Sports Anime Where The Underdog Wins

Underdogs exist in all spheres of life. These individuals are tagged as the weaker link, seen as a person with no potential, and have the lowest chance of being the best or winning. Most times, they are heavily underrated, but they are a work in progess, and when the work is done, they come out to shine, growing from weak to strong.

In the world of sports anime, there are underdogs, and there are stories that showcase the thrilling and inspirational journey of an underdog as they triumph. Watching a team or individual rise from humble beginnings, overcome obstacles, and defy the odds resonates with audiences, delivering a sense of hope and excitement. These characters fight for their dreams against powerful opponents 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 his bicycle since the fourth grade. Now in high school, he still rides his bicycle every week, and unknowingly, he meets the requirements to become a professional cyclist. On one weekly ride, Imaizumi, a fellow student at Onoda’s high school, sees him while he is practicing his riding, and at first, he does not feel threatened by Onoda and even mocks his bicycle until he sees Onoda climb the hill he is practicing on seamlessly. Imaizumi convinces Onoda to join their school’s bicycle racing club, and he does.

Onoda is the underdog in this anime, as he starts off cycling as a total beginner with no knowledge of professional cycling. His natural talent and determination made him stand out and rise to compete against seasoned athletes. Joining the bicycle club boosted Onoda’s personality as he grew from being a shy kid to being confident.

2 Kuroko’s Basketball

Kuroko Makes It His Responsibility To Ensure The Seirin High Basketball Team Rises To The Top

When middle scholars graduate, they separate and go on 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 unknown sixth player, Kuroko, goes on to Seirin High and joins the basketball team. Together with Kagami, they make a name for Seirin by going against the teams that house 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 basketball world, and the team, with help from Kuroko and Kagami, overcomes powerful opponents to prove their strength.

3 Ace Of Diamond

Sawamura Aims To Be The Ace Among The Best

Sawamura has talent as a left-handed pitcher in baseball. This talent causes a scout to take an interest in him, and he finds himself getting an offer to join the elite baseball program at Seidou High School, a powerhouse in high school baseball. Seidou High houses the best baseball players in the country, and in the midst of all of them, Sawamura seems to be the weakest and unskilled, even with his potential and talent.

Not wanting to be the underdog, Sawamura strives to be the ace of the team. This is not easy, as Sawamura starts as an unpolished pitcher with a lot of potential but no real technique. He must work tirelessly to improve his control, learn new pitches, and face fierce competition to catch up to the more talented players on the team.

4 Haikyuu!!

Hinata Makes His Once Glorious School Team Champions Again

Volleyball draws Hinata’s attention, and the young lad, although inexperienced, is ready to put in the effort to become a star volleyball player just like the players of Karasuno High he saw on TV. Unfortunately for Hinata, the Karasuno High Volleyball team is not as he saw on television, and the once glorious team filled with champions is now empty, and it is up to Hinata to recruit players.

Karasuno High School is considered an underdog team because of how badly they have fallen. With the help of Hinata and Kageyama, this explosive duo takes it upon themselves to work hard to rebuild the volleyball club of Karasuno High, restoring their champion reputation and making them a formidable competitor against more established schools.

5 Hajime No Ippo

Ippo Makunouchi Goes From Being A Bully Victim To A Professional Boxer

This boxing-themed anime follows the tales of Ippo Makunouchi, a shy kid who gets constantly bullied, but one day, a random stranger helps him out after his bullies knock him out. This stranger turns out to be a novice boxer called Mamoru Takamura, and he takes Ippo to his gym, where he treats his wounds and waits for him to wake up.

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These anime come with their different take on boxing while infusing them with interesting themes ranging from rivalry to friendship.

Ippo had been an underdog to his bullies, but Takamura saw potential in him and introduced him to boxing. Takamura gave him some boxing videos to watch, and this ignited his interest in boxing. With relentless training and fierce determination, Ippo grows from being a weak and inexperienced fighter. He rises in the ranks, facing increasingly skilled opponents and ultimately becoming a professional boxer. The once shy Ippo that viewers knew from the start becomes a confident and powerful person, overcoming his bullies and surpassing his limits.

6 Salaryman’s Club

Mikoto Shiratori Struggles To Be The Professional He Once Was

Salaryman’s Club blends badminton and corporate life, focusing on a group of salarymen who work corporate jobs and play competitive badminton for their companies. One of these salarymen is Mikoto Shiratori, who was once a force in the badminton world. Mikoto was a child prodigy, but one game ripped him of his status and confidence, pushing him to the ground to pick up the pieces. Instead of doing that, he joins the sales department of Sunlight Beverage and slowly finds himself getting back into the sport.

Mikoto is considered an underdog because of his fall from grace and reluctance to return to the sport. His defeat shattered his confidence, and he was unfortunately unable to make a comeback, making other players perceive him as weak. However, throughout the anime, his stay at Sunlight Beverage causes him to rebuild his confidence, skills, and trust in himself and his fellow players. He overcomes his past and eventually becomes the underdog who wins as he excels in the sport once again.