounters several trials, from jealousy among classmates to choosing between love and career.

27. Teekyuu

Teekyuu
source: Youtube
  • Director: Shin Itagaki
  • Writer: Shin Itagaki
  • Cast: Ryō Hirohashi, Megumi Toyoguchi
  • IMDb Ratings: 8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Tennis anime Teekyu currently airs, originating from a manga with the same name. Multiple seasons of this anime have aired since 2012, each lasting 12 episodes, with a running time of 2 minutes per episode.

Softenni’s series is not centered around tennis like Softenni’s above. Instead, four girls in the club have wacky adventures together. It’s a comedy rollercoaster that moves fast and non-stop, so if you’re just looking for a quick laugh, you’ll probably find it here.

26. Softengi

Softengi
source: Capsule Computers
  • Director: Ryouki Kamitsubov
  • Writer: Ryouki Kamitsubo
  • Cast: Ryō Hirohashi, Megumi Toyoguchi
  • IMDb Ratings: 8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Originally a manga series from 2008 to 2011, Softenni is a relatively short anime that aired in 2011. This story follows Asuna Harukaze, a middle school student pursuing the National Championship in soft tennis.

The anime is not a tennis show but a comedy centered around fan service, including nudity and innuendo-ridden dialogue. So naturally, tennis fans aren’t likely to take it seriously, but if you like that kind of thing, you’ll probably enjoy it.

25. Fighting Spirit (Hajime No Ippo)

Fighting Spirit (Hajime No Ippo)

  • Director: Satoshi Nishimura
  • Writer: Tatsuhiko Urahata
  • Cast: Steve Staley, Richard Epcar, D.C. Douglas
  • IMDb: 8.7
  • Rotten Tomatoes: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Hajime No Ippo is one of the few sports anime filled with action. High School student Ippo Makunouchi is frequently bullied despite being kind, quiet, and gentle. Despite this, he is determined to make a difference in the world.

The story begins with him being bullied, then rescued by a boxer named Takamura Mamoru, who exposes him to the brutal world of boxing. Ippo undergoes many hardships to achieve his goals while training to become stronger. The fan service is fantastic.

Jim no Ippo has a great story, grit, and great action. It might knock you off your feet and leave you breathless.

24. Bamboo Blade 

Bamboo Blade 

  • Director: Shishō Igarashi
  • Writer: Hideyuki Kurata
  • Cast: Ryō Hirohashi, Megumi Toyoguchi
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.4
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

In Munroe High School, Kojirou teaches kendo. But he is completely broke. However, there is an unexpected opportunity for him: his team must beat his senpai’s team for the prize of free meals for the entire year! So is it now only a question of finding girls qualified and willing to join the kendo team?

23. Air Gear

Air Gear
source: TechRadar247
  • Director:Hajime Kamegaki
  • Writer: Chiaki J. Konaka
  • Cast: Kenta Kamakari, Mariya Ise
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.2
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

A typical street-fighting teenager, Itsuki “Ikki” Minami is just like any other. Later, he discovers a futuristic roller skate, an Air Trek, and a badge belonging to the Sleeping Forest gang of Air Trek. Air Trek street racing plunges him into the turbulent but exhilarating world of chaos and excitement.

22. Ookiku Furikabutte

Ookiku Furikabutte
source: Anime Decoy
  • Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
  • Writer: Yōsuke Kuroda
  • Cast: Yuichi Nakamura, Tsubasa Yonaga
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Big Windup!, often shortened to just Ōfuri, is another Japanese baseball-themed sports anime series. Ren Mihashi and his teammates are the stars of Okiku Furikabutte. The brilliant but selfish catcher Abe will have to coax Ren from his shell so that he can rise to greatness as a diamond in the rough pitcher.

A high school baseball player’s dream is to stand on the legendary field of Koushien Stadium one day. Their goal is to reach the top of the mountain, but they will face bigger teams from more prominent schools.

21. Cross Game

Cross Game
source: Around Akiba
  • Director: Osamu Sekita
  • Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
  • Cast: Akemi Kanda, Megumi Toyoguchi
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.2
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Although he appears uninterested in baseball publicly, Kou Kitamura dreams of becoming the best player in the world.

His hitting skills are remarkable. His neighbor, however, is a natural genius at pitching. So to emulate her, he secretly trains. But the real question is whether he is brave enough to pursue his dreams.

In Cross Game, there are romance, comedy, and drama elements. You will not only develop a love of baseball from this experience, but you will also learn to appreciate the little things in life. I highly recommend it.

20. One Out

One Out
source: IMBD
  • Director: Yuzo Sato
  • Writer: Hideo Takayashiki
  • Cast: Tsutomu Isobe, Masato Hagiwara
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Japan is a baseball-crazy country, making anime about the sport not too surprising; One Out is one of the best.

