Zak Billion
Baseball anime: Here are the best Japanese series about baseball of all time!
Are you a baseball enthusiast or just seeking a good show to watch? There is no need to look any further! Check out our definitive list of the best baseball anime, which includes popular and engrossing series like “Major” and “Big Windup!”. Well, there’s a baseball anime for everyone, whether you’re looking for inspiration or just some nice fun. So grab your glove and prepare to enter the thrilling world of baseball anime!
Here we go:
28. Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants)
Kicking off the list of the best baseball anime with Star of the Giants, which first aired in 1968 and has been followed by numerous movies, is known for its combination of sports action, family drama, and classic values. Considered one of the most inspiring anime series ever made, the 182-episode retro hit showcases how the game of baseball can be a good setting for exploring family values. Although it helps to be a fan of baseball, this series is worth checking out even if you aren’t particularly interested in the sport. As a fun fact, Star of the Giants was the first sports manga to be adapted into an anime series back then!
27. Dokaben
In this sports anime about Baseball, Tarou “Dokaben” Yamada is a former judoist who enrolls in Meikun High School and finds himself drawn to the school’s baseball team. Alongside teammates Masami Iwaki, Kazuto Tonoma, Satoru Satonaka, and Santaro Hohoemi, Dokaben uses his unique athletic abilities and hard-hitting skills to help lead Meikun to become the top baseball team in the nation.
26. Ippatsu Kanta-kun
Another cool anime series is Ippatsu Kanta-Kun, this baseball story follows Kanta Tobase, who is forbidden from playing baseball by his mother. But, he remains determined to pursue his passion for the game. Despite the challenges he faces, Kanta eventually gets the chance to play and ultimately wins his mother’s support. With its simple yet touching story and blend of comedy and family elements, this 1977 series delivers the message that if you really want to achieve something, you should go for it even if the whole world seems to be against you. As a bonus, the series marks the debut of Mamoru Oshii as an episode director.
25. Yakyuukyou no Uta
Yakyuukyou no Uta is among the best classic baseball anime to watch. The series showcases the equal abilities of women on the pitch. The series follows Yuuki Mizuhara, a college student who initially plans to study veterinary medicine but ultimately becomes a baseball player. This progressive anime demonstrates that anyone, regardless of gender, can excel in the sport of baseball.
24. Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!!
First airing in 1979, this anime combines gag comedy and the real-life story of Japanese baseball player Koichi Tabuchi. Despite its humorous tone, the series is a tribute to Tabuchi’s career as a homerun artist in Japanese pro baseball history. It’s a joy to see Tabuchi himself embrace this lighthearted treatment of his story.
23. Captain
The Captain is a coming-of-age sports anime that follows the lives of four baseball captains as they graduate from high school and pass the leadership role on to the next captain. Although relatively unknown in Western territories, the series is highly regarded in Japan. Its story explores the challenges and growth that come with taking on a leadership role in the world of high school baseball.
22. Nine: Original Han
Nine: Original Han is an old baseball anime movie that features a romantic plot and a message that highlights that every member of a team is important. With its 1980s anime romance vibe, this Mitsuru Adachi creation is another hit in the realm of the Japanese medium.
21. Kenritsu Umisora Koukou Yakyuubu-in Yamashita Tarou-kun
In this 1980s anime tv show, the main character Tarou Yamashita differs from many sports show protagonists in that he is not physically talented at the start. Instead, Tarou struggles with his skills and initially sucks at the game. Despite this, he remains dedicated to improving and loves the sport. Along with his team, Tarou perseveres even when the odds are stacked against them, ultimately inspiring viewers with his dedication and drive to succeed.
20. Meimon! Daisan Yakyuubu
Next up in the Meimon series, we follow Asunaro, who joins his school’s baseball team only to find that his fellow teammates are unenthused and untalented. Therefore, the undeterred Asunaro will use his fighting spirit and enthusiasm to help the team improve and eventually earn a spot at the prestigious Koshien Stadium.
19. Miracle Giants Doumu-kun
In this baseball anime, 10-year-old Dome Shinjo is the son of a legendary Yomiuri Giants baseball player and has inherited his father’s love for the sport and rare talent. Dome also possesses his father’s last gift to him: a magical shot. With his father’s old glove, Dome is able to use the magical shot to gain the attention of the Giants and help lead the team to unbeatable victories. However, after losing to the captain of the Dragons, Dome knows he must create his own magical shot in order to bring the Giants to victory again.
18. H2
Hiro is torn between his two passions: baseball and p0rn0. However, after suffering an elbow injury, he decides to give up baseball and attend a school with no baseball team. Meanwhile, his childhood friend Hikari attends a different school and plays baseball alongside Ace Hideo. Both Hikari and Hideo wish that Hiro had not given up on his love for the sport. As Hiro joins the soccer team at his new school, he meets Haruka, a clumsy girl and the daughter of his father’s boss, who is also the manager of the unofficial baseball club. When the soccer team challenges the baseball club to a game with the intention of humiliating them, the baseball club is on the verge of defeat until Hiro, disgusted by the soccer team’s arrogance, switches to the baseball club and helps them win.
