Anime like Hoshiai no Sora

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru

Also known as Run with the Wind.

Studio: Production I.G , Nippon Television Network
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sports

Former ace runner of Sendai Josei High School, Kakeru Kurahara is chased away from a convenience store for shoplifting. Shaking off his pursuer, he runs into Haiji Kiyose, another student from his university. Haiji is impressed by Kakeru's agility and persuades him to live in Chikusei-sou, the run-down apartment where Haiji resides along with eight other students. Having lost his entire apartment deposit at a mahjong parlor, Kakeru accepts the offer reluctantly. However, Haiji reveals a secret during Kakeru's welcoming party: the apartment is actually the dormitory of the Kansei University Track Club. He unveils his ultimate goal of participating in the Hakone Ekiden—one of the most prominent university marathon relay races in Japan. Unfortunately, all the residents apart from Haiji and Kakeru are complete running novices. Worse still, none of the inhabitants are even remotely interested in being involved with Haiji's ridiculous plan! With only months before the deadline, will the fourth-year student be able to convince them otherwise and realize his elusive dream of running in the Hakone Ekiden?

Tags: Athletics , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , School Club , Primarily Adult Cast , Fitness , Rehabilitation , College , Outdoor , CGI , Twins , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Heterosexual , Tanned Skin , Food , Trains

2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu

Also known as 2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team.

Studio: David Production , Fujipacific Music , Magic Capsule , Shueisha , Fuji TV , Aniplex , Dentsu , Movic , Animax , Japan Volleyball Association , Tohan , Fuji Creative Corporation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

High school student Kimichika Haijima moves back to his hometown, Fukui, after causing trouble in the Tokyo Junior High School volleyball club. There, he is reunited with his childhood friend, Yunii Kuroba, who possesses outstanding physical abilities, but is vulnerable under pressure. Haijima, with his overwhelming passion and talent for volleyball, forms an ace combination with Kuroba.

The two enroll at Seiin High School, where they join the volleyball club. Awaiting them are the 163 cm hot-blooded captain Shinichirou Oda, the talented and sharp-tongued vice-captain Misao Aoki and his third-year pair, and second-year students, including Akito Kanno, who is always wearing long sleeves due to his allergy to sunlight.

The newborn team breaks its former shell of weakness and becomes Fukui's rising star. This is a certain team's journey to victory, with a series of fascinating rivals standing in their way.

Tags: Coming of Age , Athletics , Volleyball , Primarily Male Cast , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , School , Male Protagonist , Time Skip , Suicide , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Ensemble Cast , Urban , Trains , Educational

Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudou-bu

Also known as Tsurune.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Minato played Japanese archery in middle school, but after a certain incident, he ran away from the sport. In high school, Minato meets new friends, and together as part of their school's archery club they aim to win the prefectural tournament.



Tags: Archery , School Club , Rehabilitation , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , School , Martial Arts , Tsundere , Twins , Coming of Age

3-gatsu no Lion

Also known as March comes in like a lion.

Studio: Shaft , Aniplex
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Rei Kiriyama is a 17 year old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students.

Meanwhile, his professional career in Shogi has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed upon him, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate.

Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. He frequently visits the family, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home.
This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person.



Tags: Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Shogi , Seinen , Family Life , Found Family , Estranged Family , Male Protagonist , Board Game , Philosophy , Tragedy , Bullying , Primarily Adult Cast , Food , Trains

Hourou Musuko

Also known as Wandering Son.

Studio: Aniplex , AIC , Dentsu , Fuji TV , Magic Capsule , Enterbrain
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Fifth grader Shuuichi Nitori is considered by most to be one of the prettiest girls in school, but much to her dismay, she is actually biologically male. Fortunately, Shuuichi has a childhood friend who shares similar feelings of gender dysphoria: the lanky tomboy Yoshino Takatsuki, who, though biologically female, does not identify as a girl. These two friends share a similar secret and find solace in one another; however, their lives become even more complicated when they must tread the unfamiliar waters of a new school, attempt to make new friends, and struggle to maintain old ones. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, they must learn to deal with the harsh realities of growing up, gender identity, relationships, and acceptance.

