6.5 / 10 (based on 88 reviews)
Kensei Maeshima left the world of figure skating after his rival said, “You’ll never beat me.” Years later, he’s using his athleticism to help several high school teams, never focusing on one. But when his adversary publicly announces a shift to a team sport, a kid familiar with Kensei’s past finds and offers him an invitation to lace up his skates and join the world of skate-leading.
Genre: Animation, Sport
Main Cast: Kim Hans Morton, Alex Mai, Stephen Fu, Keith Silverstein
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1 season, 12 episodes
Shows Most Like Skate Leading Stars (2020)
SK8 the Infinity (2021)
8 / 10 (based on 3832 reviews)
Reki, a high school sophomore and skater, is addicted to “S,” a highly secret and dangerous downhill skateboarding race that takes place in an abandoned mine. The skaters are especially wild about the “beefs,” or heated battles that erupt in the races. Reki takes Langa, a transfer student returning to Japan after studying abroad, to the mine where the races are held. Langa, who has no skateboarding experience, finds himself pulled into the world of “S”.
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Sport
Main Cast: Kimmie Britt, Ciarán Strange, Zeno Robinson, Brianna Roberts
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1 season, 13 episodes
2.43 Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley Bu (2021)
5.8 / 10 (based on 341 reviews)
Kimichika Haijima was a strong junior high school volleyball team member. After getting into trouble with the team, he moved to his mother’s hometown and reunites with his childhood friend, Yuni Kuroba.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Sport
Main Cast: Luis Bermudez, Bill Butts, Kenshô Ono, Yuichiro Umehara
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1 season, 12 episodes
Kemono Jihen (2021)
7.3 / 10 (based on 1574 reviews)
Special detective Kohachi Inugami is sent to investigate a grisly phenomenon involving animal corpses near a remote mountain village. But after meeting a strange boy, he discovers cursed supernatural forces at work.
Genre: Animation, Action, Fantasy, Mystery
Main Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Jun’ichi Suwabe, Ayumu Murase, Natsumi Fujiwara
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1 season, 12 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Wave!!: Surfing Yappe!! (2021)
6.6 / 10 (based on 69 reviews)
The project’s story is set in the city of Oarai in Ibaraki prefecture, and centers on Masaki Hinaoka, who befriends transfer student Sho Akitsuki before the summer break and ends up getting hooked on surfing. Through the sport, Masaki will get to know new friends, and will also drift apart from them in his journey to adulthood.
Genre: Animation
Main Cast: Tomoaki Maeno, Shôtarô Morikubo, Jin Ogasawara
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1 season, 12 episodes
Tatoeba Last Dungeon Mae no Mura no Shounen ga Joban no Machi de Kurasu Youna Monogatari (2021)
6.4 / 10 (based on 1012 reviews)
Considered a weakling his entire life, novice adventurer Lloyd leaves his village located at the fringe of the mortal world to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
Main Cast: Ai Kayano, Yumiri Hanamori, Seiichiro Yamashita, Natsumi Hioka
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1 season, 12 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Bakuten! (2021)
7.3 / 10 (based on 254 reviews)
The story follows Shoutarou Futaba, a boy who’s fascinated with men’s rhythmic gymnastics and enrolled at the Ao High School to join the school’s team. The story follows a team of unique seniors and Yoshiya Misato, a classmate who’s famous in high school rhythmic gymnastics tournaments, who run together toward one goal.
Genre: Animation, Sport
Main Cast: Daiki Yamashita, Kenichi Suzumura, Tomokazu Sugita, Sôma Saitô
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1 season, 12 episodes
Jaku-chara Tomozaki-kun (2021)
7 / 10 (based on 1070 reviews)
Tomozaki is one of the best gamers in Japan, and in his opinion, the game of real life is one of the worst. No clear-cut rules for success, horribly balanced, and nothing makes sense. But then he meets a gamer who’s just as good as him, and she offers to teach him a few exploits.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Gen Satô, Hisako Kanemoto, Faye Mata, Adam Gibbs
Creators: Yûki Yaku
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1 season, 14 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Free! (2013)
7.4 / 10 (based on 3308 reviews)
Free! revolves around members of a high school boy’s swimming team. Four boys-Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rin-all participated in a swimming tournament shortly before graduating elementary school and later parted ways. Years later, they reunite when Rin challenges Haruka to a race and wins. Nagisa decides to get Haruka and Makoto back swimming together and add a new recruit named Rei to form the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Sport
Main Cast: Jamie Marchi, Johnny Yong Bosch, Akeno Watanabe, Nobunaga Shimazaki
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3 seasons, 42 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Mars Red (2021)
6.2 / 10 (based on 355 reviews)
This is a tale about humans and vampires. Taishou Romantism: the blooming era. Ladies and gentlemen chat in cafes about the avant-garde and other European trends. But this tranquil lifestyle is destroyed, when vampires start to randomly attack the living. The government of Japan has known about their existence for some time now, but now that these creatures start their hunt against the humanity, the Japanese government creates “Code Zero,” a corps that is created to get rid of the bloodthirsty undead.
Genre: Animation, Action, Fantasy, History
Main Cast: Ciarán Strange, Miyuki Sawashiro, Jun’ichi Suwabe, Fumiko Orikasa
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1 season, 13 episodes
Bishounen Tanteidan (2021)
6.5 / 10 (based on 171 reviews)
Mayumi Dojima, a second-year student at the exclusive Yubiwa Academy middle school, has lost something – a star she glimpsed just once, ten long years ago. But help is on the way, in the form of the unofficial, secretive, and thoroughly mysterious Pretty Boy Detective Club! Rumored to solve problems within the school (most of which they themselves might as well created) for reasons aesthetic rather than financial, these five gorgeous boys sweep Mayumi into their world of excitement, danger, and overwhelming beauty.
