For years, sports anime have persisted as one of the biggest genres in the industry. With the FIFA World Cup in Qatar currently under way, the genre's popularity has been boosted and more relevant than ever, especially with the new smash-hit soccer anime Blue Lock. Other widely known sports anime include but are not limited to are Haikyuu, Yuri on Ice, and SK8 the Infinity.

While soccer-oriented anime such as Aoashi and Blue Lock have garnered more acclaim recently, baseball is actually the most used sports in the genre, with its prominence going as far back as the 1960s. With a wide range in terms of plot, tone, and characters, fans of the sport as well as the genre are sure to find something they like. Due to this, only a few stands out from the others.

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Out of all baseball-themed anime, the most viewed and critically acclaimed are Major, Ace of Diamond, and the more retro Miracle Giants Dome-kun. Major closely focuses on a young boy named Goro Honda, who dreams of being a professional baseball player. As he ages up throughout the series, he works to achieve by facing every obstacle in his way.

On the other hand, Ace of Diamond centers on Eijun Sawamura, who has an exceptional method of pitching. When he and his friends decide to play a game of baseball for fun one day, he ends up being scouted and admitted to a highly regarded high school. Soon, he is involved in helping his new team make it to nationals.

The much more concise Miracle Giants Dome-kun follows Dome Shinjo, a young boy who is the son of a recently deceased pro baseball player. Like his father, Dome enjoys baseball and is exceptionally gifted, prompting him to be recruited by a team known as the Giants. Although his talent gives the team a long winning streak, he is soon to find out that there is more than just talent in professional baseball. While all three aforementioned anime have their own unique take on the sport, Ace of Diamond far exceeds the rest.

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Ace of Diamond's Protagonist Must Work His Way Up

Eijun pitching in Ace of Diamond.

Despite being chosen to attend Seido High School and being on its baseball team, Eijun knows very little about the sport. Adding on to his lack of knowledge making him infamous among his peers, he is very impulsive and outspoken, much to their chagrin. His overconfident and reckless nature often lands him in hot water with his teammates.

However, Eijun is not afraid to make mistakes, as they not only teach him more about baseball, but also how to improve his pitching style. Taking these lessons to heart, he becomes a better pitcher and teammate. Despite his teammates getting annoyed by his actions and behavior, they are very fond of him not being afraid to speak his mind and his refusal to give up, which sets up for Eijun to become a good leader for the team..

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Ace of Diamond Is Faithful To the Sport

Ace of Diamond character brandishing a baseball

To say that Ace of Diamond is an anime about an average baseball team would be an understatement. Aside from the basics, Ace of Diamond delves into the rules and terms associated with the sport, giving audiences a better understanding of baseball as a whole. On top of that, the anime does not hesitate to showcase any injuries the players obtain, demonstrating how realistically violent baseball can be.

Despite his various shortcomings, Eijun is not the only one who needs to improve himself. While Ace of Diamond contains a colorful cast of characters, each of them have their own faults they need to overcome so that they can succeed as a team. The boys are also shown working together over time in order to secure victories, making it known that team building is an essential part of any sport in order to achieve their desired success.