Sports anime are eternally popular, with each season containing a couple of shows that fit the genre. Be it baseball, soccer, running, basketball, or horseracing(girls), fans craving stories with a competitive edge should not struggle to find something that suits their fancy, and a fondness for the core activity is not generally required.
As common as this genre is on the whole, combat sports anime are considerably harder to come by, especially if battle shonen shows that incorporate martial arts like Dragon Ball Z are ignored. While the pickings are slim, the industry has produced a couple of great series that revolve around boxing, judo, MMA, or wrestling. Let’s highlight the best of the best.
10
“Ippon” again!
A Cute And Relatively Grounded Judo Anime
Although incorporating some cute girls doing cute things elements, “Ippon” again takes its chosen combat sport, judo, very seriously. Set in high school, the anime follows a group of girls who form a new judo club, and they have wildly different levels of experience.
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The season builds up to a 5v5 tournament that is quite intense; however, “Ippon” again is arguably at its best when focusing on the girls’ training and their friendships. Due to only lasting one season and a sequel seeming unlikely at this point, “Ippon” again comes to an end just as it is picking up steam. The girls are likable and share believable banter, and the anime provides a few quick looks into their pasts and home lives.
9
Keijo!!!!!!!!
The Ultimate Fanservice Fictional Combat Sport
OK, yes, Keijo sounds dumb on paper. Honestly, it is also kind of dumb in execution, but the story subverts the inherent silliness of its concept to create a surprisingly effective combat sports anime. So, what is Keijo? Well, girls engage in battles where they must use certain parts of their bodies to knock their opponents into a pool.
Fanservice is the selling point here, but Keijo works because it makes a genuine attempt to tell a proper sports story. The characters are 100% committed to their chosen field, and the fights feel huge due to taking place in packed stadiums. The animation is also pretty good, at least by the standards of ecchi anime.
8
Tiger Mask W
A Manga Sports Classic And A Celebration Of Pro Wrestling
Generally, professional wrestling is not regarded as a combat sport due to its predetermined nature, and that is by no means meant to be a criticism. That said, Tiger Mask plays things straight rather than providing a kayfabe-shattering behind-the-scenes look at the wrestling industry, which makes sense since the 1968 manga and original anime debuted at a time when professional wrestling tried to present itself as legit.
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Except for Tomorrow’s Joe, Tiger Mask is arguably the most influential combat sport anime of all time. However, the 1969 and 1981 series are hard to revisit in this day and age, even though they still have some charm to them. Fortunately, newcomers can check out 2016’s Tiger Mask W. Despite being a sequel to the original show, the story is pretty easy to follow, and it is filled with references to Japan’s pro wrestling scene.
7
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
A Best Judo Anime With A Unique Protagonist
A proper forgotten gem, Yawara tells a rather unique story for the genre. Typically, sports protagonists are defined by their burning passion to excel at their chosen activities, refusing to back down when their efforts are dismissed and their dreams mocked. Yawara is pretty much the direct opposite, with the girl only practicing judo due to her grandfather’s insistence that she not only trains but also aims to take part in the Olympics. She wants to leave the sport behind and lead her own life, a desire that buckles under many familial and social pressures.
This is such a refreshing direction to take a sports anime, and Yawara explores not only its characters’ mentalities but also the culture that encourages this type of behavior. While certainly realistic and, at times, heavy, this anime also has plenty of lighthearted and slice-of-life moments, so it is not a depressing watch by any stretch of the imagination.
6
Hinomaru Sumo
The Best Sumo Anime
Unlike, say, baseball, combat sports are lucky to receive one anime. Compared to most disciplines, sumo has earned a few animated showcases over the decades, even if most of them have been lost to time (for example, an early ’90s anime called Aa Harimanada). Due to being far more popular and readily available than any other series, Hinomaru Sumo is unquestionably the definitive sumo anime, and it is based on a fantastic shonen manga.
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Despite having all the skill in the world to become a top-notch sumo wrestler, Ushio’s small size has seemingly killed any hope he has of going pro. However, he is not ready to quit yet, and his only hope is to excel in the high school scene. Hinomaru Sumo follows Ushio and a few other wrestlers as they take on challenges that should overwhelm them in an attempt to enter a sport that looks down upon them.