17. Azusa, Otetsudai Shimasu! (Azusa Will Help!)
In this girly baseball anime, the main character is tasked with finding one more player to complete their school’s baseball team. In a unique twist, the MC ends up purchasing a baseball robot player, but mistakenly gets a maid robot named Azusa instead. Despite this unexpected development, Azusa may hold the key to helping the team win the tournament. Released in 2004, this series offers a light and relaxing escape from more heavily packed anime storylines.
16. Little Busters!
Little Busters! is a school anime with baseball themes that focuses on the theme of friendship in sports teams. The series, which was released in 2012, follows a group of do-gooders who decide to make the most of their leader Kyosuke’s last year in school by forming a baseball team. Through their experiences on the field, the characters learn the value of enjoying the present moment and the importance of teamwork in the sport of baseball.
15. Samurai Giants
Moving on with our list of the best baseball anime with Samurai Giants. The series follows the story of Ban Banjou, who was raised in the turbulent waters of southern Japan, and has always been lonely and behaved like a wild youngster. Ban somehow actually ended up in Tokyo.
After staying in Tokyo for a while, he became a great professional baseball player for the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo. Our protagonist is a phenomenal pitcher with a great fastball and the potential to be a star in Major League Baseball. But he struggles to find his control. Banjou Ban has to practice a lot for his bright future because he’s on the pro circuit and faces new opponents in each match.
14. Moshidora
Moshidora 2009 is a Japanese original baseball anime series about the life of an 18-year-old girl who takes over a baseball team. Kawashima Minami steps in as manager for her high school’s baseball club when her best buddy Yuuki Miyata is injured. The only problem that Minami didn’t think about is, she has no idea what to do! She walks out to get a book on the baseball coaching team and goes back home with only a book on business management.
Minami was unable to return the book but chooses to study it however in order to take a more business-like approach to care for her new baseball club and push them to succeed in the Nationals. This anime has been called one of the best sports anime series, as well as one of the best baseball anime series out there.
13. Gurazeni: Money Pitch
Gurazeni: Money Pitch 2018 is an anime that follows in the footsteps of Major League Baseball. Unlike most sports anime which revolves around competition, there is not as much of that. Natsunosuke Honda plays professional baseball. He was a baseball player for 8 years on his team, the Spiders. His income is determined by how well he plays, and he is one of the best-paid players.
Our protagonist here takes the evaluation process for any player based on their earnings, not their exceptional ability or aptitude. Natsunosuke fought hard to reach where he is, and he has no intention of letting anybody dethrone him.
This anime series is widely popular that follows the life of a professional baseball player. It’s one of the few anime shows on this list that takes on the perspective of a professional athlete, showing what life is like with their career.
12. Tamayomi: The Baseball Girls
Tamayomi: The Baseball Girls is a 2020 Japanese anime. The story centers on two beautiful girls who have had a passion for baseball sports since they were little kids. They also made a promise not to give up on their baseball games and the love they have for this sport. Tamaki would turn out to be a brilliant catcher, but Yomi has not been able to make an impact on the field and decides to step down.
However, At Shin Koshigata High School, Yomi reunites with Tamaki and chooses to give baseball another shot. The two old friends aim to recruit additional members and revive the school’s baseball team with the help of two sisters, Ibuki and Yoshino Kawaguchi. Moreover, for the sake of the new club, they must work together to advance their squad to the Nationals and win the entire championship!
11. Battery
Battery is a baseball anime following the story of a 12-year-old boy named Takumi Harada, who used to be a baseball genius with the potential to be an excellent pitcher. When Takumi’s family is forced to relocate, he finds himself in a tiny village, attending a small school with an unskilled and poor baseball team. With his experience and influence, he hopes to make this squad into a powerful one, but talent swiftly overwhelms his crew.
That’s when Takumi meets Gou Nagakura, a student who desires to be as great as Takumi as a baseball player. Therefore, Takumi will start working with Gou to overcome his flaws outside of baseball in order to improve as a person and teammate and regain his passion for baseball!
10. Princess Nine
This 1998 baseball anime series follows a high school team as they strive to reach Koshien, the large, mythical final tournament objective for many baseball teams. However, their team problem, of course, is they are an all-girls team from a prominent all-girls institution.
Princess Nine followed A Tournament of Their Own, although there are significant changes. The players are competing against guys rather than other girls.
9. Major
Major, is a popular anime series about baseball that aired between 2004 and 2010, the story follows Goro Honda/ Goro Shigeno across multiple decades and six seasons. It undoubtedly has a one-of-a-kind timeframe.
Major’s hero begins in kindergarten and progresses through the little tournaments, middle school, high school, Youth Baseball in the United States, and the Baseball World Cup. Finally, he makes it to Major League Baseball. Of course, there are a few time skips along the way.
