The best sports manga

Manga and love for sports are two interests that do not usually cross too much. Read manga is seen as a more introspective hobby while sports have a much more social component. However, the quarantine and voluntary isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the perfect possibility to put this false dichotomy aside to discover the great world of sports manga. These are stories of teamwork, friendship, and success that anyone who has participated in a team sport can enjoy.

Hajime no Ippo

With more than 1,300 chapters that will keep you entertained for a long time, Hajime no Ippo tells the story of Ippo, a college student who suffers from bullying and who will discover an incomparable passion for boxing. The story has been published since 1990 and has incredible moments of tension, in which its author, George Morikawa, demonstrates all his knowledge of boxing in exquisitely drawn panels.

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Haikyū

The name of this manga, which ended this year, literally translates to volleyball and that is precisely what it is all about. It tells the story of Shōyō Hinata, a sports fan who despite his small stature, wants to become a professional sportsman. It is one of the newest manga on this list and has a large following for its endearing characters and its story that has a few twists in the plot.

Slam dunk

One of the great classics in this medium, Slam Dunk tells the story of Hanamichi Sakuragi, a teenage "delinquent" who initially joins the basketball club to impress a romantic interest but ends up developing an intense passion for the sport. With its more realistic story and fun characters, it is a good introduction to this type of content, even for those who do not enjoy it.

The Prince of Tennis and The New Prince of Tennis

On the side of the ridiculous and strange, we have The Prince of Tennis and The New Prince of Tennis. The story is about Ryoma Echizen, a tennis prodigy who arrives at a school in Japan and together with his team must establish himself as the “prince of tennis.” The best part of this story, without a doubt, is the bizarre skills of the characters: ranging from freezing their opponent with their eyes, to opening black holes with a stroke of the racket (seriously).