The Prince of Tennis: Battle of the British Tennis Castle Review: A moving climax and character development

A comprehensive review and recommendation of "The Prince of Tennis: The British Tennis Battle!"

■Overview of the work

"The Prince of Tennis the Movie: British Tennis Castle Showdown!" is a new animated film based on "The Prince of Tennis" that was released on September 3, 2011. This work was produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the anime adaptation, and was released in theaters nationwide. The original work is "The Prince of Tennis" by Takeshi Konomi, which was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from 1999 to 2008 and is a huge hit with a total of over 45 million copies sold in the series. "The New Prince of Tennis" has been serialized in "Jump SQ." since 2009, and is still popular with many fans.

■ Story

The Prince of Tennis tells the story of the main character, Ryoma Echizen, who joins the Seishun Academy tennis club and aims to compete in the national tournament. In the movie version, the story depicts Ryoma and his friends taking part in an international tournament held at an English-style tennis castle. Here, the Princes of Tennis gather together and the ultimate tennis battle unfolds. The movie depicts new developments and character growth while making the most of the appeal of the original work.

■Explanation

The Prince of Tennis the Movie: Battle at the British Tennis Castle is a work that further evolves the tennis battles of the original work. It depicts the deadly battle of the Tenipuri All Stars that can only be seen here, and the strongest game begins. A luxurious staff including director Shunsuke Tada, screenwriter Mitsuki Hirota, and character designer Meiji Ishii have come together to faithfully reproduce the worldview of the original work while bringing out new charm.

■ Main staff

• Director: Shunsuke Tada
• Screenplay: Mitsuki Hirota
• Character design and animation director: Meiji Ishii
• Art director: Toru Minatani
• Sound Director: Takuya Hiramitsu
• Music: Watanabe Cher
• Produced by: NAS
• Animation production: Production IG MSC
• Production: Prince of Tennis Movie Project 2011
• Distributor: Shochiku

■ Public Information

• Public Media: Theater
• Original Media: Manga
• Published date: September 3, 2011
• Eirin number: 119061
• Duration: 87 minutes
• Number of episodes: 1

■Copyright

©Takeshi Konomi/Shueisha, NAS, The Prince of Tennis Movie Project 2011

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

The Prince of Tennis the Movie: Battle at the British Tennis Castle brings out the best of the original work, making it a long-awaited new work for fans. In particular, the tennis match scenes are extremely realistic and have the power to draw the audience in. The character designs and drawings are also of very high quality, faithfully recreating the image of the original work. The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and Cher Watanabe's music adds depth to the story.

The story depicts how Ryoma and his friends grow in the new setting of an international tournament, making it enjoyable not only for fans of the original work but also for new viewers. In particular, the scenes where each character's personality stands out and where teamwork is put to the test are worth watching. The unique setting of an English tennis castle also adds to the appeal of the work.

This work conveys many messages to the audience, depicting not only tennis matches but also themes such as youth, friendship, and hard work. In particular, Ryoma's growth and the bond with his friends will touch the hearts of many viewers. In addition, fans of the original work will be delighted to see familiar characters appear on the screen again.

■ Recommendation points

"The Prince of Tennis the Movie: British Tennis Castle Showdown!" can be recommended for the following reasons.

• A work that brings out the charm of the original to the fullest : It faithfully reproduces the charm of the tennis battles and characters from the original while depicting new developments.
• High-quality artwork and character design : Ishii Meiji's character designs and artwork are of extremely high quality, faithfully recreating the image of the original work.
• Realistic tennis battles : Tennis match scenes are incredibly realistic and have the power to draw the audience in.
• The Power of Music : Cher Watanabe's music adds depth to the story and enhances the atmosphere of the work.
• New setting and story : The story of Ryoma and his friends' growth and teamwork being tested on the new setting of an international tournament is worth watching.
• Themes of youth and friendship : The film depicts themes of youth, friendship and hard work, conveying many messages to the audience.

Related information

"The Prince of Tennis" is not only an original manga, but has also been adapted into a number of media mixes, including a TV anime, musicals, live-action movies, and OVAs. The TV anime in particular was broadcast on TV Tokyo affiliates from 2001 to 2005 and gained immense popularity. The musicals are still running today, attracting many fans. An anime movie was released in 2005, and a live-action movie was released in 2006. Furthermore, the OVA series has been released continuously since 2006, and has sold over 310,000 copies in total, making it a popular series in a wide range of media.

The series has also drawn impressive crowds at events, with 8,000 people attending the "Prince of Tennis 100 Songs Marathon" in 2008 and 14,000 people attending the "Tenipuri Festa 2009" in 2009. The "Tenipuri Festa 2011 in Budokan," held in 2011 as a 10th anniversary project, drew a total of 24,000 people for three performances, demonstrating the enthusiastic support of fans.

■ Summary

"The Prince of Tennis the Movie: Battle at the British Tennis Castle" is a work that brings out the charm of the original work to the fullest, and can be said to be a long-awaited new work for fans. It is filled with many charms, such as realistic tennis battles, high-quality animation, the power of music, a new setting and story, and the themes of youth and friendship. It is a work that can be enjoyed not only by fans of the original work but also by new viewers, so it is a work that we hope many people will see.