What would you say is the first quality needed to be a Sports anime protagonist? As this genre follows countless characters, we need a vibrant design that will help us understand everyone right away. Yes, you guessed it: the hair color! (well, it is the sub-heading). Backflip!! does a fantastic job right off the bat with a defined selection of different hair colors and styles. It is not simply a difference in hues however, it is well known how color can be used to manipulate human perception to a certain extent, the study known as the psychology of color. A fiery red for Shichigahama, a tender pale grey for Tsukidate, a noticeable green for Watari, a bright and cheerful yellow for Onagawa, and of course, the usual brown and black for the freshman duo Futaba and Misato! But hair color by itself is not the only necessary quality to have when speaking about design.

Oh, the staple personalities, a must! The aloof yet prodigy Misato along with the bubbly and will-never-give-up Futaba pair, the tenacious yet somewhat simple Shichigahama and the warm, mother-like senpai Tsukidate pair, a rare yakuza fan breed Watari and, of course! The idol fanatic Onagawa!!! It is pretty impressive when characters have such defined personalities with hobbies that represent their thoughts and interests best. Apart from the common goal and sport shared, characters deserve a credible lifestyle outside of the sports frame. By getting to know more about their hobbies or what they love, viewers can understand their thoughts and appreciate the various layers they possess.

There is no Sports anime without drama. Character backstories are revealed to add depth to a particular crisis someone is going through, an injury or lack of connection between the members here and there. Yes, it might sound cliché to a certain extent, but we have yet to see a piece of this genre fail to provide enough echo to the struggles the cast goes through (heck, we could say Dive!! even went overboard!). Backflip!! manages a good balance between the humor, the drama, and the heart-warming moments. It keeps the drama concise while still allowing it to develop further the relationships of the characters involved. We have Futaba’s struggle to keep up with the rest as he is no more than a beginner, Onagawa’s self-consciousness when Misato joins the team and replaces him as the ace, Misato’s experience that has rendered him unable to trust his teammates, and once again, Futaba’s injury the day before the regional competition. Characters are explored and allowed to shine the brightest after experiencing hardship. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

We all want our favorite team to win. We want to see the smiles and the accomplishments of those we have supported for far and long. At the same time, we understand why or how a win is not necessarily the best way to portray victory for the characters. It is often precise due to the lack of actual victories that the story can keep moving forward. Yes, as human beings it is encouraged to strive for success, it could be argued that even a certain level of greediness is always necessary. But then again, we believe a victory should be reserved until our favorite characters reach that level until they have constructed their path towards it and are in their best momentum.

We have yet to see first place for the team in Backflip!!, but could the confirmed upcoming movie show us otherwise?