Haikyuu!! is a popular name in the world of anime and manga. Especially in the last couple of years, it has garnered quite a bit of attention from all over the world. The reason may be that it also got added to Netflix’s anime collection. Therefore, people who were previously not acquainted with anime started watching these shows. And if you are already a hardcore anime fan, you have probably heard of this amazeballs volleyball anime and the shenanigans of Hinata and Kageyama!
If this is the first anime that you’ve watched and would want to watch more anime like Haikyuu!!, I have good news for you. In this listicle, I have compiled some of the best anime like Haikyu!! that deal with similar themes. Although most of these are based on sports, one is also a non-sport anime. To find out which one, read along!
Contents
List of Top 7 Anime Like Haikyuu!!
Kuroko no Basuke
Kuroko no Basuke is a sports anime like Haikyuu!! That revolves around basketball as its core theme. It narrates the story of Kuroko who was the sixth mysterious member of the Teiko Junior High basketball team. After the members of the team went their separate ways in high school, Kurko ended up at Serin High which has a powerful yet underground basketball team. It is up to Kuroko and Taiga Kagami, fellow talented players to get their school’s team to the top by defeating the former’s ex-teammates one by one.
Kuroko Basuke is a sports anime that is available on Netflix that you can watch with English subtitles and an English dubbed version. This is one of my favorite anime of all time and the show is quite adrenaline-inducing. It is probably the best sports anime out there.
Slam Dunk!
Slam Dunk is another sports anime like Haikyuu!! That deals with basketball. It is one of the classic sports anime that is the finest creation of mangaka Takehiko Inoue. Slam Dunk tells the story of high school punk Hanamichi Sakuragi who is rather unpopular with women. However, he ends up meeting his long-time crush Haruko Akagi who isn’t intimidated by Sakuragi. They soon begin dating and with Haruko’s demand, he joins the Shohoku basketball team reluctantly. But he eventually comes to love the game and trains on to win the national championship!
Slam Dunk! is an inspirational sports anime/manga that teaches one the value of love, passion, dedication, and perseverance. It is definitely one of my favorite anime in the basketball category that I keep on recommending to those who are looking to watch an anime in this category or read manga similar to Haikyuu!!
Sk8 the Infinity
Sk8 the Infinity is a sports anime that has skateboarding, specifically cruising and street skateboarding as its main theme of this show. Sk8 the Infinity narrates the story of how Langa, a Canadian/Japanese kid in town meets Reiki and learns about the art of skateboarding. After witnessing the former in a skateboarding showdown although having no prior training to the same, Reiki is impressed and takes the boy under his wing. What follows is a tale of friendship, heartbreak, dedication, rigorous hard work, and the all-overwhelming love for skateboarding.
Sk8 the Infinity is a relatively new sports anime that has garnered quite a lot of attention. I loved it as it was quite refreshing to watch an anime with skateboarding as the subject sport. Although it got a little cringe in certain parts while dealing with the topic of skateboarding, the overall anime was enjoyable, least to say.
Ace of Diamond
Ace of Diamond is a baseball anime that tells the story of Eijun Sawamura who is a pitcher with an unusual changeup pitch. While playing baseball with his buddies at a local high school game, he is approached by a scout from the prestigious Seidou High who offers him a scholarship to the school and a chance to make it to the nationals. This opportunity might change Sawamura’s life forever.
Ace of Diamond is an anime like Haikyuu!! that is a great watch in my opinion. It has one season that you can watch on any anime streaming site. There have been talks of a second season after it was announced in 2019. It is currently in production under Madhouse.
Free!
Free! is a sports anime like Haikyuu!! that has swimming as its sport of choice. This anime has gathered a lot of attention in recent times just like Haikyuu!! It narrates the story of Haruka Nanase, a prodigious swimmer who encounters Rin Matsuoka from Samezuka Academy. This leads them in deciding to revive the Iwatobi High School’s swim team. Haruka and Rin also share a rivalry that can make or break their team.
Free! is a pretty good sports anime that deals with swimming, an offbeat sort in the world of Japanese anime. But it executes the details quite well and I would say that it is worth the watch. I loved it and almost everyone who has watched it will share the same opinions as me. If you want to see it for yourselves, you should check this anime out ASAP.
Ahiru no Sora
This underrated sports anime is about basketball. Basketball is a popular sport of choice in sports-related manga and anime with popular names like Slam Dunk! and Kuroko no Basuke on its list as I’ve already mentioned in this list of sports anime. It narrates the story of Sora Kurumatani, a young basketball player who made a certain promise to his mother. This leads him to join the basketball club of Kuzuryu High School where delinquents rule the ground and everything other than basketball is done. Sora takes it upon himself to give them a new direction.
Ahiru no Sora is a fantastic basketball anime that deserves more views. It may not be as popular as Slam Dunk or Kuroko no Basuke, it is still on their level in my opinion. You should definitely give it a go.
Naruto
Naruto is a Shounen anime just like Haikyuu!! and is probably the most popular anime ever. This anime is like the gateway to the world of Japanese animated content. Naruto tells the story of the titular protagonist, who is a young ninja and has set out on a quest to become the Hokage or the village leader of his home village, Konohagakure. But in order to achieve this, Naruto has to go through rigorous struggle, horrific enemies, friends, relationships, heartbreak, sorrow, and other tribulations of life.
Naruto is a non-sports anime like Haikyuu!! with the main protagonist aspiring to be the best of all. It is an extremely engrossing and adrenaline-inducing series with amazing fight sequences, action, emotions, and everything in between. I am not going to suggest this anime as anyone who has read this blog has probably already watched it, that is how popular it is.
Final Thoughts
Haikyuu!!’s popularity was successful in grabbing more audience to the fantastic world of anime and manga. I can’t think of anyone I know who hasn’t watched at least one season of this anime or hasn’t heard its name. And it’s really good to know that more people got introduced to the world of anime and manga holding its hand.
What is your favourite anime like Haikyuu!!? Let us know in the comments!
