As one of the most intense sports today, boxing cartoon creating some of the best action in the genre. After American sailors introduced boxing to Japan in the 19th century, the sport quickly grew. Today, it remains a popular combat sport in Japan, alongside wrestling and other martial arts.
Boxing anime combines the inspirational tone of most sports media with the exciting fight scenes of an action anime. Underdog heroes appear from nowhere to challenge champions and make a name for themselves. It’s a dangerous sport where they have to sacrifice their lives, but their time in the ring is worth it.
10 Megaboxes
The 2018 successor (if not outright remake) of the 1980 classic Ashita no Joe proves to be just as entertaining as its predecessor. The future of boxing is Gear, the mechanism worn by fighters to increase their strength. Tired of fighting for money, Junk Dog jumps at the chance to achieve great success, going from an unknown boxer to the famous Gearless Joe in an anime series that fits well with boxing.
Other fighters (such as champion Yuuri, a representative of the Gear company) use matches to show off their machines’ abilities more than anything else. In this era, Joe’s traditional style and reliance on his own strength and talent were so rare that crowds marveled at his bold gimmicks. Under the spotlight, Joe must decide what boxing means to him and what he really wants in life.
9 Baki Ke Grappler
Many main characters in sports anime have an older veteran in their chosen sport, often a mentor, whom they idolize and whom they dream of achieving. Baki Hanma follows this purely technical path: he is hunting down his famous father, Yujiro, who turned Baki’s life into a living hell to punish him for his perceived weakness. weak. Baki punches out the world’s strongest fighters, all for the sole purpose of knocking Dad to the ground.
Much like Kuroko’s Basketball is to basketball anime like Slam Dunk, Baki’s matches take classic boxing anime tropes and elevate them to terrifying levels. Baki is tough, but the fighters he fights are equipped with wicked superpowers and physical enhancements. He wins not only through his superior strength but also through his steadfast belief in his beliefs as a warrior.
8 lighters
Another science fiction film about the development of boxing, Levius takes the concept further than Megalobox. In a society powered by magical enhancement techniques, the new sport MMA (Mechanical Martial Arts) was invented. Cybernetic-equipped fighters can achieve fame and glory if they master new techniques, but losing can be fatal.
As one of the best streaming anime on Netflix, Levius cleverly combines the sports and steampunk genres. It depicts a world ravaged by a brutal war, which has given rise to a popular blood sport among survivors. Levius himself could have an advantage over his opponents if he so chose, with a stronger innate control over Agartha Water, but insisted on keeping his remaining fleshy limbs as a reminder of what His body had survived.
7 Rainbows: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin
Six young men were sent to juvenile detention for various crimes. During the painful years immediately after World War II, none of them believed they had a purpose in life until they met former boxer Rokurota Sakuragi. Sakuragi becomes their advisor, helping the six boys survive the center’s cruelty.
Often, sports teach self-discipline and good values, while also providing an outlet for anger and stress. Although not all of the boys are convicted of violent crimes, Sakuragi’s guidance helps all of them develop not only strength but also emotional stability and the drive to earn money. live for yourself outside the center. Boxing is not the path to glory here, but it is the path to happiness.
6 slow steps
Not all boxing anime focuses on boxing. Slow Step revolves around the relationship of a softball player and two boxers vying for her affections. If Minatsu Nakazato had her way, she would only focus on winning her match. But unfortunately, she must dodge the advances of many unwelcome suitors. Fans who enjoy both sports and must-watch shoujo anime may be interested in Slow Step. While its characters may be shallow, its romantic comedy tone is pleasant. From mistaken identities to elaborate evasion tactics, it delivers lighthearted humor throughout all five episodes.
5 Rokudenashi blues
As the title suggests, the anime Rokudenashi Blues is about the journey of three students that no one expected much of. Maeda Taison is a delinquent street fighter with dreams of making it to the top of the professional boxing world. Together with his friends, he endeavors to use his powerful fists for good. Maeda, Katsuji, and Yoneji don’t really spend time participating in major tournaments like other sports anime heroes, but they are busy at school. Not only do they have to handle their on-field opponents, but they also have to defuse gang wars between the other schools’ strongest criminals. The original manga not only had two anime movies, but also two live-action movies and a television series.
High kick by Ayane
Female protagonists in boxing anime are rare. In this two-episode OVA, Ayane Mitsui gives up her ambitions of becoming a professional wrestler and instead focuses her talents on kickboxing. The harder she trained, the more clear it became that this was a sport where Ayane truly had the potential to become a star. Even though Ayane is not often sober, she is passionate about achieving her dream of becoming a champion. She fights through both her coach Kunimitsu’s increasingly complex training videos and her first kickboxing matches against strong opponents. The world she is entering is also an interesting reflection of the state of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts in Japan in the 1990s.
3 Kengan Ashura
One of the best survival game anime features more than just a boxer’s career in one match. In this world, corporate dealings are decided by public fights, where each CEO chooses a fighter to represent them in the ring. Former street fighter Tokita Ohma – known to his opponents as Ashura – is chosen as one of these modern-day fighters and tasked with winning the Kengan Slaying Tournament for his handler.
Kengan Ashura focuses on what happens behind the scenes of a battle as well as what happens in the arena. Each corporation and fighter has a lot at stake based on the tournament’s outcome, and Ohma is ruthlessly pursuing the opportunity to move on from his past. The show makes no mention of the brutality and gore of a series of no-holds-barred bare-knuckle boxing matches.
2 Ashita No Joe
The boxing anime that started it all, Ashita no Joe may be one of the most influential sports anime of all time. Joe Yabuki worked his way up from prison brawls to championship matches. In his quest to win the All-Japan Rookie King Tournament (a goal of many real-life Japanese fighters) and beyond, Joe must figure out exactly what he wants in his future.
Joe’s much-parodied final shot may be what most non-fans know about the film, but its climactic fight sequences cannot be overlooked. The roots of sports anime are a love for whatever game is being played, and despite its rough edges, Joe still loves boxing. Every decision he makes depends on his ability to stay in the ring, every cross counter.
1 Hajime No Ippo
Ippo Makunouchi is hardly the towering champion that boxing fans envision. But a lifetime of work on the docks had trained his muscles and strengthened his will to fight. When he is mentored by a former professional boxer, he discovers that his strength and determination make him a true candidate for greatness. A classic anime that inspired Creed, this long-running series is based on an even longer manga series that was heavily inspired by its predecessor Ashita no Joe. Ippo was just as easy to root as when he turned pro. He starts out shy and doubting himself, but as he becomes a stronger warrior, he achieves his desire to be “reborn” into a more confident person.
Some of the most loved anime in the world are boxing anime. They successfully capture the spirit and thrill of the sport, while not shying away from the losses the athletes endure. Whether they end in victory or in tragedy, every determined hero believes that the pain they experience in training and in the ring is worth the fight. Exciting and fun, best boxing cartoons well worth a watch for fans of sports anime and more.