While the story is a bit rushed and by the numbers, Hinomaru Sumo shines during its brilliantly animated fights. The nature of sumo means these battles are short explosions of intensity rather than lengthy struggles, which helps set the show apart from other popular combat sports anime.
5
Baki
MMA Battle Shonen Spectacle
Due to how ridiculously over-the-top the story gets, Baki walks the line between combat sports and battle shonen, and the Netflix seasons have more in common with the latter than the form. Nevertheless, the anime revolves exclusively around martial arts, with most disciplines receiving some representation.
The classic Baki the Grappler series devotes a whole season to a mixed martial arts tournament, which plays out like a ridiculous but still awesome version of the MMA competitions that were held during the ’90s. As bizarre as some of the later arcs are, Baki just manages to remain believable enough to not buckle under the weight of its sillier concepts. Crucially, the fights are breathtaking, gory, uncomfortable, and unforgettable.
4
Megalo Box
A Masterful Mix Of Boxing, Mecha, And Introspection
Created in tribute to arguably the most important sports anime of all time, Megalo Box does more than enough to stand on its own two feet, all the while telling a story that seamlessly blends tradition with sci-fi. An evolution of boxing that utilizes mecha arms, Megaloboxing is inescapably popular and, unsurprisingly, money-driven. Season 1 follows Joe, an essentially homeless guy who engages in street fights. He decides to take part in the big Megalonia competition, all in the hope of taking out the champion.
Although very, very good, the 2018 season does not take too many risks in its storytelling, telling a conventional zero-to-hero story fueled by a charming protagonist and some of the best choreography in the combat sports genre. However, the sequel is Megalo Box‘s true crowning achievement, one that takes Joe on a more nuanced and emotion-driven journey of self-discovery.
3
Kengan Ashura
The Best MMA Anime
Arguably the purest martial arts anime of all time, Kengan Ashura throws the world’s top fighters into a bloody no-holds-barred tournament. Sure, the story is muddied by corporations, business politics, betrayals, obsessions, and a co-protagonist who does not do all that much, but none of those elements diminish the anime’s main selling point: The kengan fights.
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Putting aside the preliminaries, Kengan Ashura revolves around a 32-fighter elimination tournament, and each battle is shown in its entirety. Even though most of the characters barely have any identity beyond their martial arts field, each encounter plays out like two masters who are willing to do nearly anything to achieve victory. A few characters aside, every participant seems like they could lose, and this uncertainty really enhances the overall experience.
2
Tomorrow’s Joe
The Most Influential Combat Sports Anime Of All Time
Without question, Tomorrow’s Joe sits above every other combat sports anime in terms of importance and influence. Frankly, the “combat” qualifier is not even required. Based on Asao Takamori’s manga, the anime debuted in 1970, producing nearly 80 episodes over the next two years. Tomorrow’s Joe returned in 1980 for a sequel season that not only surpassed its predecessor in every way but also holds up shockingly well considering its age.
Putting aside the dated animation (which was great for its era and is still watchable), the anime tells a powerful story defined by dedication, sacrifice, tragedy, and triumph. While showing the dizzying highs of the boxing world, Tomorrow’s Joe does not shy away from the harsh realities that come with this life. Ignore its age, Tomorrow’s Joe is a masterpiece and undeniably one of the best combat sports anime of all time.
1
Fighting Spirit/Hajime No Ippo
The Best Combat Sports Anime
Very little separates Hajime no Ippo and Tomorrow’s Joe, and the latter likely inspired the former. That said, Hajime no Ippo‘s relative recency makes it a more accessible option, especially since Madhouse’s animation is pretty much timeless. Bullied and introverted, Ippo takes up boxing after meeting Takamura, a fighter who is aiming for the belt. Despite lacking any fighting skills, Ippo’s physical strength, honest nature, and tenacity convince Kamogawa gym’s coach to give the youngster a try, setting them all down a road to superstardom.
Except for a few fights that overstay their welcome and a couple of questionable jokes, Hajime no Ippo is nearly the perfect sports anime. The matches are grueling slugfests with top-tier animation that ensures every punch lands and strategies that are easy to follow regardless of a viewer’s familiarity with boxing. When not focusing on the ring, Hajime no Ippo can rely on strong and grounded characterization, along with some of the funniest humor in shonen.
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