The 16 Greatest Sports Manga of All Time

From era-defining classics that built the genre to modern hits reinventing it, these stories sweep across the ring, the court, the pitch and the track. Cast your vote!

1

Slam Dunk

Takehiko Inoue's basketball epic that exploded the sport's popularity in Japan.

1000pts

2

Ashita no Joe

The seminal boxing drama whose tragic hero shaped the entire genre.

882pts

3

Kuroko's Basketball

A flashy basketball manga about a phantom sixth man and his superhuman rivals.

706pts

4

Cross Game

Another Adachi gem weaving baseball, romance and loss into a quiet masterpiece.

610pts

5

Ping Pong

Taiyo Matsumoto's stylish, introspective table-tennis story about talent and friendship.

610pts

6

Haikyu!!

A high-school volleyball saga praised for accurate mechanics and an electric cast.

529pts

7

Major

A sweeping baseball manga that follows its hero from childhood to the pro ranks.

529pts

8

Touch

Mitsuru Adachi's beloved coming-of-age baseball romance set around a high-school team.

433pts

9

Captain Tsubasa

The soccer classic that inspired generations of real-world footballers worldwide.

433pts

10

Ace of Diamond

An immersive baseball manga centered on the fierce competition for the ace number.

433pts

11

Hajime no Ippo

A long-running boxing manga renowned for detailed anatomy and the Dempsey Roll.

317pts

12

Yowamushi Pedal

A cycling manga about an otaku who discovers a talent for climbing on his commuter bike.

317pts

13

Real

Inoue's gritty, mature manga about wheelchair basketball and personal struggle.

317pts

14

The Prince of Tennis

A hugely popular, over-the-top tennis manga with larger-than-life signature moves.

317pts

15

Eyeshield 21

A fast, stylish American-football manga following a timid runner turned star.

176pts

16

Blue Lock

A modern soccer hit reframing the sport as a cutthroat battle to forge the ultimate striker.

176pts