Inoue, Takehiko

Hanamichi Sakuragi, a tall, boisterous teenager with flame-red hair and physical strength beyond his years, is eager to put an end to his rejection streak of 50 and finally score a girlfriend as he begins his first year of Shohoku High. However, his reputation for delinquency and destructiveness precedes him, and most of his fellow students subsequently avoid him like the plague. As his first day of school ends, he is left with two strong thoughts: "I hate basketball" and "I need a girlfriend."

Haruko Akagi, ignorant of Hanamichi's history of misbehavior, notices his immense height and unwittingly approaches him, asking whether or not he likes basketball. Overcome by the fact that a girl is speaking to him, the red-haired giant blurts out a yes despite his true feelings. At the gym, Haruko asks if he can do a slam dunk. Though a complete novice, Hanamachi palms the ball and makes the leap...but overshoots, slamming his head into the backboard. Amazed by his near-inhuman physical abilities, Haruko quickly notifies the school's basketball captain of his feat. With this, Hanamichi is unexpectedly thrust into a world of competition for a girl he barely knows, but he soon discovers that there is perhaps more to basketball than he once thought.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Slam Dunk

SLAM DUNK

Furudate, Haruichi

The whistle blows. The ball is up. A dig. A set. A spike.

Volleyball. A sport where two teams face off, separated by a formidable, wall-like net.

The "Little Giant," standing at only 170 centimeters, overcomes the towering net and the wall of blockers. The awe-inspired Shouyou Hinata looks on at the ace's crow-like figure. Determined to reach great heights like the Little Giant, small-statured Hinata finally manages to form a team in his last year of junior high school, and enters his first volleyball tournament. However, his team is utterly defeated in their first game against the powerhouse school Kitagawa Daiichi, led by the genius, but oppressive setter dubbed the "King of the Court," Tobio Kageyama.

Hinata enrolls into Karasuno High School seeking to take revenge against Kageyama in an official high school match and to follow in the Little Giant's footsteps—but his plans are ruined when he opens the gymnasium door to find Kageyama as one of his teammates.

Now, Hinata must establish himself on the team and work alongside the problematic Kageyama to overcome his shortcomings and to fulfill his dream of making it to the top of the high school volleyball world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Included one-shot:
Volume 14: Nisekyuu!!

Haikyuu!!

Haikyu!!

ハイキュー!!

Morikawa, George

Makunouchi Ippo is a 16-year-old high school student who helps his mother run the family business. His hefty workload impedes his social life, making him an easy target for bullies. One day, while being beaten up by a group of high school students, Ippo is saved by a boxer named Mamoru Takamura, and is brought to the Kamogawa Boxing Gym.

This afterschool bullying session turns his life around for the better, as Ippo discovers his latent talent for boxing and decides to practice the sport professionally. However, Mamoru doubts Ippo's determination and assigns him a task deemed impossible to complete; but the resolute Ippo trains tirelessly to fulfill his mission. Along the way, he finds out what it means to attain true strength while making new friends and fighting formidable foes.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Hajime no Ippo

Hajime no Ippo: Fighting Spirit!

はじめの一歩

Adachi, Mitsuru

Kou Kitamura is a fifth grader whose family runs a sporting goods store. One of the regular customers of his family's store is the Tsukishima Batting Center, and so he gets to know the four daughters of the Tsukishima family (Ichiyo, Wakaba, Aoba, and Momiji) very well. Since Kou has spent so much time practicing in their batting cages, he has become a genius hitter, but has no knowledge of any other aspect of baseball. This is in contrast to Aoba, who, despite being a year younger, is an adept pitcher and hitter. Wakaba is a classmate of Kou's, and she seems fully intent on marrying him when she grows up. All seems idyllic in their world, until tragedy strikes. The story then skips ahead to four years later, as Kou has continued the training he began four years ago, but has not played in a baseball game since. As he finally begins playing again, it remains to be seen whether or not he will live up to the expectations of those who know the true talent he has been hiding all this time.

(Source: ANN)

Cross Game

クロスゲーム

Touch is a shounen story about two twin brothers, a pretty girl next door, and that good old pastime of baseball. The manga was written by one of the most well known manga-ka out there, Adachi Mitsuru in the early 80's (1981-1986). He's a wonderful writer who tends to write stories that are related to baseball and Koshien, the stadium where the All High School Baseball Tournament is held.

(Source: MangaProject)

Touch

タッチ

Terajima, Yuuji

Middle school student Eijun Sawamura has just lost his final baseball game after pitching a unique fastball that cost Akagi Middle School their chance to reach the nationals. As the baseball team captain, he feels responsible for their enormous loss and vows to take his friends there in high school. However, with his terrible grades and no school recommendations in his area, Sawamura sulks as he tries to figure out how to keep his promise.

