Sports animation where the underdog wins

Key Takeaways

• Sports anime's Underdogs is an inspiring journey from underdog to strong.
• Characters fight for their dreams against powerful enemies through determination and teamwork.
• Stories like Yowamushi Pedal, Kuroko's Basketball, and Ace of Diamond emphasize the underdogs rising to the top.

Weaknesses exist in all areas of life. These individuals are labeled as weak links, viewed as having no potential and the least likely to become the best or win. Most of the time it is grossly underestimated, but it is a work in progress and once the work is done it shines as it grows from weak to strong.

In the world of sports animation, there are underdogs, and there are stories that show the thrilling and emotional journey of the underdog achieving victory. Watching a team or individual come from humble beginnings, overcome obstacles, and overcome adversity resonates with audiences and provides hope and excitement. These characters fight for their dreams against powerful enemies through sheer determination, teamwork, or personal growth.

1 Yowamushi Pedal

Sakamichi Onoda goes from riding a bike for fun to becoming a professional cyclist

Onoda has been riding a bicycle since fourth grade. Now in high school, he still rides his bike every week and, without realizing it, is meeting the requirements to become a professional cyclist. Onoda's high school classmate Imaizumi, who rides once a week, sees him practicing riding and at first does not feel threatened by Onoda and even makes fun of his bike until he sees Onoda climbing the hill he is practicing on. . Smoothly. Imaizumi convinces Onoda to join the school's bicycle racing club, and he does.

Onoda is what this anime stands for because he starts cycling as a complete beginner with no knowledge of professional cycling. His natural talent and determination allowed him to compete with seasoned athletes. After joining a cycling club, Onoda's shy personality became more confident.

2 Kuroko's Basketball

Kuroko makes it his responsibility to bring the Seirin High School basketball team to the top.

When middle school students graduate, they are separated and go to different high schools to gain new experiences, etc. Teiko Middle School had five star players who made their basketball team known throughout the country, and after graduation they all went on to different high schools. The unnamed sixth player, Kuroko, goes to Seirin High School and joins the basketball club. Together with Kagami, they make a name for themselves by competing against teams featuring other star players from Teiko Middle School.

The abbreviation for this anime is Seirin High. Seirin is a relatively new and unknown school in the basketball world, and with the help of Kuroko and Kagami, the team overcomes powerful opponents and proves their strength.

3 Ace of Diamonds

Sawamura aims to be the best ace

Sawamura has talent as a left-handed pitcher in baseball. His talent catches the attention of scouts, and he receives an offer to join the elite baseball program at high school baseball powerhouse Seido High School. Seido High School is home to some of the best baseball players in the country, but among them, Sawamura seems to be the weakest and least skilled despite his potential and talent.

Not wanting to be the underdog, Sawamura strives to become the team's ace. It won't be easy for Sawamura, as he starts off as a raw pitcher with a lot of potential but no real skills. He must constantly work to improve his control, learn new pitches and face stiff competition to keep up with the more talented players on the team.

4 Haikyu!!

Hinata reclaims her once-glorious school team championship

Volleyball catches Hinata's attention, and although the young boy lacks experience, he is ready to strive to become a star volleyball player like the Karasuno High School players he sees on TV. Unfortunately for Hinata, the Karasuno High Volleyball team isn't what you see on television, the once glorious team full of champions is now empty, and it's up to Hinata to recruit players.

Karasuno High is considered an underdog team because it is so corrupted. With the help of Hinata and Kageyama, this explosive duo works hard to rebuild Karasuno High School's volleyball team, restoring its reputation as champions and making it a strong competitor to the existing school.

5 Hajime no Ippo

Ippo Makunouchi transforms from bullying victim to professional boxer

This boxing-themed anime follows the story of Ippo Makunouchi, a shy child who is constantly bullied. But one day, a strange stranger comes to his aid after he knocks down a bully. This stranger turns out to be a novice boxer named Mamoru Takamura, and takes Ippo to the gym to treat his wounds and wait for him to wake up.

Ippo was a bullied underdog, but Takamura saw his potential and introduced him to boxing. Takamura gave him some boxing videos to watch, which sparked his interest in boxing. With constant training and fierce determination, Ippo grows from a weak and inexperienced warrior. He rises through the ranks as he takes on increasingly skilled opponents, ultimately becoming a professional boxer. The shy Ippo that viewers knew from the beginning overcomes his bullying and becomes a confident and powerful person who overcomes his limitations.

6 salaryman club

Mikoto Shiratori once struggled to become a professional.

salaryman club It blends badminton and corporate life, focusing on a group of salarymen who work for a company and play competitive badminton for the company. One of these office workers is Mikoto Shiratori, who was once a powerhouse in the badminton world. Mikoto was a prodigy, but one game had his status and self-confidence torn apart and he fell to the ground trying to pick up the pieces. Instead, he joins the sales department at Sunlight Beverage and slowly finds himself falling back into the sport.

Mikoto is considered an underdog because she has fallen from grace and is reluctant to return to sports. His loss shattered his confidence, and unfortunately he was unable to return, causing other players to perceive him as weak. However, his stay at Sunlight Beverage throughout the anime causes him to rebuild his confidence, skills, and trust in himself and his fellow players. He eventually becomes the winning underdog, overcoming his past and excelling in his sport once again.