With Tokyo 2020 going on, everyone is pretty riled up. Sports have been a part of the world’s development. What started out as fun is now seriously attempted on a competitive platform. Olympics are a very special event. Every four years, people gather to represent their country in different sports and pray they bring a medal home. Every player has their own stories of struggles and success. Knowing such stories is always so motivational. Perhaps this is why the sports genre in anime is popular, even among those who do not play any sport. The best sports anime depict the growth and success of such players in the most realistic way despite being set in a fictional universe.
One does not necessarily have to be into sports to like sports anime. In my personal experience, I have received much push forward from inspirational anime. Relating sports to real life is as tough as it sounds. Yet, some anime plots do the same with so much ease. These are the moments that sports anime fans leave for. The intense moments of a game and the tactical skills of the players give sports anime a huge fanbase as well.
Best Sports Anime
With the Olympics going on, I bet many of us are riled up and looking for good sports anime to calm ourselves. Here are the top ten best sports anime. The ten sports anime mentioned ahead feature ten different sports (each) which are currently being played in Tokyo 2020. You can stream these anime on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, HiDive, or any other legal anime streaming platform.
Tsurune
Sport Featured: Archery
Tsurune is a serene anime. Since the anime is a product from Kyoto Animation, I will leave it to your imagination to judge the anime’s visuals. Tsurune is relaxing to the mind. The anime centers around archery primarily, so it is not as chaotic as the other anime series on the list. Like the sport, the general vibe of the show is poised and graceful. However, the anime is not only about archery. The characters (who have beautiful character designs) grow throughout the anime bit by bit. Despite its comparatively calmer outlook, the anime is competitive as well. Tsurune portrays a very believable version of what talented archers live through and how they think.
Tsurune
Diamond no Ace
Sports Featured: Baseball
Diamond no Ace is a very neatly created anime. The story is straightforward, and its characters complement the flow of the anime. Diamond no Ace is an absolute choice for the best sports anime. The anime lets its audience feel quite out of the world without displaying anything out of the world. It is also on a constant reality check. The gameplay looks very accurate as well. Diamond no Ace has a fixed motive, and perhaps we already see the end coming (more or less), but it is more about the journey rather than the end. Within its developing episodes, the audience finds itself overflowing with emotions. ‘A sports anime can’t make you cry.’ Well, wait until you watch Diamond no Ace and weep happy tears!
Diamond no Ace.
Free
Sport Featured: Swimming
Free is the equivalent of a relaxing anime. Instead of being aggressive, Free lays back down low and gives its viewers a beautiful view. The anime has many great slice-of-life moments as well that constantly keeps its fluff meter at the highest. Free’s take on swimming is not unique, but it’s still pleasing. Even after some parts being clichè, the anime refrains from being boring. A lot of times, things may seem predictable, and they are, but the way the anime presents such moments never stops having a lesser effect. Free is an anime about the bond between the characters as well. As much as we adore the characters, the bond between them is unquestionably one of the best you’ll witness in any anime.
Free.
Bakuten
Sports Featured: Rhythmic Gymnastics
Released earlier this year, Bakuten is a graceful anime. The anime’s execution of gymnastics is so beautifully done that it is hard not to recognize it as one of the best sports anime. If you like to watch anime with beautiful effects that are aesthetically pleasing, Bakuten is something you should not miss. The anime’s plot is very simple, like most sports anime. With every episode, the characters grow mentally and emotionally. One of the best things about Bakuten is its high-quality animation. Being all about rhythmic gymnastics requires the anime to have a softer animation. Seeing the result, I couldn’t be more grateful towards Zexcs for animating the series.
Bakuten
Inazuma Eleven
Sport Featured: Inazuma Eleven.
Although the quality of sequels deteriorated at one point, the first few seasons of Inazuma Eleven were a great watch. The anime has many unrealistic aspects and may not appeal to authentic soccer players at times. However, it is a good anime to watch and be entertained if you adjust to the fact that it’s all just fiction. Rather than the sport, Inazuma Eleven is popular for its emotional development. The anime is moving at times and has moments that will at times keep your heart racing. At other times, the anime keeps its audience entertained with great comedy.
