Sports (713)

Training for and participating in a sport take priority, with the goal of furthering one's athletic abilities—either to win a competition or achieve some social standing. While the featured sport may be individual or team, the main cast will always overcome conflict through discussion and insights gained from other athletes or coaches. This creates a general sense of collective support and achievement that is always present in Sports stories. Contrast with Action where the narrative is on resolving conflict with one's physical power. While both Action and Sports may focus on exciting action sequencies, the two genres are mutually exclusive.

Grappler Baki: Saidai Tournament-hen

Grappler Baki: Saidai Tournament-hen

Grappler Baki: Saidai Tournament-hen

Mitsunari Tokugawa, the organizer of the historic Tokugawa underground fighting ring, has created a tournament featuring 38 of the world's best fighters, many of whom are grandmasters in their respective form of martial arts. With the exception of weapons, anything goes in Tokugawa's ring so that each fighter is able to showcase their true power and strongest secret moves.

Baki Hanma earned a place in the tournament due to his status as the reigning champion of Tokugawa's fighting ring. Will he be able to come out on top?

Jul 24, 2001 to Dec 25, 2001 | 24 eps | Publishing

Hiatari Ryoukou!

Hiatari Ryoukou!

Hiatari Ryoukou!

Kishimoto Kasumi, a 15-year-old girl, was supposed to live at her auntie's house in order to go to high school since April. However, when she moved to the house she was surprised with the fact that there were already four new male students living in the same house. To make the matter worse, that day while she was taking a bath, Takasugi Yusaku, one of those boys, came into the bath and saw her naked. This is how Kasumi's troublesome high school days started.

(Source: AniDB)
Mar 29, 1987 to Mar 20, 1988 | 48 eps | Publishing

Zetsuai 1989

Zetsuai 1989

Zetsuai 1989

Koji Nanjo, a young rock star, falls in love with soccer player Takuto Izumi. Koji eventually learns that Izumi's mother killed his father out of severe and intense love. Izumi took all the guilt for his father's murder and refuses to go pro because of fear that his past will be discovered by the media. Izumi detests Koji's company and encouragement and severely dislikes the attention from the press, but Koji cannot stay away for he soon realizes that his love for Izumi is very similar to the love that Izumi's mother felt for his father.

(Source: ANN)
Jul 29, 1992 | 1 eps | Publishing

Ginban Kaleidoscope

Ginban Kaleidoscope

Ginban Kaleidoscope

Figure skater Tazusa Sakurano is on the fast track to the Olympics. As a top contender, her chances rest on a single competition in Canada. However, during her program, she falls and hits her head on the ice, knocking her unconscious. At the same time, Canadian stunt pilot Pete Pumps goes down in a fiery blaze.

After her devastating failure, Tazusa returns home to Japan, but she starts hearing a voice in her head. In reality, when Pete had arrived at the gates of heaven, he was denied access for his sins. Instead, he was told to wait 100 days and is now trapped in Tazusa's body! Unwilling to let this interrupt her life—even if her body is a bit crowded—Tazusa moves forward with skating, all while a pesky voice may just be able to help her achieve her dream.

Oct 9, 2005 to Dec 25, 2005 | 12 eps | Publishing

Major S2

Major S2

Major S2

Gorou Honda has finally returned to Mifune East Junior High School, surprising his friends upon arrival. Now, Gorou is once again surrounded by those he holds closest, and he strives to continue playing and enjoying the game he loves most.

However, things do not go as planned, as Gorou is reminded of the harsh realities of baseball as he copes with an injury he sustained while playing baseball at Hitaka Little. Between new rivals, old friends, and mending broken relationships, Gorou must overcome challenges he has never faced before.

His goal of attending elite baseball high school Kaido may not be far from his reach, but complicated circumstances may stop him in his tracks once again. How will he deal with the immense pressures of the game? And will he ever be able to find the type of baseball he loves most?

Dec 10, 2005 to Jun 10, 2006 | 26 eps | Publishing

Major S1

Major S1

Major S1

Gorou Honda, a little boy obsessed with baseball, has always admired his father, Shigeharu. Wishing to follow in his father's footsteps, Gorou dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. In turn, his son's starry-eyed admiration encourages Shigeharu to keep persevering, despite his late wife's death and his unsatisfying position on the second-string team Blue Ocean.

