10 best sports manga of all time that you should read at least once

Sports manga have captured audiences for decades with dramatic matches, intense training arcs, and inspiring themes of friendship, effort, and victory. For both sports and manga fans, these stories capture the thrill of athletic competition blended with gripping plots.

The most iconic sports manga showcase their respective sports with passion and accuracy. Beyond realistic games and skilled protagonists, these sports manga dive deep into the mental and emotional world of athletes.

Through loss, injury, rivalries, and triumphs on the field, sports manga also narrate profoundly human stories. These are among the 10 greatest sports manga of all time for any fan to read, whether they already love athletics or not.

10 unforgettable sports manga every fan should read

1) Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue (Image via Shueisha and Viz Media)

Arguably the most popular sports manga ever created, Slam Dunk follows hotheaded Hanamichi Sakuragi, who joins his high school basketball team to impress a girl. Despite being unknowledgeable about hoops, his raw physical gifts soon make him a star player.

The series revitalized interest in basketball in Japan during the 1990s. Slam Dunk's early volumes focus on team practices and development before shifting to regional tournament battles with seasoned opponents.

With its inspiring protagonist, the introduction of technical aspects for new fans, emphasis on practice over inborn skill, and climactic championship games, Slam Dunk embodies every trope that makes sports manga such a thrill ride. Even non-basketball fans will enjoy the action and team bonding.

2) Haikyuu!!

Haikyuu!! by Haruichi Furudate (Image via Shueisha and Viz Media)

Ever since middle school student Shoyo Hinata watched an ace volleyball player on TV, he dedicated himself to becoming a star despite his short stature. Upon entering high school, he joins a volleyball team that is rebuilding its former glory. There, he meets an unlikely ally, Tobio Kageyama, a brilliant but abrasive setter.

Together, their now unstoppable quick attack begins leading the team to higher levels of competition. Beyond intense matches, Haikyuu!! develops a huge cast of players on rival teams. Their strengths, weaknesses, backgrounds, and motivations are explored throughout the series.

With fantastic animation for the volleyball action, relatable and growing characters, and strategic play explained clearly for newcomers, Haikyuu!! checks every box that makes sports manga inspire and electrify.

3) Eyeshield 21

Eyeshield 21 by Riichiro Inagaki and Yusuke Murata (Image via Shueisha and Viz Media)

Wimpy freshman Sena Kobayakawa often gets forced into running errands for bullies, unaware of his incredible speed and agility. When the school's football team captain notices Sena's talent, he recruits him as team secretary as well as the mysterious new running back, "Eyeshield 21."

Donning a helmet to hide his identity, Sena begins blowing past powerhouse schools' defenses. As Eyeshield 21 racks up rushing touchdowns, Sena slowly transforms from a cowardly victim into a more self-assured player.

Hilarious supporting characters, superhuman football techniques, and increasingly formidable opponents push the protagonist and readers alike to new heights. Eyeshield 21 captures American football excitement while teaching basics to new fans, balancing realism with dramatic flair in its match outcomes.

4) Hajime no Ippo

Hajime no Ippo by George Morikawa (Image via Kodansha)

Bullied at school and working to support his mother's fishing business, everyday life overwhelms Makunouchi Ippo. After being saved from a beating by an up-and-coming pro boxer, Ippo develops an interest in the sport. He soon begins training under this mentor to compete, hoping to gain confidence while testing his strength.

The series follows Ippo's full career spanning over 1,000 manga chapters, from his amateur debut through championship bouts. Hajime no Ippo puts readers ringside for beautifully illustrated, action-packed slugfests while humanizing both Ippo and his opponents outside the ring.

Despite a daunting length, this sports manga stays addictively readable with well-paced plot arcs focused both on Ippo's fights and training growth between matches. For a truly complete experience of the blood, sweat, and emotion that boxing entails, look no further than this iconic manga.

5) Kuroko no Basket

Kuroko no Basket by Tadatoshi Fujimaki (Image via Shueisha and Viz Media)

When new high schooler Taiga Kagami left the competitive American basketball scene to play in Japan, he planned to dominate the local scene. But, a practice game versus his new school reveals an uncanny player who seems to appear from thin air.

Kagami soon learns about Tetsuya Kuroko, a misdirection specialist for Teikō Middle School's legendary generation of miracle players. After parting ways with those former teammates, Kuroko joins Kagami to form a dream duo capable of besting anyone.

Kuroko no Basket thrives on the interplay between its lead duo along with an insight into their prodigy rivals' backgrounds, play styles, and hidden weaknesses. Matches pivot on mind games and fast scoring. Stunning passes and player introductions make Kuroko no Basket's action pop.

