Best Sports Anime of 2016

Following their win against Aoba Jousai High, Karasuno High School—once dismissed as "a fallen powerhouse, a crow that can’t fly"—has arrived at the decisive moment of the intense Spring tournament. To secure a spot at nationals, the Karasuno team must overcome the formidable Shiratorizawa Academy. Their greatest obstacle is the opposing ace, Wakatoshi Ushijima, the top player in Miyagi Prefecture and one of the nation's three best aces. Only the strongest team will advance to the national tournament. Because this match represents the third-year players' final opportunity to qualify for nationals, Karasuno must apply everything they gained from the training camp and previous matches to achieve victory. Filled with both restlessness and excitement, both teams are resolved to emerge triumphant in the third season of Haikyuu!!.

Following a devastating loss at the Grand Prix Finale, Yuuri Katsuki, formerly Japan’s top figure skating prospect, retreats to his family home to contemplate his future. At twenty-three, his chances of achieving skating glory are fading quickly, and his fondness for tonkatsu and tendency to gain weight only worsen his situation. However, Yuuri suddenly finds himself in the global spotlight after a video of him performing a routine originally executed by five-time world champion Victor Nikiforov goes viral. Victor himself arrives unexpectedly at Yuuri’s house and offers to become his mentor. As a devoted fan, Yuuri eagerly accepts, launching his bid to return to the international stage. Yet, he faces intense rivalry from the rising Russian star Yuri Plisetsky, who is fiercely determined to defeat Yuuri and reclaim Victor’s guidance.

Keijo is Japan's newest competitive sport, with simple rules: female competitors balance on circular platforms called "lands" floating in a pool and must knock opponents off using only their breasts and buttocks. Despite the sport's unusual nature, it attracts millions of viewers nationwide and offers huge prize money. Many athletes pursue this challenge, hoping to become the next national champion. After graduating high school, energetic 18-year-old Nozomi Kaminashi enters the world of keijo, seeking to earn money for her struggling family. Using her background as a talented gymnast, Nozomi quickly becomes a strong contender, making a name for herself in her debut tournament. As she climbs the rankings and meets new friends and rivals, Nozomi discovers that the path to stardom demands fierce competition that pushes both her physical abilities and her resolve.

"Stride"—an extreme sport blending parkour, free running, relay racing, and sprinting—is what draws first-year high school student Nana Sakurai to enroll at Honan Academy, after being inspired by the school's stride team. Sharing the same ambition to join the team is fellow first-year and stride enthusiast Takeru Fujiwara, and together they seek to become members. To their disappointment, however, the stride club is no longer active due to a shortage of members, and they are currently operating under the shogi club. To revive the stride club, Nana and Takeru recruit first-year Riku Yagami—a fast runner with an interest in nearly every sport. With this new team, the club now sets its sights on a fresh goal: to win the prestigious End of Summer competition and restore the Honan stride team to its former glory.

With the invention of anti-gravitational footwear called Grav-Shoes, the ability to fly freely has become an ordinary part of daily life for the people living on a four-island archipelago south of Japan. This innovation has introduced new ways of living and a new sport known as "Flying Circus," where competitors earn points by touching floating buoys or an opponent's back. The naive and clumsy Asuka Kurashina, a transfer student at Kunahama High School, stumbles into this world of flight when she unexpectedly performs a difficult maneuver during her first Flying Circus match. This leads her to join her school’s Flying Circus club. Under the guidance of their coach, Masaya Hinata, the team includes the skilled Misaki Tobisawa and her overprotective friend, Mashiro Arisaka. Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm follows this rookie group as they soar high above the skies, chasing their dreams with unwavering passion in the face of an uncertain future.

The story follows two boys, Tsukushi and Jin. Tsukushi is an ordinary boy with no particular skills or standout qualities, while Jin is regarded as a soccer prodigy. One stormy night, Jin encounters Tsukushi, and together they are pulled into the world of soccer.

Rugby allows any player to become the center of attention when they have the ball. The rules are straightforward: a player must carry the ball past the goal line on the field while avoiding the opposing team, who can use all their strength to bring them down. However, the ball carrier can pass to a teammate behind them or kick the ball before being tackled. Unlike many sports, play continues even after the ball carrier is taken to the ground. Kenji Gion is a short but spirited freshman at Kanagawa High School. Just after the opening ceremony, he encounters the tall and reserved Sumiaki Iwashimizu, and the two are invited to check out the rugby club. Watching a match, Gion realizes that while bigger players have an edge, there are roles suited to people of all builds. Convinced he has found a sport where his small stature won't hold him back, he joins the team, though Iwashimizu declines. Unable to accept Iwashimizu's excuses, Gion pulls him back into the sport. Their training grows intense as they strive to win the championship at Hanazono, the national high school rugby tournament.

Haruki Bandou, a timid first-year university student, is relieved to abandon judo after a shoulder injury, even though his family runs a dojo and he never found joy in the martial art. His best friend, Kazuma Hashimoto, unexpectedly decides to quit the university judo club alongside him. Instead of resting, Kazuma proposes a radical new venture: an all-male cheerleading squad. Though hesitant, Haruki assists his friend in establishing the group. With unwavering resolve and the backing of their new members, Haruki and Kazuma establish the Breakers, Meishiin University’s inaugural all-male cheerleading team. They strive to make history despite the sport’s feminine reputation, as well as the physical obstacles, societal prejudices, and internal doubts they face.

