Ping Pong the Animation's appeal and reviews: If you're looking for an outstanding anime experience, this is it!

Ping Pong the Animation - A story of youth and heroes in table tennis

Introduction

"Ping Pong the Animation", which aired in 2014, is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by Matsumoto Taiyo. This work is a story that depicts youth through table tennis, and the drama woven by the unique characters is appealing. It was created by a powerful team, directed by Yuasa Masaaki and produced by Tatsunoko Productions. In this article, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of "Ping Pong the Animation", as well as recommended points.

Overview

"Ping Pong the Animation" aired a total of 11 episodes from April 11 to June 20, 2014. It was broadcast on Fuji TV's Noitamina slot, and was also broadcast on other regional broadcasting stations. It was also streamed online and could be viewed on Fuji TV On Demand and Bandai Channel. It is based on Matsumoto Taiyo's "Ping Pong" and is published by Shogakukan's Big Spirits Comics.

story

A hero always appears in times of crisis. This is the story of Peko (Hoshino Yutaka) and Smile (Tsukimoto Makoto), who are members of the Katase High School table tennis club and believe in this saying. Peko is free-spirited and confident, while Smile is cool and never smiles. The two started playing table tennis at Tamura Table Tennis Dojo in their childhood, and Smile's talent blossoms when Peko invites him to play, but he has difficulty beating Peko. Meanwhile, Kong Wen Ge, an exchange student from Tsujidou Gakuin, stands in Peko's way. In addition, Katase High School's advisor Koizumi starts giving Smile private lessons to further bring out his talent. Who will shake up the ever-victorious Kaioh Academy? Peko and Smile's childhood friend Akuma (Sakuma Manabu), who attends Kaioh, is also burning with fighting spirit. Regardless of each person's thoughts, the Inter-High preliminaries are approaching. The white ball flies at 140km/h at 274cm. The outcome of this battle will tear apart the youth of these boys striving for the top. Will a hero emerge?

cast

• Peko (Hoshino Yutaka)/Katayama Fukujuro
• Smile (Tsukimoto Makoto) / Uchiyama Kouki
• Dragon (Kazama Ryuichi)/Shunsuke Sakino
• Akuma (Sakuma Manabu)/Kimura Subaru
• China (Kong Wen Ge) / Wen Youxing
• Obaba / Masako Nozawa
• Joe Koizumi/Yusaku Yara

Main Staff

• Original work: Taiyo Matsumoto (published by Shogakukan Big Spirits Comics)
• Director: Masaaki Yuasa
• Character design: Nobutaka Ito
• Music by Kensuke Ushio
• Color design: Kunio Tsujita
• Art Director: Aymeric Kevin
• Director of photography: Nakamura Shunsuke
• Edited by Yoshiko Kimura
• Sound Director: Eriko Kimura
• Produced by Tatsunoko Productions

Main Characters

• Peko (Hoshino Yutaka)
  Racket used: Right penholder Playing style: Front court fast attack A first year student at Katase High School. He is confident and does not participate in table tennis club practice, but spends his days at the Tamura Table Tennis Dojo, fooling ordinary people who challenge him. He loves sweets.
• Smile (Tsukimoto Makoto)
  Racket used: Right-handed shakehand. Playing style: Mainly cut style. Katase High School freshman. Because he doesn't laugh, he often gets involved in troublesome situations, and dreams of a hero coming to save him.
• Dragon (Ryuichi Kazama)
  Racket used: Right-handed shakehand. Playing style: All-rounder. Captain of the powerful Kaioh Academy table tennis club. He has won the individual championship at the Inter-High School Championships for two consecutive years. He has a stoic personality and devotes everything to table tennis.
• Akuma (Sakuma Manabu)
  Racket used: Right penholder Playing style: Front court fast attack A first year student at Kaioh Academy High School. She enrolled in Kaioh Academy because she admired Dragon. She is also a childhood friend of Peko and Smile, who attended the Tamura table tennis dojo.
• China (Hole Pattern Leather)
  Racket used: Right-handed Chinese penholder. Playing style: Mainly drive style. Exchange student at Tsujido Gakuin. He was an elite player for the Shanghai Junior Youth team, but left his home country due to circumstances. He thinks the level of table tennis in Japan is low.
• Obaba Owner of the Tamura Table Tennis Dojo. Also teaches table tennis to children.
• Takeru Koizumi Katase High School Table Tennis Club Advisor. Although he is over 60 years old, he is passionate about teaching Smile despite his old age. He is also an English teacher.

