Best sports anime available on Netflix in India

When people think of anime, they often picture fantasy powers, futuristic worlds or supernatural battles. But there is another side of anime that does not rely on magic or monsters, and that is the sports genre. Sports anime takes the high-stakes energy of shonen storytelling and applies it to real-world sports like basketball, volleyball, tennis, cycling, and even baseball.

Usually, these shows highlight the pressure of the game, the strategies on the field or court, and the determination that drives each player forward. With that in mind, here are the best sports anime currently available on Netflix in India that are well worth your time.

Best sports anime available on Netflix in India

Here are the top sports anime on Netflix.

Haikyuu

Hajime no Ippo

Kuroko’s Basketball

Yowamushi Pedal

Blue Box

1. Haikyuu

Volleyball is not usually the first sport that comes to mind when thinking about anime, but Haikyuu shows how thrilling it can be. The series follows Shōyō Hinata, a short but determined high school student who gets hooked on volleyball after watching a player called “The Little Giant” dominate the court despite being small in stature. 

Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball team, where he meets Tobio Kageyama, an exceptionally skilled setter with a serious and competitive nature. Their rivalry and partnership create much of the show’s tension and development. Both characters make mistakes and face setbacks, which makes their growth feel authentic and earned. Beyond the sport, Haikyuu captures the experience of high school life, including the awkward moments, the friendships and the passion that comes from working toward a shared goal.

2. Hajime no Ippo

Sports anime often highlight big moments and flashy moves, but Hajime no Ippo focuses on the hard work and determination behind boxing. The story follows Ippo Makunouchi, a quiet teenager who spends most of his time helping out at his family’s fishing business. That all changes when a run-in with bullies leads him to a boxing gym.

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What starts as a random encounter quickly turns into something much bigger once Ippo’s raw talent comes to light. The series focuses on hard work, growth, and the grind it takes to climb the ranks. Along the way, Hajime no Ippo introduces a cast of gymmates, opponents, and mentors, each adding their own stories and motivations to the mix.

3. Kuroko's Basketball

Kuroko’s Basketball, or Kuroko no Basuke, taps into the larger-than-life world of anime sports where flash, style, and pure drive the action just as much as the sport itself. For anyone unfamiliar, this series was a major hit in Japan, with millions of manga volumes sold and a loyal fan base drawn to its mix of fierce rivalries and flashy, over-the-top basketball. 

The story centres on Tetsuya Kuroko, a quiet and unassuming high school freshman who was once the secret sixth man of the legendary Generation of Miracles, a middle school team so dominant that they demolished everything in their path.

After the group scatters to rival schools, Kuroko teams up with Taiga Kagami, a fiery transfer student with raw power, to take on his former teammates one by one. Rather than focusing on realistic play, the series leans into dramatic moments and stylised action that would never happen in a real match but feel perfectly at home in this animated universe.

4. Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal might not capture everyone’s attention on the premise alone because a sports anime about high school cycling does not exactly sound mainstream. Yet this long-running and high-energy sports anime series brings the world of competitive cycling to life with plenty of drama and emotion. The story follows Sakamichi Onoda, a nerdy, soft-spoken teen who unknowingly builds incredible endurance by biking miles to Akihabara on a beat-up commuter bike.

When the school’s racing team spots his raw talent, Onoda gets pulled into a world of gruelling races, fierce rivalries, and strong bonds of teamwork. The anime features a colourful cast, who push Onoda to improve. Even for those who are not cycling fans, Yowamushi Pedal offers the universal thrill of underdog perseverance and hard-fought victories.

5. Blue Box

Blue Box adapts Kouji Miura’s popular manga into an intimate sports drama that explores the subtle pressures of youth. The series follows Taiki Inomata, a reserved junior high badminton player, who quietly holds a crush on Chinatsu Kano, the star of the girls’ basketball team. When Chinatsu’s parents are transferred overseas, she moves in with Taiki’s family, bringing a mix of awkwardness and connection between the two. 

Adapted from Kouji Miura’s popular manga, the Netflix anime explores the subtle pressures young athletes face alongside the tender, sometimes clumsy beginnings of first love. The show captures the daily grind of training and the emotional tension that comes with teenage ambitions and unspoken feelings.