Genre: Animation, Mystery
Main Cast: Jenny Yokobori, Todd Haberkorn, Amber Lee Connors, Griffin Burns
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1 season, 12 episodes
Kai Byoui Ramune (2021)
6.7 / 10 (based on 183 reviews)
As long as hearts exist inside people, there will always be those who suffer. And then something “strange” enters their mind and causes a strange disease to manifest itself in the body. The illness, which is called a “mystery disease” is unknown to most, but certainly exists. There is a doctor and apprentice who fights the disease, which modern medicine cannot cure. His name is Ramune. He acts freely all the time, is foul-mouthed, and doesn’t even look like a doctor. However, once he is confronted with the mysterious disease, he is able to quickly uncover the root cause of his patients’ deep-seated distress and cure them. And beyond that.
Genre: Animation, Fantasy
Main Cast: Jun’ichi Suwabe, Takuma Nagatsuka, Yuma Uchida
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1 season, 12 episodes
In the realm of sports anime, a genre celebrated for its intense rivalries, heartfelt character development, and thrilling competitions, “Skate Leading Stars” carves out its niche with an intriguing twist on figure skating. Released in 2020, this series introduces viewers to the world of skate-leading, a fictional team-based figure skating competition that blends the grace of individual figure skating with the strategy and camaraderie of team sports. This unique premise sets the stage for a story filled with ambition, rivalry, and personal growth.
The Premise
At its core, “Skate Leading Stars” follows the journey of Kensei Maeshima, a once-promising figure skater who abandons the ice after being overshadowed by his rival, Reo Shinozaki. The narrative kicks into gear years later when Maeshima, now estranged from the world of competitive skating, encounters a passionate young skater who reignites his love for the sport. This chance meeting propels Maeshima back into the fray, not as a solo skater, but as a member of a skate-leading team. What follows is a tale of redemption, teamwork, and the pursuit of glory, set against the backdrop of the high-stakes world of skate-leading competitions.
Characters and Dynamics
One of the series’ strengths lies in its diverse cast of characters, each bringing their unique backgrounds, motivations, and skating styles to the table. Maeshima’s journey from disillusionment to determination serves as the narrative backbone, offering a relatable and inspiring character arc that resonates with anyone who’s ever faced setbacks in pursuit of their passions.
Reo Shinozaki, Maeshima’s rival, provides a compelling contrast as a figure skating prodigy whose talent and confidence mask deeper insecurities. The dynamic between Maeshima and Shinozaki is a driving force of the series, exploring themes of rivalry, respect, and the fine line between friends and competitors.
The supporting characters, including Maeshima’s teammates and rivals from other skate-leading teams, enrich the story with their own struggles, achievements, and interpersonal relationships. These characters add depth to the series, illustrating the diverse challenges and triumphs that athletes face in the pursuit of excellence.
The World of Skate-Leading
“Skate Leading Stars” introduces viewers to the fictional sport of skate-leading, a team-based competition that adds a fresh twist to the traditional figure skating narrative. Skate-leading teams consist of five members, each fulfilling specific roles, such as the “leader” who performs the most technically demanding elements and the “guard” who focuses on supporting maneuvers. This team dynamic introduces a layer of strategy and collaboration uncommon in individual sports, offering a new perspective on the complexities and nuances of competitive figure skating.
The series does an admirable job of explaining the rules and strategies of skate-leading, making it accessible to viewers who may be unfamiliar with figure skating. Through thrilling competition sequences and strategic discussions, “Skate Leading Stars” immerses the audience in the tactics, teamwork, and drama of skate-leading, making each match a captivating spectacle.
Themes and Messages
Beyond the ice, “Skate Leading Stars” delves into themes that resonate both within and outside the sports genre. The series explores the importance of perseverance, the value of teamwork, and the power of passion, delivering messages that inspire and motivate.
Maeshima’s journey from quitting figure skating to embracing the challenges of skate-leading serves as a testament to the idea that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. His story encourages viewers to confront their fears, learn from their failures, and never give up on their aspirations.
The emphasis on teamwork and collaboration in skate-leading highlights the series’ message that success is not achieved in isolation. It underscores the importance of trust, communication, and mutual support in overcoming obstacles and achieving common goals.
Reception and Impact
“Skate Leading Stars” has garnered a dedicated fanbase, drawn to its unique premise, engaging characters, and thrilling depiction of skate-leading. While it may not have reached the mainstream popularity of some of its sports anime contemporaries, the series has found its niche, resonating with fans of figure skating and team sports alike.
The series has also been praised for its animation quality, particularly during the skating sequences, which capture the elegance and intensity of figure skating with fluid motion and dynamic choreography. The attention to detail in the animation adds a layer of realism to the skate-leading competitions, making each performance a visual treat.
Conclusion
“Skate Leading Stars” stands out in the sports anime genre for its innovative approach to figure skating, compelling character dynamics, and exploration of themes that extend beyond the ice. While it may tread familiar ground with its underdog story and sports rivalry, the series injects fresh energy into these tropes with its focus on teamwork, strategy, and the fictional sport of skate-leading.
For fans of sports anime looking for a new series to capture their hearts, or for viewers intrigued by the world of figure skating, “Skate Leading Stars” offers a captivating blend of drama, competition, and personal growth. Through its engaging narrative, dynamic characters, and stunning animation, the series invites audiences to experience the highs and lows of competitive skating, reminding us of the power of perseverance, the importance of teamwork, and the enduring allure of chasing our dreams on the ice.