Basketball is among the most well-loved sports in the world. You may recall playing the sport when you were small while you try to imitate your favorite player and attempt to score the game-winning points before the clock ran out.
Our list of the best basketball anime will help you relive your childhood dream through fictional characters.
Contents
Top 8 Best Basketball Anime To Relive Your Basketball Dream
1. Kuroko’s Basketball – Best anime about basketball
Kuroko’s Basketball is not a realistic anime since it has a supernatural aspect even though almost all basketball techniques are still based on true principles of basketball.
However, this makes it stand out from the rest of the sports anime shows on the market, deserving to be one of the best anime about basketball.
With the outstanding animation and detailed characters, Production I.G, which is also the company behind Attack on Titan and Psycho-Pass, has certainly established a new benchmark for the sports anime genre.
In this anime, Kuroko is an invisible player, or the 6th man in basketball jargon, who used to play for a famed junior high school. After Kuroko enrolls in Seirin High school, he encounters Taiga Kagami, another talented basketball player that wants to build a name for himself in the sport.
The two freshmen will gain their reputation if they work together. Especially, Kuroko is a fascinating character to observe. Although he is physically frail, his ability to deceive and and make incredible passes is hard to deal with.
2. Slam Dunk – Most Popular Basketball Anime Series
Any list of the most popular basketball anime series would be incomplete without the inclusion of Slam Dunk.
When Slam Dunk was initially aired, the entire sports genre had yet to be explored in the world of anime, and it nevertheless managed to become a huge hit in Japan. Slam Dunk had a great impact and inspired an entire generation of basketball players.
Takehiko Inoue’s original intention for the anime is to make it a basic basketball story mirroring his personal experiences when he played the sport to impress females. However, gradually, Slam Dunk grew into a sprawling and engrossing tale of odd dedication, brotherhood, and devotion.
Even though its animation is not a match to more recent anime shows, Slam Dunk has ageless comedy, intense drama, and most importantly, jaw-dropping basketball action that can win the hearts of many viewers.
3. Dear Boys (Hoop Days)
Aikawa Kazuhiko, the central protagonist of Dear Boys, is a standout basketball player and the captain of the legendary Tendoji High team.
However, when he relocates to a new place, he is responsible for forming a team from the ground up. He is determined to overcome this obstacle and wants to build and help his newly founded basketball team advance to the National Championships.
In comparison to other series on our list, the plot of this anime is somber and contains very little humor, which makes it as much authentic as possible.
4. Ro-Kyu-Bu!
This anime uniquely mixes basketball action and the cliche of kawaii girls acting sweetly.
It tells the tale of Hasegawa Subaru, who is a gifted basketball player, whose dreams are destroyed when the team he plays for is forced to be dismissed. Rather than surrendering, he applies his basketball insights to coaching a female basketball team.
From the technical point of view, Ro-Kyu-Bu isn’t enticing and can disappoint people searching for genuine basketball action. Nevertheless, it’s a nice fit for anime lovers who appreciate sports anime with a cutesy feel to it.
5. Buzzer Beater
Buzzer Beater takes place a few centuries in the future, where Hideyoshi – a young male, competes in basketball contests for survival on NYC streets.
However, fate intervenes and Hideyoshi is drafted to a professional basketball squad. Here, he will be pitted against physically stronger alien beings who have conquered the sport.
Even though it’s a huge challenge, the weight is on Hideyoshi’s team to take back the basketball championship that rightfully belongs to the human race.
This anime has an undoubtedly interesting premise. Its animation is a tad rough around the edges, however, its humor and exaggerated game action can keep you entertained.
6. Ahiru no Sora
Ahiru no Sora deserves its spot on this list because of its pint-sized main character and a really motivating tale. Despite the fact that its premise is very typical and centered around the story of a basketball team underestimated by others, the factor making this anime so compelling is its colorful array of characters.
Ahiru no Sora uses flashbacks to thoroughly investigate all characters and most importantly, it maintains a high level of shounen essence.
7. Dash! Kappei
Kappei Sakamoto is a teenager who stars in this entertaining basketball anime. He’s a senior high schooler with exceptional athletic ability. He enrolls in Seirin High’s basketball squad and quickly rises to the top of the ranks.
Because of Kappei’s short height, he appears to be disabled. However, with practice, he thrives in practically all school sports. Nonetheless, he isn’t perfect as he is drawn to white women’s panties.
8. I’ll/CKBC
This is a two-episode OVA that follows 2 outstanding basketball players at the high school level, namely Tachibana and Hiiragi.
At first, they are rivals, however, after enrolling in the same high school, they become teammates. Despite playing on the same basketball team, their rivalry still persists, but they soon learn that for the sake of the team and to win the game, they must put aside their differences.
Different from the majority of other anime shows on our list, I’ll/CKBC only employs basketball to tell the narrative and concentrates more on the basketball players’ spirit instead of the game’s actions.
It’s significantly more inward-looking and mature than many other anime titles about sports since it offers profound insights into all of the main protagonists’ personal affairs.
Final Words
Above is our collection of the best basketball anime. These shows will undoubtedly help you enjoy the thrill of the game in the comfort of your own home. It’s a nice alternative when real-life tournaments are not broadcasted or you want something refreshing added to your favorite sports.
If you are interested in any of the 8 titles, many of them are available on Netflix waiting for you to explore.