Key points
- Underdogs in sports anime showcase inspiring journeys from the weak to the strong.
- Characters fight for dreams against powerful adversaries through determination and teamwork.
- Stories like Yowamushi Pedal, Kuroko's Basketball, and Ace of Diamond highlight the underdogs rising to the top.
Losers exist in all spheres of life. These individuals are labeled the weakest link, seen as people without potential and have the least chance of being the best or winning. In most cases, they are highly underrated, but they are a work in progress, and once finished, they come out to shine, going from weak to strong.
In the world of sports anime, there are the underdogs and there are stories that showcase the emotional and inspiring journey of an underdog as they triumph. Watching a team or individual grow from humble beginnings, overcome obstacles and defy the odds resonates with audiences, conveying a sense of hope and excitement. These characters fight for their dreams against powerful adversaries through raw determination, teamwork, or personal growth.
1 Yowamushi pedal
Sakamichi Onoda goes from riding a bicycle for fun to a professional cyclist
Onoda has been riding a bicycle since the fourth grade. Now that he is in high school, he still rides his bike every week and unknowingly meets the requirements to become a professional cyclist. During a weekly ride, Imaizumi, a fellow high school student of Onoda, sees him while he is practicing riding a horse, and at first does not feel threatened by Onoda and makes fun of his bicycle until he sees Onoda climbing the hill on which he is practicing. seamlessly. Imaizumi convinces Onoda to join their school's bike racing club, and he does.
Onoda is the underdog in this anime, as he starts cycling as a complete beginner with no knowledge of professional cycling. His natural talent and determination led him to stand out and emerge to compete against experienced athletes. Joining the cycling club strengthened Onoda's personality as he went from being a shy kid to being confident.
2 Kuroko's basketball
Kuroko takes on the responsibility of ensuring that Seirin High's basketball team reaches the top
When middle school students graduate, they separate and go to different high schools, creating new experiences and so on. Teiko Middle School had five-star players who made their basketball team known across the country, and after graduation, they all went to different high schools. The sixth unknown player, Kuroko, goes to Seirin High and joins the basketball team. Together with Kagami, they make a name for Seirin by going against teams hosting the other star players from Teiko Middle School.
The underdog of this anime is Seirin High. Seirin is a relatively new and unknown school in the world of basketball and the team, with the help of Kuroko and Kagami, overcomes powerful opponents to demonstrate their strength.
3 Ace of diamonds
Sawamura aims to be the ace among the best
Sawamura is talented as a left-handed pitcher in baseball. This talent makes a scout take an interest in him and he finds himself receiving an offer to join the elite baseball program at Seidou High School, a powerhouse in high school baseball. Seidou High is home to the best baseball players in the country, and among them all, Sawamura seems to be the weakest and most inexperienced, despite his potential and talent.
Not wanting to be the underdog, Sawamura strives to be the ace of the team. This isn't easy, as Sawamura starts out as a raw pitcher with a lot of potential but no real technique. He must work tirelessly to improve his control, learn new shots and face fierce competition to catch up to the most talented players on the team.
4 Haikyuu!!
Hinata once again becomes champion of his once glorious school team
Volleyball catches Hinata's attention, and the young boy, although inexperienced, is ready to strive to become a volleyball star, just like the Karasuno High players he saw on TV. Unfortunately for Hinata, the Karasuno High Volleyball team is nothing like she had seen on television, and the once glorious team full of champions is now empty, and it is up to Hinata to recruit players.
Karasuno High School is considered a losing team due to the severe fall they fell into. With the help of Hinata and Kageyama, this explosive duo pledges to work hard to rebuild Karasuno High's volleyball club, restoring their reputation as champions and making them a formidable competitor against more established schools.
5 Hajime No Ippo
Ippo Makunouchi goes from being bullied to a professional boxer
This boxing-themed anime follows the stories of Ippo Makunouchi, a shy boy who is constantly bullied, but one day a random stranger helps him after his bullies knock him out. This stranger turns out to be a novice boxer called Mamoru Takamura, and takes Ippo to his gym, where he tends to his wounds and waits for him to wake up.
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These anime present a different approach to boxing, infusing it with interesting themes ranging from rivalry to friendship.
Ippo had been a loser to his bullies, but Takamura saw potential in him and introduced him to boxing. Takamura gave him some boxing videos to watch and this sparked his interest in boxing. With relentless training and fierce determination, Ippo grows from being a weak and inexperienced fighter. He rises through the ranks, facing increasingly skilled opponents and eventually becoming a professional boxer. The once shy Hippo, who viewers knew from the beginning, becomes a confident and powerful person, overcoming his bullies and pushing his limits.
6 The Salaried Workers' Club
Mikoto Shiratori fights to be the professional she once was
The Salaried Workers' Club blends badminton and corporate life, focusing on a group of salarymen who work corporate jobs and play competitive badminton for their companies. One such wage earner is Mikoto Shiratori, who was once a force in the world of badminton. Mikoto was a child prodigy, but a game stripped him of his status and confidence, pushing him to the ground to pick up the pieces. Instead of doing so, he joins the sales department at Sunlight Beverage and slowly finds himself returning to the sport.
Mikoto is considered an underdog due to his fall from grace and reluctance to return to the sport. His defeat shattered his confidence and unfortunately he was unable to come back, causing other players to perceive him as weak. However, during the anime, his stay at Sunlight Beverage causes him to rebuild his confidence, skill, and faith in himself and his fellow players. He overcomes his past and ultimately becomes the underdog who wins by excelling in the sport once again.
