Manga driven by athletic competition, training arcs, and the drama of pushing a body to its limits.
Sports manga is one of the most technically demanding genres to write well — the author must make readers care about athletic competition even if they have no prior interest in the sport. The best sports manga achieve this through character work, carefully constructed rivalries, and the intrinsic drama of a body pushed to its limits. Haikyuu!! made volleyball gripping; Slam Dunk made basketball mythological.