Run with the Wind is a compelling sports anime that follows a ragtag group of college students coerced into forming a track team to compete in the prestigious Hakone Ekiden relay race. It masterfully blends themes of personal growth, teamwork, and overcoming adversity as the characters push their limits both physically and emotionally. At its core, the series explores power systems through structured training regimens and mental fortitude, underdog stories of unlikely athletes rising to the challenge, and subversion of expectations by turning reluctant participants into passionate runners.
These selected anime deserve more attention because they similarly emphasize deep character arcs, motivational underdog narratives, and innovative storytelling, often overshadowed by more mainstream titles, offering fresh perspectives on perseverance and human connection that resonate deeply with fans seeking inspirational tales.
1. Baby Steps (2014)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: A studious high schooler named Eiichirou Maruo discovers a passion for tennis and joins a club, gradually improving through rigorous practice despite starting with no prior experience. As he competes in tournaments, he learns to balance academics and athletics while forming bonds with fellow players.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Like Run with the Wind, it focuses on an underdog protagonist’s methodical growth through hard work and team support, subverting expectations of instant talent with realistic character development in a sports setting.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.8
- Episode Count: 25 (Season 1) + 25 (Season 2)
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori at Pierrot studio, with music by Takahiro Kawada
- Awards or Recognition: Nominated for Best Sports Anime at the 2015 Anime Grand Prix
2. Ping Pong the Animation (2014)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Netflix
- Brief Plot Summary: Two childhood friends, Peco and Smile, navigate the competitive world of table tennis, confronting personal insecurities and rivalries that test their friendship and skills. As they participate in high-stakes matches, they discover deeper meanings in the sport beyond winning.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Shares a narrative style emphasizing psychological depth and character evolution in underdogs, with unique hand-drawn animation that subverts traditional sports tropes by focusing on emotional introspection rather than spectacle.
- Current MAL Rating: 8.6
- Episode Count: 11
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Masaaki Yuasa at Tatsunoko Production, known for experimental visuals
- Awards or Recognition: Won Animation of the Year at the 2015 Tokyo Anime Award Festival
3. Chihayafuru (2011)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- Brief Plot Summary: Chihaya Ayase, inspired by a childhood friend, pursues mastery in karuta, a poetry-based card game, forming a high school club to compete nationally. She reunites with old friends and rivals, pushing everyone to grow through intense tournaments.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Mirrors the underdog team-building and character-driven arcs, subverting expectations by treating a niche activity like a high-stakes sport with profound emotional development.
- Current MAL Rating: 8.2 (Season 1)
- Episode Count: 25 (Season 1) + 25 (Season 2) + 25 (Season 3)
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Morio Asaka at Madhouse, with character designs by Kunihiko Hamada
- Awards or Recognition: Won Best TV Anime at the 2012 Japan Media Arts Festival
4. Tsurune (2018)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Minato Narumiya, a former archery prodigy, overcomes trauma to rejoin his high school kyudo club, where he and his teammates strive for national glory through disciplined practice. Personal struggles and team dynamics shape their journey to harmony in the sport.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Features similar themes of redemption and group synergy in underdogs, with a narrative style that subverts competitive norms by emphasizing mental discipline and fluid animation of archery techniques.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.6 (Season 1)
- Episode Count: 13 (Season 1) + 13 (Season 2)
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Takuya Yamamura at Kyoto Animation, renowned for detailed character animation
- Awards or Recognition: Nominated for Best Animation at the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
5. Welcome to the Ballroom (2017)
- Current Streaming Availability: Amazon Prime Video
- Brief Plot Summary: Tatara Fujita stumbles into competitive ballroom dancing and trains under a strict mentor, partnering with talented dancers to climb the ranks in tournaments. He navigates rivalries and self-doubt while honing his skills in this elegant yet demanding world.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Echoes the underdog progression through intense training and character bonds, subverting expectations with dynamic animation that captures the grace and grit of dance as a sport.
