There are so many anime TV shows going around that it is almost impossible not to watch some of them. You are maybe a sports person, but are there anime series about that particular sport and which of them is the best?
Should you watch anime about sports and are they worth watching? Do you like basketball or car racing or you are more for boxing or parquor?
Here is our list of the best sports anime that are worth watching!
Choose yours!
What are the Best Sports Anime of All Time? Check our TOP 10 picks,
Navigation of Contents
1. Initial D: First Stage
This one is for those that really like street racing or petrol-heads! If you are a fan of Fast and Furious movies and you are searching for the anime with the same theme, than Initial D is the best choice for you.
The story follows the adventures of a young teenager Takumi Fujiwara who is working at the gas station, but at night he is street racing in his father’s Toyota AE86.
He does not know a lot about cars, but soon enough he becomes a part of street racing society and on his way of becoming the best street racer, he learns a lot about cars.
Pros:
- Anime is widely popular and it has a high rating of 8.6
- There are a lot of information about cars based on the true facts
- There are lot of episodes and seasons to watch
Cons:
- Animation is not that good since it was aired in 90’s
- It represents an illegal sport
- There are no supernatural elements
2. Kuroko no Basket
Do you like basketball? Well, you will love this one! Kuroko no Basket is anime about one high school team that won the championship several times thanks to 5 great basketball players.
After the high school was over, all of the team members went each separate ways and they became rivals. This anime is full of interesting stories about friendship, sports and competition and it is considered as one of the best anime about sports!
Pros:
- There are lot of seasons and episodes
- The story is not only about sports, but also the lives of the players, their struggles and achievements
- It has a rating of 8.3
Cons:
- Sometimes the moves of basketball players are presented more as a power than a talent
- It is a little unrealistic in terms of basketball moves
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
3. Hajime no Ippo
If you are tired from all the car-racing and basketball players than Hajime no Ippo is a perfect anime for you. It follows the story of a Makunouchi Ippo!
This teenager was constantly bullied by other people, his classmates bullied him almost the entire life, but one day Makunouchi Ippo gets saved by a professional boxer Takamura who later accepts to train him and to make a professional boxer from Makunouchi Ippo!
Pros:
- The story is there to teach everyone a lesson about hard work and effort
- The story is very interesting
- It has a rating of 8.7
Cons:
- It was aired in 2000 and it may not have the best animation
- There are no supernatural characters
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
4. Slam Dunk
Now, this one is a real oldie! Slam Dunk is one of the earliest anime about sports that was aired and by the opinion of many viewers it is one of the best sports anime out there!
Sakuragi Hanamichi falls in love with a certain girl and in order to impress her, he joins a basketball team. After some events he falls in love not only with a girl, but also with basketball!
Pros:
- It was aired for several years and it has 5 seasons in total
- There are movie version about the Slam Dunk story
- It has a rating of 8.6
Cons:
- Sometimes the moves of basketball players are presented more as a power than a talent
- Animation technique is really old
- Many people prefer other basketball anime because there are several
5. Bakuten Shoot Beyblade
3…2…1…GO SHOOT! Yes, you heard it right, Bakuten Shoot Beyblade is next on our list! Even though this is an imaginary sport, this anime has the same popularity as some of the other anime about imaginary games and sports.
Every one of us had at one point our own Beyblade! This anime is great on so many levels so it would be natural for us to recommend it!
Pros:
- There are lot of seasons and episodes
- There are monsters, great villains and even greater team of good guys
- It is about the game that became widely popular in the real world
Cons:
- It is too childish
- The actual sport does not exist or if it exist, it is only played in Japan
- Rating is 6.8
6. Prince of Stride Alternative
Are you into extreme sports? Well even if you are not, you probably will be after Prince of Stride Alternative. This anime is all about parquor and all those extreme moves that you can see in games like Assassin’s Creed or Prince of Persia!
The story is about a group of students who want to become the best at this sport, so they invite a high school student who can run really fast. Their goal is to return the name of their club which almost stopped existing to its former glory!
Pros:
- There is a lot of cool moves and extreme jumping
- It has a rating of 7.1
- It is probably the only anime about parquor
Cons:
- There are only 12 episodes
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
7. Days
It is time for soccer anime! Are there any? Well, yes but not all of them are worth watching. Days is probably one of the best anime series about soccer.
The story is about two boys, one is not talented for sports while the other is a soccer protégé! The two of them become best friends and help each other to become better players.
Pros:
- It’s not only about sports, but also about strong bond of friendship and teamwork
- It has its manga version
- It has a rating of 7.3
Cons:
- There are only 24 episodes
- The story becomes a little boring after several episodes
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
8. All Out
So, you still have not found your sport in anime? Maybe you like rugby? In case you do, All Out is the best sports anime for you! The story is about Kenji, a rather small boy who decides to join the rugby club.
His rugby club has a lot of different types of players so they need to give their best in order to become a better team!
Pros:
- It’s PG-13 rated
- It has a manga version
- One of the few anime series with this theme
Cons:
- There are only 25 episodes
- Rating is 7.1
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
9. Haikyuu
Haikyuu is a sports anime about volleyball! The story goes that Shouyou Hinata decides to bring back his high school volleyball team and all of the players train hard in order to become best volleyball team!
The main character Hinata is too tall, so he tries to find a best position for him in his volleyball team.
Pros:
- Rating is 8.6
- It has a manga version
- One of the few anime series with this theme
- It has a lot of side stories and sequel
Cons:
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
10. Galactik Football
Last but not least is Galactik Football! This is a totally different type of animation, still, by many viewers it is considered as anime.
It has a kind of modern animation design and it follows a story of the Football Team that uses magical energy known as FLUX in order to beat the enemy teams.
This anime may be the best choice when it comes to sports because it offers something totally different in comparison with previously mentioned anime shows.
Pros:
- Rating is 7.8
- It is cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, sports genre
- It has supernatural and alien elements
- There are 3 seasons
Cons:
- It is not in the TOP 100 anime
- It does not have the usual Japanese animation method
- Best Anime on Hulu: Anime Series to Watch Right Now
- Top 7 Magical Girl Of Anime And Manga of All Time
- Best Anime Of All Time That You Will Obviously Want To See
Conclusion:
This was our list of some of the best sports anime that you can find on the internet.
Which one is your favorite? Do you like those that are done more realistic or you like the element of supernatural?
We tried to mention almost every popular type of sport that its anime version so which one is yours? Try watching some of them and we promise you that you will not regret it.