We've seen anime about volleyball, ice skating and swimming, now it's time for golf.
The spokon genre, as sports anime is called in Japan, originated in the 1920s. And what is remarkable is that it started on the screen and not on paper in the form of manga.
The first anime with a sports topic is considered to be the animated film Animal Olympic Games by director Yasuji Murata. For a long time, such projects were not in demand, but after the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, they gained real popularity.
The triumph at the home games made the Japanese more interested in sports and influenced the plots of manga and anime. As early as 1967, the Speed Racer series was released and quickly became popular not only in Japan, but around the world.
Now the genre has finally taken shape, acquired its own characteristics, and has many interesting titles that are definitely worth getting to know. And one of them is Rising Impact, the second season of which was released on August 6th.
What is Rising Impact About?
The story follows a boy named Gawain who has an incredible love for baseball. During a chance encounter with a professional golfer, a girl named Kiria Nishino, he learns that golf allows him to hit the ball farther than any other sport.
Using his physical strength and keen observation skills, he manages to hit the ball an impressive distance that rivals even professional golfers. With Kiria's help, the new golf enthusiast is accepted into the Camelot Academy, a prestigious school for experienced and aspiring golfers from around the world.
Gawain aims to become the best professional golfer in the world, but other prodigies with outstanding skills stand in his way, and he must overcome various challenges to do better than them.
Rising Impact is One of the Worthy Representatives of the Genre
Rising Impact is a typical representative of the spokon genre. The series does not pretend to be realistic, but has high quality animation and a dynamic plot.
Rising Impact has been warmly received by viewers – the series holds an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The anime is suitable even for those who do not understand golf – the essence and basic rules will become clear as you watch.
Despite the fact that most of the time you will be watching training, viewers fell in love with Rising Impact for other reasons – the series focuses on the topics of friendship and self-confidence.
Where to Watch Rising Impact?
Both seasons of Rising Impact are available to watch on Netflix.