by Sports Day in 2026 was October 12th.
This national holiday, formerly known as Health and Sports Day, falls on the second Monday of October.
. Sports are a highly popular genre in anime. The subjects vary widely, from well-known sports like baseball and soccer to sports that people don’t usually encounter, and even fictional sports created specifically for the works.
So, Anime! Anime! conducted a reader survey titled “What is your favorite sports anime?” again this year.
The survey period was from October 1st to October 7th. The gender ratio was approximately 60 percent male and 40 percent female, with slightly more men. The age range was mainly young people, with approximately 30 percent under 19 and approximately 25 percent in their 20s.
■Passionate matches and youth dramas! Masterpieces that stir the heart
The number one
is “Haikyu!!”. It received approximately 18 percent of the votes.
“Haikyu!!” is a volleyball anime based on a manga serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump.” The story follows Shoyo Hinata, a small boy with exceptional jumping ability, who becomes teammates with Tobio Kageyama, a genius setter whom he lost to in a middle school match, at Karasuno High School, and together they aim for the national tournament.
Readers have commented, “I love it as both a sports anime and a coming-of-age club activity anime. Not only are the growth and setbacks of the teammates and the heated matches depicted, but the feelings of the players on the losing teams are also carefully portrayed, so there are endless highlights,” and “Each character has a past and background, and they are explored in great depth.” The fact that it carefully depicts the drama of both the winners and the losers has been well-received. There was even a reader who said, “I started playing volleyball because of this work!” In 2027, the theatrical release of “Haikyu!! VS The Little Giant” and the broadcast of the special anime “Haikyu!! Where the Monsters Go” are scheduled. Coming in at
second
place is “Blue Lock,” with a support rate of approximately 14 percent.
“Blue Lock” is a soccer anime based on a manga serialized in “Weekly Shonen Magazine.” 300 high school forwards are gathered at the “Blue Lock” facility to train a striker who will lead Japan to victory in the World Cup, and they engage in a fierce battle for survival.
Readers have praised the series for its unique approach, saying things like, “The premise of training the world’s most egoistic striker is innovative! I was drawn into the serious and bleak world that overturns the bright and passionate atmosphere of previous soccer anime,” and “It’s a survival format incorporating elements of a death game, so I watch it with tension every time. The thrill of not knowing who will be eliminated is exciting.” The third season of the TV anime, “Blue Lock: Neo Egoist League,” is currently in production. In third place
is “Inazuma Eleven,” with a support rate of approximately 9 percent.
“Inazuma Eleven” is a soccer anime based on a game by Level-5. The Raimon Junior High soccer club, captained by Mamoru Endou, strives to qualify for the national tournament, “Football Frontier.”
Readers have praised the flashy techniques and classic, passionate storyline, with comments such as, “I loved the scene where Endou first unleashed his God Hand; it was so exciting! I was captivated by how the weak soccer club got covered in mud during practice and steadily grew stronger,” and “It’s a super-dimensional soccer series where fire and lightning appear as special moves, but the drama is just too exciting!” Here are some other comments! Regarding “Captain Tsubasa,” one comment said,
“It’s a work that dramatically raised the level of soccer in Japan, and countless players have become professionals after admiring Tsubasa Ozora. When Tsubasa was demoted to the B team and given the task of scoring 10 goals and providing 10 assists, I felt the harshness of being a professional.” Regarding
“SLAM DUNK,” one comment said, “I got hooked when my parents showed it to me when I was in elementary school. It’s one of the first basketball anime that comes to mind, and since I played mini-basketball at the time, it resonates with my own experiences, and I have a lot of affection for it.” Regarding “Hurricane! Iron Leaguer,” one voter commented, “Although the players are robots, the story of them overcoming their individual worries and traumas with their teammates is exciting. The way they express their burning fighting spirit as ‘My oil is boiling’ is also unique to robots and quite amusing.”
For “Sound! Euphonium,” another voter said, “Some people might wonder why brass band is considered a sport, but those with experience or who have seen the anime will understand. Competition performances are 12 minutes long, requiring stamina, and seeing the running scenes in the first season made me think, ‘This anime really depicts a real brass band!'” This work, whose final installment, “Sound! Euphonium: The Final Movement,” is currently showing, also received votes. This survey saw a diverse range of sports anime ranking highly, including volleyball, soccer, basketball, and figure skating. Titles with a strong sports-drama element also received votes, with works selected from various perspectives, such as the characters’ dedication to their sport and their passion for competition.
Top 5 Ranking
[What is your favorite sports anime?] [2026 Edition]
1st: Haikyu!!
2nd: Blue Lock
3rd: Inazuma Eleven
4th: Medalist
5th: SLAM DUNK
5th: THE IDOLM@STER Million Live!
5th: Captain Tsubasa
5th: Ace of Diamond
5th: The Prince of Tennis
5th: Sound! Euphonium
5th: Mou Ippon!
5th: Ro-Kyu-Bu!
(Voting period: October 1st – October 7th, 2026)
■All titles that received votes
[What is your favorite sports anime? 2026 Edition]
Haikyu!!
Blue Lock
Inazuma Eleven
Medalist
SLAM DUNK
THE IDOLM@STER Million Live!
Captain Tsubasa
“Ace of Diamond”
“The Prince of Tennis”
“Sound! Euphonium”
“Mou Ippon!”
“Ro-Kyu-Bu!”
“DANDOH!!”
“Free!”
“HIGHSPEED Étoile”
“ViVid Strike!”
“Eyeshield 21”
“Uma Musume Pretty Derby”
“Run with the Wind”
“Ganbare! Kickers”
“Cross Game”
“Hurricane! Iron Leaguer”
“Dokaben”
“Bakuten!!”
“Plaore! PRIDE OF ORANGE”
“Pro Golfer Saru”
“Boukyaku Battery”
“Major”
Yuri!!! on ICE”
“Yowamushi Pedal”
“Ring ni Kakero 1”
This survey is part of a survey to understand readers’ current interest in and attention to anime works and characters. The results are not intended to determine superiority or inferiority among any of the characters or works. We hope this article will serve as an opportunity for you to discover new works and characters, and to deepen your understanding and interest in them.