Lauded as a decidedly serious take on gender identity and LGBT struggles, Takako Shimura's Hourou Musuko is about Shuuichi and Yoshino's journey to discover their true selves as they enter puberty, make friends, fall in love, and face real and difficult choices.

Note: The full version of Hourou Musuko was originally intended to be 12 episodes, but the programming block it aired on only had space for 11 episodes. Therefore, episodes 10 and 11 were edited together and aired on TV as episode 10. Episode 12 was aired on TV as episode 11. The full versions of episodes 10 and 11 were included on the BD & DVD releases and are included in the Hourou Musuko Specials entry.

Tags: LGBTQ+ Themes , Transgender , Coming of Age , Gender Bending , Female Protagonist , School , Crossdressing , Primarily Child Cast , Bullying , Family Life , Iyashikei , Love Triangle , Seinen , Acting , Bisexual , Writing , Photography , Basketball

Sarazanmai

Also known as Sarazanmai.

Studio: MAPPA , Lapin Track , Aniplex , Dentsu , Movic , Fuji TV , Crunchyroll
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Supernatural

The stage is Asakusa. One day, three 2nd-year middle school students — Kazuki Yasaka, Tooi Kuji, and Enta Jinnai — meet a mysterious kappa-like creature named Keppi, who forcibly takes their shirikodama (a mythical organ kappa steal through a person's anus) and transforms the boys into kappa.

Keppi informs them, "If you wish to return to your former selves, you must connect in 'that way' and bring me the shirikodama of zombies." Will the three boys be able to connect as they steal shirikodama from zombies?! Meanwhile, two policemen — Reo Niiboshi and Mabu Akutsu — are up to something at the police box where they are stationed.



Tags: Satire , Shapeshifting , Surreal Comedy , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Youkai , Philosophy , Henshin , Zombie , Police , Primarily Teen Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Musical Theater , Meta , Boys' Love , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Episodic , Slapstick , Crime , Crossdressing , Football , Suicide , Tanned Skin , Bisexual , Delinquents , Idol , Guns , Drugs , Nudity

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

Hanebado!

Also known as HANEBADO!.

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Despite her great potential, Ayano Hanesaki would rather avoid badminton than play it. But, when she meets Nagisa Aragaki, a third year who spends every waking moment perfecting her game, she’s inspired. Encouraged by their coach, Tachibana Kentarou, Ayano and Nagisa will hit the court and rally against opponents and rivals with amazing skills!



Tags: Badminton , Female Protagonist , School Club , Primarily Female Cast , Rotoscoping , Tomboy , School , Estranged Family , Anti-Hero , Seinen , CGI

Ookiku Furikabutte

Also known as Big Windup!.

Studio: A-1 Pictures , TBS , Aniplex , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Movic , Kodansha
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Sports

After a falling out with his middle school team, Mihashi enters Nishiura high school with no social skill, a warped opinion of himself, and every intention to quit baseball. The newly formed Nishiura baseball team, however, needs a pitcher, and they welcome him. Most enthusiastic is Abe, a domineering catcher with his own game issues.

And so a battery every bit as complementary as it is dysfunctional is formed. If they can figure out how to work together, they might be the answers to each other's problems-and the team might be able to win.

Tags: Baseball , School Club , Primarily Male Cast , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Bullying , Cheerleading

Ping Pong THE ANIMATION

Also known as Ping Pong the Animation.

Studio: Tatsunoko Production , Aniplex
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Sports

Tsukimoto Makoto (nicknamed Smile) is a quiet high-schooler who's been friends with the loud and energetic Hoshino Yukata (nicknamed Peko). They're both in the table tennis club and are very good at it, though Smile's personality prevents him from winning against Peko. The club teacher however notices Smile's talent and tries to make him gain some sportive tenacity.



Tags: Coming of Age , Table Tennis , Primarily Male Cast , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Ensemble Cast , Rotoscoping , School , Teacher , Language Barrier , CGI , Bullying , Anti-Hero , Time Skip , Delinquents , Coastal , Suicide , Incest