Inazuma Eleven.
Kuroko no Basuke
Sport Featured: Basketball
Kuroko no Basket is an anime that has a good build-up. It’s a warzone in the field of sports where everyone is hellbent on securing the number one position. This is one of the most popular anime and justifiable one of the best sports anime that one could come across. Along with its strong focus on basketball, the anime is also funny, has strong character developments, and has very dramatic animations. Kuroko no Basuke makes use of exaggerated concepts at times, but it’s all acceptable because even concepts as such are placed entertainingly. The anime is an intense watch and definitely something we would recommend to all sports anime enthusiasts.
Kuroko no Basuke.
Hajime no Ippo
Sport Featured: Boxing
In a single sentence, I would describe Hajime No Ippo as a very motivational anime. Being about boxing, the anime is violent and aggressive. But, it makes up for it in more ways than one that even those who dislike the violence will remain till the end. The art of the anime further compliments the theme. Even if the anime were to have any flaws, it is overshadowed by the high-quality content that it serves. Hajime no Ippo is one of the best sports anime for its outstanding balance of emotional, aggressive, and fluffy plot.
Hajime no Ippo.
Haikyuu!
Sport Featured: Volleyball
One of the most popular sports anime, Haikyuu! just cannot be ignored if we are talking about the best sports anime. The reason being? It has a very realistic feel to it, in addition to characters that are very relatable. The anime has a very intense approach and portrays the healthiest type of sportsmanship between its characters. The plot of Haikyuu! is a drive to move to the top. With the crazy drive of the top, the plot brings drama and comedy hand in hand. I love the diverse characters that the anime presents and how well they fit into the story. Haikyuu! is my favorite piece of work from Production IG because of its accurate vision of volleyball.
Haikyuu!
Yowamushi Pedal
Sport Featured: Cycling
Yowamushi Pedal is another one of the best sports anime that I wish people talked about more. The anime is all about passion and the determination to be better. Yowamushi Pedal draws great parallels between the sport it features and the reality in life. This is one of the reasons why this anime is so inspirational. Watching Yowamushi Pedal gives its audience a push to be confident and makes them want to get strong. The anime has equal amounts of fun factors as well. One does not expect much from an anime about cycling. The idea in itself is bland. But, Yowamushi Pedal puts forward so many creative plotlines that one can’t help but appreciate the creativity of the creators.
Yowamushi Pedal.
Prince of Tennis
Sport Featured: Tennis
Prince of Tennis has a unique plot. Unlike most sports shounen series, Prince of Tennis depicts the growth in the personality of the main character. One of its focuses is depicting healthy sportsmanship. The characters’ personality development arc never stops intriguing the viewers, and that is the exact angle that Prince of Tennis explores. Other than being very touching at times, Prince of Tennis also proves to be quite thrilling too.
Prince of Tennis.
Hanebado
Sport Featured: Badminton
The anime received many bad reviews initially, but eventually, a lot of people came forward, dropping positive reviews as well. Hanebado is a story about finding the lost love for a sport. The anime features strong girls who compete with each other and exhibit their passion for badminton. Hanebado is animated very well and gives a good look into the realistic struggles of players. The effect of loss and resuming from it are two very important issues that the anime discusses and needs to be praised for. Not all action sequences are believable, and some are exaggerated at times. Nevertheless, the anime overall is quite fun to watch and definitely one of my favorite sports anime.
Hanebado.
Memes of the Day
I Met My Friend’s Gyaru Mom in a Soapland
Name: Should I Study at Noryangjin
Easter seasons are always fun and entertaining. Putting on that Easter dress and preparing to have a blast has been the usual preparation so far until the pandemic dropped on us.
