Sports anime fans had a lot to look forward to in 2023, with a slew of new shows and current seasons. From the intense car racing competition of MF Ghost to the brutal world of martial arts in Kengan Ashura Season 2, there was something for everyone.
Sports anime fans had a lot to look forward to in 2023, with a slew of new shows and current seasons. From the intense car racing competition of MF Ghost to the brutal world of martial arts in Kengan Ashura Season 2, there was something for everyone. Other notable mentions include Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story Season 2, which follows underground golfer Eve’s journey as she competes in the All Japan Girls’ High School Gold Doubles Championship, and Umamusume: Pretty Derby Season 3, which features Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond when They become rivals on the race track. Archery fans will enjoy Tsurune: The Linking Shot, which follows Minato Narumiya as he prepares for the national competition with his teammates. Finally, Baki Hanma Season 2 continues the story of Baki and his Father.
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With so many great sports anime to choose from, it’s hard to pick just ten. However, we’ve compiled a list of the best sports anime of 2023, ranked by their popularity and critical acclaim. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 sports anime of 2023.
10 Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc
Start & End Date: Oct 1, 2023 to Continue
Genres: Action, Sports Episodes: 39 Studios: Studio KAI Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc is an anime series that premiered on October 1, 2023. The anime consists of 39 episodes and is currently airing. The show is rated TV-G and each episode is 22 minutes long. You can watch Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc on Prime Video.
In preparation for the International Youth Championship, Japan selects players from the teams of Nankatsu Middle School and Toho Academy Middle School: Tsubasa, Taro, Genzo, Kojiro, and Ken. They join Some of Japan’s best players in Paris to compete against the best footballers from around the world. The show follows the journey of these young players as they strive to become champions.
Genres: Sports Episodes: 8 Studios: Heart & Soul Animation Left-Hand Layup! is a Chinese anime series that aired from February 2, 2023, to March 16, 2023. The series consists of 8 episodes, each lasting 24 minutes. You can watch the left-hand layup! On Bilibili.
The story follows the journey of teenager Xu Xingze, a passionate basketball player who aspires to join the basketball team of the best school in the area after seeing their star win the Final Four Championship. When his sister mistakenly enrolls him in a lower school with a similar name, it is up to Xu and his new group of friends to prove their worth and skill on the court against some of the best high school players in the area.
Genres: Slice of Life, Sports Episodes: 13 Studios: BAKKEN RECORD Ippon! Again is an anime series that aired from January 9, 2023, to April 3, 2023. The series consists of 13 episodes, each lasting 23 minutes. You can watch Ippon! Again on HIDIVE.
The story follows Michi Sonoda, a judoka who planned to leave the sport after her last junior judo tournament until her friend Sanae Takigawa invited her to continue together in high school. The show follows Michi’s journey as she tries to balance her love of judo with her other interests.
07 Overtake!
Start & End Date: Oct 1 to Dec 17, 2023
Genres: Sports Episodes: 12 Studios: TROYCA Overtake! is an anime series that was broadcast from October 1, 2023, to December 17, 2023. The series consists of 12 episodes, each lasting 23 minutes. You can watch the overtake! On Crunchyroll.
The story revolves around a freelance photographer, Kouya Madoka, who is in the middle of a slump due to a certain reason. While working on a story at Fuji International Speedway, he met high school Formula 4 racer Haruka Asahina and suddenly found his heart racing once again. He decides to support Asahina and help him achieve his dream with the small Komaki Motors team. Thus the lives of Madoka and Asahina, who have completely different personalities and ages, intersect.
Genres: Drama, Sports Episodes: 12 Studios: Bandai Namco Pictures Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story Season 2 is an anime series that premiered on April 8, 2023. The anime consists of 12 episodes, each lasting 23 minutes. You can watch Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story Season 2 on Crunchyroll.
The story revolves around underground golfer Eve, who wants nothing more than to play a match against Aoi Amawashi, an “innocent tyrant” prodigy who has captured her eye. However, the girls, wanting to finally settle the score on who is the better golfer, will have to wait until the conclusion of the Japan Girls’ High School Doubles Gold Championship. Now competing together on the Raiou Girls’ Golf Academy team, Eve and Aoi decide to work together to bring victory to their organization.
