Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 (Season 1)

Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 (キャプテン翼, 2001) is a Japanese anime series — watch all episodes online on iFILM. The story picks up Tsubasa Oozora as an adult professional striker playing in Brazil, with Europe on the horizon. He's come a long way from the kid who once kicked a ball through every free minute of his childhood.

Before a high-stakes match, the series flashes back through the moments that made him: fierce early tournaments, the keeper rivalry with Wakabayashi (voiced by Takehito Koyasu), a deep friendship with striker Hyuga (Tomokazu Seki), and the steady influence of coach Roberto. The flashbacks feel less like recap and more like anatomy — the series is really about what football asks of the people who give everything to it. Directors Gisaburo Sugii and Satoshi Nakagawa lean into the emotional beats rather than tactical breakdown.

The series was produced as a reimagining of Yoichi Takahashi's landmark manga, timed to the 2002 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by Japan and South Korea. That original manga inspired a generation of real footballers across Japan, Spain and Brazil — a pedigree the series carries without needing to announce it. Stream Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 online on iFILM.