Anime at the Olympics
As we watch our favourite sports, I can't help but think that these were also presented in anime I have seen before. Volleyball? Haikyuu. Swimming? Free! Boxing.... Megalo box! Well, these are just the fan-favourites. However, there are also a lot of other sports anime out there that can probably make you think of the sports in olympics as well, and I would love to share them with you all.
Starting from...
Just look at the smooth animation~ |
In real life |
In the anime |
And of course, wonderful animation to top it all off. |
Ahh, Megalo Box... One of the coolest anime I have seen. Certainly matches to the coolness of boxing as a sport. It's exciting, it can be dangerous, but it is very much a sport that captures the audience's attention. Megalo Box follows Joe, a character that might seem to harbour a different ethnicity but that's what makes it refreshing to see in an anime. The world of boxing is then taken underground, but beneath the surface of the obscure community, exciting events await. It's also interesting to note that the boxing here establishes the use of mechanical limbs, which is something we don't actually see in the real olympics. Yet, it doesn't deny the awesomeness of the sport.
Ace of Diamond is an anime that has a really fun group of members in a team. Everyone has great personality, along with such wonderful skills considering the power of the Seidou baseball team. The show also teaches real-life baseball techniques that connects the viewers to the sport. Now I'm wondering how many people are inspired to pick up baseball after watching this...
While I haven't got the chance to actually watch the anime yet, I have seen an episode and was amazed that a relatively new and niche sport has found its place in animation. It seems like an anime that balances slice-of-life and sports at the same time, so if you're in the mood for something that is slightly more relaxed while also appreciating the craft in sports climbing, give it a try! I've heard in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the top climber can scale the 15m wall under 6 seconds. That's about the speed you take to finish reading this sentence.
A largely popular sports anime, Yowamushi Pedal follows an otaku Onoda who just wants to join the anime club, only to realise that it has been disbanded. This then diverts his attention to cycling, especially since the bike is his mode of transport. With 38 episodes, there's bound to be a good fun in picking up this series, especially if you're a bike lover.
Despite the intensity of the various tournaments in Tennis no Ouji-sama, the show doesn't take itself too seriously, using comical and exaggerated means in the boys' actions during the game to amp up the tennis antics. It's fun to watch and definitely a nice look into tennis.
Unlike most sports anime where the sports action drive the series, Days focuses more on the characters and their lives, with soccer as a medium to drive the relationships together. It is a nice watch, with elements of friendship and a right amount of action. Soccer has a large team, so do expect the large cast here entertain you with the variety of personalities that can be shown in the anime!
It's nice that there are different body shapes presented among the cast of characters in this anime, so that's something worth looking out for.