15 best basketball anime shows and movies to add to your watchlist

15 best basketball anime shows and movies to add to your watchlist

Basketball is one of the greatest sports, with a massive fan base worldwide. If you are an anime enthusiast who loves basketball, you might have searched for the best basketball anime movies and series to watch. While there are numerous sports animes, the ones with basketball themes are few. Here is a compilation of the ones you should not miss on your watchlist.

New basketball anime
Basketball hoop in a basketball court. Photo: pexels.com, @markusspiske
Source: UGC

Basketball animes are entertaining if you love the game, and kids who have a passion for the game are the best way to get inspired. Even though the game is the main theme of the animes, other stories, such as romance and comedy, are also incorporated, making them an interesting watch for most people.

Best basketball anime shows and movies

Numerous basketball animes are available, but not all are the best. If you want a thrilling basketball anime with an exciting storyline, include the following anime shows and movies in your watchlist.

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1. Kuroko's Basketball The Movie: Last Game

In an exhibition basketball match, visiting US team Jabberwock humiliates the Japanese home team Strky. It is not a big deal until the captain of the visiting team undermines Strky and compares their gaming style to monkey play. Angered by his comments, Strky requests a rematch to prove their worth in the game.

2. Breakers

This TV anime is not exclusively for basketball but for four different sports. It tells the story of four para-athletes who desire to make it in sports but are limited by their physical conditions. They meet Ren Narita, a sports scientist whose efforts had been undermined, and together they start the journey of their lives in four different games, wheelchair basketball, track and high jump, goal ball, and paralympic swimming.

3. Barangay 143

Bren Park, a Korean basketball player, is forced to quit basketball after he loses his family members in a snowstorm tragedy. He discovers that he was born to a Filipino father whom he did not know and, therefore, sets out to look for his father. He goes to Manilla, and while searching for his dad, he joins a local basketball team, the Puzakals of Barangay 143.

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4. Buzzer Beater

Hideyoshi, a young boy, plays basketball in the streets of New York to fend for himself. His life changes when he joins a professional basketball team, but he soon realises he has a new challenge. The pro team’s objective is to dominate the space league, where aliens have been champions for a long time. It turns out that Hideyoshi is the player the pro team needed to conquer the space league.

5. The First Slam Dunk

This basketball anime series revolves around high school basketball and follows the story of a young boy Ryota Miyagi. He is the younger brother of Sota, a basketball player who inspired his love for the game. Ryota Miyagi is the point guard of the Shohoku high school basketball team and teams up with Hanamichi Sakuragi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Kaede Rukawa to face the Sannoh school, the reigning champions.

6. Dear Boys

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This anime series tells the story of Aikawa Kazuhiko, the captain and one the best players of Tendoji High School. He joins another high school, but it is not the same as his previous school because it does not take basketball keenly.

Aikawa Kazuhiko is determined to change the narrative and make his new school the best in basketball. His efforts inspire other students, and they form a team that goes up to the national basketball finals.

7. Dash Kappei

Basketball anime show
Main Dash Kappei characters. Photo: @hoi_poi_studio, @hakaro on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The comedy basketball TV anime tells the story of Kappei Sakamoto, a short basketball player at Seirin High School. He has a girlfriend called Akane, who owns a loyal dog. Kappei loves to watch white pants and enjoys doing so whenever he has a chance, but Akana’s dog is determined to get him caught by his girlfriend.

8. Basquash

The game Big Foot Basketball unites all in a world where humanity is divided between a highly advanced lunar society and a struggling surface society. Dan JD and his friends fall in love with the game, starting a street version and naming it Basquash. They face multiple challenges but are determined to make the game successful. They play with giant robots.

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9. Heong-geuli Beseuteu 5

Kim Youngwoong, a Korean high school basketball player, participates in n the junior Asian Cup competition. His team faces a Chinese basketball team in the final game. He gives his team the victory through a last dramatic shot and soon after becomes highly sort by multiple schools. However, he opts to play for a weak team due to his coach’s advice and desire to see a team grow.

10. Ahiru No Sora

Sora Kurumatani is determined to play basketball at the highest as he had promised his mother, but he faces a challenge when he joins Kuzuryuu High School. His teammates undermine him because he is short, but they soon realise he is exceptionally skilled after defeating them in a game. The players are inspired by his skills, and they start the journey of forming an incredible team.

11. Kuroko No Basket

Teikou Junior High School boasts a highly talented team of basketball players; among them are five players thought to be exceptionally skilled. After graduation, they go to different schools but are destined to meet as opponents in tournaments. Kuroko Tetsuya joins a school where pro player Taiga Kagami is, and he has up his game to help the team reach the finals of inter-high school championships.

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12. Slam Dunk

Hanamichi Sakuragi is a freshman in high school and is unpopular with girls, having been rejected severally. He meets Haruko Akagi, and the experience is different this time as she is not repulsive. Haruko introduces him to basketball, and he reluctantly joins the team to impress her. However, he learns the game and emerges as one of the best in the team.

13. I'll CKBC

Skilled high school basketball players, Tachibana and Hiiragiare, rivals in different schools. Their rivalry takes a different twist when Hiiragiare joins Tachibana’s high school, and they play on the same team. After a while, they become accustomed to one another and form a strong team. However, their rivalry is renewed when Hiiragiare leaves the team and joins a better one, which becomes Tachibana’s team's top opponent.

14. Mitsu x Mitsu Drops

Kai Renge and Hagino Yuzuru are students at Houjou Academy, which has a unique system. Kai Renge is a star basketball player and a master to Hagino Yuzuru, who is a honey. In the school’s system, a honey must help a master to achieve their objectives and, in turn, gets free tuition. Kai Renge and Hagino Yuzuru begin a master-honey relationship, but later they become fond of each other, and a love story begins.

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15. Ro-Kyu-Bu!

This is another top basketball anime series worth watching. Subaru Hasegawa is allegedly implicated in a scandal that forces him to quit the team, and the team is also abolished. His aunt makes him the basketball coach of a girls’ elementary school. He intends to train the girls briefly but opts to be their permanent coach when he discovers their circumstances. The girls reignite his passion for the game.

Basketball anime movies and TV shows are interesting if you love the game or trying to develop a passion for it. Since most films revolve around high school basketball, they inspire young players who aspire to reach the game's highest level. This compilation is a great way to entertain and appreciate the sport.

Legit.ng recently published One Piece movies. If you are an anime movie enthusiast, you might be familiar with One Piece. With numerous episodes, it is important to watch them in order to understand the storyline.

How do you watch One Piece movies? You might be confused by the many episodes of the anime movie franchise. It is an interesting movie franchise, but you must watch it chronologically to comprehend the story's flow.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Muhunya Muhonji avatar

Muhunya Muhonji (Lifestyle writer) Muhunya is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from Egerton University, Class of 2014, with a passion for storytelling and content creation. Since joining Legit.ng as a writer in July 2021, he has covered diverse topics such as entertainment, technology, business, and biographies. His journalism journey has seen him complete multiple professional courses, including the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course (2023), the Google News Initiative course (March 2024), and Fact-Checking and Research training (September 2024). Email: muhunyah@gmail.com

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