8. Cinderella Nine
Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine is a good baseball anime that premiered in the Spring of 2019 by TMS Entertainment and follows the story of an all-girls baseball team. But the main issue is that they have never played baseball before.
When Arihara Tsubasa arrives at her new High School in Rigahama Municipal and discovers that there is no baseball club, she organizes the Girls’ Baseball Club by herself. However, the Girl’s team she created had no previous experience in playing baseball, except for one girl who stopped. These girls will continually face huge obstacles that need to be faced by their club.
The Rigahama Girls’ Baseball Team sprints through the rigors of adolescence, occasionally clashing and quarreling but always supporting one another. So starts the world’s hottest summer on record.
7. Taisho Baseball Girls
This one-of-a-kind historical baseball story happens during the Taisho period. (Taisho was the brief period between Meiji and the Showa eras; noted because of its liberal democracy.) Baseball was still in its early stages in Japan in the 1920s. There were a few professional teams, but Babe Ruth’s legendary journey was still a generation away.
Taisho Yakyu Musume, a short novel, influenced the 2009 anime series. It, also, involves schoolgirls aiming to form an all-girls baseball team. However, the difficulties are far larger. Naturally, sexism is a major issue due to the historical period. (It’s also an unusual series in which the sailor outfit is regarded as peciular rather than customary.)
6. Touch
Touch is a popular 1980s anime show that might be tough to get online! unless you don a pirate hat or relocate to Asia. That’s a shame, cause Touch is an excellent baseball series.
Mitsuru Adachi, a manga artist, mixed athletic adrenaline with high school romantic comedy in Touch. In Japan, the series is still highly regarded. It stars identical brothers Kazuya and Tatsuya, as well as Minami, their childhood buddy and romantic love interest. The original series is available on Netflix Japan, although it is region-locked.
5. Mix
For 26 years, Meisei High School was regarded as one of the best high school baseball teams in all of Japan. But eventually, it dwindled in popularity and stopped being well-renowned. Two brothers, Souichirou and Touma Tachibana want to reform Meisei Academy’s baseball team and get them ready for the High School Competitions of Baseball.
Souichirou and Touma are the same age and both attend Meisei school. Baseball is their favorite sport. Souichirou has been a standout player as the catcher and hitter but has also shown to be an incredible pitcher. Despite his great pitching skills, Touma stopped playing baseball as a pitcher!!!
4. Big Windup!
Big Windup! follows Ren Mihashi, a high school pitcher, (aka Ookiku Furikabutte). He has great pitching skills, but he is not confident in himself and struggles with self-esteem. He was part of a losing team in middle school, and his teammates learned to resent him. (The fact that he was charged with nepotism didn’t help either.)
After that, he had planned to give up baseball when he got to high school. But then, he ended up pitching for Nishiura High (a new team) and will learn how to cope with his concerns while on the field.
3. Ace Of Diamond
Ace of Diamond is one of the best anime about baseball, and it follows the life of an average boy who has to balance sports with his studies as every high schooler who love a type of sport. However, Ace of Diamond treats baseball positively, which is what makes it so amazing. On and away from the field, there is plenty of potential for comedy and fun. But the series’ substance is baseball action, philosophy, and tactics. (As well as any baseball player knows that the game requires a lot of brains.)
Ace of Diamond tells the story of a high school talented pitcher Eijun Sawamura as he competes for a spot in an elite baseball club. The suspense and emotion of the game are depicted realistically in the series.
2. Cross Game
The plot revolves around Kou Kitamura, who lives nearby the Tsukishima family, who runs a batting cage, and the Clover coffee shop. His cute lover, Wakaba, is the second Tsukishima daughter, while the third is baseball genius Aoba, who despises Kou. Even if they couldn’t tolerate each other, the one truth Kou and Aoba can agree on is their love for Aoba’s elder sister, Wakaba Tsukishima.
Wakaba fantasizes about Kou pitching in the famed Koshien Stadium, which hosts the national high school championship finals. But then catastrophe hits. As a result, in order to fulfill Wakaba’s ambition, Kou begins his covert training to become as excellent as she desires, but publicly expresses little passion for baseball.
Emotionally speaking, Cross Game is a very heartbreaking anime about baseball, a one-of-a-kind anime that gives such wonderful sensations and ideas that will leave you crying.
1. One Outs
One Outs is the ultimate best baseball anime you will ever see. It is one of the best sports anime of all time. This one has a heavy focus on strategy, tactics, and gambling, but it also has strong character development and great gameplay.
Toua Tokuchi is a baseball talent who enjoys gambling. Pitching just poor fastballs, he has established a reputation for himself by winning almost 500 games in a row of “One Outs,” a pitcher and a batter one-on-one game. Despite his extraordinary ability, Tokuchi regards the game as nothing but a means of making fast cash.
