High school student Reki Kyan is passionate about skateboarding and board-making. While he works part-time in a board shop after school, his real interest is the underground race that happens at night. S is a competitive skateboard race where participants are encouraged to win at all costs. Unfortunately for Reki, his most recent race came in at a loss. The next day at school he meets new transfer student Langa Hasegawa who was a snowboarder when he lived in Canada. After a series of events that led both of them to an S race, Reki discovers that, despite having no experience on a skateboard, Langa’s experience snowboarding is unexpectedly useful in an S race.
There’s a badminton anime and sports anime about weightlifting, so why not skateboarding? While they could have told a poignant sports anime story about skateboarders and their problems, I’m glad they did this. It’s not realistic skateboarding, but fuck, it’s fun to watch, animated well, and has a bombdigity soundtrack. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Sk8 the Infinity, then head on down below.
Anime Like Sk8 the Infinity
For Fans of Stylish Characters
Hypnosis Mic
In a world where women govern, the creation and use of weapons is outlawed. Yet, conflict still exists. Now, instead of violence, fights are conducted via rap battles where words can cause real damage.
Both series are about differences settled through street culture, essentially. While Hypnosis Mic isn’t as underground as S races, and often ends up more silly than engaging, it does feature a similar flair for stylish characters.
Wave – Let’s Go Surfing
Although he grew up near the coast of Ooarai, Masaki Hinaoka never learned to swim much less surf like his friends. However, that all changes one day when he sees transfer student Shou Akitsuki shredding the waves at sunrise. After this experience, Shou begins to teach Masaki how to ride the waves.
Both series feature new transfer students that end up really good at their sport. They become fast friends with the actual main character and both end up bonding over the sport. As both series go on, you are introduced to more and more characters, each more stylish than the last.
Dramatical Murder
Among the back alleys of an aging residential district, people play two games. There is Rib, a game of turf wars played among the gangs, and Rhyme, a game in which you fight in virtual reality. For Aoba Seragaki, he has no interest in either, yet through mysterious meetings and a loss in his memory, he finds himself dragged into both.
Both series are about underground competitions and the people who compete in them. Each series also has a whole cast of characters that are visually diverse and interesting. Their big difference is that Dramatical Murder ends up being more about mystery than games.
For Fans of Over the Top Sports Series
Air Gear
Air trecks, futuristic and motorized inline skates, are the hot new craze. However, they come with speed limiters for safety. Of course there are those known as Storm Riders that tamper with Air Trecks to use them for underground battles. Middle schooler Itsuki Minami is a notorious Storm Rider who, with his best friends, wants to break through any obstacle in his path.
One cannot watch Sk8 the Infinity without thinking of Air Gear, then wishing Air Gear got a remaster that looked as cool. Skating and roller blades are not so different, though Air Gear gives them special powers.
Rideback
Rin was once a promising ballet dancer until an injury left her unable to dance again. Now in college, she comes across a club dedicated to riding transforming robotic motorcycle-like vehicles called Rideback. She finds that her old ballet skills make her a natural talent at Rideback.
Both skateboards and motorcycles, albeit odd mech motorcycles, symbolize a certain form of rebellion and freedom. While Rideback isn’t quite as high octane as Sk8 the Infinity, it does share a certain message of people finding their place apart of society in the activity.
Idaten Jump
Sho and his friends are great mountain bikers. However, one day when he was challenged to a race by the leader of mountain biking team Shark Tooth, everyone was suddenly sent to another world. While wondering what happened, mountain biker riders from this new world came and challenged them to a a bout. They told him the goal is to collect them pieces of emblems through racing in order to go home.
The key difference here is that Idaten jump is aimed at a younger audience, but both show a standard wheel sport and create an interesting race around it. Because neither focuses on realism, it leaves both open to be pretty exciting.
For Fans of the Hot and Cold Duo Main Characters
Kuroko’s Basketball
For three years in a row, the Teikou Junior High basketball team took the championship crown thanks to their outstanding players. However, after graduating, the team split up and went to different high schools. At Seirin High School, two students have been recruited to the team. Taiga, a player just returning form the US, and Kuroko, a student whose lack of presence allows him to move around the court unnoticed. Kuroko was Teikou’s phantom sixth man who, while receiving little recognition, guided the team to victory with his assists.
While they are both technically sports anime, what these series most have in common is the main characters. They both have a calm main character and one that is more fiery. Those two personalities compliment each other really well.
Haikyuu
After being inspired by the small, but talented volleyball ace Little Giant, Shouyou Hinata trains endlessly despite his middle school not having a boy’s volleyball club. Managing to scavenge enough athletes at his school to field a team for a middle school volleyball tournament, Hinata is soundly crushed in his first and last game of middle school by King of the Court, Tobio Kageyama. Swearing to surpass him, Hinata joins the volleyball team in high school only to discover Kageyama is now his teammate.
Again, they are obviously both sports anime series and they also feature those hot and cold duo characters on the team that push each other to be better. However, both shows do have their interesting and intense moments, but what really makes them gems is the characters that they explore.
Tiger and Bunny
In Stern Bild City, those who use their special powers for either good or evil are called NEXT, and heroes are regularly featured on TV catching the bad guys, getting paid for their entertainment. The hero known as Wild Tiger has been putting on less thrilling performances lately due to his inability to cooperate with other heroes, but when he teams up with his by-the-books new partner he nicknames Bunny, his luck might just turn around.
Instead of being about a sport with a twist on it, Tiger and Bunny is about superheroes with a twist. The most notable similarity are the main characters. They both have the calm and fiery duo, but in Tiger and Bunny, that is cause for contention rather than the immediate bond that they have in Sk8 the Infinity.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Sk8 the Infinity? Let fans know in the comments section below.