05 Umamusume: Pretty Derby Season 3
Start & End Date: Oct 5 to Dec 28, 2023
Genres: Drama, Slice of Life, Sports Episodes: 13 Studios: Studio KAI Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 3 is an anime series that premiered on October 5, 2023. The anime contains 13 episodes, each of which is 23 minutes long. You can watch Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 3 on Crunchyroll.
The third season of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby features Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond as the main characters, focusing on their journey as they strive to become champions.
Genres: Drama, Slice of Life, Sports Episodes: 13 Studios: Kyoto Animation Tsurune: The Linking Shot is an anime series that premiered on January 5, 2023 and ended on March 30, 2023. The anime consists of 13 episodes, each of which is 23 minutes long. You can watch Tsurune: The Linking Shot on HIDIVE.
The story revolves around Minato Narumiya, a new student at Kazemai High School, who is passionate about Kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery. As the national competition approaches, Kazemai High School’s Kyudo Club is determined to prove that their initial win was no mere fluke. With his passion for sports renewed, Minato prepares hard for the upcoming competition with his teammates, who are equally motivated to win.
03 Kengan Ashura Season 2
Start Date: Sep 21, 2023
Genres: Oct 1, 2023 Episodes: 12 Studios: Larx Entertainment Kengan Ashura Season 2 is an anime series that premiered on September 21, 2023, and ended on December 14, 2023. The anime consists of 12 episodes, each of which is 25 minutes long. The series is rated R-17+ for violence and profanity. You can watch Kengan Ashura Season 2 on Netflix.
The Kengan Annihilation Tournament continues with the rest of the second-round fights as Kazuo Yamashita considers withdrawing his entry. The battles begin again when Takeshi Wakatsuki faces Julius Reinhold. The next match will be between Genziga Motuba and Jun Sikibayashi.
02 MF Ghost
Start & End Date: Oct 2 to Dec 18, 2023
Genres: Sci-Fi, Sports Episodes: 12 Studios: Felix Film MF Ghost is an anime series that premiered on October 2, 2023, and ended on December 18, 2023. The series is rated PG-13 12. The anime contains a total of 12 episodes, each of which is 23 minutes long. You can watch MF Ghost on Crunchyroll.
The story revolves around Kanata Rivington, a 19-year-old who registers for the MFG tournament under the alias “Kanata Katagiri”. MFG is a motorsport series that maintains an interest in cars with traditional combustion engines as electric cars dominate daily life in the 2020s. With a staggering 30 million viewers online, hundreds of aspiring drivers compete fiercely for a place in the Godly Fifteen – the top 15 contestants – and a chance to win the grand prize of ¥100 million.
01 Baki Hanma Season 2
Start & End Date: Jul 26 to Aug 24, 2023
Genres: Action, Sports Episodes: 27 Studios: TMS Entertainment Baki Hanma Season 2 is an anime series that premiered on July 26, 2023, and ended on August 24, 2023. The anime contains a total of 27 episodes, each of which is 26 minutes long. You can watch Hanma Baki Season 2 on Netflix.
In the first season of Hanma Baki, Fighter Baki, the strongest high school student in the land, trained in a prison against his fellow inmates, defeating a giant praying mantis and powerful opponents like Biscuit “Mr. Unchained” Oliva and Jun “Mr. The Second” Guevaru. Now, he’s back. Baki prepares to fight Pickle, an extremely strong, perfectly preserved prehistoric man who once preyed on dinosaurs. If Baki manages to take down Pickle, it will be his final confrontation with his powerful father, Yujiro Hanma.
The top 10 sports anime of 2023 showcase the diversity and excitement of the genre, with each series offering unique stories, characters, and sports to enjoy. Whether you’re a fan of basketball, judo, or horse racing, there’s something for everyone on this list. As the year comes to a close, these series have left a lasting impact on the sports anime scene and will continue to inspire and entertain fans for years to come.
