So it isn’t much of a surprise to find out that many artists and story-tellers become who are sports fans become inspired to create fictional works/art based on the sport they love. Sports films are some of the most popular in the world, novels and non-fiction about boxing have been popular since the early 20th century, and, the subject of this article, the manga industry has seen some great success in the genre of sports. In this article, we are going to take a look at some great, and successful sports manga.
Blue Lock
Blue Lock is a manga centering around soccer, the most popular sport in the world today. While soccer may not be Japan’s favorite sport, it is the third most popular, behind baseball and sumo. In the rest of the world, soccer absolutely dominates, being one of the most popular betting sports, according to novibet.ie.
Blue Lock looks at the Japanese national team, which, after placing 16th in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. After this devastating defeat, the team gets a new coach, who imposes a ridiculously difficult training regiment, in an effort to make sure that the 2022 World Cup will be better.
Blue Lock is exciting, thrilling, action-packed, and has been nominated for a number of awards, winning the Kodansha Manga Award in the shonen category in 2021.
Kuroko’s Basketball
Kuroko’s Basketball, as the title would suggest, is a basketball manga, focusing on the lives of first-year students Kuroko and Kagami, who join a newly-formed basketball club in their high school. Kagami soon finds out that Kuroko was a member of a legendary elementary school basketball team, dubbed the Generation of Miracles, consisting of 6 prodigies in the game. Fired up by this realization, Kagami and Kuroko decide to defeat the Generation of Miracles members, and in doing so become best friends, forging a strong bond.
Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippo is a decade-spanning manga, with over 1300 chapters published today. It tells the story of a young boy named Ippo, who inadvertently discovers his innate talent, and latent love for boxing. Once he does, he joins a gym, and is trained by one of Japan’s best boxers, Takamura. For those who aren’t ready to commit to a 1000+ chapter manga, Hajime no Ippo also has an anime, which many would consider a must-watch.
Kokou no Hito
Kokou no Hito tackles a sport that isn’t as popular in the world, however, is still hugely beloved among its practitioners, mountain climbing and rock climbing. Spurred on by his classmates during a childish, high-school dare, Mori Buntarou climbs the side of his high-school. In doing so, he discovers a love for climbing, and continues looking for bigger, and more dangerous spots, all the while pontificating on philosophy, politics, and psychology. A fascinating manga that truly explores its main character, Kokou no Hito is certainly a story that won’t leave anything to be desired.