A Beginner’s Guide To Watching Sports Anime

1. Haikyu!!

This famous Anime series contains four seasons and OAVs (Original Animation Videos that are basically filler episodes). Directed by Susumu Mitsunaka and Masako Satō, ‘Haikyuu’ revolves around a schoolboy named Shoyo Hinata who loves playing Volleyball. He even joins the school Volleyball club and later learns that nobody else, apart from him, is in the team. He is finally able to convince a few of his classmates and friends to join the club to practice the sport and participate in tournaments. During the course of the series, Hinata becomes good friends with a boy named Kageyama due to Volleyball, and they end up helping each other become better players.

This Anime series was launched on the 6th of April in 2014, and the last episode of the series was released on the 19th of December, in 2020. In total, ‘Haikyuu’ has 85 episodes along with 5 filler episodes. You can watch ‘Haikyuu’ on Gogoanime

2. Yuri!!! On Ice

This renowned Anime series contains only a single season along with a bunch of filler episodes. Directed by Sayo Yamamoto and Jun Shishido, ‘Yuri!!! On Ice’ highlights the story of a 23-year-old figure skater named Yuri Katsuki. He is unsure about continuing his career, puts figure skating on hold, and decides to return to his hometown. After Yuri’s friend secretly uploads a video of Yuri figure skating on the internet, his idol, Victor Nikiforov – a Russian figure skater, comes across it and gets extremely impressed. He then travels to Yuki’s hometown and offers to coach him and help him rebuild his career.

This Anime series was launched on the 6th of October, in 2016, and the last episode of the series was released on the 21st of December, in 2016 itself. ‘Yuri!!! On Ice’ has 12 episodes along with 6 filler episodes. You can watch this Anime series on Gogoanime

3. Big Windup!

‘Big Windup!’ also goes by the name of ‘Ōkiku Furikabutte’ and contains one season along with a few filler episodes. Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, ‘Big Windup!’ showcases the tale of Ren Mihashi, who was a pitcher in his school’s baseball team. His teammates did not like him because Mihashi was not a good player and held him responsible for each match they lost. However, in reality, Mihashi was a good player, and the team would lose due to poor coordination and not because of him. When he transfers to a different school, Takaya Abe gives him the assistance he required to becoming the confident baseball player he never knew he could be.

The Characters Of ‘Big Windup!’, C[A-1 Pictures]

‘Big Windup!’ premiered on the 2nd of April 12, 2007, and the last episode was launched on the 24th of June, 2010. The series has 38 episodes along with 2 filler episodes. You can watch ‘Big Windup!’ on Gogoanime

4. Aoki Densetsu Shoot!

‘Aoki Densetsu Shoot!’ has a single season with zero filler episodes. Directed by Daisuke Nishio, this Anime series is about three schoolboys who loved playing soccer. They were so good at the sport that they were known as the “Golden Trio” in their soccer team. The soccer team hit rock bottom when their captain, Yoshiharu Kubo, died after a game due to extreme exhaustion. The team found it hard to overcome their captain’s death but vowed to play their best to get to the Nationals.

‘Aoki Densetsu Shoot!’ was released on the 7th of November, in 1993, and the last episode aired on the 25th of December, in 1994. The series has 58 episodes in total.

5. Yowamushi Pedal

‘Yowamushi Pedal’ contains four long seasons of pure sporty fun. Directed by Osamu Nabeshima, this Anime series is about a high school boy named Sakamichi Onoda who did not quite get along with the students in his school. His only interest was Anime, but even the school’s Anime club gets shut down due to the lack of interest, making Onoda extremely sad. One day, when Onoda was riding up a rather steep hill on his bicycle with ease, he was noticed by Shunsuke Imaizumi, a senior of his school and a cyclist. Onoda was also seen by a student named Naruko, who was left in awe after witnessing Onoda’s awesome cycling skills. Both of the boys then try to convince Onoda to join the school’s cycling club, and that is how the Anime series moves forward.

