For this one we're going to be breaking down the top ten sports themed anime of all time!
We'll be going through a range of different sports anime breaking them down from the ones that defined the genre to the new breakout anime that are defining the new movement.
I'll be pulling from lists and polls among the anime community to make sure we're going through the most popular as well as combining them with my own top ten.
I am going to be adhering to some rules for this one: I am sticking to ONE anime per sport on the list (for example, there won't be Kuroko's Basketball AND Slam Dunk, though Slam Dunk will be in the runner up section), and I'm also cutting out fighters that aren't specifically boxing anime (for example Fighting Spirit and Megalo Box both count, but one will make the list and the other will be on the runner ups).
SHJ EXCLUSIVE ANIME BONUSES
Workouts: Sports Anime Inspired Workout Database
Quiz: Anime Workout Placement Quiz
Calisthenics Quiz: Anime Calisthenics Workout Placement Quiz
Unofficial Anime Workout Booklets: Anime Workout Booklets
Sports Booklet: Unofficial Sports Themed Anime Workout Booklet
TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
HONORABLE MENTION: RUN WITH THE WIND
To start off our list of the best sports themed anime I want to bring in an honorable mention that I'd feel bad not mentioning considering this is a fitness x fandom website: Run With The Wind.
If you couldn't figure it out by the title: Run With The Wind is about running. It's a fun, character driven anime that follows a team of ten runners, each given their time to shine.
This one takes place following college students, so its fun for all different age groups to get into and give a shot.
Running Workout at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER TEN: SK8 THE INFINITY
Starting off our real list of the top sports themed anime is Sk8 The Infinity!
This one isn't my personal taste, but it definitely makes waves within the sports anime genre. It was one of the most popular anime that released in Winter 2021 and continues to have fans waiting for more.
The second season was announced in August 2022 but we haven't heard any news since. But, either way, it's safe to say that it will be a big release!
Joe at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER NINE: ALL OUT!
Next up, at number nine among our top ten sports themed anime is All Out!
This is one of my personal favorites, even though I'm an American that was never too familiar with rugby until I was older.
It only has 25 episodes and one season, but it's enough to be worth diving into.
Overall All Out is another great one for SHJ fans considering the motivation for the mix of strength, mass, endurance, agility and all things striving for superhuman-like abilities.
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER EIGHT: YOWAMUSHI PEDAL
Coming in at number eight among our top sports themed anime is Yowamushi Pedal.
We've only had Sakamichi Onoda hit the site thus far, as we don't get many workouts that revolve around just cycling/biking, but it was a fun one nevertheless.
This one consistently finds itself among the top ten sports anime and it's a great one if you love training arcs as Sakamichi starts out wimpy but ends up going through grueling training to unlock a hidden talent.
Yowamushi Pedal at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER SEVEN: PRINCE OF TENNIS
At number seven among the the best sports themed anime is Prince of Tennis!
Prince of Tennis follows Ryoma Echizen who is a young tennis prodigy who has won 4 consecutive tennis championships but who constantly lies in the shadow of his father, a former pro tennis player.
We get to see Ryoma Echizen work to find his own style of tennis, overcoming the internal battle with himself while also defeating the shadow left by his father.
Prince of Tennis at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER SIX: ACE OF DIAMOND
Just missing our top five, coming in at number six on our list of the top sports themed anime is Ace of Diamond.
I played baseball growing up, so maybe this one has a soft spot for me, but not enough to make the top five being that there are just so many amazing sports anime.
The main reason this one doesn't come within the top five is that a lot of other lists and polls are divided on the baseball anime, and many have Major or All Outs in place of where Ace of Diamond would likely be.
Ace of Diamond at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER FIVE: YURI ON ICE
Starting off our top five sports themed anime of all time is Yuri On Ice.
Yuri On Ice is an extremely popular anime, with TONS of requests for a Yuuri workout coming in as soon as we started seeing any sports anime inside of our Anime Workouts Database.
This one, like Sk8 The Infinity, isn't exactly my style of sports anime, but I can understand the allure. Yuri On Ice has had high praise for the healthy depiction of BL relationships, which makes it a top pick on almost any sports themed anime list.
Yuri On Ice at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER FOUR: BLUE LOCK
Next up, at number four among our best sports themed anime is Blue Lock.
Blue Lock is one of my favorite anime on the entire list, and one of the newest, with the show making serious waves in the anime world recently.
Blue Lock was so popular we couldn't even keep up with the requests for more characters as they were coming in and eventually had a full database devoted strictly to Blue Lock characters.
Blue Lock at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER THREE: HAJIME NO IPPO
Starting off our top three sports themed anime is Hajime no Ippo!
It's between Hajime no Ippo and Blue Lock for my personal top two favorite anime on this entire list, and Ippo Makunouchi is such a great character for us to highlight at SHJ.
Some people actually go as far as to say that Hajime no Ippo is the perfect anime.
Hajime no Ippo has 76 total episodes, but even more if you're a manga fan that wants to five in for more action.
Hajime No Ippo at SHJ:
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER TWO: KUROKO'S BASKETBALL
Just missing the top slot among our best sports themed anime of all time is Kuroko's Basketball.
Kuroko's Basketball ran from 2012 to 2015 with 75 episodes that helped continue shaping the growing genre.
Though Slam Dunk came years prior in the basketball genre, I decided to have Slam Dunk in the runner up section and Kuroko's Basketball on the main list.
Not only did it explode in the anime scene and have people diving in for more sports anime, it also has a fun way of showing off incredible moves that make it blend within a shonen style anime as well.
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME
NUMBER ONE: HAIKYUU!!
Coming in at the top slot among our best sports themed anime is Haikyuu!!
There's no denying it: Haikyuu is the top dawg among sports anime out there. Haikyuu comes in at number one among almost every list and set of sports anime polls, and for good reason.
Haikyuu was even said to be the "juggernaut" of sports anime with it's four seasons, four movies, and four OVAs. Tack that on top of the 402 chapters of the manga and you have some serious catching up to do if you haven't start this incredible series yet.
THE TOP TEN SPORTS THEMED ANIME OF ALL TIME & OTHER SHJ BONUSES 🙂
Do you have any favorites that didn’t make the list?
The Best Sports Themed Anime Series (Runner Ups):
- Ao Ashi
- Slam Dunk
- Tomorrow's Joe
- Megalobox
- Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
- Major
- One Outs
- Ping Pong: The Animation
- Initial D
- Eyeshield 21
We also have over 1,000 Workouts inside our Workout Database and HUNDREDS of Anime Inspired Workouts.
If you want to check out some of our Naruto specific stuff, here's some more links I shared before:
- Workouts: Sports Anime Workout Database
- Booklet: Unofficial Sports Themed Anime Workout Booklet
- Quiz: Anime Workout Placement Quiz
- Calisthenics Quiz: Anime Calisthenics Workout Placement Quiz
- Unofficial Anime Workout Booklets: Anime Workout Booklets
And, if this was helpful, don't forget to leave a comment below.
Welcome to The SHJ Army! 🙂
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Your New Coach,
Mike Romaine
SHJ's Nick Fury / Master Roshi
Last updated on May 12th, 2023 at 03:15 pm
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