Baseball, basketball, and soccer remain the kings of sports manga, with some of the most popular titles to date falling under one of those three sports: “Slam Dunk,” “Diamond no Ace,” and “Blue Lock,” for example. Combat sports have also captured the attention of manga fans, with series like “Hajime no Ippo” being the longest continually running series of all time. With so many outstanding, long-running sports manga titles available, there are equal amounts of underrated gems that don’t get the attention they deserve.
Here, we present 10 sports manga worth your attention, ranging from purist interpretations to absurd takes on popular and niche sports. These manga offer different experiences and approaches to the genre, so the following list is not ranked.
10. Run On Your New Legs (2019) by Wataru Midori

After an accident, Shouta Kikuzato’s dreams of being a pro soccer player are crushed when he loses his leg. Withdrawing from others, he slowly finds his desire to compete pushes him toward the local track team after a chance meeting with a prosthetic expert who lets him know he can compete in sprinting. With the newest technology and a flood of support from family and friends, Shouta pushes himself to compete among the best Paralympic runners.
Educational, Dramatic, and Explosive
Wataru Midori‘s “Run on Your New Legs” is one of print’s best well-rounded sports manga titles. There is a lot of insight into Paralympic sprinting, the challenges faced, and how technology has advanced to keep the sport growing. Moreover, Midori’s writing is sincere and realistic in exploring the emotions and struggles that can come with competition. Visually, it may not be the most flashy, but for those wanting to understand an underexplored sport through well-informed and sincere storytelling, “Run on Your New Legs” is perfect in execution.
9. GUT’S (1998) by Jun Fudo

Obsessed with hitting the fastest ball in the sport, Magma has committed his life to baseball. However, his passionate desire to be the best switches when he soon learns that the sport he underestimated, tennis, has the fastest speeds. While starting off just wanting to prove he can hit anything thrown at him, Magma slowly admires the diverse skills needed to master the court and begins working toward being a world champion.
Dominating the Tennis Court
“GUT’s” feels like the typical 90s sports manga, with an enthused and somewhat bratty protganist slowly honing their skills and personality to compete on the world stage. Yet, it also embodies the best of the era with a fun, upbeat flow, dashes of serious drama, and a visual flair for capturing action on the court. The series tends to over-exaggerate and enter the realm of silliness, with certain tennis players having non-sense special techniques, but the trade of fun for accuracy works well. Alternatively, Jun Fudo’s “Bikings” is also an underrated sports manga that is more grounded in realism and explores the world of competitive team bike racing. “GUT’s” and “Bikings” can be read on Azuki.
8. Summit of the Gods (2000) by Baku Yumemakura & Jiro Taniguchi

One of the greatest mysteries in mountain climbing, the 1924 disappearance of mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine while attempting to be the first to scale Mount Everest, is re-examined decades later (1993) when a camera appears with photos from their epic trek in Kathmandu. Japanese photographer Makoto Fukamichi’s search for the truth aligns him with a mysterious figure, Bikha Sanp, who may be famed Japanese mountain climber Jouji Habu.
A Masterful Artist and Storyteller Come Together
“Summit of the Gods” saw Jiro Taniguchi adapting the novel of the same name from Baku Yumemakura. This was an ideal pairing, with the series winning the Excellence Prize in the manga division at the Japanese Ministry of Culture’s Media Arts Festival in 2001 and the Best Art Award at the French Angouleme Festival in 2005. The book/manga was also adapted into a critically acclaimed French animated movie.
Despite the critical acclaim, the series still remains slightly obscure. Blending elements of real events with fiction, “Summit of the Gods” immerses readers in the world of legendary mountain climbers and complex personalities that seek glory in the face of death. The art is wonderfully pristine and presents the best of Taniguchi. The pacing here requires patience for those expecting a more intense exploration of the sport. Still, it is a masterfully executed series by one of the greatest ever to do it.
7. Glaucos (2003) by Akio Tanaka

Born in the sea, Cisse lives in a remote village by the sea, spending his days diving. When he is discovered with his innate ability to stay underwater for an extended period of time by a famous free diver, he is introduced to the sport. As he faces intense competition, Cisse learns of a defect that allows him to stay submerged longer than any other, but each dive comes at the cost of shortening his life. Will he continue to dive when he knows nothing but love of the deep?
A Stand-out Psychological Sports Manga
“Glaucos” captures the intensity of one of the world’s most extreme sports, free-diving, while presenting a deeply engrossing story about a man whose obsessions slowly tear him apart. At only four volumes, the manga is intricate in explaining the sport’s appeal and how it works. Cisse is a fascinating protagonist, reminiscent of the chiasmatic but broken personalities that made the MMA manga “Shamo” such a stand-out (Akio Tanaka did the art for the series, but the influence on “Glaucos” is apparant). Tanaka’s art is also amazing, particularly in capturing the allure and mysteries of the deep.
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6. All-Rounder Meguru (2008) by Hiroki Endo

“All-Rounder Meguru” revolves around several fighters working their way up from amateur to professional within the Shooto organization–a sport with unique rules and history that dates back to its founding in 1986 by Japanese professional wrestler Satoru Sayama. Meguru gains the titular moniker for his well-rounded and adaptable skillset, which would go on to define quintessential champions of MMA. Teenager Meguru’s rise through the ranks also orbits other fighters, notably female professional kickboxer turned Shooto fighter Maki and his childhood friend turned rival, Takashi.
A Purist Sports Manga for Fans of MMA
Tapping into the inner voice of a fighter in the ring is nothing new to MMA manga, but where Hiroki Endo’s “All-Rounder Meguru” transcends many of its more famous counterparts is its dedication to authenticity and ability to break down a fight with technical precision. Couple this with the series’ ability to convey the evolution of the sport by amalgamating various techniques, and it proves to be a treat for MMA purists.
5. Gourmet Glutton (2004) by Shigeru Tsuchiyama

