10 Soccer Anime Series and Where to Stream Them

Where to stream: YouTube

When it comes to soccer anime, it's hard to beat "Captain Tsubasa," a certified anime classic and longtime fan favorite. The original series was based on the tremendously popular manga series of the same name, which ran from 1981 to 1989. There have been several adaptations, and even video games.

The anime adaptation sticks fairly close to the manga, centering on the titular Tsubasa, a young boy who dreams of world cup glory, where he would represent Japan on the national team.

Initially a soccer prodigy of elementary school age, the long series charts his increasing skill and fame as he grows up and goes on to reach the highest achievements of the sport.

Where to stream: Crunchyroll

Based on a very popular manga, "Aoashi" has rapidly become one of the highest-regarded football anime series. Both the manga and the anime tell the story of Ashito Aoi, a middle school student and football prodigy with seemingly limitless potential.

The only problem is that Ashito is something of a hothead, getting kicked off his school soccer team at the beginning of the story. When he's given a second chance by a perceptive coach, things begin to turn around.

While most sports anime focus on the exceptional athleticism of the game, "Aoashi" has drawn praise for its depiction of the real life complexities of professional sports, as well as the interpersonal struggles of the players.

Where to stream: Some episodes may be available on YouTube

Coach Tatsumi Takeshi has a major task in trying to revive the struggling East Tokyo United soccer club. They can hardly compete in their league — which is the biggest and best in Japan — and their chronic underperformance is causing attendance to plummet.

While Takeshi has a mixed reputation (and the club's fans aren't very welcoming) he gets to work doing what he does best: giant killing, aka taking down the bigger, better-funded teams that ETU must compete with.

Where to stream: Crunchyroll, Apple TV

"Blue Lock," like some other entries on this list, is a hit adaptation of a super-popular manga. The title refers to a program pioneered by Jinpachi Ego, a somewhat mysterious football guru who plans to lead the Japanese nation team to success by training strikers in a grueling, highly competitive regimen.

Yoichi Isagi, a high school player, enters this program and begins to excel. The series is notable for focusing on the high stakes of Ego's method, which forces the players to push beyond their limits to achieve glory.

Where to stream: Some episodes may be available on YouTube

Kano Kyosuke, a high school student, is struggling to escape the shadow of his phenom older brother, who found fame and success playing for AC Milan. When he begins playing for the Jyoyo (orange) high school team, he finds his passion for football reawakened.

"Hungry Heart: Wild Striker" is considered by many to be an exemplary anime adaptation, with some even preferring the anime series to the original manga. It features thrilling depictions of game play, and roots the story in the human struggle that characters endure on their quest for success.

Where to stream: Amazon Video

Based upon a popular video game, Inazuma Eleven is ramped-up, action-packed fun. The story centers on the struggling Raimon Middle School football club, and its captain and goalkeeper, Mamoru Endou.

Attempting to pull the team together, the young man uses his cheerful attitude and determination to overcome the various obstacles that appear.

"Inazuma Eleven" is geared towards a younger audience, but it has the kind of over-the-top sequences that anime fans of all ages often appreciate. It's definitely light fare and can be very entertaining.

Where to stream: Crunchyroll, YouTube

Centered on the relationship between two players, "Days" balances the excitement of soccer matches with interpersonal drama. Jin is recognized as a prodigy, whereas Tsukushi is conspicuously absent of natural skill.

But what Tsukushi lacks in talent, he makes up for in his spirit and enthusiasm. As these players compliment each other, their respective journeys become increasingly intertwined.

Where to stream: Crunchyroll

Based on the manga series, "Farewell, My Dear Cramer" is a sequel to "Sayonara, Football," which told the story of Nozomi Onda, a talented footballer who had to play on her middle school boy's team, as there was no girl's team.

In the follow-up manga (and anime adaptation), she joins forces with Sumire and Midori, two players on her new high school soccer team.

Notable for being a football anime that focuses on young women, the series offers a fairly realistic depiction of the soccer world and the dynamics between talented players as they develop their craft. Fans might notice that the series includes references to strategies, moves and real teams.

Where to stream: Crunchyroll

"Clean Freak! Aoyama kun" delivers plenty of the kind of action that soccer anime fans expect, but it adds a degree of off-beat humor and quirkiness that set it apart from many other series. Aoyama, the protagonist, is terrific at soccer but he has a problem: As the title suggests, he hates getting dirty.

Much of the story, along with the humor, comes from the obvious tension between playing soccer, which inevitably involves a certain degree of dirt and mess, and Aoyama's compulsion to always been clean.

If you're looking for something off the beaten path, "Clean Freak! Aoyama kun" is a great choice.

Where to stream: Currently unavailable to stream. Check your local library!

A classic soccer anime from the 1990s, "Aoki Densetsu Shoot!" is about as typical a sports story as you can get. Toshihiko Tanaka is a high school student who dreams of football glory, and the series follows him in the pursuit of his dreams.

The story is largely one of an underdog struggling to overcome the odds and excel. Fans of sports anime will recognize it as a formulaic tale, but one that is done particularly well. And it has the nostalgic appeal of 90s anime style as well.