Sports anime have gained a lot of prominence throughout the years and have grown to be one of the best genres offered in anime.
Boxing anime, in particular, has managed to stick out in this genre with its intense fighting sequences and amazing character development.
With many hype scenes and pleasing animation, many enjoyable boxing anime have been released.
Several boxing anime fans might have difficulty picking what to watch, which is where this article will help them.
Through this list, we shall recommend the best boxing anime made for fans of exhilarating action to enjoy.
15 Best Boxing Anime One Must Watch
15. Nozomi Witches
- Number of Episodes: 3
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Romance
- MAL Rating: 6.31
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
While the title “Nozomi Witches” seems like anything but a sports anime, it is a very good and enjoyable boxing anime.
Nozomi Witches follows its protagonist, Ryoutaro, a young student who discovers that his new neighbor is an enchanting girl named Nozomi.
While Nozomi is an extremely popular girl who is an actress, in addition to being beautiful, she has a mysterious dream that she wants to fulfill.
Sensing potential in Ryoutaro, she pushes him to pursue boxing in order to satisfy her dream.
While Ryoutaro is initially skeptical, he finds that he has a special ability that lets him overpower several opponents.
However, he will need more than just his gift as he faces more hurdles as the series progresses.
Nozomi Witches is an anime that invokes viewers’ nostalgia with its distinctive art style and a romantic subtext to martial arts.
14. Rokudenashi Blues
- Number of Episodes: 1
- Number of Seasons: Movie
- Genres: Sports, Comedy, Drama
- MAL Rating: 5.82
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Rokudenashi Blues is yet another hidden gem from the 90s that is yet to get the appreciation it is due.
Combining a delinquent school story with boxing makes it a very entertaining experience throughout its running time.
It follows a shy main character who is initially seen as feeble by others.
However, after beating up a teacher, this opinion changes as several school clubs looking to recruit him.
The main character is very dedicated to a single goal in his sights, taking professional boxing and becoming the champion.
Rokudenashi blues is a very uplifting anime with everything we love in combat sports, from a training montage to fun fight sequences.
Watching the main character become one of the strongest fighters in Tokyo’s high schools is an entertaining experience that has us cheering alongside him.
While the anime is fairly short, the boxing manga is fleshed out with very comedic scenes and great character development.
13. Slow Step
- Number of Episodes: 5
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life
- MAL Rating: 6.46
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Slow Step is a rare sports anime that aims at the Shoujo demographic while giving equal priority to its sports and romantic storyline.
It follows a classic love triangle between a softball player, a promising boxer, and their classmate.
Characteristic of a Shoujo manga, this is built upon misunderstandings and several frustrating aspects.
However, that also makes the show’s themes very engaging and attaches us to the characters with its use of drama and humor.
It has surprisingly great animation for its time period and showcases not just one popular sport but 2 of them.
Slow Step is a very enjoyable boxing anime for fans who want to experience the beauty of anime of the olden days.
12. One Pound Gospel
- Number of Episodes: 1
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Romance, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 6.41
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
One Pound Gospel is a short and sweet boxing anime and manga that revolves around the life and relationship between its main characters.
It follows a young boy named Hatanaka, who is very talented in boxing.
However, he has terrible eating habits and the tendency to not turn down offers even from higher weight classes which causes him to lose often.
While trying to improve himself, he runs into Sister Angela, a young nun who takes it upon herself to help him in his goal.
As the two work together, they share more than a friendly relationship as they realize they have feelings for each other.
They struggle to keep themselves in check while striving to excel in their own fields.
Created by the amazing Rumiko Takahashi, who also made Inuyasha, One Pound Gospel shares several similarities in addition to making the viewer feel very satisfied while watching it.
11. Ring Ni Kakero
- Number of Episodes: 36
- Number of Seasons: 4
- Genres: Sports, Action
- MAL Rating: 6.39
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Ring ni kakero is a boxing anime that teaches us the value of family and the importance of perseverance.
It follows the life of a pair of siblings who work towards achieving their father’s dying wish of becoming a champion in the boxing world.
With the sister acting as the coach while the brother trains very hard, they cover each other’s weaknesses while working hard to overcome hurdles.
They then compete in competitions while facing various opponents who stand in the way of their dream.
In the process, they also gain a worthy rival who forces them to step up their game and grow in strength.
