I don’t like watching sports, at least, not really. Whenever I do get into watching anything of the sort, it’s usually trending soccer tournaments, certain boxing and MMA matches, and the Olympics. So, you’d think that I wouldn’t be interested in sports anime, but I found that I really enjoyed the comradery and character arcs of the anime that I listed below.
Hajime no Ippo (2000)
Hajime no Ippo follows Ippo Makunouchi, a shy high school student who often becomes a target for bullying. But after being saved by his bullies by a middleweight professional boxer, Ippo is taken to the Kamogawa Gym to treat his wounds. It’s there that Ippo gains a new interest in boxing. Shortly after, Ippo becomes a regular at the gym. He eventually rises to stardom as a featherweight.
The anime is adapted from George Morikawa’s manga series of the same name. The manga has been publishing since 1989, and to this day, it’s still ongoing with a little over 140 volumes and over 1,440 chapters! The anime includes various themes that revolve around boxing. The most prominent is what it means to be strong, which is something that the titular character must figure out for himself.
Aside from questioning his strength, Ippo is often put in situations that risk his livelihood. Fighting in the ring has its consequences that follow the boxers outside of the ring. For instance, Mamoru Takamura is often shown starving and dehydrating himself to fit his opponents’ weight classes. Hajime no Ippo shows how grueling the sport can be even for its toughest contenders.
Megalobox (2018)
Megalobox takes place in the late 21st century. In this futuristic version of our world, technology has boomed yet again and Megaloboxing has revolutionized the boxing that we know today. Megaloboxing implements a metal exoskeleton called “gears” that enables athletes to produce more damaging punches. In this future, Junk Dog fights in fixed matches in the Restricted Area of Japan, a place that’s populated by people without citizenships. But after picking a fight with the Megaloboxing Champion, Junk Dog adopts a new identity, Joe, and registers for the Megaloboxing tournament to face the champion.
The anime was made in commemoration of the boxing manga series Ashita no Joe by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba. A manga series with the same name was published in February 2018, just a couple of months before the premier of the first season (April 2018). The manga was distributed by Kodansha. Megalobox has an interesting setting with even more interesting characters. The series explores a wide range of themes, such as substance abuse, corruption, wealth disparities, and capitalism—just to name a few. Joe’s (Junk Dog) own journey includes his need of proving himself in a world so dependent on machines.
Megalobox is followed by a sequel titled Megalobox 2: Nomad that aired in 2021. It continues Joe’s story, though emphasizes the impact of trauma, poverty, substance abuse, and exploitation.
Haikyu!! (2014)
In this anime series, a first-year student in high school named Shoyo Hinata joins his school’s (Karasuno) volley ball team as he’s determined to surpass the school’s former “Little Giant” spiker. He learns that Karasuno’s volley ball team has grown infamous for their losing streaks. In Haikyu, Hinata, his rival Kageyama Tobio, and the rest of the team are determined to bring the team the same glory that had been lost.
The anime is adapted from Haruichi Furudate’s manga series of the same name. The anime consists of 85 episodes and 5 OVA’s, including five anime films with the fifth having premiered early this year (in Japan).
Haikyu!! is a fun series full of memorable characters. I like that the series shows how challenging the sport can be and how competitive it can be even among teammates. The series is dramatic, funny, and always thrilling.
Yuri on Ice (2016)
In this series, an anxious 23-year-old Japanese figure skater named Yuri Katsuki reconsiders his career until catching the interest of the Russian champion, Victor Nikiforov, who unexpectedly becomes his new mentor. With Victor’s help, Yuri rises to the top in competitive figure skating, much to the dismay of one of Yuri’s most challenging rivals, 15-year-old Russian prodigy Yuri Plisetsky.
This anime original was directed by Sayo Yamamoto and Jun Shishido. The anime also has a short manga published under the title, Yuri on Ice Side Story: Welcome to the Madness. This series explores LGBT+ themes as well as themes about the performing and competitive arts, and overcoming insecurities, just to name a few.
After seeing the beautiful animation by studio MAPPA and the romantic implications of the main characters, it’s easy to see why Yuri on Ice has maintained its popularity since its initial release. It’s a shame that the long-promised film, Ice Adolescence, has been canceled. The uproar of the film’s cancelation is testament to the impact that Yuri on Ice has made on the LGBT+ community and the general anime community.
