over 3 years ago

After more than 8 years, fans of Haikyuu!! finally bid farewell to their beloved volleyball team from Karasuno High School as the manga officially concluded its run with the final chapter on 20th July. Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting the second half of the latest season of the anime, which will premiere in October.

Like many fans all over the world, you might be feeling an indescribable sense of loss after turning the last page. To fill that empty void and keep you busy till new episodes of the anime drops, we have compiled 4 Best sports anime that you can watch in the meantime to get your heart pumping again.

1. Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club (2013 – 2018)

Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club is centred on the story of a high school boys’ swimming team. When gifted swimmer Haruka Nanase reunites with his childhood friends in high school, they work together to bring the school’s swim club back to its former glory whilst mending broken relationships.

The anime series focuses on friendship and bonds between characters, so you can expect to see lots of character and personal development.

We can’t all get in the water in the midst of a pandemic, but we can at least watch pretty boys swim and glisten in a pool. It is the perfect refreshing series to get started on – just in time to beat the sweltering heat that comes with summer.

1. Kuroko’s Basketball (2012 – 2015)

One of the more popular sports anime alongside Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basuke is a longer series with 75 episodes so you can binge to your heart’s content. It tells the story of a high school basketball team trying to make it to the Interhigh Championship, an annual high school basketball tournament.

Although naysayers have noted that the use of supernatural powers in a sports anime is unrealistic, fans have praised the series for seamlessly weaving magical elements into basketball moves.

Unlike typical sports animes where the main character wins unconditionally, the protagonist, Tetsuya Kuroko, and other characters meet strong opponents. They struggle, fail, and rise up to challenges. The series will keep you on your toes, which makes the characters’ success all the more satisfying to watch.

1. Cheer Boys!! (2016)

Born into a family of judo martial artists, Haruki Bandō has always been expected to carry on the family legacy. But when he injures his shoulders during training, the disheartened college freshman starts to mull over the possibility of trying something new.

His childhood friend, Kazuma Hashimoto, comes up with an unorthodox proposal – start an all-male cheerleading team. Together, they quit their respectable positions in their judo club and started recruiting members for the team.

Cheer Boys!! takes place in college instead of the usual high school setting, so you can expect more mature characters and a realistic portrayal of their cheerleading journey.

The main characters initially face objections from their family, who have a traditional mindset, over their choice to run the club. However, the unprecedented all-boys team perseveres, tackles the stereotype that men’s cheerleading is shameful, and defies gender norms.

1. Chihayafuru (2011 – 2020)

Chihayafuru is a slice of life and sports anime about karuta, a Japanese card game featuring Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (小倉百人一首), a classical collection of 100 Japanese poets by 100 poets compiled during the Heian period.

The idea of a poetry card game as a sport may seem absurd, but karuta is recognised as such in Japan. Although the game itself is pretty simple, playing at a competitive level requires quick reflexes, a keen sense of memory, and plenty of stamina.

The anime series follows Chihaya Ayase, an ordinary girl who meets Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player. Inspired by the latter, Chihaya chases her new–found dream. She reunites with her childhood friend, Taichi Mashima, and forms a karuta club. Together with her teammates, they fight to become the best high school karuta team and players in Japan.

Due to its beautiful and detailed depiction of competitive karuta, Chihayafuru has boosted the popularity of the card game both domestically and internationally.