Mou Ippon contains a realistic depiction of high school girls playing a niche sport. Perhaps the niche nature of the series accounts for the low score; sad if so, because the judo moments are fantastic. I know absolutely nothing about martial arts but I am nevertheless RIVETED. This has all the necessary story beats to qualify as a wonderful sports anime in its own right.
If you're put off by the age or gender of the protagonists... don't be. Give Mou Ippon a shot anyway. The depiction of the sport is great, but it's the series' ability to capture the personalities, struggles, and ages of its protagonists that really shines. Their manner of speaking, their insecurities, their goals--the writing is pitch-perfect for their age and life experience (and the sports genre itself, to boot).
On the subject of realism: These girls aren't the long-legged, big-eyed, no-one-actually-looks-like-this anime girls people are used to seeing in anime. They aren't forced into characatures of optimistic anime protagonists along the way, either. They have chubby cheeks and stocky bodies, with baby fat and the kind of builds you'd expect girls in judo to have. It's sad that such a depiction is so uncommon, and it's wildly refreshing to see these truer-to-life characters on the screen in defiance of the unrealistic norm.
The animation in the judo sequences sings (animation cost-saving measures are used judiciously where they appear), the character writing is engaging and witty (some of the best of the Winter 2023 season), and the pacing as of the first 6 eps works incredibly well. Truly love this show, and if you like CGDCT or sports series or good character writing, I encourage you to give it a chance. The staff and cast are clearly passionate and skilled. Hidden gem in the extreme. This is a rock-solid sports anime. Deserves a much higher score than the general MAL user has deigned to give it, so please don't be put off by the low numbers here. <3