Throughout the story, we follow the dizzying journey of ace pitcher Toa Tokuchi, whose personal struggles surround the entire existence revolves around gambling on baseball talent.

There is nothing mundane about One Out. You’ll be begging for more episodes with its gorgeous graphics, psychological elements, and sports activities. Watch this anime, and you won’t regret it.

19. Ping Pong the Animation

Ping Pong the Animation
source: Netflix
  • Director: Masaaki Yuasa
  • Writer: Masaaki Yuasa
  • Cast: Aaron Dismuke, Kōki Uchiyama
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Ping Pong the Animation is another sports anime series. Makoto Tsukimoto has been repeating this mantra as a source of motivation throughout grueling ping pong/table tennis matches and his everyday life.

The two boys have grown up together playing ping pong nearly every day, and Makoto and Yutaka Hoshino, nicknamed Smile and Peco, don’t fight alone. Peco strives to become the most talented table tennis player globally, while Smile lacks ambition.

The inter-high table tennis competition draws high school students from all over Japan to compete for national and international fame. Only the best players compete for national and international recognition.

This is one of the best sports anime of all time.

18. Giant Killing

gaint killing

  • Director: Yuu Kou
  • Writer: Toshifumi Kawase
  • Cast: Michiko Neya, Shin-ichiro Miki
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Japan’s top soccer league has been hard on East Tokyo United (ETU) for many years. Relegation has been their biggest challenge. Abysmal team morale has resulted from losing five consecutive matches. It is even reported that the local municipality will withdraw its support.

Even the fans have deserted the team. The decline of ETU is being attributed to the firing of several coaches and poor financial decisions made in hiring players.

In response to Kousei Gotou’s pressure, the board hires Takeshi Tatsumi, a bit eccentric. Tatsumi abandoned ETU many years ago, despite being a great soccer player. However, since then, he has proven himself successful as the manager of one of England’s lower division amateur teams.

17. Initial D: Extra Stage 2

Initial D Extra Stage 2
source: Simkl
  • Director: Tsuneo Tominaga
  • Writer: Yumi Kakazu
  • Cast: Michiko Neya, Shin-ichiro Miki
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.5
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Japanese street racing is the subject of this sports anime show. This wasn’t possible in the main series. Koichiro Iketani and Mako Sato can close the chapter in their relationship. There is a twist in this installation, which I will share with you now, but the ending isn’t revealed here.

16. Beyblade 

Beyblade
source: Quote The Anime
  • Director: Toshifumi Kawase
  • Writer: Kazuhiko Soma
  • Cast: David Reale, Daniel DeSanto
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.9
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

The sports anime series ‘Beyblade’ is one of those that became a worldwide phenomenon. Everyone enjoyed watching the show. Like “Pokemon” is about friendship and trust, this anime is perfect for kids. Tyson Granger, a 13-year-old boy, is the protagonist of the anime.

Kai Hiwatari, Ray Kon, and Max Tate are his best friends, and his teammates are the other main characters. They work hard to become the best Beyblayders in the world. Children love this.

15. Yuri!!! On ICE

Yuri!!! On ICE
source: Den of Geek
  • Director: Sayo Yamamoto
  • Writer: Sayo Yamamoto
  • Cast: Jerry Jewell, Junichi Suwabe
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

This sports anime series doesn’t stand alongside mainstream sports like baseball or football in the minds of many, but it’s still incredibly physically demanding.

Yuuri Katsuki, once Japan’s most promising figure skater, is taken aback by his humiliating defeat at the Grand Prix Finale and returns home to assess his future options.

Yuuri’s mentor’s sudden appearance at his house was Victor himself. His biggest fan, Yuuri, gladly accepts, and with that, he begins his journey to return to the international music scene. Fans re-watch the whole show just for the skating scenes.

14. Cheer Boys!!

Cheer Boys!!

  • Director: Ai Yoshimura
  • Writer: Reiko Yoshida
  • Cast: Takeo Ōtsuka, Hideaki Kabumoto
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Former Sendai Josei High School ace runner Kakeru Kurahara is arrested for shoplifting at a convenience store. The university’s judo club was also losing its best friend, Kazuma Hashimoto, at the same time. A new and revolutionary activity has already been planned by Kazuma: one with only male cheerleaders.

Kazuma planned this plan even though Haruki protested. The team Haruki sets up for his friend succeeds despite his reluctance. Despite the gender-specific associations of cheerleading, prejudices, challenges, and self-doubts associated with it, Haruki and Kazuma continue to establish the Breakers, Meishiin University’s first all-male cheerleading team, through sheer determination and support from the new members of the club. The character development here is so good that there is not even one dull moment in this sports anime.