- Current MAL Rating: 8.0
- Episode Count: 24
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Yoshimi Itazu at Production I.G, with music by Yuki Hayashi (also of Run with the Wind)
- Awards or Recognition: Won Best Character Design at the 2018 Anime Grand Prix
6. Stars Align (2019)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Toma Shinjo revives his school’s soft tennis club by recruiting Maki Katsuragi, leading the team through personal hardships and matches that reveal deeper family issues. They bond over the sport, finding strength in vulnerability.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Aligns in portraying underdog teams with raw, emotional character development, subverting sports anime norms by integrating social issues into its narrative style.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.6
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Kazuki Akane at Eight Bit, with original character designs by Itsuka
- Awards or Recognition: Praised for sensitive handling of themes at the 2020 Tokyo Anime Award Festival
7. Re-Main (2021)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: After a coma erases his water polo memories, Minato Kiyomizu rebuilds his skills and reforms a high school team, confronting past traumas and rivalries in pursuit of victory. Team members grow through shared challenges in the pool.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Shares underdog redemption arcs and team-focused narratives, with a storytelling approach that subverts amnesia tropes through realistic athletic progression.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.3
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Kiyoshi Matsuda at MAPPA, with script by Masafumi Nishida
- Awards or Recognition: Nominated for Best Sports Anime at the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
8. Ahiru no Sora (2019)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Short-statured Sora Kurumatani joins a delinquent-filled basketball club, inspiring his teammates to take the sport seriously through sheer determination and skill-building. They aim for inter-high success despite internal conflicts.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Emphasizes underdog team revival and character growth from reluctance to passion, subverting expectations with grounded depictions of personal hurdles.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.3
- Episode Count: 50
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Keizou Kusakawa at Diomedéa, based on Takeshi Hinata’s manga
- Awards or Recognition: Recognized for motivational themes in the 2020 Anime Trending Awards
9. Hinomaru Sumo (2018)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Small but determined Ushio Hinomaru leads his high school sumo club to nationals, overcoming size disadvantages through technique and willpower. Teammates confront their own limitations in this ancient sport.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Parallels underdog stories of physical and mental triumphs, with a narrative style that subverts size-based expectations in sports.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.5
- Episode Count: 24
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Yasutaka Yamamoto at Gonzo, with character designs by Kii Tanaka
- Awards or Recognition: Won Best Sports Manga at the 2019 Kodansha Manga Awards (for source material)
10. Backflip!! (2021)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Shoutarou Futaba joins a rhythmic gymnastics team, learning flips and routines alongside quirky teammates aiming for inter-high glory. Personal insecurities and team synergy drive their acrobatic journey.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Features underdog ensemble growth in a niche sport, subverting gender norms with fluid animation and emotional depth.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.4
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi at Zexcs, with music by Yuki Hayashi
- Awards or Recognition: Nominated for Best Animation at the 2022 Seiyu Awards
11. Salaryman’s Club (2022)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Office worker Mikoto Shiratori returns to competitive badminton, balancing corporate life with team matches that reignite his passion. Colleagues become rivals and allies in high-stakes tournaments.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Echoes adult underdog narratives and character bonds formed through sport, with a unique focus on work-life integration subverting typical youth-centric stories.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.2
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Aimi Yamauchi at LIDENFILMS, with script by Teruko Utsumi
- Awards or Recognition: Highlighted for innovative adult themes in the 2022 Anime Trending Awards
12. Bamboo Blade (2007)
- Current Streaming Availability: HIDIVE
- Brief Plot Summary: Broke kendo coach Toraji Ishida assembles a girls’ team to win a bet, leading to intense training and tournaments that foster growth and camaraderie. Personal motivations clash and converge in the dojo.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Shares underdog team assembly and humorous yet deep character development, subverting expectations with slice-of-life elements in martial arts.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.3
- Episode Count: 26
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Hisashi Saito at AIC A.S.T.A., based on Masahiro Totsuka’s manga
- Awards or Recognition: Praised for female empowerment at the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair
13. Oblivion Battery (2024)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Amnesiac pitcher Haruka Kiyomine reunites with catcher Kei Kaname to reform a baseball team, rediscovering skills and memories through games. Teammates overcome doubts in pursuit of victory.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Aligns with underdog recovery arcs and team dynamics, using innovative amnesia-driven storytelling to subvert memory loss tropes.
- Current MAL Rating: 7.4
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Makoto Nakazono at MAPPA, with original manga by Eko Mikawa
- Awards or Recognition: Early acclaim for psychological depth in 2024 reviews
14. Tamayomi (2020)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Yomi Takeda revives her high school girls’ baseball club with childhood friend Tamaki Yamazaki, building a team through practice and regional tournaments. They challenge stereotypes in a male-dominated sport.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Emphasizes underdog female athletes’ growth and subversion of gender expectations, with character-focused narratives in team sports.
- Current MAL Rating: 6.5
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Toshinori Fukushima at Studio A-Cat, based on Mountain Pukuichi’s manga
- Awards or Recognition: Noted for promoting women’s sports in 2020 Anime Feminist reviews
15. Harukana Receive (2018)
- Current Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Brief Plot Summary: Haruka Oozora moves to Okinawa and teams up with cousin Kanata Higa for beach volleyball, training intensely to compete in nationals despite height disadvantages. Bonds strengthen through sun-soaked matches.
- Specific Similarities to Run with the Wind: Mirrors underdog partnerships and physical overcoming, subverting beach tropes with serious character development and vibrant coastal animation.
- Current MAL Rating: 6.8
- Episode Count: 12
- Notable Staff/Studio Involvement: Directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka at C2C, with music by Rasmus Faber
- Awards or Recognition: Recognized for summery visuals at the 2019 Anime Trending Awards
Why These Anime Work for Run with the Wind Fans
These series excel by delving into the human side of competition, much like Run with the Wind, where underdogs transform through perseverance and relationships, often subverting conventional sports narratives with unique styles and themes. They provide motivational depth and character-driven stories that inspire viewers to appreciate the journey over mere victory, making them perfect hidden gems for fans craving similar emotional resonance and realistic growth.
