No great sports anime is complete without a signature dash of super moves. Whether it Hinata flying around in Haikyuu or the flashy Meteor Jam from Kuroko No Basket, signature/super moves are present in any sports anime worth its salt. Some of the most memorable moments from sports anime are the climaxes when your favorite character performs a super move far beyond human limits.
Even though they're all totally unfair and would likely have most athletes disqualified, we're here to rank 10 of the most outrageously overpowered super moves in sports anime history.
10 Taiga: Meteor Jam
When in the zone, Kagami Taiga is able to utilize his height and accurate prediction of ball trajectory in order to throw the ball into the hoop without a chance of blocking it.
Unfortunately, Taiga must be in the zone to use this move as he must be entirely focused when calculating the ball's angle of entry, as well as have full control over his body when he leaps over the defenders. That being said, if the zone was not an issue, the Meteor Jam is an unstoppable move.
9 Ippo: Dempsey Roll
Based on the signature move of real-life boxer Jack Dempsey, Ippo's move hits like a truck and almost always results in a KO. Starting by rolling his shoulders and weaving from side to side in a figure-eight pattern, Ippo utilizes the extreme weight shifting in order to land devastating hooks to his opponents.
The weakness of the Dempsey roll is that it is quite easy to counter once it has been telegraphed. For boxers who have experienced it, like Miyata, matching the technique's tempo or simply stepping back to dispel the weaving illusion are all valid ways to stop the technique.
8 Midoriama: High Projectile Three
Due to his pinpoint accuracy and immaculate ability to calculate on the fly, Shintarō Midorima is able to hit three-pointers from virtually anywhere on the court.
A particularly devastating aspect of this signature move is the psychological impact of being unable to prevent the other team from scoring. However, the weakness of the technique lies in Midorima never taking risks and not shooting if there is even a slight chance the shot won't go through. His hesitation when pressured leaves him open to being stolen from and blocked.
7 Kuroko: Vanishing Drive
Kuroko's signature move, the Vanishing Drive utilizes his lack of presence in order to quickly advance the ball through seemingly impassable defense, effectively vanishing and reappearing.
The true strength from the Vanishing Drive comes from Kuroko working together with his teammate, Taiga. With a larger frame, Taiga utilizes his size in order to take attention away from the already unnoticed Kuroko, amplifying the Vanishing Drive to greater heights. However, against players like former teammate Aomine, who understand Kuroko's tempo and understand misdirection, the technique falls apart.
6 Sena: Devil Bat Ghost
Sena's Devil Bat Ghost is a rush that effectively causes him to disappear and reappear on the field. In Eyeshield 21, Sena Kobayakawa utilizes extreme rotation along with agility in order to spin around defenders, creating the illusion of running through them.
The main weakness of this move arises from the skill of the user. Against players who can run faster than its user or possess sight that can see through the illusion of the rotation, the Devil Bat Ghost can be matched or even negated.
5 Aomine: Street Style And Formless Shoot
In addition to being a prodigy to the game, as per usual for a member of the Generation of Miracles, Daiki Aomine's unique street-ball style allowed him to adapt to any situation. Not limited to traditional basketball techniques, Aomine is able to maneuver the ball flawlessly, and, with Formless Shot, he is able to make a basket from any position on the court.
The only limiting factor to Aomine is his lack of faith in his teammates, and his only weakness is that he relies on his own strength.
4 Taiga: Direct Drive Zone
In Kuroko no Basket, using "the Zone" allows a player to make use of 100% of their potential and play basketball far beyond their previous limits. In order to make use of it, a player must be passionate and also possess prodigal talent, severely limiting the pool of users.
Kagami Taiga, after breaking through the door to the zone, is able to open the second door into the Direct Drive Zone. This allows his team to perform at speeds where everyone is essentially in the zone by making eye contact with him. He was able to accomplish this by working with his teammates and believing in their strength as a unit.
3 Akashi: The Emperor Eye
Seijūrō Akashi, the original captain of the Generation of Miracles, possesses the "Emperor Eye" which allows him to perceive the faintest twitches of his targets and therefore accurately predict their movements and actions.
Akashi is able to lock down individual player movement by capitalizing on the exact moment a player is unbalanced and causing them to trip. He is also able to predict when players are setting up for a shot and disrupt it. His eyes are also able to perceive a wide field of vision, preventing him from being blocked in and always being able to find a way to pass the ball.
2 Ryoma Echizen: Teni Muhō no Kiwami (The Pinnacle of Perfection)
In The Prince of Tennis, there is a state that exists called Muga no Kyōchi where a player is able to transcend their limits and perfectly execute techniques they have seen from other players. This state is similar to the zone from Kuroko no Basket in that there can be multiple users.
However, in order to control this state and harness it to its full potential, tennis players must open three doors, the last being the pinnacle of perfection. Ryoma Echizen, the main character of the series, is able to make full use of its strengths after he starts playing tennis for the joy of it once again.
1 Kise: Perfect Copy
You may have noticed a considerable amount of super moves on this list from Kuroko no Basket, as that show wrote the book on how to make overpowered techniques fit into a sports anime.
That's why it says something when the top move on this list trumps everything that has come before. In the Perfect Copy state, Ryōta Kise is able to perfectly execute any technique he has seen before due to his supreme visual comprehension. This includes every move on this list from Kuroko no Basket. The largest drawback to this skill is that Kise needs to personally make up for the physical differences between him and the player he copies from when he executes the move, resulting in him only being able to maintain the state for five minutes at a time.