A Scene From ‘Yowamushi Pedal,’ C[TMS Entertainment]

‘Yowamushi Pedal’ premiered on the 7th of October, in 2013, and the last episode was released on the 25th of June, in 2018. The series has a total of 112 episodes. You can watch this web series on Gogoanime

6. Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club

‘Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club’ contains three seasons and only a few filler episodes. Directed by Hiroko Utsumi and Eisaku Kawanami, this Anime web series is about a high school boy named Haruka Nanase who was extremely talented in swimming. When he met his childhood swimming rival, Rin Matsuoka, Haruka and his friends start practicing really hard for the upcoming tournaments. They even start recruiting other students in the swimming team who are good at the sport. As we dive deeper into the plot, Haruka and Rin’s rivalry continues to thicken. However, on the day of the tournament, Rin is somehow reminded of the friendship he used to have with Haruka. Even though he was disqualified, we notice the rejuvenation of their friendship.

‘Free! – Iwatobi Swim Team ‘ was released on the 4th of July, in 2013, and the last episode was launched on the 26th of September, 2018. The series has a total of 37 episodes along with 3 filler episodes. You can watch this Anime show on on Gogoanime

7. Kuroko’s Basketball

‘Kuroko’s Basketball’ consists of three seasons. Directed by Shunsuke Tada, ‘Kuroku’s Basketball’ is about the Teiko Junior High School basketball team. The team was full of players with exceptional skills – it was almost as if they had never lost a match. After graduating from middle school, the team’s five main players got separated from each other as they got transferred to different high schools. The plot of the show unravels as we find out how these players unite again, but not play with each other; instead, to play against each other.

‘Kuroko’s Basketball’ was launched on the 8th of April, 2012, and the last episode was released on the 30th of June, 2015. The series has a total of 75 episodes with zero filler episodes. You can watch ‘Kuroku’s Basketball’ on Gogoanime

8. Cheer Boys!!

‘Cheer Boys!!’ contains only a single season with only a few filler episodes. Directed by Ai Yoshimura, this Anime web series is about a college-going boy named Haruki Haru Bando. The sport of Judo broke his heart, and so, his friend called Kazuma Hashimoto convinced him to make a cheerleading team only for boys. The team was called “Breakers.” The series revolves around the different types of experiences and adventures the cheerleading boys have after joining the team. Along with Haruki and Kazuma, Mizoguchi, Ton, Gen, Ichiro, and Sho also decide to join the cheerleading team – Breakers.

‘Cheer Boys!!’ was released on the 5th of July, in 2016, and the last episode was aired on the 27th of September, in the same year itself. The series consists of twelve episodes along with two filler episodes. You can watch ‘Cheer Boys!!’ on Gogoanime

9. Baby Steps

‘Baby Steps’ has two seasons. Directed by Masahiko Murata, this Anime web series is about a college boy named Eiichirō Maruo who feels like he needs more physical work and exercise in his daily routine. He soon finds himself getting attracted to the sport of Tennis. Eiichirō was not experienced in this field at all, and so, decided to approach this sport intellectually. He starts to use his intelligence to make strategic advances towards his opponents and, thus, can predict their shots.

‘Baby Steps’ was launched on the 6th of April, in 2014, and the last episode was broadcasted on the 20th of September, in 2015. The series contains fifty episodes with zero filler episodes. You can watch ‘Baby Steps’ on Gogoanime

10. Ace Of Diamond

‘Ace of Diamond’ consists of three seasons and a few filler episodes. Directed by Mitsuyuki Masuhara, the Anime show is about a baseball pitcher named Eijun Sawamura. Sawamura and his friends loved playing baseball for their high school and fun. One day, a scout from an esteemed institute approaches Sawamura and offers him the chance to make it to the Nationals along with a scholarship. He decides to take a look at the school the scout represented which furthermore, changes Sawamura’s perspective on his future. Curious to know what happens next? You can watch ‘Ace of Diamond’ on Gogoanime