From bewitching high school dramas to otherworldy power-fantasies, anime is often a vehicle for seriously engaging storytelling. Yet, while it doesn’t necessarily seem like the most natural fit, some of the most compelling anime series of recent years have been centered on sports and fitness.
Unlike most feature films and live-action TV shows, these all-time best sports anime series may not always be grounded in reality, but, because the medium brings a whole new quirky twist to sports, these shows can often be as entertaining as some of the best athlete biopics—if not more so. On that note, from traditional uplifting dramas to genre-bending sports comedies, even those utterly uninterested in sports may find something of interest.
Sports anime may be more grounded than genre-leading productions like My Hero Academia and One Piece, but the high-energy story crescendos and over-the-top characters fans have come to expect from the genre mostly remain the same. These all-time-great anime series aren’t to be passed up!
How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?
Since How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift is an ecchi anime that thrives on fan service and distinctly anime feel-good humor, it may not befit everyone’s taste. But, for anyone who has been in the pursuit of bodybuilding or regular fitness, the comedic stylings of this one are enough to entertain.
The central character of the series is gluttonous high schooler Hibiki Sakura. When her expanding waistline begins to concern her, she decides to turn her life around and joins a gym—but she must conquer insurmountable and often hilarious odds to stick to her fitness journey.
Eyeshield 21
American football isn’t particularly popular in Japan, though it may surprise some to discover that the country actually does have a professional league for the sport known as the X-League. American football was also represented briefly through the relatively short-lived anime series Eyeshield 21.
When the timid Sona Kobayakawa develops a hidden talent for running and evasion after years of illuding school bullies, he anonymous joins an American football team while wearing a face-concealing visor and going by the moniker Eyeshield 21. It’s a unique series for which football fans may want to look out.
Yowamushi Pedal
Sakamichi Onda is a high school otaku whose interests do not exceed the bounds of anime and general nerd culture. However, when a famous cyclist and fellow student happens to discover Sakamichi’s surprising prowess on his bulky, beach cruiser-like bike, he’s roped into the world of cycling.
A series about coming out of one’s shell and discovering new passions and interests as much as it is about cycling, Yowamushi Pedal adds quite a bit of personality and intrigue to a sport that isn’t often covered in most media.
Prince Of Tennis
Premiering way back in the mid-aughts, Prince of Tennis drifts away from the typical sports anime narrative. Instead of focusing on an underdog character, it tells the story of a star player, Ryouma Echizen. The young boy joins the Seishun Gakuen Junior High School after moving to Japan from the West.
With his presence, the team becomes a force to be reckoned with. However, despite being a great player, Ryouma wishes to become the finest tennis player in Japan and create his own legacy instead of living under his father’s shadow.
Chihayafuru
Spanning over several seasons and OVAs, Chihayafuru has an intriguing card game called Karuta at its fore. Both physically and mentally demanding, the game draws its inspiration from the classic Japanese anthology of Hundred Poets. The main protagonist of the series, Chihaya, first comes across this game when she meets transfer student Arata Wataya.
It’s this fateful encounter that changes her life for the better and introduces her to the fascinating world of competitive Karuta. Adapted from an eponymous manga, the storyline of Chihayafuru is replete with well-developed characters and plot points. Madhouse Studio’s stellar work with the show’s animation is a bonus that makes it all the more enjoyable.
Major
A long-running baseball-centric anime that originally debuted in 2004, Major follows the career of Goro Honda, the son of a prominent baseball star whose career was sidelined by injury. Out to overcome adversity and escape the woes brought upon him by familial drama, Goro goes from an innocent schoolboy to a promising major-league prospect.
As is the case with any anime series, it’s full of emotion, suspense, and hyperbolic over-exaggeration. Yet, baseball is a hugely important sport in Japan, and even Western fans will want to check out this genre-defining depiction of the game.
Run The Wind
Unlike most anime that are adapted from manga, Run with the Wind is a novel adaptation. As its title suggests, the show is about competitive running. But, along with the generic narrative surrounding the progress of its main characters in their sport, it also delves deep into the mental catharsis of its protagonist, Haiji.
Despite having a high school team full of novice runners, Haiji sets his eyes on the ridiculously hard university marathon relay races in Japan. Winning aside, to even be able to compete against Japan’s best runners, the team will have to surpass many hurdles along the way.
