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Baseball, basketball, and soccer remain the kings of sports manga, with some of the most popular titles to date falling under one of those three sports: “Slam Dunk,” “Diamond no Ace,” and “Blue Lock,” for example. Combat sports have also captured the attention of manga fans, with series like “Hajime no Ippo” being the longest continually running series of all time. With so many outstanding, long-running sports manga titles available, there are equal amounts of underrated gems that don't get the attention they deserve.

Here, we present 10 sports manga worth your attention, ranging from purist interpretations to absurd takes on popular and niche sports. These manga offer different experiences and approaches to the genre, so the following list is not ranked.

10. Run On Your New Legs (2019) by Wataru Midori

After an accident, Shouta Kikuzato's dreams of being a pro soccer player are crushed when he loses his leg. Withdrawing from others,...

Despite having directed some excellent films, as in the case of “Dog Bite Dog” and “Love Battlefield” and a masterpiece in “Limbo”, Soi Cheang's filmography is actually filled with titles of questionable quality, to say the least. “Shamo” which is based on the homonymous manga written by Izo Hashimoto and illustrated by Akio Tanaka definitely lies in the second category.

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In an expectedly failed effort to fit 34 volumes of a manga into a 105 minutes movie, the script revolves around Ryo Narushima, a young man who ended up in prison for killing his parents. While inside, he is being tortured and abused, with the permission of the notorious warden, Principal Saeki, who seems at least as sinister as the convicts. Just before he commits suicide, though, Ryo is saved by Kenji, a karate master who is in prison for killing the Japanese Prime minister,...

Particular stories within manga tend to burrow under the reader's skin by exploring uncomfortable themes steeped in violence, tragedy, and suffering. These works offer a unique catharsis and, when executed with sincerity and skill, allow readers to look inward and see elements of humanity that are difficult to approach yet enriching to contemplate.

We look at 20 dark manga worthy of challenging the reader, offering depth within their complex themes. In no specific order, we have handpicked these twenty titles for their ability to navigate uncomfortable themes with the needed skill to make the work redemptive.

20. Goodnight Punpun by Inio Asano

“This is Punpun Onodera's coming-of-age story. His parents' marriage is falling apart. His dad goes to jail, and his mom goes to the hospital. He has to live with his loser uncle. He has a crush on a girl who lives in a weird cult. Punpun tries talking with God about his problems,...