Ring ni kakero is the inspiring story that we all love from the boxing genre while having a very relatable cast and a fun story.
10. Burning Blood
- Number of Episodes: 3
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Action
- MAL Rating: 6.13
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Burning Blood is a short but memorable boxing anime and manga that has the exhilarating action and enjoyable drama that we all love martial arts anime for.
It follows the life of a trumpet player called Ryo, who is slowly growing in popularity with his man.
After getting in a fight with a gang, however, he suffers an embarrassing defeat against a man who he later considers his rival.
Never wanting to feel the same again, he gives up on his music career and enters the world of underground boxing in order to become more powerful.
Staying true to the title, it is also revealed that Ryo has an ability where his Blood starts burning when he gets too engrossed in his fights.
His journey, as well as the supporting cast, is one of the strongest aspects of this show, and it has more than earned its spot in the 10 best boxing anime.
9. Honoo no Tenkousei
- Number of Episodes: 2
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Action, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 6.61
- Where to Watch: N/A
While most of the great boxing anime is unavailable on official sites due to their old release dates, fans who watch them are in for a treat as they all have a beautiful art style and unique storylines.
Honoo no Tenkousei is no different from this, as it has managed to gain the admiration of many fans through the years.
It follows the story of its main protagonist, a young man named Takizawa Noboru.
In his surroundings of the new Jakuniku Gakuen school, he realizes that martial arts and boxing, in particular, settle all conflicts.
When he is set to be punished for being an hour late by the school attendant, the protagonist is saved by a beautiful girl who ends up winning his heart.
However, he has high competition as several others in his school also get in conflicts constantly for the heart of the girl.
In order to impress her and become worthy, he decides to take on his competition while becoming a great boxer in the process.
With a great mix of action and comedy, Honoo no Tenkousei manages to be of appeal even to a modern audience.
While the anime is relatively short, the manga is much more fleshed out, making the characters even more memorable.
8. Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
- Number of Episodes: 50
- Number of Seasons: 2 + 11 OVAS
- Genres: Action, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 8.06
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Prime Video, Hulu, Tubi, Vudu
Kenichi: The Mightiest disciple is one of the more familiar martial arts anime to the newer generation while being a source of endless fun through every episode.
It follows an extremely weak and frail young boy named Kenichi, who is constantly bullied for being unable to defend himself.
After a coincidental meeting with an extremely strong girl, he strives to improve himself and asks for her help.
She directs him toward her grandfather’s dojo and tells him he will be a changed man if he survives the intense training.
He trains with renewed effort and a fighting spirit with a dangerous gang lurking around the corner that threatens his peaceful life and his loved ones.
Kenichi: the mightiest disciple maintains its comedic tone but gives the dramatic moments the importance they deserve.
Both its boxing anime and manga will be delightful for Shounen fans.
7. Levius
- Number of Episodes: 12
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Action, Sci-Fi
- MAL Rating: 7.16
- Where to Watch: Netflix
While Netflix definitely does not have the best track record when it comes to producing anime, they have knocked it out of the park with this adaptation of the boxing manga “Levius.”
Set in a futuristic society, it revolves around the sport of boxing but with mechanical changes that essentially make the fighters into cybernetically augmented machines.
This piece of work covers the life of its protagonist, Levius, who, similar to others, has acquired powers with the mecha innovations and fights for survival.
It again shows the creativity of anime and the intensity of metal boxing, a sub-genre that is becoming very popular recently.
While the CGI might put you off initially, it is another stand-out feature of this anime that enhances the electrifying action.
6. Ganbare Genki
- Number of Episodes: 35
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Genres: Sports, Action, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 7.44
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Ganbare Genki is another classic boxing anime from the 80s that has a timeless story.
It is a coming-of-age story of its protagonist, Genki, who his professional boxer father raised.
After an unfortunate event, however, his father stopped progressing in his career.
Despite this, Genki believed he could climb the professional boxing ladder once again.
After his death, Genki decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a force to be reckoned with in the boxing world.
Training from a young age, we see his growth from a child to middle school and eventually high school, where he meets many friends and takes huge steps towards becoming a champion.
While many might be initially hesitant to start this anime due to its older style, it is well worth a watch for fans of boxing anime.
5. Kengan Ashura
- Number of Episodes: 24
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Genres: Action
- MAL Rating: 7.44
- Where to Watch: Netflix
Kengan Ashura presents the non-stop and intense action and brutality we expect while watching a martial arts anime.