Ace of Diamond
Ace of Diamond tells the story of Eijun Sawamura, a young pitcher who develops a reputation thanks to his atypical style. Ambitious and somewhat over-eager, his middle school team loses their final game, but Eijun campaigns to become an even stronger high school athlete.
Eijun’s skills land him a spot at Japan’s notorious Seidous High School, though he’s fraught with competition from both competing teams and fellow teammates. While it follows many familiar shounen sports anime story beats, it’s definitely one anime fans who also happen to watch baseball need to check out.
Kuroko’s Basketball
The quick-paced quarters, the dramatic time-outs, the high-intensity action—the sport of basketball has all the right ingredients to make up a taut and enticing anime series. That explains why so many shows use the sport as a narrative device.
While Kuroko’s Basketball does the same, it adds a layer of fantasticism to the sport. There’s a whole lot of unrealistic dunking, passing, and martial arts-centric action. Viewers looking for strategic gameplay and lessons on real-life basketball may not get much out of this, but, for fans of shounen anime, this one perfectly fits the bill.
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Some viewers might scoff at Free!’s intensive fan service approach, but there’s a lot more to the anime than that. For starters, it has well-written characters, all of whom get relatively balanced development throughout its runtime.
Secondly, despite having a fairly predictable premise, Free! keeps viewers intrigued with its high-octane swimming competitions and rivalries. Not to mention, since KyoAni is behind the anime’s production, both the style and quality of its animation are no short of being wonderful.
Yawara!
Old but gold, Yawara! features the titular teen Yawara Inokuma, a young Judo prodigy who is being raised by her grandfather, who also happens to be a highly-skilled Judo instructor. Faced with the pressures of competing for a spot in the 1992 Summer Olympics, Yawara must train relentlessly to meet the demands placed upon her by her grandfather, though she only wants to live a normal life free from hardcore athletics.
Ultimately, Yawara learns to harness her innate talent and attains a new appreciation for the sport, though it takes her time. it’s a seminal sports anime that’s recognized by many as a somewhat-overlooked anime gem.
Haikyuu
Haikyuu is among the most popular anime of the modern era, and it has rightfully acquired that place. While its central premise rests on the volleyball adventures—and misadventures—of a pint-sized protagonist named Hinata, the anime intricately explores the backstories of all of its characters and never leaves a dull moment.
Its on-court volleyball action is exciting enough to keep most viewers glued to it. But, more than that, it’s the characters of this anime that allow it to rise above other generic sports outings that have been overtaking the genre.
Yuri!!! On Ice
The expert depictions of the delicate, beautiful art of ice skating already make Yuri!!! On Ice a standout series. However, when it comes to its plot, it’s hard not to be captivated by its subtle and scintillating romantic developments.
Created by MAPPA Studio, Yuri!!! On Ice focuses on Yuuri Katsuki, a once-renowned figure skater who struggles to hold on to the sport after losing his peak form. But, with a twist of fate, one of his previous performances goes viral, and five-time world champion Victor Nikiforov shows up at his door to mentor him. His journey back to the world stage may not be easy, but, with Victor’s support, he might just make it.
Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk is a classic. As remembered by Sports Illustrated, when it first premiered, it had a massive impact on Japanese culture and served to popularize the sport in the country. What makes Slam Dunk such an epic anime is how it seamlessly shifts back and forth between its sports-centric action and the day-to-day high school hijinks of its characters.
Along with that, it also heavily focuses on the technicalities of the sport and throws in several lessons here and there for aspiring basketball players. Its animation style might seem a bit dated today, but all of the other elements easily make up for that.
Hajime No Ippo
Essentially the Rocky of anime, even though it follows a typical fight-of-the-week format, the boxing journey of Hajime no Ippo’s main character is awe-inspiring. Another aspect of the series that makes it stand out is the predictability of its boxing matches. No matter how hard a viewer tries to foresee the outcomes of its bouts, the anime always surprises with its outcomes—much like the real-world sport.
For anyone who’s looking for some inspiration to start working out or just to turn their lives around, Ippo’s road from being bullied to becoming a boxing pro deserves a shot.
NEXT: 15 Most Underrated Anime Of The Last 20 Years