Unfortunately, an elbow injury forces Shigeharu off the team, and he falls into despair. However, after an offhand joke from his childhood friend, Shigeharu reevaluates his choices and decides to keep playing, leaving behind his prime position as pitcher and taking up the bat. Now motivated more than ever, Gorou works hard to carve his way in the Japanese Little League.

Nov 13, 2004 to May 21, 2005 | 26 eps | Publishing

Yawara!

Yawara!

Yawara!

High school student Yawara Inokuma lives a completely happy and ordinary life. She aspires to an average lifestyle as a delicate young lady with a handsome boyfriend in the near future.

Unfortunately for Yawara, she has an undesirable prodigious talent in Judo, a modern martial art that is neither feminine nor fashionable. Moreover, Yawara is the only granddaughter of the seventh dan Judo master Jigorou Inokuma, who expects her to become a Japanese Judoka superstar of the '90s.

Yawara cautiously hides her strength from everyone to maintain a normal reputation but is often pushed to situations when she must exercise her Judo skills. Observing Yawara's immense potential from the shadows, Kousaku Matsuda, a sports reporter from a substandard paper, is willing to do everything he can to bring her into the limelight.

Oct 16, 1989 to Sep 21, 1992 | 124 eps | Publishing

Zoids Shinseiki/Zero

Zoids Shinseiki/Zero

Zoids Shinseiki/Zero

Zoids—powerful animal-shaped combat mechs—are no longer used in warfare, but in organized sporting competitions. The Blitz Team, a group of pilots struggling to carve out a niche for themselves in the Zoid battling leagues, experience a stroke of luck when Bit Cloud, a vagrant junk dealer, wanders into their midst and proves himself capable of piloting the temperamental Liger Zero, a Zoid that refuses to let anyone else into its cockpit. Led by Bit and the Liger, the Blitz Team steadily make their way to the top—but along the way they attract the unwelcome attention of the Backdraft Group, an organization of Zoid pilots that operates outside the laws set down by the Zoid Battle Commission. The Backdraft want powerful Zoids to add to their ranks, and they have their eye on the Liger Zero...
Jan 6, 2001 to Jun 30, 2001 | 26 eps | Publishing

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Atobe kara no Okurimono - Kimi ni Sasag...

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Atobe kara no Okurimono - Kimi ni Sasageru Tennis Prince Matsuri

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Atobe kara no Okurimono - Kimi ni Sasageru Tennis Prince Matsuri

Hyoutei Academy's excessively wealthy and prideful tennis captain, Keigo Atobe, decides to host a giant one-day inter-school festival in order to bring together the middle school tennis circuit. The festival exudes class and wealth, befitting its host. The extravagant occasion is filled with many attractions, with the most major event being a fierce relay race between all of the schools in attendance. However, Atobe has his own reasons for hosting this Super Tennis Festival; it seems that the special day is all for a certain someone among the festival attendees.

Jan 29, 2005 | 1 eps | Publishing

Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989

Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989

Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989

Famous rockstar Kouji Nanjou has fallen in love with Izumi Takuto, a soccer player with dreams of seeing "real" soccer in Italy. In angsty boy-love fashion, the story consists of Kouji stopping at nothing to have Izumi stay with him, Izumi dealing with his feelings until the time comes where he has no choice but to decide, and all the other things the two must face and the problems from Kouji's family.

