Sports anime can depict thrilling competitions, compelling teammate dynamics, and triumphant stories of personal growth – all while offering engaging and fast-paced animation. However, a common frustration with standard sports anime and manga is the dramatic deviation from the actual sport itself.
True-to-life sports aren’t always as intense or momentous as the stories in anime or manga. Moreover, inaccurate portrayal of rules, animated action, or the mental aspect of sports can turn viewers away. These five exemplary anime and manga, on the other hand, manage to get it just right.
Ping Pong the Animation
Ping Pong is highly praised for its phenomenally stylish and unique animation, but also for its rich storytelling with genuine characters who face relatable challenges. The young ping pong players with natural-born talent are pushed to find personal tenacity and motivation. Ping Pong especially excels at conveying the difficulty of finding that drive – a cheesy teammate pep talk won’t do the trick.
In terms of engaging athletic competition, Ping Pong certainly instills that overwhelming sense of pressure while also providing needed moments of levity. Characters are often harsh yet comedically frank or over-the-top. The series is a must-watch for everyone interested in sports anime and manga.
Yuri!!! on Ice
Teenagers aren’t the only people who play sports, so why are there so few sports anime and manga with adult athletes? Yuri!!! on Ice rights that wrong, featuring professional figure skaters in their twenties. With a team of passionate fans creating the series, many of the characters are based on real ice skaters. Yuri’s story of redemption and finding strength in stellar training is rooted in those of real-life athletes.
Also unlike many sports anime and manga, Yuri!!! on Ice tells a love story alongside the many trials and tribulations of competitive figure skating. Moreover, the anime finally gives the spotlight to queer athletes without queer-baiting audiences like some argue happened with the swimming anime Free!, for example.
Lastly, one can’t tout Yuri!!! on Ice’s superiority without mentioning its award-winning animation. The intricate figure skating routines were actually choreographed by professional figure skater Kenji Miyamoto. With such detailed animated sequences, Yuri!!! On Ice truly outshines many sports anime and manga, its execution beautifully capturing the artistry of figure skating.
Stars Align
One of the most overlooked sports anime to come out recently, Stars Align is a great example of athletic realism. The story follows a boy’s middle school tennis team that’s just trying to win one match – the club is at risk of disbandment if their performance doesn’t improve. The shift in perspective is refreshing for a sports anime, also deepening the importance of working as a team rather than being the best of the best.
With immediate natural talent for tennis, the protagonist may seem like a Mary Sue at times, but he’s not without his faults. Mastering a team sport isn’t all about skill – it’s also about attitude, spirit and organization. In addition to depicting the students’ struggle to improve and compete as tennis players, Stars Align dives into each player’s difficult home life and how hardships impact their lives.
Haikyuu!!
One can’t discuss sports anime and manga without mentioning Haikyuu!!, a true hallmark of accurate athletic representation. Both the manga and anime have accumulated a wide fan base for their genuine depiction of volleyball. Written by an experienced volleyball player himself, the series has resonated with many players who share a passion for the sport.
The story follows young ambitious volleyball players who start off together on their high school boy’s team. But Haikyuu!! goes beyond humble beginnings, spotlighting the journey of characters who strive to take their talents all the way to the Olympics. While their dreams are big, the game itself doesn’t rely on unrealistic abilities that are larger than life.
Sk8: The Infinity
No, Sk8: The Infinity is not anywhere near accurate in terms of how skateboarding -- or the laws of physics -- actually works. The anime takes plenty of creative liberties, exaggerating what tricks can be done on a skateboard. That being said, Sk8: The Infinity does capture an authentic mental aspect where so many other sports anime fail.
Amid extreme downhill races between skating masters with natural talent, protagonist Reki is forced to grapple with his own inadequacy, and he finds a way to make peace with it. Those participating in sports often have to face the unkind reality that not everyone is a natural, and that’s okay. Sk8: The Infinity expertly gets an essential point across: fun should be at the heart of sports.
