Anyone of Asian descent can appreciate the long history of manga and anime.These anime basketball shows will still keep you entertained, even if you´re not from the east, but still enjoy the game of basketball.

There are hundreds of new manga published each year, and sports fans come in droves. Two or three seasons of your favorite anime and a ton of manga for your phone can easily fit on a single flash drive.

When you´re not on the court, you now have something to help you concentrate. In this article we will recommend five titles to help you get started with anime.

The Difference Between Anime and Manga

Manga refers to Japanese graphic novels and comic books, and anime refers to Japanese animation.

It is believed that Japanese animation was created around the turn of the 20th century by stitching together a collection of drawings to move figures and create scenes across the screen.

Characters in anime are easy to spot apart from other styles of animation due to them having large heads, mouths, and eyes which first appeared in the 1960’s.

Manga is a Japanese term for both comic books and realistic books. In Japanese culture, manga has long been a popular form of entertainment.

Best Basketball Anime and Manga Series

Slam Dunk

The sporty, fun and coming of age manga series from Japan is called Slam Dunk. Takehiko Inoue, a manga craftsman, created and outlined the book.

Moving on to anime, the first episode aired on October 16, 1993, on the English network Animax Asia. Nobutaka Nishizawa is the anime´s director.The anime, on the other hand, is written by Yoshiyuki Suga and Nobuaki Kishima. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the sequel to Slam Dunk will be released.

Kuroko no Basket

The first episode of the series tells the incredible story of five basketball players who were known as the "Age of Marvels," and they ruled over every other group. After graduating from middle school, the five basketball stars attended a variety of prestigious high schools. Despite the fact that only five of the Generation of Miracles´ players were known to the general public, Tetsuya Kuroko, a quiet teenager, was the sixth star player.

Kuroko is presently a secondary school understudy at Seirin Secondary School, where the b-ball group isn´t notable. Kuroko, Taiga Kagami, and the other high school basketball players at Seirin High desire to turn into the best group in Japan while likewise contending with Age of Wonders players.

Dear Boys (Hoop Days)

If you watch enough anime, you probably realize that many series end quickly. In the art form, many studios would rather tell a short story from beginning to end as opposed to string you along for their own benefit to gain more profits.

One mentionable sports anime is Dear Boys, which is also known as Hoop Days in anime. There were only 26 episodes in the anime, and all of them aired in 2003. The Dear Boys manga and rather short anime both do really well in their own respects.

The drama drives the series, which is actually a story. Due to the ease with which you can follow these athletes on their journey (at Mizuho high school), this basketball manga is without a doubt, in our opinion,  the best of all currently available. The series continued until 2017 thanks to the devoted following of the 1989 manga.

Ahiru no Sora

In a story, the characters are only as good as the people who are in it, and in Ahiru no Sora, there are many people from various backgrounds and locations.

If you haven´t seen it, you might think that Ahiru no Sora is just another basketball anime. Regardless, you already know that it is a lot more than that if you´ve been watching the series.

A game and show, Ahiru no Sora tells the story of Sora Kurumatani.

“Sora is a freshman at Kuzuryū High, determined to follow in his mother´s footsteps in basketball. However, he finds that the basketball club isn´t quite as enthusiastic, consisting of delinquent students who never want to practice. Sora is already at a disadvantage, being much smaller and weaker than his peers. This doesn´t stop Sora, his dedication inspiring the other club members-- or to-be teammates-- to give basketball their all.” - Ahiru no Sora Fandom Page

Basquash

Basquash! takes place in Earthdash, a hypothetical Earth in the future. Income difference between the masses is a major social problem, even though this is a futuristic location.

There are two distinct categories of people in the population: Mooneyes, a majestic city on the moon, is home to the wealthy. The poor still live in settlements that are filthy and deteriorating. BigFoot Basketball, also known as BFB, is the most popular sport in the world. In this game, instead of running around the court with their bodies, players ride a specially designed mechanism known as a BigFoot.

Buzzer Beater (Honorable Mention)

Following his previous basketball manga series, Slam Dunk, Buzzer Beater was written by Takahiko Inoue. Contrary to Slam Dunk, which is set in the present, Buzzer Beater offers a different take on the genre.

A few hundred years in the future, it takes place in New York. Hideyoshi Tanaka is a young boy who survives by playing basketball with other street children. He is accidentally drafted into a professional team, where he will have to compete with physically stronger aliens who have taken over professional basketball. Hideyoshi and his all human pro team compete in the Space League to bring the championship back to Earth.

Other Animes and Mangas you could watch

• Barangay 143
• Dash Kappei
• Mitsu x Mitsu Drops

Conclusion

Here at My Basketball Academy we love to celebrate basketball in all forms, including through art. I personally have watched Slam Dunk and Kuroko no Basuke after tough practices to unwind and shut off my mind a bit.

Even though it is not the same as watching NBA games or game films, it is still a great way to unplug while keeping my focus on the game. If you enjoy basketball and need a way to relax after a practice or a game, give it a try!