Top Judo Anime Recommendations

No Game No Life

Also known as No Game, No Life.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy

Bored with life and considering the real world to be just a “crappy game,” savvy sibling shut-ins Sora and Shiro have withdrawn into their own fantasy world filled with video games.

However, one day they find themselves summoned to another world by a boy who calls himself “God,” their abilities are about to be put to the ultimate test! Now not only their fates — but the fate of all of humanity — will be decided by a series of games that may just be the hardest these super-geniuses have ever faced!



Tags: Isekai , Gambling , Alternate Universe , Video Games , Hikikomori , Magic , Male Protagonist , Politics , Primarily Female Cast , Parody , Gods , Female Protagonist , Travel , Kuudere , Memory Manipulation , Kemonomimi , Meta , Class Struggle , Kingdom Management , Female Harem , Nudity , Nekomimi , Elf , Super Power , Judo

Baki

Also known as BAKI.

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Sports

The protagonist, Baki Hanma, trains with an intense focus to become strong enough to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma, the strongest fighter in the world. Five of the world's most violent and brutal death row inmates are gathering to face Baki. Their objective is to taste defeat -- their unmatched strength and skill have led them to grow bored of life itself, and they now seek out Baki in the hopes that he can overwhelm and utterly crush them. In this crisis, other underground martial art warriors gather to fight by Baki's side: Kaoru Hanayama, Gouki Shibukawa, Retsu Kaioh, and Doppo Orochi. An epic showdown between violent death row inmates and Baki and his friends begins!



Tags: Martial Arts , Fugitive , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Shounen , Gore , Delinquents , Revenge , Crime , Judo , CGI , Surreal Comedy , Prison , Boxing , Nudity , Foreign , Guns , Super Power , Crossdressing , Circus

Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san 2nd Attack

Also known as DON'T TOY WITH ME, MISS NAGATORO 2nd Attack.

Studio: OLM
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

The second season of Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san.

Miss Nagatoro is back for even more antics against Senpai in her next round of shenanigans!



Tags: Heterosexual , School , Slapstick , Tsundere , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Tanned Skin , Drawing , Gyaru , Episodic , Tomboy , Shounen , School Club , Judo , Martial Arts , Cultivation

Koyomimonogatari

Also known as Koyomimonogatari.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Mystery , Supernatural

Third season of the Monogatari Series, part 2/5. Adapts the arcs Koyomi Stone, Koyomi Flower, Koyomi Sand, Koyomi Water, Koyomi Wind, Koyomi Tree, Koyomi Tea, Koyomi Mountain, Koyomi Torus, Koyomi Seed, Koyomi Nothing, and Koyomi Dead from the Koyomimonogatari light novel.

“You’re looking for a horror story? I wish I got one for you." Untold stories… one per month for one year… Taking place between other Monogatari stories, a chapter not yet told surrounds Koyomi Araragi and the strange happenings he gets pulled into over the course of a year. With one episode told per month, the story unravels in this 12 episode-long series of shorts.



Premiered on the Japan-exclusive Koyomimonogatari mobile app.

Tags: Urban Fantasy , Philosophy , Episodic , Male Protagonist , Achronological Order , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Vampire , Female Harem , Tsundere , Judo , Kuudere , Slapstick , Surreal Comedy , School

Medaka Box

Also known as Medaka Box.

Studio: Gainax
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy

When newly elected Student Council President Medaka Kurokami institutes her idea for a suggestion box where people can submit problems that need to be solved, she's expecting things like rescuing lost puppies and giving advice. What she and her best friend Zenkichi find instead, however, are the first hints of an unbelievable secret, and their school, Hakoniwa Academy, and Medaka herself are somehow at the very center of the growing maelstrom! As what seemed like an innocent past time turns into a dangerous game, Medaka and her recruits to the Student Council discover new depths to both themselves and their own unexpected abilities. And then things get really out of control!



Tags: School , Super Power , Martial Arts , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Shounen , Swimming , Judo

Ai no Utagoe wo Kikasete

Also known as Sing a Bit of Harmony.

Studio: J.C. Staff
Status: Finished
Genres: Music , Sci-Fi

When the beautiful and mysterious Shion transfers to Keibu High School, she quickly becomes popular for her open-hearted personality and exceptional athletic talent… but she turns out to be an AI in the testing phase! Shion’s goal is to bring chronic loner Satomi "happiness". But her strategy is something no human would expect: she serenades Satomi in the middle of the classroom.

