ANI x PARA: Anata no Hero wa Dare desu ka

Football 5-a-Side

He can call up a 360-degree image of the pitch through "sound." How did the super plays that astound the world come about!? Youichi Takahashi of the "Captain Tsubasa" fame depicts the appeal of blind soccer. The Japan national team members practice hard in the hope of taking part in the Paralympic Games. To confirm the result of the practice, they play a game against the Brazilians who sit at the top of the world. Will the finely-honed extrasensory perception and the series of super plays break down the wall of the world!? (Source: NHK)

Para Athletics

A girl sits pensively on a wheelchair by herself along a river. It was the "wind" and the "boy" she encountered that day that gave her the motivation to run. It was a day when she felt the wind and everything was set in motion... Manga artist Eisaku Kubonouchi, known for "Tsurumoku Dokushin-ryou," created the story of a girl on a wheelchair transforming into an athlete. (Source: NHK)

Wheelchair Tennis

A legendary figure in the wheelchair tennis circles appears in popular tennis-themed anime "Baby Steps"! Eiichirou Maruo, the leading character, plays against top professional athlete Shingo Kunieda. When Eiichirou launches an offensive with his typical analytical power and accurate strokes, how will Kunieda react and display his world-level skills!? It will be a dream match made possible only in "Ani x Para." As the heroine Natsu Takasaki looks on, the one-off game commences... (Source: NHK)

Goalball

This time, the project is collaborating with "Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari-kouen-mae Hashutsujo"! Is Ryou-san, the unconventional police officer, going to play goalball, a sport created for players with visual impairment!? Ryoutsu and the members of his police box and the Katsushika Police Station have been assigned to guard the stadium where the goalball games will be held, and they have arrived to get a preview. The Japan national goalball team happened to be practicing and Ryoutsu and friends play against them! Ryoutsu tries every trick to win but... (Source: NHK)

Wheelchair Rugby

Failures and triumphs, friendship and rivalry... The episode features wheelchair rugby, also known as "murderball" for its ferocity. The characters created by Tetsuya Chiba, the master of sports manga, fight intense battles! Riku Uesugi and Yuuma Himura had previously been on the same rugby team. But when the car that Riku drove was in an accident, both Riku and his passenger Yuuma began their lives with wheelchairs. Riku was in the throes of despair. Then, he discovered wheelchair rugby. (Source: NHK)

Paralympic Judo

Hikaru is a senior high school student who loves judo. But one day, she realizes that something is wrong with her eyes. She had lost most of her vision due to an illness. She is overwhelmed with sadness... Words spoken by a master of a "dojo" (judo facility) rekindled Hikaru's feeling for judo… Manga artist Katsutoshi Kawai, who created "Obi wo gyutto ne!," a popular judo-themed manga known for realistic depictions, took a close look at Paralympic judo! It is a story of a young woman who faces ordeals and matures as an athlete and as a person. (Source: NHK)

Para-cycling

Para Badminton

By Kouji Seo, a manga creator known for his many romantic comedies, such as "Fuuka." Para badminton is roughly divided into wheelchair and standing, and this episode features wheelchair badminton. (Source: NHK World)

Boccia

The 9th installment of the project to convey the charm of the Para-Sports with a series of anime. Satoru Hiura who is known for her manga "Hotaru's Way" tells a story about Boccia. Boccia is a precision ball sport where you throw your ball as close as you can to the target - a white ball, which requires careful strategy and control. The fascinating point of Boccia is that a diversity of people including people with severe impairments such as cerebral palsy, children and seniors can play together. The characters from "Hotaru's Way" also appear in the anime. The title music is written by a singer and songwriter Mao Abe. (Source: NHK World)

Vision Impaired Marathon

The 10th installment of the project to convey the charm of the Para-Sports with a series of anime. It is a collaboration with a graphic novel "Mashirohi" by Masahito Kagawa & Sho Wakasa. Vision Impaired Marathon is fascinating as a team sport where a runner runs alongside her / his companion holding the rope called "kizuna" together. The story follows a female runner who lost her sight in an accident and the guide runner who appeared in "Mashirohi." The pair bounce opinions off each other to grow as a team. The title music is sung by LiSA. (Source: NHK World)

Wheelchair Basketball

The 11th installment of the project to convey the charm of the Paralympic sports (Para Sports) with a series of anime. In collaboration with a basketball manga "DEAR BOYS" by Hiroki Yagami, it portrays the world of Wheelchair Basketball, one of the most popular Para Sports with its overwhelming sense of speed and precise gamesmanship. Mori Yoshiki, the protagonist of "DEAR BOYS ACT4," meets a girl who plays wheelchair basketball, and the 2 start inspiring each other. The theme song "Not Today" is written for the program by Daichi Miura inspired by the sport. (Source: NHK World)

Para Table Tennis