Set in a seemingly normal world with corporate jobs and business dealings, it follows its violent underbelly while having a unique concept.
In this world, deals and conflicts are resolved through men who are hired and take part in gladiator-like fights to settle them.
Ouma is one such person who wishes to sit at the top in terms of strength while beating down any who wish to challenge him.
After being hired by one such person to fight his battles, Ouma’s life of bloodshed and violence begins as he faces opponent after opponent with difficulty increasing each.
With interesting CGI fights and an unforgettable cast of characters, Kengan Ashura makes the most of its limited runtime.
4. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Number of Episodes: 190
- Number of Seasons: 5
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural
- MAL Rating: 7.90
- Where to Watch: Crunchryoll, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Tubi
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is an epic tale set across several generations of a powerful family covering not just boxing but a variety of fighting styles.
This story of the Joestar family of British origin destined to combat evil supernatural forces begins with a coincidence where a rich nobleman believes that a poor man named Dario Brando saved his life.
Following his death, his son Dio begins living with the nobleman and his son Jonathan Joestar.
It is soon obvious that he has no good intentions as he constantly undermines Jonathan and looks to push him out of the family and gain his father’s fortune.
After failing to win a fight with him, however, he finds a mask capable of giving him supernatural powers to help him achieve his dreams.
In addition, he also has various monsters and evil entities as his allies in his bid to defeat Jonathan.
Their rivalry triggers a chain of events that impact the world for many years.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is a very enjoyable adventure with several main characters who are unique in their own way as well as exhilarating fight sequences that create lots of hype among fans.
3. Megalo Box
- Number of Episodes: 26
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Genres: Sports, Action, Sci-Fi
- MAL Rating: 7.88
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu
Megalo Box is not just one of the best boxing anime to ever come out, but it is also one of the best original anime with no manga.
It follows the life of Junk Dog, a professional boxer in the underground world who makes money by throwing fights against his opponent.
While he is brimming with potential, the illegal nature of the fights forces him to do this in order to survive.
However, after an encounter with the boxing champion, his entire perspective changes as he decides to put in the effort to reach the top.
The boxing in Megalo Box is unique as we see fighters enhance with mechanical parts and abilities to give them the upper hand against opponents.
With a plot filled with heavy emotions and intense action, Megalo Box sets itself apart from every other boxing anime out there.
2. Ashita No Joe
- Number of Episodes: 126
- Number of Seasons: 2 + 2 Movies
- Genres: Sports, Action, Drama
- MAL Rating: 8.29
- Where to Watch: No Official Site Has This Anime
Ashita No Joe is possibly the most influential anime in not just boxing but sports anime in general.
It follows the tragic life of Joe Yabuki, a young man with a lot of talent for fighting but wasting it while wandering the slums.
This changes when he runs into a retired boxer who senses his potential and takes him under his wing.
However, with Joe’s troublesome personality, they encounter several problems that test their conviction.
Joe also soon discovers that the world of boxing is much more than just fighting as he slowly gets affected mentally after a disastrous fight.
Ashita No Joe is much deeper than any other boxing anime out there, as it shows the downfall of a young and vibrant man who succumbs to the weight of expectations placed upon him.
It is a must-watch experience for any fan of boxing anime.
1. Hajime No Ippo (Fighting spirit)
- Number of Episodes: 127
- Number of Seasons: 3 + 1 Move + 1 OVA
- Genres: Sports, Action, Comedy
- MAL Rating: 8.75
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
The best boxing anime of all time is the supremely popular anime called Hajime no Ippo.
It follows a young boy named Ippo who helps his mother run her fishing business due to the absence of a father.
Due to his kind and timid personality, he also tends to get bullied a lot.
However, after an incident where he is saved by a boxer and taken to a boxing gym, Ippo’s talent for the sport is revealed as he stuns everyone with his punches.
The gym coach, retired boxer Genji Kamogawa, decides to train Ippo and help him become a great boxer.
Hajime no Ippo is a motivational and exhilarating story of this young boy as we see him learn to stand up for himself while beating opponents one by one.
He gets to the point where even his bullies come to cheer up Ippo.
With several video games based on it and a very popular manga, Hajime no Ippo is undoubtedly the most beloved boxing anime ever made.
