10 best anime for wrestling fans

Anime and wrestling may seem an unlikely combination, but there are actually quite a few excellent anime series that appeal to fans of wrestling and combat sports. Many of these anime for wrestling fans feature intense training montages, over-the-top matches, and underdog protagonists striving to be the best.

For wrestling fans looking to explore Japanese animation beyond the mainstream or for anime fans eager to mix grappling and fisticuffs into their usual shonen battles, the following 10 anime for wrestling fans offer plenty of hard-hitting entertainment.

10 must-watch anime for wrestling fans

1) Kinnikuman

Kinnikuman follows the adventures of Suguru Kinniku, an incompetent superhero who must prove himself worthy of inheriting his father's title as king of Planet Kinniku. To do so, he enters the intergalactic wrestling tournament, Choujin Olympics, as the champion of Planet Earth.

Though clumsy and often embarrassing himself in the ring at first, Kinnikuman's kind heart and determination drive him to gradually improve as an athlete. With the help of his trainer, Alexandria Meat, and the friendship of fellow wrestler Terryman, he gains skill, strength, and the support of his friends in his quest to become the greatest Choujin fighter ever.

The over-the-top battles and likable character dynamics make it a fun anime for wrestling fans.

2) Tiger Mask W

Tiger Mask W sets the Tiger Mask manga in a modern era, decades after the original anime. The new Tiger Mask is Naoto Azuma, a young upstart wrestler who must take up the mantle after being trained alongside Takuma Fujii, who becomes Tiger the Dark. Both wrestlers fight against the villainous organization GWM.

The drama explores the tensions between playing a wrestling heel in scripted matches and fighting as an honorable warrior. Tiger Mask W incorporates mixed martial arts and features real-life wrestlers battling alongside the anime characters.

It delivers the hard-hitting action wrestling fans crave while showcasing various styles of wrestling, from Lucha Libre to Strong Style.

3) Hajime no Ippo

For a more realistic take on boxing, Hajime no Ippo is hugely popular among fans as an intense boxing anime. It follows the story of Ippo Makunouchi, a shy high school student who takes up boxing to gain confidence and ends up discovering he has a natural talent for it.

Ippo undergoes grueling training under experienced boxing trainer Genji Kamogawa and gradually works his way up to competing in Japanese featherweight championship title matches as a professional boxer. The fights are gritty and action-packed.

Ippo demonstrates determination and steadily improves his skills against various challenging opponents with different fighting styles. With its believable characters, excellent storytelling, and adrenaline-filled matches, Hajime no Ippo perfectly captures what makes combat sports inspiring.

4) Baki

For a darker, bloodier take on underground fighting, Baki delivers frenetic violence and an engrossing narrative. The series follows Baki Hanma's deadly training from youth into adulthood as he prepares to defeat his father Yujiro, a merciless warrior known as the "strongest creature on earth."

Baki and his allies must battle against violent death row inmates, assassins, mixed martial artists, and all manner of dangerous fighters in no-holds-barred combat, all to prepare Baki for his battle against his monstrous father. The criminals introduced often have elaborate backstories that are surprisingly compelling.

Meanwhile, Baki pushes himself past human physical and mental limits with hardcore training methods as he slowly rises up the ranks as a fighter prodigy not unlike his despised father. Baki’s hyper-exaggerated physiques and brutal underground fights create a gritty mood for adult combat manga fans.

5) Kengan Ashura

Kengan Ashura (Image via Larx Entertainment)

Kengan Ashura focuses on Tokita Ohma, an underground gladiator who enters the Kengan Association—an organization where wealthy business owners settle disputes via proxy fighter battles.

If Tokita can rack up victories representing his businessman sponsor, both stand to gain fame and fortune. Like Baki, this anime for wrestling fans dials the violence factor up to eleven. Fighters possess outrageous attributes and use grappling techniques meant to maim.

The fight choreography pulls no punches, featuring brutal injuries and bone-crushing violence. Meanwhile, the corporate intrigue behind the matches creates gripping drama. Viewers get attached to fighters who may be unceremoniously destroyed if they let their guard down even for a moment in the ring.

6) Record of Ragnarok

Record of Ragnarok (Image via Graphinica)

This anime quickly gained buzz for its premise—a tournament pitting 13 legendary humans against 13 powerful gods. Representing humanity, fighters like Lu Bu, Adam, Sasaki Kojiro, Jack the Ripper, and Raiden Tameemon battle gods like Zeus, Poseidon, Heracles, and more for mankind's survival.