Welcome to the Ballroom (2017)
A third-year middle school student named Tatara Fujita is one day thrown into the competitive world of ballroom dancing after Kaname Sengoku, a 23-year-old champion and dance instructor, saves him from some delinquents and leads him to Ogasawara Dance Studio.
Welcome to the Ballroom is adapted from Tomo Takeuchi’s manga series of the same name. What I liked about the show was the complex relationships that form between Tatara and the other dancers. While they encourage each other to perform and do better in their dance routines, they’re also competing against each other.
Welcome to the Ballroom showcases healthy rivalries that are very different from other notable shōnen anime. It displays a unique art style that makes the characters’ dance movements appear more fluid. It’s a series that I consider to be underrated.
Re-Main (2021)
In Re-Main, Minato Kiyomizu is an amnesiac. When he was in the ninth grade, he was infamously known for being an arrogant water polo prodigy. But after an accident lost him his past memories, Minato forces himself to relearn water polo for his school team’s sake and to fulfill a promise he made to Chinu Kawakubo, another water polo athlete.
Re-Main is an original anime series that was directed by Masafumi Nishida and Koyoshi Matsuda. Although the story of the anime is simple, I think that the drama among Minato’s teammates that’s caused by his amnesia makes the anime worth watching.
The series explores familiar themes, such as family, friendship, and teamwork, just to name a few.
Dance Dance Danseur (2022)
Junpei Murao is a 14-year-old student with a love for the performing arts, specifically ballet. But when his father passes away, Junpei’s uncle convinces him to become the man of the family. This prompts him to discard his love for ballet and instead learn Jeet Kune Do under his uncle’s tutelage. However, Junpei rediscovers his passion for ballet after meeting Miyako Godai, a ballet dancer who insists that he has the talent for the art.
The anime is adapted from George Asakura’s manga series of the same name. Unlike Welcome to the Ballroom, Dance Dance Danseur is a seinen anime that extensively covers difficult themes, like PTSD and child abuse through the young characters.
One of the most notable themes of the series is its portrayal of masculinity and the expectations that boys are taught to fulfill. Based on the theme’s portrayal in the anime, I think that Asakura provides an interesting interpretation of toxic masculinity and sexist viewpoints. In this series, Junpei rediscovers the arts and redefines what masculinity is and what it means to him.
Aoashi (2021)
In Aoashi, 15-year-old Ashito Aoi strives to be in the Japanese national soccer (or football) team as the world’s greatest forward. However, his arrogance and selfish attitude make him difficult to work with, something he learns after catching the eye of Coach Fukuda from Tokyo City Esperion FC.
This anime series is based on Yūgo Kobayashi and Naohiko Ueno’s manga of the same name. It shows detailed team strategies while referencing notable soccer players in history. Aoashi explores the importance of teamwork through Ashito and other characters with similar attitudes as the main character’s. It also explores a variety of themes that renders the series into an emotional rollercoaster. The themes in question are dreams, family, self-sacrifice, and overcoming insecurities, just to name a few.
I think that Aoashi is one of the most underrated shows that deserves more recognition from anime fans and sport fans alike.
Have you seen any of the shows I listed above? Or perhaps you have some recommendations. Feel free to comment your thoughts and/or recommendations! 🌙
Moonlit Media Room 
I watched maybe one or two epi of Aoashi. That got dropped in favour of blue lock. And with Euro 2024 starting next week, you got me thinking of my own soccer-based post.
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Funnily enough, I couldn’t really get into Blue Lock and in favor of Aoashi.
If you ever get around to making that soccer post, I’ll definitely read it!
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I can see why you couldn’t get into blue lock, as someone who grew up playing, and watching footie (British slang for soccer). Blue lock to me, represents what the modern-day football player is. A few years ago, Manchester City bought a player who was dubbed “the bad-boy” of football in the English Premier League, named Mario Balotelli. He had personality issues when he was younger, too much money, doing stupid things. Essentially, and the author of blue lock has confirmed this, all the characters are based off real footballers. Barou is based off of … Mario Balotelli.
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I think sports anime are categorized into two categories:
-The spirit of teamwork and determination like what you mentioned.
-The ones that are just crazy as heck, but still upholds a sports anime theme.
I really liked Haikyuu and Yuri on Ice, so I was happy you listed them!
I would recommend Kuroko no Basket for just sheer basketball craziness, Yowamushi Pedal for a rare cycling anime and Blue Lock if you want a more selfish take on a sports anime.
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I’ve been eyeing Kuroko no Basket for a while now…
Maybe this is a sign that I should start it soon lol
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You should definitely try it!
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