(Source: ANN)
Dec 4, 1996 | 1 eps | Publishing

Metal Fighter Miku

Metal Fighter Miku

Metal Fighter Miku

Jul 8, 1994 to Sep 30, 1994 | 13 eps | Publishing

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai

May 25, 1997 to Jun 25, 1998 | 6 eps | Publishing

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai (TV)

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai (TV)

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai (TV)

Oct 3, 1997 to Mar 27, 1998 | 26 eps | Publishing

Idaten Jump

Idaten Jump

Idaten Jump

Oct 1, 2005 to Sep 30, 2006 | 52 eps | Publishing

Eyeshield 21: Maboroshi no Golden Bowl

Eyeshield 21: Maboroshi no Golden Bowl

Eyeshield 21: Maboroshi no Golden Bowl

The Uraharajuku Boarders may have been knocked out of the Kantou Tournament, but a mysterious proposition from a mysterious man may influence the Governor, a graduate of Uraharajuku High School, to allow Uraharajuku to play Sena Kobayakawa and the Deimon Devilbats in the equally mysterious Golden Bowl, whose winner will seemingly receive a place in the Kantou Tournament. However, when Sena and company arrive at the field, they find the Golden Bowl may be something they didn't bargain for against opponents they may not be able to beat.

(Source: ANN)
Aug 6, 2004 | 1 eps | Publishing

Tennis no Ouji-sama Movie 1: Futari no Samurai - The First G...

Tennis no Ouji-sama Movie 1: Futari no Samurai - The First Game

Tennis no Ouji-sama Movie 1: Futari no Samurai - The First Game

Ryouma Echizen and the Seishun Academy Boys' Tennis Team are invited to participate in an exhibition game aboard a luxury cruise ship by its owner, Hikomaro Sakurafubuki. When they arrive, the boys are shocked to discover that Ryouma's adopted older brother, Ryouga, is the captain of the opposing team. During their first games, Seishun easily crushes their opponents, garnering excitement from the cruise spectators. However, many strange things about the cruise begin to surface—from the restaurant's cheap sushi to a bathroom covered in marble wallpaper.

Suspecting something is amiss, the team quickly finds out that Sakurafubuki is running an illegal gambling plot and that they must lose their next set of matches in order for him to win a large sum of money. Back on the first day, their opponents were told to purposefully lose in order to make the spectators bet heavily on Seishun's victory. If the middle schoolers do not comply, they risk losing their lives, as all of the employees on the ship are armed and working with Sakurafubuki, including Ryouga.

Relying only on themselves, the team must put their skills and intellect together to outsmart the threat around them. As Seishun decides to fight for their lives, the two sons of Samurai Nanjiro go head-to-head to determine who is the superior player.

Jan 29, 2005 | 1 eps | Publishing

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Zenkoku Taikai-hen

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Zenkoku Taikai-hen

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Zenkoku Taikai-hen

Freshman tennis prodigy Ryouma Echizen and the Seishun Academy Boys' Tennis Team have finally reached the National Tournament, eager to fight for the championship title and claim it as their own.

Seishun's first match is against Higa Middle School, the Okinawa-based team labeled as the "dark horse" of the tournament. After watching Higa defeat their first round of opponents using dirty tactics, the Seishun team is determined to show them the value of a fair, hard-earned victory.

Awaiting the winners of the matchup in the quarterfinals is one of Seishun's old rivals: Hyoutei Academy, who are determined to restore their pride after the events at the Kanto Regionals. Hyoutei seeks to prove to everyone that they deserve to be at the Nationals despite only qualifying through a special invitation.
Tennis no Ouji-sama: Zenkoku Taikai-hen covers the beginning of the long-awaited National Tournament as Ryouma and the Seishun team meet foes of past and present, each with their own unique ideals on how tennis should be played!

Mar 24, 2006 to Mar 23, 2007 | 13 eps | Publishing

Touch

Touch

Touch

The story centers around three characters—Uesugi Kazuya, his twin older brother Tatsuya, and Asakura Minami. Kazuya is the darling of his town as he's talented, hardworking, and the ace pitcher for his middle school baseball team. Tatsuya is a hopeless slacker who's been living the life of giving up the spotlight to Kazuya, despite the fact that he may be more gifted than him. Minami is the beautiful childhood girlfriend and for all intents, sister from next door who treats both of them as equals. Society largely assumes Kazuya and Minami will become the perfect couple, including Tatsuya. Yet as time progresses, Tatsuya grows to realize that he's willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of his brother, except at the expense of giving up Minami to Kazuya. And thus the story is told of Tatsuya trying to prove himself over his established younger brother, how it affects the relationship between the three, and both brothers' attempts to make Minami's lifelong dreams come true.
Mar 24, 1985 to Mar 22, 1987 | 101 eps | Publishing