subtitle

• Episode 1: The sound of the wind is bothering me
• Episode 2: Smile is a Robot
• Episode 3: It's creepy to devote your life to table tennis
• Episode 4: The only way to never lose is to not fight
• Episode 5: Where did we go wrong?
• Episode 6: You love table tennis more than anyone!!
• Episode 7: Yes, My Coach
• Episode 8: The Hero Appears
• Episode 9: Cry a Little
• Episode 10: He's probably a hero!!
• Episode 11: Blood tastes like iron

Theme songs and music

• OP1
  Only One Singer/Bomb Johnny
• ED1
  About Us Song by Merengue

Evaluation and Impressions

"Ping Pong the Animation" is a work that depicts the struggles and growth of youth set against the backdrop of the sport of table tennis. In particular, director Masaaki Yuasa's unique visual expression and the deep portrayal of the characters' inner thoughts have been highly praised. Below, we will provide a detailed evaluation and review of the work.

Visuals and performance

Director Masaaki Yuasa's visual expression is one of the major attractions of this work. The characters' expressions and movements are extremely realistic, and in the table tennis match scenes, the trajectory and sense of speed of the ball are beautifully depicted. Also impressive is the use of colors and backgrounds that symbolize the inner thoughts of each character. In particular, in the scenes depicting Smile's inner thoughts, the use of monochrome and color is effective, visually deepening the story.

Character Appeal

Each character, including Peko, Smile, Dragon, Akuma, and China, is unique and charming. Peko's confident and free-spirited personality, Smile's cool and introverted personality, Dragon's stoicism, Akuma's fighting spirit, and China's pride - each character's unique characteristics enrich the story. In addition, the growth and conflicts of each character are carefully depicted, deeply moving the viewers.

Story and Themes

"Ping Pong the Animation" depicts the theme of youth through the game of table tennis. It does not only depict winning and losing, but also universal themes such as friendship, effort, frustration, and growth, which have resonated with many viewers. In particular, the relationship between Peko and Smile, as well as the worries each character faces and the process of overcoming them, are moving. Additionally, the theme of a hero emerging symbolizes the entire story, giving hope to viewers.

music

The music by Kensuke Ushio also adds to the appeal of the work. In the table tennis match scenes, background music is used effectively to create a sense of tension, and in scenes depicting the inner thoughts of the characters, melodies that bring out their emotions are played. In addition, the opening theme "Hitorihito" and ending theme "Bokura ni Tsuite" also match the atmosphere of the work, making them memorable songs for viewers.

Recommended points

"Ping Pong the Animation" is recommended for the following reasons:

Realistic depiction of table tennis

The table tennis match scenes are extremely realistic, conveying a sense of speed and tension. The trajectory of the ball and the movements of the players are depicted in great detail, making this a recommended series for fans of sports anime as well as table tennis.

Deep depiction of the characters' inner lives

Each character's inner thoughts are carefully depicted, deeply moving the viewer. In particular, the scenes depicting Smile's inner thoughts are visually moving, allowing viewers to empathize with the character's growth and struggles.

Theme of Youth

The show is not just about winning and losing, but also about friendship, hard work, frustration, growth and other youthful themes that resonate with many viewers. In particular, the relationship between Peko and Smile, as well as the troubles each character faces and the process of overcoming them are very moving.

Masaaki Yuasa's visual expression

Director Masaaki Yuasa's unique visual expression is one of the major attractions of this work. The characters' expressions and movements are extremely realistic, and the use of colors and backgrounds is also impressive. You can enjoy the direction that visually deepens the story.

summary

"Ping Pong the Animation" is a work that depicts the struggles and growth of youth through the game of table tennis. Director Masaaki Yuasa's unique visual expression and the deep inner thoughts of the characters have been praised, and the realistic portrayal of table tennis and the theme of youth are also appealing. In particular, the relationship between Peko and Smile, as well as the troubles each character has and the process of overcoming them, are moving and have resonated with many viewers. This work is recommended not only for table tennis fans, but also for those who like sports anime and youth anime.