Anime like Attack No.1

Ace wo Nerae!

Also known as Aim for the Ace!.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Tokyo Movie Shinsha , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Anime Room , Tokyo Animation Film , Imagica , King Records , Studio Sign , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sports

On her first day at Nishi High School, 15-year-old Hiromi Oka is inspired by top player Reika "Ochoufujin" Ryuuzaki to take up tennis. Shortly after joining the school's tennis club, she encounters Jin Munakata, the club's new coach. Munakata puts everyone under rigorous training that even puts Ochoufujin to shame. Despite the hardships, Hiromi's determination prompts the coach to select her as part of the club's main players. Because of this, Hiromi must endure the peer pressure from her seniors to become an ace tennis player.



Tags: Tennis , School Club , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Bullying , Ojou-sama , Slapstick , Delinquents

Ashita e Attack!

Studio: Nippon Animation , Fuji TV
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sports

This drama tells the story of girls in high school. Girls who love to play volleyball form a team in their school. Although the team starts out as a weak and unorganized sport club, over time the girls’ extraordinary passion and endeavor enables their team to become one of the best organized and highly recognized teams at the school. Now they aim to win the championship in the National High School Volleyball League. Although it is painful and hard to achieve such a goal, it is nice to have friends to share the feeling, especially the joy. Through volleyball, the girls learn and experience many lessons in life as they grow up. Let’s share their laughter.



Tags: School , Female Protagonist , Volleyball , Primarily Female Cast , School Club , Ojou-sama

Attacker YOU!

Also known as Attacker You!.

Studio: Shaft , Knack Productions
Status: Finished
Genres: Romance , Sports

Attacker You! is the story of ambitious and energetic 13-year-old junior high schoolgirl You Hazuki (variously known as "Mila," "Jeanne" or "Juana" in Western dubbed versions of the anime), who moves to Tokyo from Osaka to live with her father Toshihiko, a cameraman recently returned from Peru, and attend school. You's mother is not in the picture, having left when You was very young. Also living with You and her father is her younger brother Sunny, who is very attached to his older sister and tends to follow her everywhere she goes, including to school and to her volleyball matches. You is also curious about Kyushi Tajima, the pretty blonde woman whom she sees covering volleyball games on television, and about why her father becomes very angry whenever You mentions her.

You is passionate about volleyball and dreams of one day being a part of Japan's national women's volleyball team in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She joins her school's girls' volleyball team and quickly becomes one of the top players, although her coach (who is also her homeroom teacher) is brutal and literally slaps his players around when they don't live up to his expectations. You begins a tumultuous friendship with former school volleyball champ and former arch-rival Nami Hayase (French name: "Peggy"), which comes to a head when the two girls join opposing professional teams. She also develops a crush on So Takiki, the captain of the Hikawa boys' volleyball team (known as "Shiro," "Serge" or "Sergio" in various Western versions), and puts as much effort into trying to win his heart as she does into her game.

Tags: Volleyball , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , School , Primarily Female Cast

Haikyuu!!

Also known as HAIKYU!!.

Studio: Production I.G , Sentai Filmworks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Sports

Inspired after watching a volleyball ace nicknamed "Little Giant" in action, small-statured Shouyou Hinata revives the volleyball club at his middle school. The newly-formed team even makes it to a tournament; however, their first match turns out to be their last when they are brutally squashed by the "King of the Court," Tobio Kageyama. Hinata vows to surpass Kageyama, and so after graduating from middle school, he joins Karasuno High School's volleyball team—only to find that his sworn rival, Kageyama, is now his teammate.

Thanks to his short height, Hinata struggles to find his role on the team, even with his superior jumping power. Surprisingly, Kageyama has his own problems that only Hinata can help with, and learning to work together appears to be the only way for the team to be successful. Based on Haruichi Furudate's popular shounen manga of the same name, Haikyuu!! is an exhilarating and emotional sports comedy following two determined athletes as they attempt to patch a heated rivalry in order to make their high school volleyball team the best in Japan.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tags: Volleyball , School Club , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Fitness , School , Coming of Age , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Kuudere

Ace wo Nerae! (1979)

Also known as Aim for the Ace! (1979).

Studio: MADHOUSE , Tokyo Movie Shinsha , Discotek , Shueisha
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Sports

High school freshman Hiromi joins the tennis club because of her admiration for Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki is a senior, who's the best tennis player on the team and also nicknamed "Ochōfujin", ("Madame Butterfly"), because of her elegance on the tennis court. However, the new coach, Jin Munakata, wants the inexperienced Hiromi to play in a forthcoming tournament.