Mantaro Ohara is an ordinary salaryman with some infamy among his friends for his big appetite. But after a chance meeting with American professional competitive eater George Hunter, he learns of his potential to be a world champ, and the two form a student/mentor relationship. This pushes Ohara into intense competition and learning to tackle how various foods challenge the speed eaters.
A Delicious Sports Manga
“Gourmet Glutton” points to the fact that you can find a manga about any subject. However, what makes Shigeru Tsuchiyama‘s work so engaging is not the novelty of exploring a niche form of competition. Taking a serious approach to competitive eating, “Gourmet Glutton” goes deep into how competitors must adapt and learn the best way to tackle various foods. The result is that any ‘battles’ are explained with fascinating detail that honors the food and the competitive eaters. The art from Shigeru Tsuchiyama is also mouthwatering, giving those who love manga focused on food additional elements to appreciate. “Gourmet Glutton” can be read on Azuki.
4. Break Shot (1987) by Takeshi Maekawa

Shinsuke Oda is the sole member of his high school Billiard club, which makes him ineligible for funding. To prove that the club is worth the investment, he convinces the new student council president, Asako Hayakawa, that if he can win a major award, she will allow room in the budget for his club. His first professional event shows that Oda was hiding an immense talent, and his career skyrockets as he heads to the world stage to compete against the greatest.
Gravity-Defying Trick Shots
“Breakshot” is an inaccurate sports manga, with multiple absurd scenarios playing out as Oda climbs his way up the ranks. These include catching the air of the AC to make a fly ball land in the pocket, exploding cue balls that take out all targets, and shots capable of destroying the bumpers to change the layout of the playfield. However, the manga is fast-paced and charming, which makes it an easy title to pick up and indulge in the silliness it presents. “Breakshot” is also light on dramatic elements, with Oda already being a prodigy and having minimal resistance to obtain each victory. It won’t be for everyone, and purists may find it deplorable, but “Breakshot” is a wonderful indulgence for entertainment.
3. Matagi Gunner (2022) Shoji Fujimoto & Juan Albarran

A once infamous Matagi gunner (a traditional Japanese hunter who uses rifles), Hitonari Yamano, now retired, lives a quiet life in the wilderness. When he stumbles upon a pile of discarded electronics, among them, he finds an old console with a popular FPS game left in. Out of curiosity, he tries his hands at it and soon finds his hunting knowledge and calmness rocket him to the most elite online gamers.
Old Traditions Meets E-Sports
Touching on two ‘sports’ that loosely meet the definition, hunting and e-sports, “Matagi Gunner” may find more charm when not holding it strictly to the expectation of the genre. The casual comedic approach works exceptionally well with this series, with Hitonari being so reserved and calm that the younger generation of gamers’ obsessiveness and absurdity sticks out. The actual battles show the characters immersed in the game, which gives the series a fantastical edge over others on this list as long as the reader is not concerned about realism. Exploring the world of traditional hunters is a fascinating angle, but it does exist to frame how an old retiree can dominate a digital sport. Know what you are getting into, but for lighthearted entertainment, “Matagi Gunner” is one of the best E-sports series currently running.
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2. Welcome to the Ballroom (2011) by Tomo Takeuchi

Tatara Fujita is an average middle school student struggling to find anything to catch his attention. However, after fleeing some bullies, he stumbles across a dance studio and is soon drawn to the skill and perfect form, with a particular eye for classmate Mako Akagi. With persistence and a natural knack for dance, Fujita soon finds himself climbing the ranks of competition and earning the scornful eye of others, surpassing them with his innate abilities.
Beautifully capturing the Motion of Dance
Tomo Takeuchi’s art is the primary draw here, with the speed and form of the dance floor brought to life with such pristine beauty. This will draw readers in regardless of their interest in the sport, especially for those sports manga fans who appreciate the athletic body form being captured with detail and grace. The story is pretty typical, but a certain comfort can be found in a familiar format. Those looking for accuracy will find that the exaggerations for dramatic flair are still grounded in a love of competitive dance. Notably, “Welcome to the Ballroom” perfectly explains the mechanics behind every swing, pop, and twirl.
1. Yawara! (1986) by Naoki Urasawa

Not all sports stars enter the sport willingly, and high school student Inokuma Yawara would much rather spend her days shopping, dating, hanging out with friends, and working towards a career in home economics. However, having come from a lineage of world-winning Judokas’, her grandfather has pressured her to make a debut that will place her in line for Olympic gold. After an incident where she saves someone from a robbery, she becomes an unwilling sensation and is pushed into stardom.
A Sports Manga Ippon!
Despite having name power behind it in Naoki Urasawa (“Monster,” “Pluto“) and winning the 35th Shogakukan Manga Award for best general seinen manga in 1989, “Yawara!” has stayed largely under the radar and has yet to receive a proper English release. This may be because the manga exists in an odd space, even for the niche sports genre, with much of the focus on coming-of-age and Yawara’s personal struggles. Still, there is no shortage of judo matches, and Urasawa’s storytelling ability still impresses when dealing with lighter subject matter. The art is also gorgeously nostalgic, with Yawara portrayed as a fashion icon of the era across each cover.