The appeal and reviews of Love All Play: A youth anime depicting the world of tennis

Love All Play: A story where the passion of youth and the charm of badminton intersect

"Love All Play" is a TV anime series that aired on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV from April 2 to September 24, 2022, and is based on the novel by Asami Ozeki. This work is a passionate youth story that depicts the brilliance and growth of youth through the sport of badminton. It carefully depicts the members of the Yokohama Minato High School badminton club, including the main character Ryo Mizushima, as they grow day by day while aiming to win the Inter-High School Championships.

story

The story begins when the protagonist, Mizushima Ryo, who was unknown in badminton during his junior high school days, enrolls in the prestigious Yokohama Minato High School and joins the badminton club. The Yokohama Minato High School badminton club includes classmates with unique personalities, as well as Yusa Kento, the No. 1 player of his generation whom Ryo admires. This is a refreshing coming-of-age story about straightforward but clumsy high school students who work hard together with their friends to win the Inter-High School Championships.

Commentary

"Love All Play" is a work that will warm the hearts of young people in their youth and adults who once had their youth. It portrays the bittersweet, exhilarating, and clear-sightedness of youth while bringing out the best in the sport of badminton. It is moving to watch high school students grow while feeling the bonds with their friends and the support of their families through badminton, the fastest sport in the world, where the initial speed of a smash can exceed 400 kilometers per hour.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are a star-studded cast, including Hanae Natsuki as Ryo Mizushima, Taniyama Kisho as Kento Yusa, Azakami Yohei as Shohei Sakaki, and Furukawa Makoto as Kouki Matsuda. Other voice actors who play unique characters, such as Ono Kensho as Taichi Higashiyama, Kakihara Tetsuya as Yoji Higashiyama, Kaji Yuki as Teru Uchida, and Takahashi Hiroki as Yusuke Yokokawa, add excitement to the series.

Main Staff

The series is directed by Takeuchi Hiroshi, with series composition by Kaneharu Tomoko and the Love All Play Production Committee. Character design is by Kaneda Riko, prop design by Takireki, and chief animation directors are Kaneda Riko, Okawa Shinobu, Shoji Yasukazu, Kuwahara Mai, and Sato Ryo. Art director is Scott MacDonald, art setting is by Takahashi Maho, color design is by Komoriya Hajime, cinematography is Amada Miyabi, 3D is by Ito Ryota, editing is by Takahashi Yuri, sound director is Hayase Hiroyuki, and music is by Hayashi Yuki. Animation is by Nippon Animation and OLM, and production is by Yokohama Minato High School Badminton Club (Yomiuri TV, Nippon Animation, Poplar Publishing, OLM).

Main Characters

The main members of the Yokohama Minato High School badminton club are Mizushima Ryo, who had a passion deep inside but didn't get the results he wanted in middle school, Yusa Kento, who aims for higher heights more stoically than anyone else, Sakaki Shohei, the passionate mood maker, Matsuda Kouki, the cool boy who returned from overseas, Higashiyama Twins' older brother Higashiyama Taichi and younger brother Higashiyama Yoji, Uchida Teru, the smart player who started badminton in high school, Yokokawa Yusuke, who supports Yusa, and Ebihara Jin, the badminton club's coach and math teacher. In addition, the story is filled with unique characters such as Sakurai Hana, the badminton club manager, Mizushima Rika, Ryo's older sister who is a graduate of Yokohama Minato High School, and Ramune, the cat who lives at Yokohama Minato High School.

subtitle

The subtitles for all 24 episodes are as follows:

• Episode 1/Shunpu (2022/04/02)
• Episode 2: Departure (2022/04/09)
• Episode 3/Admission (2022/04/16)
• Episode 4/Ranking Battle (2022/04/23)
• Episode 5/Two (2022/04/30)
• Episode 6/Twins (2022/05/07)
• Episode 7: Will (2022/05/14)
• Episode 8: Summer Breeze (2022/05/21)
• Episode 9/Training Camp (2022/05/28)
• Episode 10/1+1 (2022/06/04)
• Episode 11/Fireworks (2022/06/11)
• Episode 12: Gale (2022/06/18)
• Episode 13/Promise (2022/06/25)
• Episode 14: Waves (2022/07/09)
• Episode 15/Senpai (2022/07/16)
• Episode 16: Hamburger Revolution (2022/07/23)
• Episode 17: Calm (2022/07/30)
• Episode 18/Cloud journey (2022/08/06)
• Episode 19: Kaoru fu (2022/08/13)
• Episode 20: Departure (2022/08/20)
• Episode 21/Whirlwind (2022/09/03)
• Episode 22/Strong forward (2022/09/10)
• Episode 23: Time Wind (2022/09/17)
• Episode 24/Love All Play (2022/09/24)

Theme songs and music

The opening themes are "Shungencho" and "Sandersonia" by Hey! Say! JUMP, and the ending themes are "Lyra" by LONGMAN and "Kaze no Naka" by Yasuda Rei. These songs are important elements that add excitement to the story and the characters' emotions.

Evaluation and Impressions

"Love All Play" is highly acclaimed as a work that depicts the brilliance and growth of youth, even though it is centered around the sport of badminton. In particular, the story is fascinating in the way the main character, Mizushima Ryo, grows together with his teammates, and in the relationships between the unique characters. In addition, the badminton match scenes are realistic and powerful, drawing viewers in.

The story is well-balanced as both a youth drama and a sports anime, and viewers will not get bored. In particular, the process in which Ryo realizes his own talent and aims to win the Inter-High with his friends is moving. In addition, the characters such as Yusa Kento, Sakaki Shohei, and Matsuda Kouki also have their own distinctive personalities, which add excitement to the story.

The voice actors' performances were also excellent, and they expressed the characters' feelings and growth realistically. In particular, Natsuki Hanae's performance as Ryo Mizushima and Kisho Taniyama's performance as Kento Yusa resonated deeply with the viewers. The opening and ending songs also matched the atmosphere of the story, and had the effect of elevating the viewers' emotions.

Recommended points

"Love All Play" is a work that I would especially recommend to those who like youth anime and sports anime. The story depicts the brilliance and growth of youth while fully bringing out the charm of the sport of badminton, giving viewers inspiration and courage. In addition, the relationships and growth of the unique characters are also points not to be missed.

Furthermore, even people who are not interested in badminton can enjoy this work. You will be able to watch the growth of the main characters while feeling the bittersweetness, exhilaration, and clarity of youth. The gorgeous voice actors and beautiful animation are also highlights.

"Love All Play" is a story that combines the passion of youth and the charm of badminton, and is loved by many viewers. Please feel the brilliance of youth and the excitement of sports through this work.