Ranked #889

Baby Steps (Manga)

This is a review of this manga from the start to latest chapter.(Around 129)
I will re-edit it when this manga is complete or near completion.

I will also be trying to avoid spoiling as much as possible so sorry if some things may seem vague.

When it comes to sports manga it seems you either love it or hate it. Not a lot of us may have an interest in some sports whether it be football, swimming, baseball or tennis or maybe we do but just not in that specific sport. In order to win the crowd over when it comes to sports manga and the sport it focuses on is up to the story that comes with it and characters. Let me start off by saying that if you never had an interest in sports manga Baby Steps is the right place to start, if you already do have an interest well then sit down and relax because after you read this review it's time for you to read Baby Steps!


Story 8/10

The story takes place in a high school setting in Japan. We are introduced to the very intelligent A-student Maruo Eiichirou(Ei-Chan), a 15 year old genius who spends his time studying and never really thinks about anything else. One day he decides that he needs to stay in shape and looks for some sort of physical activity to do, one thing leads to another and he ends up in the tennis club. This story follows him and the many other characters and what they do to achieve their dreams.

Now like I said vague, but you get the point. The story does take place in a typical high school setting but is top-notch though when it comes to terms of keeping you excited and wanting more. It mixes many aspects of great stories into it such as the comedy, sport, developing relationships(yes, possible romance.) and more keeping you always interested whether it be the intense matches or having the characters interact with one another. The pacing is surprisingly fantastic and always changes at just the right times. Instead of taking up 10 more chapters for 2 pointless matches they'll go through them all quickly in a chapter to that final match we all wait for and instead make that match long and intense over a few chapters.

The way they keep evolving the story with the pacing proves to make itself a great read.


Art 8/10

Clean, well-drawn and modern. Works for what it is.


Character 9/10


The characters are fantastic in the manga. From the weak genius becoming strong, to the amazing girl always nervous because everyone thinks of her as perfect, and to the delinquent bad ass who is a tennis pro that has a nice side which he tries to hide. We have many different and vibrant characters in this manga.

Every character, main or supporting has a different personality which works for them best and allow them to compliment each other. The characters are not just limited to a handful either as we are always introduced to new interesting characters.

Enjoyment 9/10

I haven't enjoyed a sports type manga like this since The Big Windup. It kept me glued to my screen constantly clicking wanting to get more and more into the story and even got me interested in the sport which I had no care for at all when I began reading it.

It's the kind of manga that you can just sit back relax and read but at the same time excite yourself when it comes to the matches.



Overall 9/10

It's not often I'm able to find a sports shounen that mixes so much and yet stays so true to what it is. From the characters, to character development, and evolving story this is one manga that I thoroughly enjoyed. Coming into this manga with no knowledge of the sport or care for it I thought it would have been a drop immediately. However I find myself coming back every week for the next update. It is certainly a manga that is worth a shot for anyone. So don't be taken aback if you have no interest in tennis! Read a few chapters and see for yourself! read more

Meet Eiichirou 'E-Chan' Maruo. A straight-A honor student and the kind of guy you could get a few study pointers from. Upon entering high school he realizes that up till now his whole life has been about studying and getting good grades. Feeling a need for more exercise, he adjusts his study schedule to exercise on his own time rather than committing to a sports club. However, he is prompted by his mother to go check out the local tennis club. And that's where E-Chan's progress begins.

The manga takes care to explain tennis terminology and rules for newcomers.
It realistically shows the amount of work taken to train and prepare one's body for a match and how rewarding it is to win due to one's efforts. The reader follows E-Chan as he builds up his physical and mental strength, all the while tackling tennis as he has always done for any other subject: studying. E-chan's method of studying consists of observation, memorization, execution, and repetition. A method to perfect one's accuracy, power, and balance. A method that may remind Prince of Tennis fans of Inui's data tennis.
As the story progresses he gains a rival, a possible love interest and a coach who takes interest in his growing potential as expected of a sports manga. With each match he plays, tennis becomes more and more enjoyable to him.

(Prince of Tennis readers, this may be a manga about tennis but it is not in the style of Prince of Tennis. There are no special skills come into play, there are no "mental states" to unlock and the hero does not develop a super powered move in the middle of the match.)

This is a story about realistic progress. So expect losses. Expect improvement from those losses. And expect those losses to turn to victories.
Read it when you're in the mood for a normal, down-to-earth, not over-the-top sports story. read more