Anime/Manga Based On Wrestling You Should Watch/Read (2024)

These days, many pro wrestlers are openly nerdy, and often display their interest in anime and manga via their personas and ring gear, with memorable examples being Kenny Omega, Xavier Woods, and Rhea Ripley. Over the years, both anime and manga have reciprocated, with countless references and tributes to the various stars of the sport, if not stories openly inspired by pro wrestling.

It makes sense, given Japan’s amazing wrestling scene, but many Western fans are likely unaware of the various animated series and comic books based on the sport. Let’s take a look at 10 such manga and anime worth checking out.

Wanna-Be’s Followed A Tag Team

It Was A Direct-To-Video Release

A relatively obscure 45-minute direct-to-video anime released in 1986, the women’s wrestling themed Wanna-Be’s follows Eri and Miki of the tag team Wanna-Be’s, who find themselves challenging the monster heel tag team, the Foxy Ladies.

While training at their gym, the duo get involved with a mysterious corporation that conducts experiments to enhance their physical abilities. If that didn’t seem 1980s sci-fi anime enough, Wanna-Be’s also boasts character designs by Kenichi Sonoda, who worked as character designer for the classic ‘80s anime Bubblegum Crisis.

Plawres Sanshiro Began Life As A Manga

It Combines Many Different Elements

Created by Jiro Gyu, Plawres Sanshiro started out as a manga in 1982, with an anime adaptation airing in the following year. This one’s also a sci-fi anime, but very different from the one above. A hybrid of Gundam model kit culture, pro wrestling, and “hobby anime” like Pokemon, Plawres Sanshiro takes place in a world where kids build small robotic fighters who tussle in small wrestling rings and follows a kid named Sanshiro and his PlaWrestler, Juohmaru, as they take on their rivals.

It Is A Mix Of Pro Wrestling And Sci-Fi

Debuting in 1994, the anime Metal Fighter Miku delivers the most science fictional take on pro wrestling. Taking place in the year 2061, Metal Fighter Miku is centered around the world of Neo Pro-Wrestling, a futuristic variation of the sport where competitors are outfitted with various high-tech enhancements, including armor.

The eponymous Miku is a newcomer to the sport who teams up with her friends as a faction called Pretty Four, and the show follows the group as they train and battle their opponents. While it looks a bit like the aforementioned Bubblegum Crisis, there are loads of wrestling reference for fans of classic All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling.

Tiger Mask Entered The Real World

Many Wrestlers Have Portrayed The Character

Wrestling fans know Tiger Mask, the masked high flyer who changed the game for junior heavyweight wrestling in the 1980s — or Tiger Mask IV who currently wrestles for New Japan — but may be unaware that the gimmick is actually officially licensed from a manga. Created by writer Kajiwara and artist Naoki Tsuji, the original Tiger Mask follows a Japanese heel wrestler who, upon returning to Japan, becomes inspired to turn babyface and combats an evil wrestling organization called Tiger's Den. The manga spawned a TV anime that aired from 1969 from 1971 for 105 episodes as well as a 33-episode sequel series in the early 1980s.

Kinnikuman Still Goes On Today

The Manga Continued In 2011

Easily the longest running pro wrestling themed comic, Japan or otherwise, Kinnikuman’s initial run lasted from 1979 to 1987, with a revival happening in 2011 and still running today. Taking a more comedic approach in its style, this popular series follows the clumsy Kinnikuman, a superhero who finds out he might be an alien prince and competes in super-powered wrestling matches to prove himself. Western fans may recognize the series via the 1980s miniature toy line M.U.S.C.L.E. or via the 2000s series Kinnikuman: Second Generation, which was adapted into English as Ultimate Muscle.

Kick-Heart Is An Excellent Short

It Was Founded On Kickstrater

Director Masaaki Yuasa is best known for stylish and energetic anime series like Devilman Crybaby and films like The Night is Short, Walk On Girl, but also has a number of short films under his belt. Most relevant is the pro wrestling themed Kick-Heart, about a masked wrestler who secretly runs an orphanage, El Generico style.

A great 12-minute short, Kick-Heart also has the distinction of being one of the first major anime to be crowdfunded on Kickstarter.