13. Run With the Wind

Run With the Wind
source: Pinterest
  • Director: Kazuya Nomura
  • Writer: Kohei Kiyasu
  • Cast: Takeo Ōtsuka, Hideaki Kabumoto
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.4
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Kakeru Kurahara, the former ace runner of Sendai Josei High School, is arrested for shoplifting at a convenience store. Despite having a high school team full of novice runners, he encounters Haiji Kiyose, a fellow student. Kakeru accepts the offer reluctantly after losing his apartment deposit at a mahjong parlor.

Kakeru’s welcoming party is interrupted by Haiji’s revelation of the apartment’s true identity: it’s the dormitory of the Kansei University Track Club. He reveals his ultimate goal in one of the most prestigious university marathon relay races held in Japan, the Hakone Ekiden.

12. Major

Major

  • Director: Ken’ichi Kasai
  • Writer: Takuya Mitsuda
  • Cast: Showtaro Morikubo, Kentarō Itō
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.2
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Gorou Honda, a young baseball fanatic, has always admired Shigeharu Honda. As a son of a professional baseball player, Gorou aspires to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Shigeharu is forced off the team because of an elbow injury, and he falls into despair. After an offhand remark from his childhood friend, Shigeharu reassesses his choices and decides to give up his pitching position and take up the bat instead.

Gorou works hard to stand out in the Japanese Little League now that he is more motivated than ever before.

11. Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal
source: MANGA TOKYO
  • Director: Osamu Nabeshima
  • Writer: Reiko Yoshida
  • Cast: Showtaro Morikubo, Kentarō Itō
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.8
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Nakamichi Onoda is an enthusiastic otaku looking forward to joining his new school’s anime club and meeting new classmates. However, he decides to settle for the bicycle racing club due to disbandment.

At this moment, he meets Shunsuke Imaizumi, a determined cyclist practicing on the steep incline at the school. The anime club’s president, Imaizumi, is surprised by Onoda’s ability to race his bicycle up the hill and proposes that he join the club if he wins.

10. Free!

Free!
source: Gojinshi
  • Director: Hiroko Utsumi
  • Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
  • Cast: Kenshô Ono, Yoshimasa Hosoya
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.4
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Iwatobi Swim Club Free! is an anime that the sports anime community likes. Swimming is Haruka Nanase’s passion, and she loves the water. He competed in a relay race in Iwatobi Swim Club with three of his friends at elementary school, Rin Matsuoka Nagisa Hazuki, and he won Makoto Tachibana.

The four friends separated after winning the tournament. They reunited as high school students many years later, but Rin had no interest in going back to how things were.

Haruka, Nagisa, and Makoto decide to establish the Iwatobi Swim Club after their bitter reunion; however, they will need one more member to excel at the upcoming tournament. In the days leading up to the competition, the four bond while training intensely to win the match and end Haruka and Rin’s animosity.

9. Kuroko’s Basketball

Kuroko's Basketball
source: CBR
  • Director: Shunsuke Tada
  • Writer: Noburo Takagi
  • Cast: Kenshô Ono, Yoshimasa Hosoya
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll, Netflix

Another best sports anime on the list is this one! There are 75 episodes of Kuroko no Basuke so that you can binge to your heart’s content. A high school basketball team attempts to earn a place in the Interhigh Championship every year.

The basketball team of Seirin High School recruits two freshmen with different abilities, Taiga Kagami and Tetsuya Kuroko. Kagami recently returned from the U.S and has a natural aptitude and a passion for the game. In contrast, Kuroko lacks athletic ability and presence.

8. Hane Bado!

Hane Bado!
source: Anime Feminist
  • Director: Shinpei Ezaki
  • Writer: Taku Kishimoto
  • Cast: Hitomi Ōwada, Miyuri Shimabukuro
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.3
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

Nagisa Aragaki’s love for her sport begins to fade as she suffers a crushing defeat at the National Junior Badminton Tournament. Her high school badminton club begins to be terrorized by her inability to cope with the shame of loss.

Others quit the club outright due to her grueling drills. The future of the badminton club looks extremely bleak as members leave and new prospects refuse to join because of their fear.

Kentarou Tachibana, the new head coach, has not been named yet. His secret weapon is Ayano Hanesaki, who defeated Nagisa seven months ago. Nagisa, however, doesn’t remember her rival as she did. Instead, she recalls a girl conflicted about badminton and wanted to be away from it.

To save Kitakomachi High School’s badminton team, Nagisa must face her fears of inadequacy, heal the wounded heart of a rival, and find a way to overcome her insecurities.

7. Try Knights

Try Knights
source: The Cinemaholic
  • Director: Tadayoshi Sasaki
  • Writer: Makoto Takada
  • Cast: Shogo Sakamoto, Seiji Maeda
  • IMDb Ratings: 6
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

The anime focuses on Riku Haruma, a rugby player, is the main character of this sports anime. The teenager is aimless when he first enters high school. He didn’t have a goal to achieve, nor did he have any plans for his life.