6) Captain Tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa by Yoichi Takahashi (Image via Shueisha and Viz Media)

Ever since elementary schooler Tsubasa Ozora could walk, he wowed friends and foes alike with preternatural ball control and pinpoint shooting accuracy. The series depicts Tsubasa's journey from local teams to national fame as he aims for the global stage.

Later arcs even follow his professional career playing for clubs inspired by giants like FC Barcelona and the Japanese national team. As the first smash-hit sports manga of the 1980s, Captain Tsubasa single-handedly sparked an explosively popular genre.

Its dynamic stylings of soccer matches influenced real-world players for decades while shaping the athletic manga style. Despite dated visuals, Tsubasa's passion for the game remains inspiring. For historical significance alone, this series deserves a top spot among sports manga of all time.

7) Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal by Wataru Watanabe (Image via Akita Shoten and Yen Press)

Sakamichi Onoda rides his mamachari 90 kilometers roundtrip just to frequent his preferred anime goods store. When the biking team recognizes Onoda's endurance, they believe anyone with such stamina must possess hidden riding talent.

He reluctantly joins, hoping the larger group rides let him chat anime and manga with fellow otaku. Yet, his innate stamina and thrill-seeking soon transform Onoda into a fiercely competitive racer gunning for glory in Japan's top high school cycling race.

Beyond matches, Yowamushi Pedal spotlights the distinct personalities comprising the team. Readers end up invested not just in Onoda's underdog shot against specialized cycling schools but also in his new companions chasing their own goals.

8) Ace of Diamond (Diamond no Ace)

Ace of Diamond (Diamond no Ace) by Yuji Terajima (Image via Kodansha)

When star Little League pitcher Eijun Sawamura enters high school, scouts expect him to bring national championship glory. However, a humiliating loss in his debut game teaches Sawamura the vast gap between amateur promise and truly elite high school baseball.

Vowing to one day become the ace of his team, Sawamura enrolls in a powerhouse school aiming to reach legendary nationals at storied Koshien Stadium. Ace of Diamond brings all the tense pitcher-batter showdowns readers want while fleshing out nearly every character the protagonist meets along the way.

Battles seem to pivot on razor's edge mind games or displays of strategic adaptability. Alongside Sawamura's growth, his teammates bring unique skills and challenges to overcome. For any baseball fan longing to experience high school ball's electric thrill, Ace of Diamond delivers a thoroughly gripping dramatization.

9) Ashita no Joe

Ashita no Joe by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba (Image via Kodansha)

In the economically depressed postwar years, orphan Joe Yabuki wanders aimlessly between street fights and odd jobs. When a former boxing trainer notices Joe's natural talent, he offers to coach the troubled youth into a champion despite Joe's utter lack of motivation.

Joe slowly recognizes his own potential by facing tragic encounters and violent brawls. Training to become a boxing champion, Joe sees the sport as his only shot at both redemption and self-discovery. Ashita no Joe conveys brutal street fighting and matches with pioneering realism.

Beyond the striking visual details, the series also channels working-class struggles seldom depicted in contemporary manga. Joe contends with poverty, trauma, exploitation, and the thin line between legal and illegal violence, all while pursuing pugilistic greatness.

10) Blue Lock

Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura (Image via Kodansha)

After the Japanese national U-18 team loses yet another World Cup, administrators halt funding for cooperation-focused training. Sports psychologist Ego Jinpachi creates the ruthless Blue Lock program, where 300 strikers compete for a single spot as Japan's top scorer.

Striker Yoichi Isagi enters Blue Lock with doubts about his abilities, only to suffer crushing defeats, forcing him towards obsessive self-improvement. Hyper-realistic art conveys the speed and physicality of the sport while paneling adds claustrophobic tension to elimination matches.

Beyond the games themselves, glimpses into Isagi's tactical inner monologues make failure crushingly tangible for readers too. By centering all facets of production around Isagi's individual growth, Blue Lock emerges as perhaps the definitive encapsulation yet of sports manga appeal.

Conclusion

The sports manga genre has captivated readers for generations by blending athletic spectacle with profound stories of ambition, friendship, struggle, and triumph. These 10 series showcase emotive storytelling and thrilling action, deepening fans' love for sports.

For newcomers to manga or even established fans seeking a fresh take, all these sports manga deliver their respective sports with passion and accurate detail. Moreover, beyond just displaying athletic greatness, they unlock the mental and emotional world of competitors too.

Through temporary defeats and hard-won victories, these titles ultimately chronicle the human condition itself. Any reader who feels stirred by the tests of body and spirit athletes endure should discover inspiration aplenty in these premier sports manga classics.