Baki The Grappler Is Based On A Long-Running Title

It Airs On Netflix In The US

Based on the long-running manga Baki the Grappler, the anime Baki debuted on the US version of Netflix in 2018. The series follows Baki Hanma, the son of a legendary fighter, who’s been training his entire life — first to follow in his footsteps, and later to kill him. Over the course of the series, Baki clashes with a variety of dangerous martial artists, most of whom have freakishly muscular bodies. While many fighters in Baki are inspired by legitimate martial artists, there’s also a solid amount of pro wrestling influence, including characters obviously based on Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki.

Cutie & The Beast Is A Romantic Comedy

One Of The Main Characters Was Based On NJPW's EVIL

Launched in 2019, Yuhi Azumi’s romantic comedy manga Cutie & The Beast follows Momoka, a pro wrestling fan who ends up forging a relationship with the pro wrestler Kuga. As the two connect, Momoka finds out that Kuga — who’s a heel in the ring — is actually a sweetheart in real life. A cute, sweet comedy, Cutie & The Beast is of extra interest to pro wrestling fans due the inspiration for Kuga, as Azumi explicitly modeled him after EVIL of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Kemono Michi: Rise Up Is Based On A Common Genre

The Main Character Gets Transported To A Fantasy World

Hilariously, one of the big outliers on this list is actually part of an all-too-common genre in anime: the isekai, a story where a character is transported from the real world to a fantasy world. In Kemono Michi: Rise Up, the real-world character is Genzo, a popular pro wrestler who performs as the Tiger Mask-like Animal Mask. On the night of a big match, he finds himself in a fantasy world where he’s enlisted to kill a monster, but ends up finding a different calling in this new world: capturing monsters to run a pet shop.

Tiger Mask W Goes To NJPW

Many NJPW Stars Appeared In It

A follow-up to the original Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W follows a new Tiger Mask who assumes the identity in order to seek revenge on the Tiger's Den. During the series, Tiger Mask signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, which leads to appearances from a number of NJPW stars, including Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenny Omega, and Kota Ibushi (who actually voiced himself).

To promote the new anime, New Japan staged promotional matches during several events, with Ibushi donning the mask as it appears in the cartoon. In addition to taking on enemies like Red Death Mask (Juice Robinson) and Tiger The Dark (ACH), he also fought Kazuchika Okada in the main event of NJPW’s 45th anniversary show.

Wanna Be The Strongest In The World Was A Manga And An Anime

Heavy on the fan service, Wanna Be The Strongest In The World! follows an idol singer who becomes a pro wrestler, which should remind fans of Tokyo Joshi Pro’s Maki Itoh. A member of the group Sweet Diva, a promotional appearance at a wrestling show results in a heel wrestler beating up Sakura’s bandmate. In response, Sakura pursues training in the ring to avenge her. Lasting five volumes, Wanna Be The Strongest In The World! spawned a 12-episode anime adaptation, which was followed by six OVA (original video animation) episodes.

Giganto Maxia Is Post-Apocalyptic With Pro Wrestling

It Is Similar To Attack On Titan

The late Kentauro Miura’s magnum opus is obviously Berserk, but he has an under-the-radar one-volume banger called Giganto Maxia, originally published in 2013 and published in English by Dark Horse Comics in 2016. Set in a futuristic wasteland, the vibe is basically “What if Hayao Miyazaki made a post-apocalyptic wrestling manga,” with protagonist Delos not only describing himself as a wrestler, but also delivering suplexes and other maneuvers. As the series progresses, Delos tussles with Attack on Titan-style beasts.

New Japan Academy Was NJPW's Own Creation

It Was An Alternate Universe To The Real NJPW

Given the number of comics inspired by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, it’s no surprise that NJPW eventually licensed a comic of its own. Rather than dramatize on-screen feuds like the WWE comics do, New Japan Academy basically functions as an alternate universe depiction of the King of Sport, with the NJPW roster competing in a high school setting and Tetsuya Naito as the protagonist. Lasting only two volumes, the first volume of New Japan Academy was published in English by Yen Press as a digital-exclusive.