Rugby was a passion he had deep inside of him, but for some reason, he suppressed it. Akira Kariya was playing rugby when he came across him while walking around campus.

6. Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl

Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
source: Film Smash
  • Director: Hiroko Tokita
  • Writer: Toshiki Inoue
  • Cast: Yûko Minaguchi, Ichirô Nagai
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.5
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

The female protagonist of this sports anime series’s main character is Yawara Inokuma. Yowara’s grandfather knows just how talented she is at Judo. Therefore, it would be the most significant accomplishment to win the 1992 Judo world championship in Japan and win the Olympics in Barcelona.

Yawara begins to dislike the game after being constantly pressured and ruled by her grandfather. As the series progresses, we learn more about her grandfather’s perspective and why he loved the game so much!

5. Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk
source: VOI
  • Director: Nobutaka Nishizawa
  • Writer: Nobuaki Kishima
  • Cast: Hisao Egawa, Eriko Hara
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

In Slam Dunk, Hanamichi Sakuragi is the main male protagonist. Hannamichi is a physically strong man who frightens girls away primarily because of his strength. Moreover, he has a very high temper.

Hinamichi meets Haruko Akagi at Shohoku High School. She told their basketball coach about the strength that scared others away. After that, the story unfolded.

A popular manga adaptation is presented in this anime. A few years later, we see how Shohoku High School’s basketball team becomes one of Japan’s most famous teams.

4. Circlet Princess

Circlet Princess
source: The Glorio Blog
  • Director: Hideki Tachibana
  • Writer: Nachi Kio
  • Cast: Juri Nagatsuma, Saki Nakajima
  • IMDb Ratings: 6.6
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

This is an adaptation of the game series. In the story, Japan has been entirely transformed by technological progress. Technology is used for security, business, and other purposes in the real world.

The development of Circlet Bout, which is popular in schools, occurs during this period.

In this section, players’ academic reports are stored. Then, based on the player’s educational records, weapons are developed. Yuka Sakai is the anime’s central character.

3. The Prince Of Tennis

The Prince Of Tennis
source: Gojinshi
  • Director: Takayuki Hamana
  • Writer: Takeshi Konomi
  • Cast: Jun’ichi Suwabe, Erik Davies
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.5
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

An anime adaptation of the Japanese manga series of the same name, Tennis No Ouji Sam’s, is The Prince of Tennis. The story revolves around a star player Ryoma Echizen and becoming a tennis prodigy. The film is set in Tokyo. The school that he attends is Sheisun Academy, which is known for its tennis club and players.

The series shows him evolving as a player every day and developing his style of play. There is a lot of inspiration in this series. Ryoma and his teammates are striving hard to accomplish their dream of winning the National Middle School Tennis Championship.

Together, they are aiming to win the National Middle School Tennis Championship.

2. Whistle

Whistle
source: Entoin
  • Director: Hiroshi Fukutomi
  • Writer: Shun’ichi Yukimuro
  • Cast: Minako Komukai, Kohei Kiyasu
  • IMDb Ratings: 7.1
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

There will not be cringe-worthy scenes or innuendos in Haikyuu, and the story won’t kill off characters in cruel aspersions either.

There are 39 episodes in total. Authorized and illustrated by Daisuke Higuchi, the manga appears in volumes. Sho Kazamatsuru, a middle school boy, hoping to make the soccer team, is the anime’s protagonist. However, he is often discriminated against in his old school because of his small stature. The incident ended his soccer career due to his small size.

Because he was never allowed to play, Sho is not a very good player. So, to get on the soccer team of his new school, Sho changes schools to practice and earn a position on the team. Although he is small in stature, his hard work and talent can help him compensate for it!

1. Haikyuu!!

Haikyuu!!
source: Screen Rant
  • Director: Susumu Mitsunaka
  • Writer: Taku Kishimoto
  • Cast: Ayumu Murase, Kaito Ishikawa
  • IMDb Ratings: 8.7
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
  • Streaming Platform: Crunchyroll

With Haikyuu, you will find scenes that won’t make you cringe or innuendos and won’t kill characters off in cruel aspersions. Essentially, it is an anime about young boys competing in sports. Haikyuu means volleyball directly in Japanese.

A crucial part of the plot and characters is the sport itself, the game’s nature, and how they learn and grow.

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Ananya Khanduri

Ananya Khanduri

If she isn't spending her time with her family and friends, you will always find her lost in the delightful historical romance of London and fantasy novels. She is a smart and sensible girl, currently preparing for CA Exams. She is also quite passionate about writing and enjoys writing short stories, poetry, and review. Her hobbies include dancing, art, traveling, and designing.

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