Libby

over the past few years I have watched various kinds of anime. I've seen most of the mainstream stuff and I know that anime has many genres. Does anyone know of any anime that has a sports theme? Please share your recommendations.

naitram

Slam Dunk!

John Sinnott

I love these:

Fighting Spirit
Princess Nine
Battle Athletes (not based on a real sport, but still a lot of fun.)

I'd avoid Dan Doh though, even if you like golf.

WTK

The ones I have seen fully

• Fighting Spirt
• Princess Nine

The ones I have seen partially

• Yawara! The Fashionable Judo Girl

Will be watching once released later this year

• Bamboo Blade
• Big Windup!

Libby

Wow thanks for the suggestions, I seem to remember seeing one about Tennis is that a series?

WTK

Viz Media has the license for The Prince of Tennis. They have stopped releasing the boxsets after the 4th one.

Edit: Boxset 4 lead up to episode 50.

WTK

All 101 episodes are viewable @ FUNimation.com.

Sweet Baby James

You could argue that Suzuka has a sports theme.

Baron Of Hell

The idea of an anime about tennis was crazy to me but I actually liked this series. It was the first anime I watched not about a harem of girls, giant robots, demons, magical princesses, or a league of super fighters so it kind of confused me at first.

fujishig

I agree with these three, especially Hajime No Ippo/Fighting Spirit. Also, Eyeshield 21, if it ever comes out here as anime.

John Sinnott

I"m not too upset about that. I was really disappointed in the show, mainly because the tennis play wasn't realistic (and I thought the main character was an ass.) There's one scene where the main character returns a ball so that it lands right inside the line and doesn't bounce... instead it just sits there spinning, proving that the shot was good. Yeah, right. Things like that really took the fun out of the series for me.

Dragon Fly

I can't speak for the quality, because I haven't seen it, but there was a basketball show named Hoop Days that came out a few years ago.

Giantrobo

UFO Daipolon...From the 70's. A robot and Pilots with an American Football themed design.

WTK

I have the first boxset for some reason. I never got around to watching it and Viz stopped releasing it. I do remember watching it overseas and watching a couple random episodes. From what I saw (which was only a couple episodes), I do remember that the tennis play isn't always realistic. I guess it's just a franchise that's more popular overseas.

mordaane

Couldn't hurt to include Baki the Grappler...especially the 2nd season.

Ash Ketchum

Japanese animators have been making sports-themed anime series since the 1960s. There are dozens of them: baseball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, boxing, judo, basketball, motorcycle racing, you name it. "Star of the Giants" (1968) is a famous long-running baseball series. "Tomorrow's Joe" is a famous boxing series. I've seen episodes of each. They're generally quite melodramatic. None of the ones I'm familiar with have been released in the U.S., except for "Slam Dunk" and "Prince of Tennis." And my favorite, "Initial D," which is about downhill mountain road racing. Not sure if that qualifies as a sport, but it's a great coming-of-age series.

fujishig

I'm surprised you're not familiar with Hajime No Ippo... though the sales on that domestically were pretty flat, and I'm a bit surprised that the release actually completed, considering how long it was and how close it came to Geneon USA's end.

Ash Ketchum

You mean "Fighting Spirit," which is how it's known in the U.S. And, yeah, I overlooked it.

BlazinTy

Sports anime is my favorate genre sadly most of these will never see the light of day in the US.
My reccomendations would be ( I have seen all these in there entirety or am all caught up)
Slam Dunk (Basketball)
Touch (Baseball) (my all time favorite)
H2 (Baseball)
Prince of Tennis (Tennis)
Hajime no Ippo aka Fighting Spirit and the sequel (Boxing)
Cross Game (Baseball) (I am current and followed the manga)
Major (great baseball series)
Aoki Densetsu Shoot (Soccer)
Hungry Heart Wild Striker (Soccer)
Yawara (Judo)
Captain Tsubasa (Soccer)
Battle Athletes (Olympic type games)
Ookiku Furikabutte aka Big Wind Up (Baseball)
Capeta (if you consider go kart racing a sport)
One Outs (Baseball)
Eyeshield21 (Football)
Bamboo Blade (Kendo)

I left out all the race car Driving and Board Game related stuff even though they are awesome too.

WTK

What you have said here is very true.
The one on your list that I really want to see is Touch. It would be nice if AnimEigo license this once they are done with Yawara! I know I will be watching Big Windup! and Bamboo Blade sometime after they are released.

Helga89

well, I've seen Prince of Tennis... Hm, this anime is OK, I kinda liked it)))

LeRoy

I'm not much for sports animes but I do like Slam Dunk and Fighting Spirit quite a lot.

Helga89

I've found some more:
Hajime no Ippo (fights)
Hikaru no Go
Slam Dunk (bascetball) this one is quite interesting^^
Initial D (Rally)