Twelve-year-old Takumi Harada is widely recognized as a baseball pitching prodigy. After relocating to the remote town of Nitta, he is forced to join his new school’s untrained baseball squad. Rather than being discouraged, Takumi finds the prospect amusing, believing it would be more entertaining to transform this obscure club into a dominant force through his own abilities. However, his immense talent requires a catcher capable of handling his pitches. His concerns are alleviated upon meeting Gou Nagakura, a fellow student and devoted fan who strives to demonstrate that he possesses the skill necessary to receive Takumi’s throws. As they struggle to establish a cohesive battery, Takumi clashes with his teammates due to his disrespectful attitude, while simultaneously seeking the genuine enjoyment of the game under the mentorship of his grandfather.

The throne of Japanese table tennis has been usurped. An unlikely squad shatters Oudou Academy’s nine-year dominance, sparking a shift in the competitive landscape and igniting hope that other teams might also qualify for nationals. At Suzumegahara Middle School, a modest group of players strives to make their mark. This roster includes Hanabi Tenka, known for her rapid-fire offense; Hokuto Itsumo, capable of anticipating the ball’s trajectory; Agari Kamiya, celebrated for her signature backhand smash; vice-captain Mune Oomune, who plays with aggressive flair; and captain Kiruka Ushirode, whose defense is impenetrable. Though talented, they have never advanced beyond local city-level competitions. Their fortunes change with the arrival of transfer student Koyori Tsumujikaze. Possessing a fierce passion for the sport, she quickly establishes herself as a key player. Her enthusiastic approach to ping pong stokes the competitive fire within her teammates, uniting them in their quest to claim victory at the national tournament.

The narrative centers on Valt Aoi and Shu Kurenai, along with their friends Rantaro Kiyama, Daina Kurogami, and Wakiya Komurasaki, who attend Beigoma Academy in Japan. Outside of class, the close group is deeply passionate about their Beyblades, and later in the season they establish a school bey club, challenging one another to battles in their Bey Stadium. In time, these friends evolve into friendly rivals as they enter a tournament to determine who will become Japan’s top Blader.

University freshman Ami Kurata falls head over heels for a folding bicycle she sees outside the station, and without a second thought, drains her savings to buy it. She now spends her weekends cycling with her childhood friend Aoi and Hinako, a senior from her university. Prompted by the comment that owning a road bike might completely change your perspective on the world, Ami purchases a road bicycle and is utterly impressed by its performance. The moment she puts her feet on the pedals and pushes down, the lightness, speed, and acceleration of the ride are unlike anything she has ever experienced. Ami's cycling life takes off with her new road bike as her partner!

Two young wrestlers face off in the Tiger's Lair, a recently revived underground wrestling organization that destroyed the dojo where they both grew up. One has taken over the training grounds of Naoto Date at the base of Mount Fuji, along with the mask he left behind. The other infiltrated the Tiger's Lair, won a brutal tournament, and earned a jet-black tiger mask. One tiger walks the path of light; the other walks the path of shadow. Neither knows the other's true identity. In the ring, they are natural enemies—but they share a single goal: destroy the Tiger's Lair.

A follow-up to Anitore! EX. The five idol candidates from the previous season are joined by a new member, Sakura Izumi. A second-year middle school student, she is always seen with a big smile on her face.

Ayako Suzuki, Kinako Tanaka, Nishi Nishiaraidaishi, and Kurumi Satou may each have their own unique quirks, but they all share one thing: being members of the tennis club at Usakame High School. As these girls spend their time together and train diligently in the sport, they constantly find themselves caught up in all sorts of amusing mishaps.

Team Typhoon is commanded by the gifted yet impulsive Taren Swift, who carries on a legacy in the Robot Dodgeball League thanks to his grandfather, Mr. Swift, one of the sport's founders. This team joins forces with Team Athlon to track down a mysterious villain hiding among the league's members. It's a challenging mission, but the two young pilots gradually learn to cooperate and combine their unique abilities—and their Athlons do the same! Dr. Hughes unveils integration technology for Alpha, Beta, and Theta, which merge to create the impressive Champion. Furthermore, Dr. Hughes surpasses herself by engineering a six-part integration involving the Athlons of Kyle and Taren. Together, these form the huge and powerful Magma 6!

Athlon Tobot serves as a sports-focused spin-off within the broader Tobot universe. Kyle Hughes, an elementary schooler and devoted fan of Robot Racing, finally pursues his passion by joining the League alongside Alpha, Beta, and Theta, three Athlon units created by his mother, Dr. Hughes. However, Kyle soon learns that his former idol, Mavrik Stone—the celebrated Robot Racing Champion and media favorite—is actually a super-villain behind the numerous rigged and sabotaged races plaguing the competition. Committed to safeguarding the sport he cherishes, Kyle teams up with his family and friend Tori Wade to root out corruption within the League and expose Mavrik’s true nature as a cheater. The most effective strategy for Team Athlon to achieve this goal is to advance as far as possible in the racing tournament.