Die-hard anime fans know how great sports anime can be. They are mostly true and realistic in their depiction and with time, this genre is becoming more and more popular. The sheer variety and excellence of sports anime gets it into everyone’s top favourite anime of the year list. However, not many people are aware of the many hidden gems of anime that are based on basketball.
When you think of basketball anime, you are most likely to talk about the two massive blockbusters- Kuroko no Basket & Slam Dunk. But there is a whole new realm of thrilling and exciting basketball anime that remain untouched.
We’ve listed some of the best basketball anime along with a summary of their storyline so you can make your own watch list.
So, sit back relax, grab a tub of popcorn, and join us on the journey, cinephiles!
The 10 Greatest Basketball Anime Of All Time!
-
Slam Dunk ( 1993)
Slam Dunk makes a direct entry into any list of top basketball anime. When we say that it is the greatest sports anime of all time, it’s not an exaggeration. As evidence of its popularity, it is the seventh-best-selling manga series since its release in the early 90s.
The author Takehiro Inoue received praise from both audiences and critics and was heavily applauded by the Japan Basketball Association in 2010 for bringing basketball into the spotlight in Japan.
Slam Dunk takes a unique take on basketball by portraying the fundamentals and capturing the essence of the game gracefully. The animation is outdated, but the impactful storyline makes up for it. We mean it when we say that this anime can stand head-to-head with the best animes at present.
The story revolves around a high school student named Hanamichi Sakuragi. He’s a typical teenager, who has been nothing but unfortunate when it comes to matters of love. But very little did he know, things started taking a sharp turn as he entered Shohoku High School.
Sakuragi finds his love interest in Haruko Akagi, and she had a huge crush on Kaede Rukawa, the star forward of the Shohoku men’s basketball team. Sounds like an old-school romantic plot, right?
Well, Slam Dunk is the story that focuses on how Sakuragi learns basketball from ground zero. Though he started playing the sport to impress Haruko and defeat Rukawa, he slowly starts to develop a genuine love for the game. Moreover, the story follows a very realistic path, where the protagonist has to face difficulties, his team losses matches, but every single time he comes back strong.
-
Dash Kappei (1981)
Dash Kappei is a classic sports anime that has all the elements of an intriguing watch. You can check out this 65-episode anime that focuses on Kappei Sakamoto, the star basketball player of his school team. The story has aged well and is still relevant to the current generation.
A rather interesting fact about Dash Kappei is that it features the same school that has been shown in Kuroke no Basuke ( the next anime in this list). The school here is Seirin High School which is actually a renowned school in Japan.
-
Breakers
Recently released, Breakers sheds light on that part of sports which very few people know about, the Paralympics and it does justice in showing the skills of para-athletes.
The Breakers focuses on four major sports: wheelchair basketball, goal ball, track, and Paralympic swimming. However, the center of attraction is the first episode, which shows us how thrilling the sport of wheelchair basketball is.
This anime is refreshing to watch and we would highly recommend this to anyone interested in sports anime.
-
Ahiru no Sora (2019)
If you’re looking forward to seeing an action-packed yet story-driven sports anime, Ahiru no Sora is the right choice. The series focuses on the life of Sora Kurumatani. Ahiru no Basuke comes under the Shonen genre and has some refreshing sub-plots to discover.
The protagonist, Kurunatani isn’t blessed with height, but definitely has the sheer willpower to become the best basketball player.
When you step in for this series, you’re guaranteed some exciting basketball action and interesting plot drama.
-
Basquash (2009)
Basquash is an interesting take on traditional basketball. It introduces us to a totally different form of shooting hoops, through mechanical robots!
Wow, isn’t it fascinating?
The Big Foot Basketball or BFB is a spun-around form of basketball that is played in large arenas. Our protagonist, Dan makes a spectacular entry into the BFB arena causing havoc. And what follows after this makes up for the storyline of Basquash.
Basquash has great animation and it does the world-building perfectly to reach a satisfying end. Along with some exciting mecha upgrades and futuristic themes, this anime is a great one-time watch.
-
Ro-kyu-Bu (2011)
Die-hard anime fans love this series for two reasons. The first is that it brings together the two most popular genres of anime, loli and basketball anime, and the second reason is that it beautifully tells the story of an ex-basketball player Hasegawa Subaru coaching a young team of girls.
It might not be the best in action, but it delivers when it comes to kawaii and ecchi departments.
-
Buzzer Beater (2005)
The best thing about anime is that you can never get enough of it. This fits perfectly with Buzzer Beater bringing together a basketball faceoff between humans and a superior alien race.
Buzzer Beater is all action-packed with tons of jaw-dropping moments and scenes in it. Created by the legendary author Takehiko Inoue (who is also the author of some other popular sports anime on our list) showcases an interplanetary showdown between different races. After all, the one thing that is common across galaxies is sports!
Most Popular Basketball Anime
Although we’ve included the majority of anime shows and movies on our list, there are still many honorary mentions remaining for us to address. Here’s a list of the most popular sports anime (basketball animes) of all time:
- Kuroko no Basket (2012)
- Kuroko no Basket: Last Game (2017)
- Barangay 143
- Dear Boys (Hoop Days)
- Mitsu x Mitsu Drops
What is the best basketball anime?
The most-watched basketball anime is Slam Dunk which was released in 1993. Kuroko no Basket and Ahiru no Sora are the other two highly appreciated animes.
What is the number one sports anime?
According to IMDB, Haikyu (2014-2020) is the best sports anime with a score of 8.7 stars out of 10. Followed by Redline(2009), Bubble(2022), and Yuri on Ice(2016).
Which anime genre is the most realistic?
The closest to reality is sports, and for someone who has an interest in sports, making the transition into anime would be easier if they start watching sports anime.
Wrapping Up!
Although we’ve tried to mention the best anime series and movies in our list, there are still so many interesting basketball anime left. Hopefully, the best amalgamation of animation and sports storyline is yet to be released in the next few years of good anime.
