If you love the comradeship of sports, love rooting for a group of players who you’ve come to know, but perhaps just don’t want to watch sports in real life, then here are 10 of the highest rated sports anime for you to cozy up and watch on a Sunday.
10. Baby Steps
Baby Steps follows Eiichiro Maruo, whose looking to change his life, and takes the opportunity to join a Tennis Club as a chance to do just that. Though he lacks natural athleticism, he’s able to use his intelligence and determination to take on his opponents.
9. SK8 the Infinity
Skating has become more than just a pastime for many in Okinawa, as underground skate races and challenges take place under cover of dark. Reki Kyan and his classmate Langa Hasegawa get deeply involved after Langa, in need of money, is forced to skate in a bet.
SK∞ the Infinity is the first title on this list to debut with an anime first, which came out in January 2021. The anime, along with a spin-off manga, runs to the present.
8. Yowamushi Pedal
Yowamushi Pedal follows Sakamichi Onoda, an otaku whose struggled with making friends, but hopes to change that in his new high school’s anime club. He’s hearthbroken to learn its been disbanded, but fortunately meets a friend, Shunsuke Imaizumi, who introduces Onoda to the bicycle racing club.
Yowamushi Pedal’s manga has run from 2008 to the present in in Weekly Shonen Champion, and the anime began in 2013, with many iterations taking place since.
7. Welcome to the Ballroom
Tatara Fujita’s ability to blend in has served him well for years, until one day he’s attacked by bullies. Fortunately a savior, named Kaname Sengoku, jumps in to help. Kanama then introduces Tatara to his dance studio, and in doing so opens up a world of competitive dance to Tatara that enthralls him.
Though perhaps a non-traditional sports film, as some may question “competitive dance” as a sport – though we’re including it – its certainly gained a fandom. Monthly Shonen Magazine’s released the manga since 2011 to present, and the anime ran for 24 episodes in 2017.
6. Ao Ashi
Ashito Aoi may have the star power to take his football teams where they want to go, but can he control his temper long enough to succeed? One youth coach named Tutsay Fukuda certainly thinks with his training its so, and the two move to Tokyo to see how far they can go in the football world.
Ao Ashi is the most recent title on the list with a summer 2022 anime release. Its manga is only slightly older, running from 2015 to present in Weekly Big Comic Spirits.
5. MAJOR
MAJOR follows the life of Goro Honda, who aspires to grow up to become a professional baseball player.
Despite its lesser impact compared to some series on this last, MAJOR’s anime had a strong run from 2004 to 2010, with two sequel films. Likewise the manga ran in Shonen Sunday Comics from 1994 to 2010 as well.
4. Slam Dunk
Hanamichi Sakuragi is a deliquent looking for love, and after he’s rejected for a 50th time by a girl, this time for a basketball player, he begins to hate the sport. However after a chance encounter with another girl, perhaps a potential girlfriend, she brings him into the fold of a burgeoning basketball team, where his athletic talents are recognized.
Slam Dunk ran in Shonen Jump from 1990 to 1996, and has remained one of the most popular sports manga series. It’s anime adaptation, running from 1993 to 1996, along with many sequel films, has only continued to cement its legacy.
3. Ping Pong the Animation
Two friends, Makoto Tsukimoto (known as Smile) and Yutaka Hoshino (known as Peco), are childhood friends and passionate players of Ping Pong. Though Peco appears to be the natural, due to Smile’s inadvertent self-sabotage, the teacher sees talent and helps to develop Smile’s late talents.
Ping Pong’s manga run only lasted a year, from 1996 to 1997, however it had an indelible enough effect to have an anime adaptation nearly 20 years later. Ping Pong the animation ran from April 2014 to June 20 2014.
2. Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippo follow’s teen Ippo Makunochi, a timid boy who’s doing his best to help his mother with her business after with in his father’s stead. After Ippo’s attacked by bullies for years, an boxer on the scene steaps in, and introduces Ippo to boxing. With a nack for boxing, thanks in part to his laborious day job, Ippo begins to prove his strength outside and in!
Hajime no Ippo original run aired from October 2000 to March 2002, with additional movies, OVAs, and series to follow. Likewise the manga still continues since its inception in 1989, playing a large part in the love of the franchise as a whole.
1. Haikyuu!!
Shoyo Hinata is the perhaps the biggest fan of volleyball in Japan, and despite his short stature his drive has made him a rising talent! Hinata, along with his comrades, grow together as a team and individuals as they try to become the best team in Japan
List created and ordered by rankings of each series according to MyAnimeList users (as of February 2023). (MAL’s rankings are by season, so we will include the sport upon the highest ranking of a particular season. Likewise we will only cover one series for sport, so though there may be two high ranking boxing series for instance, we will cover the top ranked of the two. MAL’s rankings also exclude popularity, therefore some of these may be hidden gems with fewer viewers than other series.)
