Television series
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup
- Action
- Light-hearted
A high-octane anime tournament where the best junior tennis players from 32 countries clash in Melbourne. Expect precision-crafted rallies, character-driven competition, and the kind of emotional investment that makes every match feel like it matters. For people who loved the original Prince of Tennis or anyone who thinks sports anime might be their thing.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you already love sports anime for its rivalry-driven matches, where every rally is a character study and a single shot can carry the weight of years of training.
Skip it if you want a self-contained story, since this is a sprawling tournament saga with 39 episodes, a lot of teams to track, and a slow build before the major matches land.
What it asks of you: Settle in for a long haul of episodes around half an hour each, with tournament bracket structure, a lot of named players, and matches stretched out move by move.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Haikyuu!!2014
Volleyball anime that shares the same DNA: gorgeous animation of sports physics, ensemble cast where everyone gets meaningful moments, and genuinely thrilling matches that earn their drama through character development and tactical depth.
But Four seasons is a time commitment, and if you don't care about volleyball specifically, the sport's nuances might feel opaque at first.
Kuroko no Basuke2012
Another sports anime that builds entire matches around personality and supernatural individual style. Like Prince of Tennis, it makes you understand why these characters matter beyond just winning, and the basketball feels genuinely inventive.
But The early seasons occasionally sacrifice logic for spectacle. Some supernatural abilities stretch believability even for anime.
Food Wars2010
Tournament structure with the same infectious energy and character focus. Every cooking duel is choreographed like a sports match, with the same emotional crescendos and genuine stakes between competitors you've learned to care about.
But The fanservice can be distracting and occasionally uncomfortable. Some find the constant escalation of drama exhausting.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Aggretsuko2018
Both come from Japan and both build emotional weight through character specificity rather than plot. Where Prince of Tennis asks 'can you win this match?', Aggretsuko asks 'can you survive this day?' Same structure, inverted stakes.
A Japanese office comedy where the protagonist competes—against herself, against her environment, against social expectation. It shares Prince of Tennis' character focus and emotional honesty, but applies it to mundane life instead of sports.
But Much shorter episodes (15 minutes). The comedy is dry and office-specific. No tournaments, no triumph narratives—just small victories.
More like this (6)
My Hero Academia2016
Shonen battle tournament done brilliantly. Character-driven, visually inventive, genuinely funny between moments of intensity. The UA Sports Festival arc alone will hook you if you're watching Prince of Tennis.
But It's popular enough that it sometimes feels inevitable. Later seasons can drag. The power-scaling gets silly.
Slam Dunk1993
The grandmother of sports anime. If you love Prince of Tennis, you need to see what defined the formula: raw character chemistry, basketball that looks alive, genuine comedy mixed with real stakes. Pure joy.
But It's from 1993. The animation is stunning for its era but won't match modern shows. Some pacing drags.
Eyeshield 212005
American football anime that doesn't assume you know the sport. Like Prince of Tennis, it's really about an underdog discovering their potential through competition, with a huge cast and matches that build real tension.
But Older animation style. The series runs long with some filler. American football is even more niche than tennis.
Blue Lock2022
Soccer anime with a sharp visual style and genuine innovation in how it depicts the sport. Tournament structure, character-focused competition, and the kind of tactical depth that Prince of Tennis fans appreciate.
But The protagonist is intentionally abrasive and selfish. Some find the philosophy around individual genius over teamwork off-putting.
Ping Pong The Animation2014
Table tennis anime that's visually experimental and emotionally raw. Only 11 episodes, but it packs genuine character arcs and makes you understand why these competitors matter in ways that go beyond winning.
But The art style is deliberately unconventional—rough, sometimes muddy animation. Only one season, so brief commitment but also brief payoff.
Carole & Tuesday2019
Music competition anime with the same tournament energy as Prince of Tennis but in a different medium. Character-first approach, beautiful animation, and genuine warmth alongside competition.
But It's about music, not sports, so the competitive logic feels different. The later episodes soften the tournament focus.
