Manga and Anime might be the most popular mediums in the Japanese entertainment industry, but there are also visual novels and light novels that span across several genres for those who prefer to read through pages and create the depicted world with their imagination.
The sports genre is filled with captivating stories that delve into the exhilarating world of athletics, teamwork, and sometimes esports, where characters chase their dreams, confront challenges, and discover the boundless potential of the body and mind. Among the list of sports light novels, only a few of them accurately depict the action and stakes involved in the sport to a great extent. With that in mind, here are some of the best sports light novels.
10 Ro-Kyu-Bu!
Ryo-Kyu-Bu! By Sagu Aoyama is a light novel series that comprises fifteen novels published between 2009 and 2015. It is centered around a high school freshman and basketball enthusiast named Subaru Hasegawa, who was put in a situation where he cannot play when his school’s team captain was accused of sexually harassing a little girl.
This led to the team being disbanded for a year, and as time passed, Subaru gradually lost his passion for the sport. His aunt, who notices this, tasks him with coaching the female basketball team of an elementary school. Initially agreeing to only do so for three days, he decides to keep on coaching them after witnessing their circumstances and growth breathed life into him again.
9 Skating Rink Kaleidoscope
This light novel series by Rei Kaibara featured in Margaret’s lineup between 2005 and 2006. The story follows a Japanese Olympic figure skater named Tazusa Sakurano, and a Canadian stunt pilot named Pete Pumps. One fateful day, when their performances were ongoing simultaneously, Tazusa falls while performing a Triple Lutz and Pete dies when his stunt plane suffers mechanical failure and crashes.
When Tazusa awakens, Pete has somehow taken possession of her body despite her consciousness still being in there. During their time together, Tazusa develops feelings towards Pete, and they eventually fall in love.
8 High Speed!
High Speed is a light novel that serves as the prequel for the hit anime series named Free! Which follows talented high school swimmer Haruka Nanase, who revives his school’s swim team after he crosses paths with an old friend and a childhood rival, Rin Matsuoka, a fellow swimmer from Samezuka Academy.
With the help of his friends, Nagisa Hazuki and Makoto Tachibana, and a few recruits he aims to compete with his rival in high school tournaments. As the prequel to the series, High Speed! Tells the stories of those four main names and their days competing in middle school.
7 Chihayafuru
Chihayafuru is a light novel based on the Josei manga series of the same name by Yuki Suetsugu. The novel is set before the events of the manga series and follows the childhood friends Chihaya Ayase and Taichi Mashima as they enter different junior high schools and promise to find their way back to each other through karuta competitions.
In her new school, Chihaya searches for friends to play with her to no avail, while Taichi is confronted with various prodigies and immense talent at his new school and gradually loses his love for the sport. As the distance between them grows, what will become of their relationship?
6 2.43: Seiin High School Boys’ Volleyball Club
As the name suggests, this is a volleyball light novel series by Yukako Kabei and Aiji Yamakawa. Its commercial success led to a Josei manga adaptation serialized in Shueisha’s magazine called Cocohana and a subsequent manga adaptation. Kimichika Hajima moves back to his hometown after falling out with his old middle school volleyball team in Tokyo, where he reunites with his old friend turned rival.
After their final bout in the middle school prefectural tournament, they end up enrolling in the same high school, and together, they aim to take the weak volleyball team to the national stage.
5 DIVE!!
This novel series by Eto Mori follows a member of the Mizuki Diving Club named Tomoki Sakai, who gives his all to protect his beloved club after it sees a sudden nosedive in membership and popularity.
The parent company that sponsors the club threatens to shut it down before the sudden appearance of a new coach named Asaki Kayoko, who convinces them to strike a deal. If the club can send one of its divers to the next Olympic tournament, then they would continue to sponsor it, and now, Sakai and his friends must try their best to make sure that they fulfill the criteria.
4 Moshidora
Moshidora mixes elements of business and sports comically, with Minami Kawashima filling in for her childhood friend, Yuki Miyata, as the manager of the Hodokubo High School Baseball team. Since she has no experience managing a team, or anything at all, she turns to Peter Drucker’s book on business management called “Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices,” consulting it as she tries to get the team to the finals.
Trying to manage the team like a business establishment makes for many comical moments in the series.
3 Kazemai High School’s Kyudo Club
This series by Kotoko Ayano is centered around the young Minato Narumiya, who used to be an outstanding member of his middle school’s archery club. After enrolling in high school, his classmates and childhood friends, Seiya Takehaya and Ryohei Yamanouchi, try to convince him to join the archery club and pick up a bow again to no avail.
After a fateful encounter with an unknown man in a forest archery range, Minato decides to give archery another try. He joins the club, and together, they try to win the prefectural tournament.
2 Ao Ashi
Ao Ashi is a light novel based on a seinen manga series by Yugo Kobayashi. The concept taken from Naohiko Ueno revolves around Ashito Aoi, a difficult teenager who is very passionate about the sport of soccer.
After getting his local junior high school eliminated from a tournament because of his short temper, Ashito is offered a second chance by a youth team coach named Tatsuya Fukuda, who invites him to Tokyo for tryouts. He must now prove himself in this environment that is full of prodigies and talent to turn his sporting career around.
1 The King’s Avatar
This novel series focuses particularly on esports, unlike the other entries that deal with physical ones. Ye Xiu is a professional Glory player who is kicked off his team due to several issues. After leaving the profession for a while, he finds himself drawn back to the scene after the game launches a tenth server, pitting him against his past.
The road to glory is not an easy one, and if he must reach the summit, he must be prepared to do what it takes. The King’s Avatar is also one of the most successful light novels of all time.