Due to this, Hiromi considers quitting tennis for good but, in the depth of her soul, she soon realizes that she loves tennis after all. She returns to the club and, under Munakata's coaching, her talent starts to bloom.

In the end, Hiromi develops a strong emotional bond with her coach, not knowing that Munakata is risking his life because of a chronic illness.



Tags: Tennis , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Urban , Tragedy

Haikyuu!! 2nd Season

Also known as HAIKYU!! 2nd Season.

Studio: Production I.G , Sentai Filmworks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Sports

Following their participation at the Inter-High, the Karasuno High School volleyball team attempts to refocus their efforts, aiming to conquer the Spring tournament instead.

When they receive an invitation from long-standing rival Nekoma High, Karasuno agrees to take part in a large training camp alongside many notable volleyball teams in Tokyo and even some national level players. By playing with some of the toughest teams in Japan, they hope not only to sharpen their skills, but also come up with new attacks that would strengthen them. Moreover, Hinata and Kageyama attempt to devise a more powerful weapon, one that could possibly break the sturdiest of blocks.

Facing what may be their last chance at victory before the senior players graduate, the members of Karasuno's volleyball team must learn to settle their differences and train harder than ever if they hope to overcome formidable opponents old and new—including their archrival Aoba Jousai and its world-class setter Tooru Oikawa.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tags: Volleyball , School Club , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , School , Tomboy

Glass no Kamen

Also known as Glass Mask.

Studio: Eiken , Studio Jack
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Kitajima Maya, a 13-year old girl with a talent for acting, was discovered by the reclusive actress Tsukikage. The story follows Maya's growing up, intense training, overcoming challenges, and evolving into the foremost actress of her generation (she is about 20 so far). Maya's greatest rival is Himekawa Ayumi, the beautiful daughter of a famous movie couple. They ultimately vied for the most sought-after role - the "Crimson Goddess". An equally important subplot Maya's relationship with the handsome and ruthless entertainment mogul Hayami Masumi, who secretly became her number one fan, but misunderstandings and bad-timing obstructed their romance...



Tags: Acting , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Work , Age Gap , Classic Literature , Ojou-sama , Coming of Age , Heterosexual

Hikari no Densetsu

Studio: Tatsunoko Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Music , Romance , Sports

Hikari, is a young school girl who dreams of becoming a great champion in the sport of rhythmic gymnastics like her idol, Diliana Gueorguiva. She works hard despite all her setbacks while performing and soon becomes a member of the rhythmic gymnastics team in her school with the help and support of Takaaki Oiishi, the best male gymnast of her school, and soon she develops feelings for him. But Hikari is not the only one who has feelings for Oiishi, Bazuki Shiina, the best gymast in the entire school also has feelings for him Oiishi. And soon a friendship between Hikari and Shiina develop, but also a rivalry between two soon develop as well for the sport and for the love of Oiishi. Hikari is also torned between her feelings for Oiishi and her conflicting feelings for Mao Natsukawa, an old childhood friend of hers, and the lead singer of the band called Mr. D, who composes the music she uses while performing. And who has been developing feelings for her since childhood.



Tags: Athletics , Female Protagonist , Love Triangle , Shoujo , School , Heterosexual

Chihayafuru

Also known as Chihayafuru.

Studio: MADHOUSE , VAP , Nippon Television Network
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

Chihaya Ayase is a girl who has spent most of her life simply supporting her sister in her model career. That changes when she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player who recognizes Chihaya's potential to become a great player herself. As Chihaya takes on a new dream of becoming Japan's best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends, Taichi Mashima and Arata Wataya, as they grow up. Now in high school, Chihaya still continues to play karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.



Tags: Karuta , Female Protagonist , School Club , Love Triangle , Coming of Age , School , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Josei , Athletics , Bullying , Slapstick , Tomboy , CGI

Ashita no Joe

Also known as Tomorrow's Joe.

Studio: Mushi Production , Fuji TV
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Joe, a teenage orphan in the slums of the Doya streets, meets Danpei, a homeless, alcoholic ex-boxing coach. Danpei, seeing Joe's boxing talent, decides to train him. When Joe is sent to a terrible juvenile home for petty crimes, he meets Rikiishi who becomes his boxing rival. Danpei arrives at the home to help Joe to train in order to defeat Rikiishi. When Joe decides to seriously pursue boxing, Danpei cannot get a coaching license because of his reputation as a drunk.



Tags: Boxing , Anti-Hero , Coming of Age , Delinquents , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Shounen , Class Struggle , Primarily Male Cast , Rehabilitation , Ojou-sama , Orphan , Prison , Yakuza , Homeless , Police , Crime , Time Skip , Educational , Gangs , Bullying , Primarily Teen Cast , Achromatic