The gods, having grown angry with human sins, vote to destroy humanity—but before they can act, the Valkyrie Brunhilde invokes Ragnarok, a last-ditch tournament allowing humans a chance to prove their worth. She selects history’s greatest warriors to face the gods one-on-one, matching their skills and weapons.

The backstories dive deeply into what makes both human and god warriors legendary before their fated matchup. When they clash, the animation is breathtaking. With 27 episodes across two seasons and a third in progress, this anime for wrestling fans showcases legendary humans and gods fighting for humanity’s survival.

7) Air Master

While a bit older than other entries on this list, the Air Master anime still holds up as an entertaining and quirky martial arts series. Air Master follows former gymnast Maki Aikawa as she enters the world of street fighting, dominating opponents with her signature aerial attacks.

What it lacks in a coherent plot, it makes up for with characters who have odd fighting quirks, giving matches and training sessions personality. Beyond Maki leaping through the air to evade attacks, other characters, like the flamboyant breakdancing fighter Kinjiro Kitaeda, present unique moves requiring clever counters.

Plenty of humor lightens the mood between all the suplexes and piledrivers. For some zany street fighting action, Air Master hits like a dependably fun Saturday morning anime for wrestling fans.

8) Ashita no Joe

Ashita no Joe (Image via Mushi Production)

This classic boxing anime drama still resonates decades later, depicting the turbulent life of underdog boxer Joe Yabuki. Orphaned from a young age, Joe lives a reckless, violent youth, getting into street fights before being introduced to boxing in juvie.

After his talent emerges under the strict guidance of trainer Danpei, Joe rises quickly as a prominent bantamweight boxer known for his fierce left hook. However, he struggles to control his instincts to protect himself and his street gang friends when not in the ring.

He follows a rocky redemption arc beset by setbacks and tragedy. The emotional storytelling depicted through gritty character moments and hard-fought boxing matches has influenced many manga artists and still holds power today by showing boxing as a path to purpose for troubled youth.

9) Megalo Box

Megalo Box (Image via TMS Entertainment)

A futuristic reboot of Ashita no Joe, Megalo Box tells a compelling underdog story set in the world of boxing. The cyberpunk sci-fi series follows Junk Dog, an underground fighter who fights in rigged matches, often without gear or with inferior equipment against gear-equipped opponents.

After meeting the esteemed trainer Nanbu Gansaku, Junk Dog sets his sights on taking down Yuri, the champion of the Megalonia boxing tournament, by fighting through the formal, regulated league with Nanbu's guidance. The retro-future visuals and hip-hop soundtrack add style to the adaptation.

Watching the scrappy Junk Dog evolve into a fighter known as "Gearless" Joe shows fantastic character development amid creative science fiction trappings and intense boxing matches. With flashy direction, lovable characters, and emotional storytelling, Megalo Box stands tall as a modern anime for wrestling fans.

10) One Piece

Shonen powerhouse One Piece might seem an unlikely inclusion, but this long-running pirate anime is packed with martial arts action amidst its sailing adventures. The series follows Monkey D. Luffy's journey to become King of the Pirates, alongside his expanding Straw Hat crew of lovable misfit friends.

Time and again, they grow stronger via intense combat training and practice. Signature moves are refined into more powerful, named attack variations. Major enemies often get elaborate backstories revealing their motivations for pursuing strength.

From the chiseled cyborg Franky to whale shark fish-man Jinbe, who masters Fish-Man Karate, to strong archaeologist Nico Robin, most Straw Hats bring unique fighting abilities. When they face off against pirates, assassins, and marines alike, the anime showcases clever tactics combining their skills in snappy, dynamic battles.

Conclusion

This list reveals how much variety exists across anime for every kind of combat sports fan. Modern classics like Ippo and old-school series like Joe showcase dramatic boxing tales. Grappling greats like Tiger Mask mix high-flying wrestling with mixed martial arts in and outside the ring.

Premise-rich shows like Kengan Ashura and Record of Ragnarok amp up the corporate drama and mythic grandeur, respectively, behind their larger-than-life battles. Quirky titles like Kinnikuman and Air Master provide laughs between the suplexes.

Long-running action staples like One Piece feature martial arts in various memorable story arcs. Wrestling lovers open to exploring Japanese animation will discover plenty to enjoy in these action-packed entries. Their blends of combat, drama, and great characters make for must-see entertainment.