The holiday has brought us closer to our friends and family through Easter cards and gifts for ages. It is an auspicious occasion of faith and optimism.
While we spent hours outside before living to the fullest on this holiday, the pandemic seems to have put a bar on our celebration. But does the fun have to end just because we cannot go outside?
Why not find some good anime to watch on Easter and enjoy it with our family or our significant either?
Anime has always taught its audience to be kind and compassionate. Several anime create a chain of thoughts that lets us stop and think about the rights and wrongs of the world and within us.
But what we see in most anime is a ray of hope indicating the brighter side of the world. This brings us to Easter. Of course, people wish to feel happy on such a merry occasion and relaxed from all the stress their minds harbor.
So this time, let us spend our time with our family bringing some of the most relaxing anime. Here are some anime to watch on Easter that you can pick from to spend your day.
Bakuman
Bakuman comes from the creators of Death Note, Ohba, and Obata. The show takes a progressive note from its very start. Its slice-of-life feel is extremely comforting. Bakuman revolves around two middle schoolers who wish to become manga writers.
There isn’t anything groundbreaking throughout the series, no plot twists to make you gasp. But the anime continues to take the path of simplicity to express itself. There’s a great amount of growth in this show that is so satisfying to watch.
Bakuman is an absolute master of comedy, friendship, and feel-good anime. The anime is indefinitely one of the best anime to watch on Easter which will fill you with positivity.
Bakuman
Tenki no Ko
From the gallery of director Makoto Shinkai’s movies, another anime to watch on Easter is Tenki no Ko, better known as Weathering With You. If the scenic beauty in Violet Evergarden intrigued you the most, you will find yourself quite hooked to Tenki no Ko.
Most part of the anime movie is set in rainy weather. Tenki no Ko is a beautifully portrayed anime about magic and bonds. It has wonderful characters, each of which has a specific role to play in the story.
The best part about Tenki no Ko is how realistic it is. It parts away from rubbish and makes sense. Instead of resonating around illogical fillers, Tenki no Ko decides to tell its story with all honesty.
Mushishi
Some anime are built differently. This different build could either go wrong completely or result in the making of one of the most mesmerizing shows ever. For Mushishi, it was the latter. The anime is episodic and relatively serene for its fantasy synopsis.
In every episode, Mushishi introduces new characters as the protagonist researches a certain phenomenon called ‘mushi’. To be honest, Mushishi is a great anime to watch on Easter.
The anime is one of the most original series you will find. If peaceful vibes in anime with beautiful concept art and thought-provoking progress are your type, then Mushishi is not to be skipped. This is a beautiful anime that conveys deep messages and morals to its viewers.
Mushishi
Sweetness and Lightning
Sweetness and Lightning is a heartwarming story about a father-daughter relationship. The anime is filled with several wholesome moments. Despite its lighthearted comedy, the story proves to be quite deep at times.
Sweetness and Lightning is not a complex anime like Violet, nor does it have a melancholy theme. But, it showcases the depth of a fatherly bond. Inuzuka does his best to keep his daughter healthy and happy.
The effort shows, and it’s so much fun just watching a father wanting to shower his daughter with all his love. Sweetness and Lightning is quite a wholesome show with several good moments.
Usagi Drop
Easter is all about spreading happiness. So why not watch an anime that spreads happiness among its characters? Usagi Drop is a beautiful anime where an adult man decides to take care of a little girl. It’s never easy to take care of a child.
Usagi Drop is all about raising a child, but that too is displayed with a fun and heartwarming approach. In the beginning, the anime will make you laugh, but slowly, the story becomes deeper.
Overruling the comedic approach, the plot takes a more mature path. The issues addressed are true to the core and actually happen in Japanese society. Thus the anime becomes highly relatable to several parents and thus can build a deep connection with its audience.
Usagi Drop
Tsuritama
As you start watching the anime, it may come off as absurd and confusing. But do not skip too soon because soon you will realize how much it fits the occasion and makes an amazing anime to watch on Easter. Tsuritama revolves around four outcasts who build a deep friendship.
