I played a lot of sports when I was growing up. I played football when I was younger and progressed into baseball and soccer. I wanted to try hockey and cycling growing up, but there wasn’t any way to get access to these kind of sports. Having now transitioned to track and field, I am satisfied when looking back at my years spent experimenting with other kinds of games. I have also come to notice that there is a genre of anime, my favorite thing to watch, where sports is the main focus! Now this may come off as odd, as most people associate anime with giant robots or other stereotypical genres, but there are indeed some shows based off of certain sports. So here we go, here are 5 of the many sports anime that can spark your interest!

5. "Ace of Diamond"

"Ace of Diamond" is our first runner-up with baseball in mind. We follow the story of pitcher Eijun Sawamura. He wants to be the best baseball player in the league so that he can bring his high school team to the championships. He is equipped with the ability to throw the ball in an erratic manner which the batter can’t hit, but that the catcher can’t catch!

4. "Eyeshield 21"

Is baseball not your thing? How about football? Yep, there is an anime for that and it’s called "Eyeshield 21." Our main character, Sena Kobayakawa, is an unremarkable boy with quick running speed and agility. He is spotted by the school’s football team and, so that they can keep him a secret from their rivals, they give him an eyeshield to conceal his identity and the number 21. They want to be the best in the country and fight hard so that, in the end, one lucky player will have the chance at an NFL contract and $3 million!

3. "Kuroko No Basuke"

In keeping with the idea of comradery, we have "Kuroko no Basuke." Our main character, Tetsuya Kuroko, was once part of a championship winning team known as the “Generation of Miracles.” Now in high school, everyone has split up and plays at different schools while Tetsuya remains strong and tries to teach his new teammates the ways of basketball and how to rise to the top of the board.

2. "The Prince of Tennis"

From the basketball court to the tennis court, we have "The Prince of Tennis." Ryoma Echizen is a tennis prodigy who beats several upperclassmen during his freshmen year to secure his spot as a regular in competitions. Ryoma is only trying to win the Tennis Championships, but he also wants to create a new style of tennis play so that he will be remembered in history.

1. "Hajime no Ippo"

Entering the ring, we have our final entry on the list "Hajime no Ippo." The main character, Ippo Makunouchi, is a shy high school student who was bullied and beaten by thugs from his school to the point of death. After being saved by a boxer Ippo decides that he wants to pursue a career in boxing. He goes on to fight with perseverance and dedication in various competitions and learns more about himself with each match.

From "Free!" (a show about a swim team) to "Haikyū!!" (a show about volleyball) and "Yowamushi Pedal" (a series about cycling), there are many other sports anime that might catch your interest and fill up your free time.

(In order: Free!/Haikyu!!/Yowamushi Pedal)