Basketball has produced two of the most influential sports anime ever made, and they were made 20 years apart. Slam Dunk defined the genre in the '90s, and Kuroko's Basketball reinvented it for the 2010s. After ranking baseball and soccer separately, here's the full basketball board, ordered by SenpaiRanks consensus score.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best basketball anime is Slam Dunk (8.04), with The First Slam Dunk (8.03) a hair behind and Kuroko's Basketball taking the next three spots (season 3 at 7.96, season 2 at 7.93, season 1 at 7.85). Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk is the classic, and his 2022 film is the best-looking basketball animation ever made. Kuroko is the gateway for most newer fans and streams on Crunchyroll. Further down, Ahiru no Sora and Basquash! are the deep cuts.
The ranked list
1. Slam Dunk — 8.04
Toei Animation · 1993 · 101 episodes. Delinquent Hanamichi Sakuragi joins Shohoku High's team to impress a girl and slowly learns to love the game. The TV series stops before the manga's final tournament, which is part of why the 2022 film matters. Crunchyroll or Hulu depending on region. It's also a cornerstone of our best '80s and '90s anime list.
2. The First Slam Dunk — 8.03
Toei Animation with DandeLion Animation Studio · 2022 · film. Inoue wrote and directed it himself, retelling the Shohoku–Sannoh game from point guard Ryota Miyagi's side. If you watch only one basketball title, make it this one. Netflix in many regions, plus digital purchase.
3. Kuroko's Basketball 3rd Season — 7.96
Production I.G · 2015 · 25 episodes. The Winter Cup finals and the payoff to everything the first two seasons set up. Crunchyroll.
4. Kuroko's Basketball 2nd Season — 7.93
Production I.G · 2013 · 25 episodes. The Generation of Miracles rivalries peak here. Crunchyroll.
5. Kuroko's Basketball — 7.85
Production I.G · 2012 · 25 episodes. An invisible passing specialist and a raw power forward team up at Seirin. Start here. Crunchyroll.
6. Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game — 7.68
Production I.G · 2017 · film. A post-series exhibition match that puts the Miracles on one team against American streetballers. It's fan service in the good sense. See the show page for current availability.
7. Ahiru no Sora — 7.13
diomedéa · 2019 · 50 episodes. A short player at a school with a broken team. It's grittier than Kuroko and less flashy, and it deserves a bigger audience. Streaming varies by region; check the show page.
8. Basquash! — 7.10
Satelight · 2009 · 26 episodes. Street basketball played in giant robots. It's not a sports drama in the usual sense, but nothing else plays like it. It also fits our best mecha anime board. Check the show page.
9. Ro-Kyu-Bu! SS — 7.04
2013 · 12 episodes. A high-school player coaches an elementary-school girls' team. It's lighter than the rest of the list. The show page lists streaming.
10. Dear Boys — 6.71
A.C.G.T. · 2003 · 26 episodes. A transfer student rebuilds a team suspended after a scandal. Pure 2000s sports drama. Check the show page.
Where to start
If you're new to the genre, watch Kuroko season one, then The First Slam Dunk. If you prefer old-school, watch Slam Dunk TV first and the film after; it lands harder that way. Our wider sports anime ranking covers volleyball, boxing and everything else, and the Toei Animation board shows where Slam Dunk sits in that studio's catalogue.
Disagree with Kuroko season 3 over season 1? Rate both on their show pages and the board moves.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best basketball anime?
A: Slam Dunk ranks first on SenpaiRanks' consensus board at 8.04, just ahead of The First Slam Dunk at 8.03.
Q: Is Kuroko's Basketball worth watching?
A: Yes. All three seasons sit between 7.85 and 7.96 on SenpaiRanks, and it's the most accessible basketball anime for new viewers.
Q: Do I need to watch Slam Dunk before The First Slam Dunk?
A: No, the film stands on its own. It hits harder if you know the Shohoku players, though, and it adapts the final game that the TV series never reached.
Q: Where can I watch Kuroko's Basketball?
A: All three seasons stream on Crunchyroll. The Last Game film's availability varies by region.
Q: Where can I watch The First Slam Dunk?
A: It streams on Netflix in many regions and is available to buy digitally elsewhere.