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Sports Anime: How They Attract Non-Sports Fans to Watch it

Nowadays, many sports animes have become popular: Free! , Haikyuu!! , Kuroko no Basuke, etc. It makes sense for fans who love these sports to watch these animes, but how do they attract non-sports fans to watch it? Is it the storyline, characters, themes, or something else that intrigues them? This article can focus on one anime in particular, or talk about sports anime in general.

  • DBZ-syndrome is a major drawing/detracting factor. I've been (shamefully) a huge fan of sports manga/anime since I was little, and the fact that these people who aren't Saiyans or heroes with superpowers that can perform these "moves" in real-life events has always been attractive. At the same time, it can be a big factor in turning off many who invest in these sports because it's completely unrealistic. I can't deny that I've tried to mimic Prince of Tennis moves in my own games though. Hey, those are cool. – Austin 9 years ago
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  • I am a really big fan of Furudate-sensei, so that lead me reading Haikkyuu!! The above theory is nice, everyone wants to go super saiyan, but I have no interest in being a volleyball player. I am a big fan of Hajime no Ippo, but I really like boxing. So yeah, I know this note is unhelpful (lol). But I am stumped in the idea that I read Haikyuu!! when I can say that I don't know volleyball, or have an interest on it. I like Furudate's art though. I think I like the will to be relevant in sports and take it as a metaphor to the having ambition. – Jill 9 years ago
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  • Adachi Mitsuru's Cross Game and its anime adaptation deserves consideration for this topic. It uses sports (here baseball) as a plot device that drives much of the story as well as a sort of thematic glue that unites the characters and their conflicts. In other words, is athletics the only thing that gives the anime depth or is it simply the setting in which the story is being told? – rj2n 9 years ago
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  • I think there's a bit of a sports anime version of this "DBZ-syndrome" as well. If you look at Kuroko no Basuke, the abilities of the generation of miracles can lean towards the logic defying and superhuman, but I also think that contributes a bit towards the excitement of the anime (and let's not forget prince of tennis, a sports anime that could truly care less about physics). However, there are other anime like baby steps and haikyuu that don't rely on every other athlete having some crazy powerful ability, but do a very good job of explaining the sports mechanics, and using life off the court to draw viewers into the story. I think this spectrum of sports anime gives a bit more to offer when we're looking at what can attract viewers to the genre. – crpreble 8 years ago
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  • I think the animation helps. Free! has some of the most beautiful animation I've ever seen in an anime (the eyes!). Also, from what I've seen of Kuroko no Basuke, the style is really exciting. I might actually check it out in the future. – OkaNaimo0819 4 years ago
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  • I agree-I am not a sports fan, and don’t even play sports. Though watching Haikyuu, it draws me in. Yes, the characters and animations have a HUGE part in drawing fans in, I think the sports helps add action that so many anime watchers like. – Kthemangalover 3 years ago
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