Ningen Kousaten

Ningen Kousaten

Ningen Kousaten

Though seemingly unconnected, the characters in HUMAN CROSSING all have something in common. They are dealing with the sometimes joyous, but often horrific realities of everyday life. Set in modern day Japan, this compilation of short stories explores the lives of people from all walks of life. The animation used here is subtle, with realistic renderings that fully express the range of emotions experienced by the film`s characters. HUMAN CROSSING taps into the dramatic potential of reality, focusing on the isolated, sometimes lonely nature of urban life. Ultimately, however, the film suggests that perhaps there is an inter-connectedness between people that binds even the most disparate strangers together.

(Source: AniDB)
Apr 5, 2003 to Jun 28, 2003 | 13 eps | Publishing

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Sonzoku Yama no Hi

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Sonzoku Yama no Hi

Tennis no Ouji-sama: Sonzoku Yama no Hi

The Seishun Academy Boys' Tennis team have gone off to the S.K.B Tennis Club for a one-day boot camp. The infamous "training from Hell" first tests the members as they run all the way up toward the mountainside club. Shortly after, they participate in specialized tennis practice that matches their specific playstyles. With the threat of Sadaharu Inui's new "Marvelous Surprise Inui Juice Excellent" awaiting any who fail to complete their daily tasks, the boys persevere through their exhaustion.

A group of ill-mannered university students also arrive at the resort and demand to use the courts initially reserved for Seishun. Annoyed by their arrogance, Ryouma Echizen single-handedly challenges them to a match, with the winner claiming the right to the courts. Can the young freshman "super rookie" defeat the pompous team by himself?

2003 | 1 eps | Publishing

One Pound Gospel

One Pound Gospel

One Pound Gospel

Hatanaka Kosaku, a hopeful boxer, has a mean KO punch. Unfortunately, his dietary willpower is weak, and he eats even greasy hamburgers right before a bout. As a result, he has to compete in higher weight classes, and as soon as he takes an abdominal punch, he vomits, which causes him to lose the match in shame. As he tries to grapple with his weak will, he meets Sister Angela, a novitiate at a local convent. While Sister Angela strives to help Hatanaka in his endeavor, he seems to make her training to be a nun more difficult.
Dec 2, 1988 | 1 eps | Publishing

Future GPX Cyber Formula: Early Days Renewal

Future GPX Cyber Formula: Early Days Renewal

Future GPX Cyber Formula: Early Days Renewal

Future GPX Cyber Formula: Early Days Renewal is following Future GPX Cyber Formula ZERO.
Apr 1, 1996 to Jun 1, 1996 | 2 eps | Publishing

IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix

IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix

IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix

In the year 2035, Team Suzaku and Team Sledge Mamma are preparing to meet in the final round of the 12th Immortal Grand-1 Prix (IG1 or IGPX). Takeshi leads Team Suzaku, which is made up of a group of young amateur pilots who must make the most of their limited funds and weaponry in order to prepare for the competition designed for professionals.

This series served as the pilot to the full IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix, each episode is only 5 minutes long or less. A key difference between the two is that this series featured combat mecha competition rather than racing mecha.
Sep 15, 2003 to Sep 19, 2003 | 5 eps | Publishing

Nasu: Andalusia no Natsu

Nasu: Andalusia no Natsu

Nasu: Andalusia no Natsu

Pepe is a Spanish cyclist competing in an multi-stage Iberian cycling race similar to the Tour de France. He is a support rider for one of the teams competing in the race, and his role is to assist the team's top rider in winning the overall race. As the story unfolds, the racers are set to ride through Pepe's home town in Andalusia on the same day as the wedding of his elder brother Angel to his former girlfriend Carmen. Their relationship was a factor in his decision to leave the town to pursue professional cycling, and the wedding is a frustrating reminder that his career hasn't turned out as he would have liked. Now, with the sponsor planning to drop him from the team and his family and friends cheering him on, Pepe abandons his assigned role and strives for glory.

(Source: ANN)
Jul 26, 2003 | 1 eps | Publishing