10. Curling
Curling is a sport that gained notoriety at the PyeongChang winter olympics for it's uniqueness. It involves sliding a stone on ice and brushing the ice ahead of the stone to make the stone move towards segmented areas where you score points similar to shuffleboard. There is a great deal of strategy and teamwork involved in curling, from the placement of the stone to the amount of force used. Curling would lend itself well to an anime due it's unusual nature and the importance of strategy.
Chunbiyo has a brief moment where you see curling.9. Rodeo
An American Tradition that embodies the spirit of the wild west, Rodeo involves tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing. These activities are very difficult and serious injuries are not uncommon for rodeo participants. Watching these events live can be suspenseful, especially bull riding or steer wrestling, due to the exciting and dangerous nature of this sport an anime based off of it would have high potential.
Imagine, Ucy, the bull in One Piece, and the principal in Nichijou steer wrestling. I wonder who would win?
8. Marching Band
Anyone who has watched a game of American football at the college or high school level has seen a marching band perform. While they are fun to watch, the participants have to put in long hours memorizing music along with the movements which can be very tricky at times. Marching band has a lot of creative elements that would make for an entertaining anime, plus we could all use another anime soundtrack.
7. Spelunking
For those who don’t know what spelunking is, it’s also called caving. Spelunking is not a competitive sport, however, it is an activity centered about mysterious holes in the ground that contain amazing discoveries, and hidden dangers. In the hands of a good studio an anime about spelunking could turn into a suspenseful yet visually beautiful series.
Caves in anime can be formidable like in Toriko on the left, or pretty like Pokemon on the right.
6. Competitive Eating
Competitive eating has been fairly popular with events like the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest and various tv shows dedicated to food challenges. These challenges can range from eating the world's spiciest pepper to eating 6 lbs of food in one sitting, something which the quintessential anime glutton would enjoy. The anime "glutton" trope is great for comic relief or establishing a sense of relatability for the audience. An anime about competitive eating could cover crazy eating challenges, the character's comical reactions to the food, and the after effects of the eating challenges all with a comedic yet relatable twist.
5. Base Jumping
Base Jumping is the sport of jumping from very tall fixed objects, using a parachute or a wing-suit to descend safely to the ground. In base jumping there is a lot that can go wrong, from bad winds to equipment malfunction. As dangerous as it is, an anime about base jumping would be good at creating suspense, not to mention the views would be amazing.
Chika in Kaguya-Sama Love is War chapter 107, and Killer Bee from Naruto can certainly keep a beat.
2. Dog Agility Competitions
Who doesn't love cute anime dogs? Anime showing dogs and their owners working together is nothing new; Ein from Cowboy BeBop and Akimaru from Naruto are great examples of the bond between man and their best friend. Adding in some dog-centered perspective, dog to dog friendship, an underdog, a top dog, and crazy agility challenges would make this anime a force to be reckoned with.
1. Roller Derby
Roller derby is a high-intensity, women-dominated sport involving a designated scorer racing around a track while the rival team blocks the scorer from getting around the track and scoring points. Brawls and injuries are a common occurrence due to the aggressive nature of the game. In recent years movies like Drew Barrymore’s Whip It have thrust this sport into the mainstream. Making an anime out of roller derby is the next logical step in the rise of this sport’s popularity. This anime could involve a variety of themes such as the power of female friendship, rivalries and high intensity gameplay.
Urusei Yatsura roller skating.