Attack No.1

Attack No. 1 or Mila Superstar is the OG volleyball anime and it centers around an enthusiastic girl that wants to be a the best volleyball player. It is similar with Haikyuu!! because it focuses on the main character (and their team) playing in tournaments, aiming for national team and going for international competitions. Attack no 1 and Haikyuu!! are shoujo and shounen respectively, but the focus is on the sport.  

Both these titles were made at the end of the 60ties/begininng of the 70ties. They show the protagonist's career from humble beginnings to the world top of their respective disciplines in a continuous storyline. Apart from sports, the story contains dramatic elements, is sometimes sidetracked and there is some romance. But the non sports elements greatly enrich the story and add to the character development of the protagonists. Actually, in the field of characterization and character development, I regard Ashita no Joe as my personal reference, to which I compare other titles. Attack No 1 may not be as good in that regard (I know of no other title that is), but it is still pretty good. So if you are interested in an epic story about the development of a character in sports and as person, these titles may be of interest. read more 

Sport is struggle. Sport is blood and tears. Two lyrical portrayals of sporting spirit through two series of the late 60s/early 70s. Both are a blend of drama and sports.