Best Manga Like Blue Box

Important takeaways

• Sports romance manga like Blue Box explores themes of young love, ambition, and personal growth.
• Two on Ice and Baby Steps offer compelling stories of determination and self-discovery in sports.
• Suzuka, Touch and H2 mix sports and romance to portray the journey of ambitious teenagers.

Kouji Miura Blue box is one of those rare sports romance manga that finds the sweet spot between two genres to tell a story of young love and ambition. The series follows two enterprising teenagers driven to compete on the biggest stage while navigating the complex emotions that blossom between them. Although their pursuit of greatness and mutual feelings bring them closer, the duo must deal with the intense demands of competitive sports and the challenges that come with it.

For those who love this story, these are best sports manga likes Blue box. They explore similar themes and offer readers a captivating mix of personal growth, perseverance and determination.

8 Two on ice

The inspiring figure skating manga

• Release date: 25 September 2023
• Author: Itsumo Elcke
• genre(s): Sports, Drama

Hayuma Minekoshi's accidental encounter with a mysterious girl in his childhood inspires him to take up the sport of figure skating, and in the following years he becomes good at it. When he eventually moves to Tokyo, he finally meets former prodigy Kisara Saotome. It turns out that she now plans to compete in pair skating, and after recognizing Hayuma's talent, she offers to team up with him.

Two on ice tells the heartwarming story of Minekoshi and Saotome as they push each other to become the best version of themselves. Blue box fans looking for a sports manga revolving around two ambitious teenagers will enjoy Itsumo Elcke's work.

7 The baby steps

An exciting sports manga

• Release date: October 7, 2007
• Author: Katsuki Hikaru
• genre(s): Sports, Drama

Maruo Eiichirou is a brilliant high school student who decides to join the tennis club after realizing he needs to get fitter. But in a strange twist, he ends up becoming obsessed with the sport and feels he has found a new purpose in life. Determined to improve his game, Maruo uses his academic discipline and works relentlessly.

The baby steps is a compelling story of personal growth and ambition that highlights the power of determination, perseverance and strategy, as fans of Blue box Will definitely appreciate.

6 Suzuka

Story of love and determination

• Release date: February 18, 2004
• Author: Seo Kouji
• genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Sports

Yamato Akitsuki's life takes an unexpected turn after he moves to Tokyo and crosses paths with talented high jumper Suzuka Asahina. Enamored by her grace and devotion, he joins the track and field team hoping to impress her. Although Yamato's first impressions have been weak, he soon discovers that he is a gifted athlete who can do well as a hundred-meter sprinter.

Like Taiki in Blue boxAkitsuki finds purpose after being influenced by a girl who is incredible at sports. Both manga explore similar themes and offer a compelling story that balances the sports and romance genres.

5 Move

An upcoming sports comedy series

• Release date: 5 August 1981
• Author: Adachi Mitsuru
• genre(s): Sports, Comedy, Romance

With over 100 million copies sold, Move is arguably the best sports manga ever written. As blue box, the series explores the intersection of romance, self-discovery and sports to deliver a heartwarming story of ambitious teenagers. Through its realistic and relatable characters, Move beautifully captures the essence of growing up and chasing your dream while dealing with the complexities of adolescence.

4 18.44-

A boys love manga that focuses on sports

• Release date: 20 May 2022
• Author: Suika Momoka
• genre(s): Boys Love, Sports

18.44- is one of those rare manga that perfectly balances the sports and romance genres, just like Blue box. The series revolves around the romance between catcher Shoutarou and pitcher Yuudai, who together target Koushien. With their lifelong dreams on the line, the duo begin to feel the stress of performing in tense situations. As they embrace their flaws, Shoutarou and Yuudai's romantic feelings and ambitions collide, creating circumstances that test their bond and commitment to their dreams.

3 Cross Game

A heartwarming story of overcoming loss and finding purpose

• Release date: September 2, 2005
• Author: Adachi Mitsuru
• genre(s): Romance, Sports, Comedy

Cross Game is a baseball manga that follows the life of Kou Kitamura as he falls in love with the sport and is ultimately forced to give it up after a tragic event. A few years after the incident, circumstances provide another opportunity for Kou, who dares to embrace the sport with great expectations on his shoulders.

Cross Game follows Kitamura's transformative journey by addressing themes of perseverance, ambition, love and loss. It's an ideal manga for Blue box fans who want to read a sports series that dares to go outside the genre and explore the personal tragedies and triumphs of the characters.

2 Smash!

A badminton focused manga

• Release date: July 19, 2006
• Author: Saki Kaori
• genre(s): Drama, Sports, Romance

Shouta Azuma loves to play badminton for fun. Despite his childhood friend Miwa Okamato's frequent attempts, he does not want to participate in it competitively. But when he sees Yuhi Kitou play for the first time on the court, he is mesmerized by her grace. Enchanted by her beautiful playing style and with Anan Hashiba's support, Azuma learns to appreciate the thrill of playing professionally and decides to step into the world of competitive badminton.

As Blue box fans may have noticed that Azuma, like Taiki, develops a newfound respect and love for the sport influenced by a female figure in his life. Both manga focus primarily on badminton and revolve around characters who play the sport competitively to make a name for themselves.

1 H2

A baseball series that focuses on the challenging life of an athlete

• Release date: 29 July 1992
• Author: Mitsuru Adachi
• genre(s): Romance, Sports, Drama, Comedy

One of the best selling manga of all time, Mitsuru Adachi's H2 is a popular sports series that explores recurring themes of ambition, identity, overcoming adversity and self-discovery. Despite sports being its focus, the manga also explores romantic affairs between its characters.

H2 mainly revolves around Hiro, a talented baseball player who gives up the sport after an injury and transfers to a new school. Desperate to move on, he joins the school football team when an incident prompts him to take up his favorite sport again. The unfolding drama captures Hiro's transformative journey that rekindles his love for baseball.