here are the nine best sports anime of all time

Sports anime are some of the most popular with fans. The sports anime genre includes a wide range of incredible series, covering just about every sport imaginable (Ping Pong: The Animation can attest to that). Here is a list of the best fan-favorite sports anime!

Haikyuu!!

In almost all anime listings, Haikyuu!! is the best sports anime. That’s because it’s really, really well done. Those who haven’t watched the series have certainly heard of it. The art and animation are excellent, the characters are great, and the volleyball gameplay is accurately portrayed.

The series’ endearing protagonist, Shoyo Hinata, along with the rest of the characters, are the driving force behind the story. Even if you have no particular interest in volleyball, Haikyuu!! will immerse you in this sport. The story centers around the Karasuno volleyball team and their journey to victory, but it also shines a light on the other teams.

Kuroko’s Basketball

Kuroko’s Basketball is a 75-episode sports anime that aired between 2012 and 2015. The series is known for its smooth animation with super-powered basketball moves. Fans of shonen series with awesome and oversized super moves will definitely enjoy Kuroko’s Basketball. Some have criticized it for its lack of realism, but the characters manage to hold their own.

Kuroko is a sports anime protagonist like no other. He has a laid-back personality and fades into the shadows, which later turns out to be his greatest strength. He works with his team, Seirin, to defeat the “Generation of Miracles” one by one.

Hajime no ippo

Hajime No Ippo is a series about professional boxing. The manga has been ongoing since 1989. The anime aired from 2002 to 2014 and fans are still hoping for a season 4 to be produced. It is a popular sports anime that many fans consider their favorite!

Makunouchi Ippo has been bullied all his life. One day, during a particularly brutal beating, a boxer named Takamura Mamoru saves him and brings him back to his boxing gym for treatment. When he wakes up, Takamura encourages him to attack a punching bag that has his attacker’s picture on it. This encourages him not only to defend himself, but also to awaken his fascination with boxing. Ippo indeed has quite a strong story that has won the admiration of many fans. Hajime No Ippo might even inspire some viewers to play sports after watching the anime.

Slam dunk

Slam Dunk is a popularly acclaimed 1990s sports anime. Slam Dunk features Hanamichi Sakuragi who joins his school’s basketball team to befriend Haruko Akagi, the captain’s sister. Although he first joined the club to have a girlfriend, Hanamichi fell in love with basketball and wanted to become a true professional player.

Slam Dunk may not have a concrete ending, but the series is still worth watching, as the rest of the anime is very successful. Unlike other protagonists, Hanamichi did not start out with natural athletic dispositions. Hanamichi’s journey to becoming a good player has been difficult, and he still has a long way to go before he can consider turning professional. Particularly appreciated in Japan, Slam Dunk is a masterpiece by Takehiko Inoue, the genius behind Vagabond.

Sk8 The Infinity

In just 12 episodes, fans have fallen in love with nearly every character in this spirited series. This is an anime about skateboarding whose main themes are friendship and fun. Since it is made by the same person who made Free!you can expect plenty of charming male characters and a strong emphasis on interpersonal relationships.

Reki Kyan is passionate about all aspects of skateboarding, from the act of skating itself to repairing and designing decks. Langa Hasegawa has just returned from Canada after losing her father. He became apathetic and dispassionate about life until he met Reki, who showed him the ins and outs of skateboarding. It is far from suspecting that Langa already has some notions of skateboarding since he has already done snowboarding. Together they take on “S”, an underground and illegal skateboard race.

Ace of diamond

Baseball is the most popular sport in Japan. Fortunately, Ace of Diamond lives up to the enthusiasm for this sport. Even fans who are usually bored watching baseball will find the sport entertaining thanks to the show’s cast.. The series is much longer than most other sports anime, with 126 episodes and 5 OVAS.

After a scout noticed Eijun Sawamura’s atypical throwing style, the latter is invited to join the prestigious Seidou High School baseball team. Although his former teammates are sad to see him go, they encourage him to take this opportunity. He quickly realizes that he is going to be faced with a major challenge. His teammates are amazing, but he’s not going to give up. No matter how good the rest of the team is, he’s determined to become their ace.

The animation ofAce of Diamond is excellent and reminiscent of shonen anime. Sometimes characters have demon eyes that light up red and blue when excited. Many fans say the sound effects are amazing and they get chills just by the sound of the bat hitting the ball.

Blue Lock

If you’re tired of sports anime where everything is solved by teamwork and friendship, you should watch Blue Lock. Yoichi Isagi is a soccer player who lost an important match by deciding to pass the ball to someone else. He’s not much different from most Japanese strikers, and that’s why the country launched the controversial Blue Lock program.

The Blue Lock program brings together young people like Yoichi from all over the country and pits them against each other in fierce competition. The winner gets a place on a national team, while the loser has no choice but to withdraw from the game permanently. The recent anime adaptation of Blue Lock proves that the manga craze was justified. The unique concept of Blue Lock received critical acclaim and was one of the best selling manga of 2021. The theme of Blue Lock is about football, but with a dystopian and sinister twist.

Originally created as a manga in 1981, Captain Tsubasa has had many ups and downs. His manga is still ongoing and his 80s anime series has over 100 episodes. Captain Tsubasa is a football manga that rose to popularity thanks to its likable characters and teachings on teamwork. This manga and anime has left a real legacy in Japanese pop culture.

11-year-old Tsubasa Oozora loves nothing more than playing soccer. He is even so passionate about the sport that he hopes to one day represent Japan at the FIFA World Cup. To realize this great dream, he begins by moving with his mother to Nankatsu City, a city known for its excellent elementary school football program. There he meets some of the strongest adversaries he could have imagined, but also some of the greatest allies.

Ping Pong The Animation

The artistic style of Ping Pong The Animation is immediately recognizable. This is one of the most unique art styles around. Indeed, this style is different and it might take you a bit of getting used to, but don’t let that get in the way of it because you might miss a real masterpiece. The series has taken a lot of risks, as there is no fan service, giant colored eyes, and some objects are drawn in a distorted way. Ping-pong balls, for example, aren’t even exactly circles.. Ping Pong the Animation is a great sports anime to watch if you’re looking for a cutting-edge art style and in-depth psychological storytelling.

The characters of Ping Pong The Animation are excellent and it is a pleasure to see them evolve. Their conversations are natural and there are fun and humorous scenes. Two teenagers nicknamed Smile and Peco have been playing ping pong together for years. The two friends are opposites, one being forceful and arrogant while the other is calm and quiet. But both of them love ping pong and want to win Japan’s national tournament.

The series listed in this article may have different subgenres, but they all deal with sports in one way or another. What do you think is the best sports anime of all time? Do not hesitate to let us know in the comment space! And if you are interested in anime, do not hesitate to discover the best rivals in the history of shonen!