The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks are on their way to the NBA Finals, leaving a slew of defeated opponents and dejected fans in their wake. If you’re not a Celtics or Mavs fan, you’re probably going into the Finals with some level of bitterness and/or disappointment in your team, whether they were swept in the first round, suffered a disappointing Game 7 loss, or missed the playoffs altogether. If you’re still mourning the elimination of your favorite NBA team, lift your spirits by looking back at some of the best moments of the 2023-24 season on and off the court withBleacher Report’s anime-inspired seriesHero Ball.Though it hasn’t yet gained the popularity ofGame of Zones,Hero Balldistinguishes itself byusing anime art styles and tropes to retell some of the most entertaining NBA storylines throughout the past two seasons, complete with plenty of visual gags and its own catchy theme song.
‘Hero Ball’ Turns NBA Stars Into Anime Heroes (and Villains)
BeforeHero Ball, there was Bleacher Report’s belovedGame of Thronesparody seriesGame of Zones, which ran for seven seasons and offered a medieval take on the NBA from 2014-2020, taking inspiration from HBO’s massively successful fantasy series. Bleacher Report’s YouTube comment sections are still clamoring for the series to return, but this seems increasingly unlikely, especially with the launch ofHero Ballin 2022. Throughout its past two seasons,Hero Ballhas parodied some of the biggest moments in the NBA,from the blockbuster trade that sentKevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, to last year’s controversialIn-Season Tournament. It also adapts some of the NBA’s most prominent narratives into anime form, like a new generation of players competing to take over as the face of the league from aging superstarsLeBron James,Kevin Durant, andStephen Curry.
InHero Ball, on-court rivalries are depicted as epic battles, and clever character design highlights the quirks and reputations of players across the league, likeNikola Jokić’s affinity for horses,Miles Turner’sLego collection, andZion Williamson’s love ofNaruto. In anime form, the famously stoicKawhi Leonardis depicted as a cyborg,James Hardenas “The Traveler,” and LeBron James as a king, always sporting his four championship rings.
‘Hero Ball’ Highlights the Best Stories of the 2023-24 NBA Season
After Season 1 ofHero Ballcovered stories like thecollapse of the Brooklyn Netsand thearrival ofVictor Wembanyama, Season 2 kicked off with a recap of theDamian Lillardtrade sagathat almost saw the former Portland Trail Blazers star join the Miami Heat, ultimately ending with his trade to the Milwaukee Bucks. Throughout the 2023 off-season, it was widely reported that Lillard was determined to take his talents to South Beach, soin the Season 2 premiere, Jimmy Butler takes a road trip to Portland to pick him up.Jimmy downs several cups of coffee — a nod to Butler’sBig Face coffee brand— as he drives to Portland while listening to sports radio hosts guarantee the Lillard trade to Miami is a sure thing. But when Jimmy arrives, he’s forced to battle the citizens of Portland, who collectively transform into a Sasquatch-type beast beforeGiannis Antetokounmposwoops in to take Lillard to Milwaukee.Emo Jimmy Butlereven makes an appearance asTyler Herrodrives them back to Miami after the disastrous trade.
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Hero Ball’smost recent episodedropped in April, shortly before the start of the NBA Playoffs, with a reminder of just how much pressure the Boston Celtics are under to win the championship. Boston’s “ultimate starting five” assemble an attack robot to battle the Eastern Conference Playoff teams, and the metaphorical target on Boston’s back is rendered literal as the East fire rockets at them. It’sPaolo Bancheroof the Orlando Magic who casts a spell that sends the Celtics off a cliff, leaving only the left arm functioning, and an injuredDerrick WhitetellsJaylen Brownhe’ll have to drive with the left hand, making light ofBrown’s continued struggles with his left-handed dribble. When all hope seems lost,Al Horfordappears as the “glue guy,” allowing the Celtics to reassemble and head up Playoff Mountain to face the real threat: Nikola Jokić.
‘Hero Ball’s Clever Visual Gags Reference Basketball Culture and Anime
Aside from the NBA narratives being adapted inHero Ball, the series is also laden with visual gags and references. There are a fewobviousrecreations of NBA memeslikeLuka Dončić looking triumphantly at Devin Bookeras the Dallas Mavericks destroyed the Phoenix Suns in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals, Jimmy Butler’smischievous look to camerawhile sitting courtside at a Chicago Bulls game, and LeBron James’blissful poolside Instagram storyfrom 2018. Some of the best visual gags happen in the background and could easily go unnoticed, likeJosh Hartgiving himself a dejected high five in theSeason 1 finale, referring to this hilariouscompilation of Hart getting left hangingby his teammates over the span of multiple seasons.
In the first 30 seconds ofSeason 2, Episode 7alone, there are a dozen visual references pertaining to the many phases of LeBron James’ career,now the oldest active player in the NBA. A display case shows off not only James’ four MVP trophies and three Olympic Medals, but some of hismost memorable fashion moments, like hisThom Browne short suitfrom 2018, and theall-white ensemblehe wore on Draft Night in 2003. When Steph Curry,Draymond Green, andKlay Thompsonburst in to attack LeBron, he’s launched into a bookshelf — featuring titles likeA Tale of Three CitiesandHow To Win Friends and Influence GMs— and yells “I was going to think about reading those!” With this,Hero Ballrefers toyet another LeBron James meme: a collage of James reading different books in the tunnel before games, but whether it wasThe Hunger GamesorThe Autobiography of Malcom X, healways seemed to be on the first page.
Though there are visual anime references scattered throughoutHero Ball,like the MVP trophies shaped likeAstro Boy, there are some more direct references to anime, likeAttack on TitanandNaruto,whenZion WilliamsonandJa Morantface off inSeason 1, Episode 3.Hero Ballturns Williamson, a huge anime fan himself, into a viscous titan straight out ofAttack on Titanuntil Morant uses the power of friendship to stop him from destroying the city. But even if you’re not the most well-versed in anime, there’s plenty for NBA fans to appreciate in this clever reimagining of the past two seasons. Sowhile you wait for the NBA Finals to kick off on June 6, revisit the highs and lows of the season withHero Ball.
Hero Ballis available to stream on Max in the U.S. and on YouTube.