His pitch during the last game catches the attention of a scout from the prestigious Seidou High School in Tokyo, who soon convinces a begrudging Sawamura to observe their school's nationally-ranked baseball team practice. At Seidou, an impromptu competition between Sawamura and one of their batters causes him to cross paths with Kazuya Miyuki—a catcher who can pull out Sawamura's strengths as a pitcher.

The experience he has accumulated at Seidou changes his initial reluctance to transfer to Tokyo. Although he still feels guilt over betraying his friends, they encourage him to take the offer and enroll in Seidou. Filled with a renewed sense of determination, Sawamura begins the arduous journey of becoming Seidou's team ace and heading for the nationals while carrying the spirit of his former school with him.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Diamond no Ace

Ace of the Diamond

ダイヤのA〈エース〉

Katsuki, Hikaru

Maruo Eiichirou, a first year honor student, one day decides he's unhappy with the way things are and lacks exercise. He finds a flyer for the Tennis Club and decides check it out. He's instantly captivated by it. With no prior experience and poor physical conditioning, join Eiichirou as he embarks on a tennis journey using his smarts, dedication and work ethic.

(Source: One Manga)

Baby Steps

ベイビーステップ

Mitsuda, Takuya

The story of Major follows the life of Gorou Honda, from kindergarten to being a professional baseball player, seeking and overcoming tremendous challenges.

Major

MAJOR

Tanaka, Motoyuki

Ryuu Ichijou, a boy who dreams of joining Japan's national soccer team. Ryuu is called a genius soccer player, and his aspirations seem within his reach, but when he is in elementary school he gets hit by a car while protecting his friend, and must face two years of grueling rehabilitation. Story focuses on Ryuu as he joins high school soccer club and works through the remnants of his injuries to achieve his goal.

Be Blues! Ao ni Nare

BE BLUES!~青になれ~

Watanabe, Wataru

Every week since fourth grade, otaku Sakamichi Onoda has cycled 45 kilometers to and from his home in Akihabara on an old, rickety utility bike—his only form of transportation. As he begins high school, Onoda hopes to make new otaku friends—something that has been missing from his school life thus far—so he can finally have someone to talk to about his hobbies. However, much to his dismay, the anime club has been disbanded.

It is then that Onoda meets fellow first-year Shunsuke Imaizumi by chance. Tall, athletic, and a cycling prodigy, Imaizumi could not be any more different from Onoda; however, after seeing Onoda's cycling on the school's infamous rear slope, Imaizumi becomes interested in his unique climbing style and sets out to challenge him to a race. This unusual encounter marks Onoda's first steps onto the road of competitive cycling.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Yowamushi Pedal

弱虫ペダル

Yudetamago

Kinnikuman (a.k.a. Kinniku Suguru) is a cowardly, clumsy, moronic, gyuudon-devouring excuse for a superhero (or Choujin)... who just happens to be the prince of an alien planet. But despite his pathetic appearance, he is very honorable and can become quite powerful when he needs to be. With his sidekick Meat-kun and fellow Choujin's Terryman and Ramenman there to help him, Suguru quests to become the greatest Choujin on the planet. Whether with a combination of tremendous heart and stamina (The Burning Inner Strength) or the "Power of Friendship," Kinnikuman frequently defeats villians 10 times more powerful than him and often causes his enemies to have a change of heart and join him. Though he seems destined to be an idiot forever, slowly but surely Kinnikuman becomes worthy of the title "Hero."

Note: Between volumes 36 and 37 publication there's 22 years gap. From volume 38 onwards starts restarted in 2011 version.

Kinnikuman

キン肉マン

Yasuda, Tsuyoshi

Weak, clumsy, and shy, Tsukushi Tsukamoto is a prime target for bullies. Though he suffers through their torment, it leads to a fateful encounter with fellow Seiseki High School student Jin Kazama, a genius soccer player of the same age. After saving Tsukamoto from the bullies, Kazama invites him to a futsal match since his team is one man short.

Although he struggles to keep up with the more experienced players, Tsukamoto is passionate and persistent; not even an injured foot stops him from running around the field. His endless runs and continuous efforts inspire the team, particularly the unmotivated Kazama. As Tsukamoto scores the winning goal, he realizes that he thoroughly enjoys soccer, as well as playing alongside Kazama.

Inspired by Kazama, Tsukamoto decides to join him in the school's soccer club. Little does he know, the Seiseki team is renowned nationwide, and a terrible player like him might not even pass the selection process, let alone play in the first team. Even so, Tsukamoto forces his way into Seiseki with the only thing he is good at—running straight ahead!

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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