After finding out that Shion is an AI, Satomi and her childhood friend, engineering geek Touma, steadily warm up to the new student. Along with the popular and attractive Gocchan, the strong-willed Aya, and judo club member "Thunder", they become more and more moved by Shion’s singing voice and earnestness even as her antics bewilder them. But what Shion does for Satomi’s sake ends up involving them all in some serious pandemonium…



Tags: Artificial Intelligence , Robots , Musical Theater , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Heterosexual , Fugitive , Male Protagonist , Judo , Motorcycles

Hinako Note

Studio: Passione
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Hinako is poor at speaking and lives in a rural part of Japan. She wants to improve her speech to be able to talk to people freely, so in high school, she transfers schools to Tokyo and plans to join a theater club. When she arrives, it turns out her boarding house is a secondhand bookstore, and a girl who eats books lives there.



Tags: Acting , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Primarily Female Cast , Seinen , Female Protagonist , Cosplay , Tsundere , Judo , Chibi , Maids , School Club

Dance Dance Danseur

Also known as Dance Dance Danseur.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

Danseur noble--a ballet dancer qualified to dance the role of the prince. Second-year junior high school student Murao Junpei was fascinated by ballet as a boy, but gave up on dancing after his father's death, as he had to become a man. However, one day, a beautiful transfer student named Godai Miyako appears before him. Miyako takes notice in Junpei's love of ballet and invites him to dance with her. Along with Miyako's cousin Mori Ruou, he begins his career as a full-fledged ballet dancer, with the aim of becoming the world's best dancer--the Danseur noble! Only those who have sacrificed everything are permitted to stand in the beautiful and harsh world of classical ballet. What will be the fate of a total beginner like Junpei?!



Tags: Dancing , Male Protagonist , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , Seinen , School , Bullying , Acting , School Club , Martial Arts , Incest , Judo , POV , Time Skip , CGI , Suicide

Hakozume: Kouban Joshi no Gyakushuu

Also known as Police in a Pod.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Slice of Life

Officer Mai Kawai has had enough! She’s sick of being a police officer—but just when she’s about to hand in her resignation, the arrival of a brilliant (and beautiful) ace detective named Seiko Fuji changes her mind. Will Fuji reignite Mai’s passion for policing? And will Mai uncover the mystery of why Fuji was transferred to this ordinary police box?



Tags: Police , Primarily Adult Cast , Work , Female Protagonist , Crime , Seinen , Urban , Episodic , Delinquents , Educational , Detective , Suicide , Cars , Tragedy , Drawing , Judo , Yakuza , Drugs , Animals , Trains , Motorcycles , Mopeds

Holo no Graffiti

Studio: Cover Corp
Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

From unraveling the secrets of opening and closing doors to defusing surprise packages more commonly known as bombs, there is never a dull day at the Hololive Production office! Holo no Graffiti follows an eccentric cast of Virtual YouTubers, also known as "VTubers," going about their absurd yet hilarious daily lives, detailing all their cute moments and mishaps.



Tags: VTuber , Primarily Female Cast , Ensemble Cast , Parody , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Full CGI , Slapstick , Idol , Episodic , Meta , Surreal Comedy , Video Games , Conspiracy , Nekomimi , Succubus , Yuri , Band , Kemonomimi , Dancing , Shrine Maiden , Maids , Tomboy , Pirates , Witch , Office Lady , Demons , Detective , Judo , Dragons , Elf , Vampire , Battle Royale , Ghost , Fishing , Angels , Real Robot , Space , Kaiju , Body Swapping , Necromancy , Aliens , Cars

Mou Ippon!

Also known as Ippon! again.

Studio: BAKKEN RECORD
Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life , Sports

After one last tournament and an embarrassing loss in the final round, Michi decides to call it quits on the sport of judo. Between high school social activities and entrance exams, she’ll have no time to compete in the martial art she loves most, but putting aside old hobbies is a normal part of growing up. Still, the love of judo lingers—and it comes back full force when she meets her new classmate Towa, the girl who bested Michi in her final match! Towa wants to form a judo club at their school, but she’ll need new members to get it up and running. United by their love of judo, they’ll throw in their passions into the ring together and score ippon again!