From the plot to the music, there are multiple things in Tsuritama that make it such a beautiful watch. As the anime progresses, the show experiences emotional growth. Its characters are absolutely adorable as well.
The anime starts with being a comedy but hits deep at times on an emotional level. Tsuritama is a highly underrated anime that deserves more recognition. Despite its slow beginning, the anime is definitely worth watching if given a chance.
Given
If we are talking about faith and belief, we shall not leave love unattended. What’s Easter without a good romance anime? Spend your Easter with a cute love story from the LGBTQ community. Given is one of my favorite romance shows.
Its characters are well-developed and portray different personalities, perspectives, and stories. The anime makes use of several clever and deep metaphors to address its plot. Every character instigates the development of the other, pushing them out of their shells.
Given is relaxing in its own lovable ways. Being a musical anime, it has some great soundtracks as well. So if you are looking for an anime to watch on Easter, Given is definitely a great choice.
Given
Hotarubi no Mori E
This is a beautiful anime film. It covers the theme of an unforbidden love. Of course, the concept is not entirely new but the way Hotarubi no Mori e executes is extremely unique and absolutely beautiful.
Within the first half-hour, the movie sets a beautiful mood with fireflies and soft music. The love story it tells is intense and painful but still beautiful and peaceful. As the movie continues, the story progresses to explain their perspective of love, which is innocent and true.
It does not require to be touched or be near all the time. All it needs is to be entwined emotionally in ways that it won’t ever part.
Clannad
Kyoto Animations Clannad is very popular among anime fans. The show has one of the most touching stories to exist. Clannad Is can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
In fact, I would recommend it to anyone who watches anime irrespective of whatever genre they like. The anime seeks out the beauty of life. Even without anything hardcore, the anime touches the soul of its viewers.
I t has a good sense of humor blended with a romantic plot. Clannad helps its viewers see the brighter side of life and I believe that’s enough reason why Clannad is a good anime to watch on Easter.
Clannad
Garden of the Words
This was the first of the three most popular films of Shinkaiverse that left several anime fans in tears. Garden of Words focuses on showing the viewers the side of people on their lowest points and how they get back up with some motivation and inspiration from the most unexpected people.
The movie is like a flower, and in the very beginning, the plot is much like a bud, closed to its own walls. As the two protagonists overcome their issues and grow out of their shells, Garden of The Words blooms into a beautiful flower. This is a very peaceful anime that anyone would love to watch on Easter.
Secret Mission: Sennyuu Sousakan wa Zettai ni Makenai!
Narcotics Enforcement Agent Riko Ikazuchi is undercover with her junior colleague Noma in an apartment that serves as the hideout for a criminal organization. Despite Riko and Noma posing as a newlywed couple, the criminals begin to suspect them after not hearing any marital intimacy during the night.
Sekirei
Minato fails college exams twice leaving him feeling worthless. A woman Musubi falls from the sky and bonds with Minato via a kiss awakening his powers. This draws Minato into a dangerous competition against others with special abilities.
Kimekoi! Takane no Hana
Hero Hajime is going to school with Misa and Megumi. He loves Megumi, and asks Misa if there is a way to win Megumi over.
Jobless Reincarnation
34-year-old underachiever gets run over by a bus, but his story isn’t over. Reincarnated as an infant, he’ll embark on an epic adventure. A 34-year-old underachiever gets run over by a bus, but his story isn’t over.
Jobless Reincarnation
Release the Spyce
The series follows Tsukikage, a group of female high school spies who gain power from spices and secretly fight against crime syndicates to protect the city of Sorasaki.
Zom 100
Akira Tendo, a 24-year-old office worker, discovers himself trapped in a meaningless life after three years of abusive treatment. One morning, he wakes up to find a town full of zombies.
Akira finds a new purpose and thrill in the danger and decides to fulfill his last 100 wishes before turning into a zombie.
