Sports anime with real stakes

The best sports anime make a match feel like the end of the world. A single point can carry a whole season of practice, and the rivalry on the other side of the net is as much a character as anyone on your team. You do not need to know the rules.

The list follows the sports genre and tags for individual sports, from football and basketball to swimming, boxing and racing, and ranks the most popular matches. Most are built around a team, so expect friendships to matter as much as scores.

Most popular matches