Tags: Martial Arts , Judo , School Club , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , School , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Iyashikei , Shounen

Seitokaichou ni Chuukoku

Also known as Hey, Class President!.

Studio: PrimeTime
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance

Even as he tries to keep the student council president out of trouble, Vice President Chiga-kun finds himself being drawn to the president's strength and power. Chiga-kun wonders how he, being such an intelligent individual, can be so unwillingly taken with a boy who is so country and simple...



Tags: Boys' Love , Male Protagonist , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Judo , Fitness , Primarily Male Cast

YAWARA! a fashionable judo girl!

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Sports

Yawara! is a sports anime laced with comedic and romance elements. It starts off with Yawara Inokuma, a high school girl who is most interested in doing the things that your average Japanese high school girl does. However, she has been trained in Judo for years by her grandfather, Jigorou (A former Japan Judo Champion), who has much grander plans in store for her as a Judo superstar. He manipulates matters so that Yawara ends up having to perform in matches and tournaments. His final plan is for Yawara to "Win the Gold Medal in the Olympics and be awarded the Nation Medal of Honor".



Tags: Athletics , Female Protagonist , Martial Arts , Coming of Age , Judo , Seinen , Love Triangle , Primarily Adult Cast , Parody , Ojou-sama , College

YAWARA! Special: Zutto Kimi no Koto ga... .

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Yawara Inokuma competes for Japan in the Atlanta Olympic Games as she meets with several familiar faces throughout the tournament.



Tags: Judo , Martial Arts , Female Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Love Triangle , Seinen , Foreign

YAWARA! Sore Yuke Koshinuke Kids!!

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sports

Yawara helps a group of timid grade school kids overcome their fears and compete in a judo competition. One of the kids is Hanazono's cousin, which is how she meets them. Another is a girl who seems a whole lot like Yawara.



Tags: Martial Arts , Primarily Child Cast , Wrestling , Judo

Kurenai Sanshirou

Also known as Judo Boy.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Sports

Young Sanshiro Kurenai is the proud heir of a judo dojo. One day, he finds his beloved father dead and a glass eye not too far from the corpse. Ready to avenge his father and take his honour back, Sanshiro and his friend Ken start searching for the mysterious one-eyed murderer ...



Tags: Martial Arts , Episodic , Revenge , Male Protagonist , Judo , Shounen

Karate Baka Ichidai

Also known as The Fanatical Karate Generation.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Sports

Based on Ooyama Masutatsu's early years.

After having survived the war as a Kamikaze pilot, Ken goes on a path to become the strongest martial artist in the world. Fighting bears, bulls and countless other martial arts such as Muay Thai, Tai Chi and many more around the world.

Tags: Shounen , Martial Arts , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Foreign , Yakuza , Boxing , Wrestling , Judo , Revenge , Guns , Gangs , Delinquents , Biographical , Time Skip , War , Fugitive , Ninja , Prison

Princess ARMY: Wedding★COMBAT

Also known as Princess Army: Wedding Combat.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Romance

The story is about Aida Nonoka who is rescued from a drunken attacker by a judoist. She then resolves to become as good as her savior, hoping that one day to recognize him by the scar on his back. She then transferred into a new high school where she meets two older boys who could possibly the person to whom she owes her life and to give her heart.



Tags: Shoujo , Age Gap , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Judo , Love Triangle , Femboy

Sugata Sanshiro

Also known as Judo Story.

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Romance , Sports

In the year 1882, Sanshirou comes to Tokyo seeking for a worthy martial arts teacher. There, he meets Yano - a judo master who single-handedly defeats 39 jujitsu practitioners. Extremely impressed by his skill, Sanshirou decides to become his disciple. Later, Sanshirou falls for Sayo Murai - a girl whose father is a martial arts instructor at the local police department; and he also has to face Higaki Gennosuke, a skilled jujitsu fighter and his greatest rival.

Tags: Judo , Historical , Time Skip , Male Protagonist , Martial Arts

Inakappe Taishou

Also known as General Inakappe.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Sports

A comedy about a country boy that travels to the city to study judo. He ends up meeting the daughter of a prominent dojo and her judo skilled cat. Each episode features 2 stories.



Tags: Judo