Ping Pong the Animation

Despite the limited possibilities one can go with a sports anime, Ping-Pong the animation has grasped my attention as possibly the best or one of the best sports animes ever. As an actual table tennis player (I play like smile :) I think this show is relatively realistic compared to most sports animes I.e. Prince of Tennis. They managed to pull off an interesting concept for the opening, which wasn't pleasing at first (because it was Rock) but I grew more into it. The soundtrack was decent enough too. I am sorely disappointed by the poor animation, even though I came to love it because ... of its unique style, so don't let that put you off. As a story, there's only so much you can do in eleven episodes. But the small amount of episodes somehow develops each and every character to hold the storyline together. Overall, a definite must watch, at least because it's ping pong.

I guess it’s all in the way you say it/show it, sometimes is not the clearest of statements the ones that just stay with you.

Ping Pong tells the different stories of different kind of people, whose lives revolve around the sport of Ping Pong (duh). Each and every one of them has a different approach to it, and a different way of seeing it, from the way it’s played, to how to relate with the scene of the sport, and to the very personal meaning that the effort of high level playing have for the person.

It’s hard to say from the start what kind ... of series this is by the way is presented, its contents might seem familiar at first but Ping Pong tries from the very beginning to set the all so elusive effort to ignite our senses and interpretation capabilities, this is automatically noticed by the peculiar animation and drawing style that the series chose to portray and the sudden weirdness in general.

The thing is, this is not the first, and will not be the last, series to try and catch the eye of the spectator trough bright and weird colors, so that is not the point, the point is that this kind of symbology it’s a way for setting a stage, one that is more open to interpretation than the “regular” ones, in other words, it is an invitation to get all crooked eyed and see to read every symbol within with another perspective… not exactly the regular one.

It’s all about how you portray things…

The whole sports anime thing is a pretty much standardized field, so the faintest of the efforts to change this are noticeable… does this mean that such series are necessarily good? Of course not… does this mean that Ping Pong is bad? Certainly not.

Even after you’ve taken in the first impression, that of the visual extravaganza of the series, you are not left with a classic sport story, not even close. Ping Pong offers an interesting twist, not often seen in this genre, in which the story revolves around TALENTED players, so instead of the classic underdog/effort/sacrifice for victory/talent earned kind of story, you are presented with already overpowered talented players with already set personalities that instead of developing they focus on interacting with each other all talking the language of winning and high end competition. This character scenario added to the flamboyant imaginary leaves you with a different language to understand, and that’s the main beauty of the series, you know the symbol and the codes but are influenced to do a reinterpretation of that which you already know.

Even if you find relatable storylines and scrip scenarios, the whole package is presented in such a way that leaves place to interpretation. Each one of the protagonists will gave you a moment of reflection, all from that comfortable place of talent and superiority, but not compromised by it. In a way you can feel that all the effort on the story telling is purposely made to leave you wondering, every gesture and every struggle gets a makeover in this series, which ends up giving you a wonderful experience as you try to unravel the possible mysteries behind the visual and argumental decisions made in this, not so typical, sport anime.

It’s funny because me personally did not found any truly complex idea entangled in Ping Pongs presentation, to me it was more about the enticing nature of what I was seeing, even if the result of the experience didn’t really left me whit anything new.

In the end, even if you do not find the possible uniqueness in Ping Pong, you’re definitely left with a nice story with fun and complex enough characters to entertain… even if you aren’t prone to dwell too much in the interpretation. Ping Pong makes a strong statement with its contents and presentation, whether we buy it or not.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

If you have any problems with my review please comment on my profile

Story (10): People will over look the story because of the art. They don't realize the fascinating tale it truly it. It's enticing and great to follow.

Art (1): The art is not very good, but thats what makes it so interesting

Sound (10): Make it sound like actual ping pong games

Character (10): Characters in this anime are realistic, and very relatable. You follow them and you can see them grow since they first appear.

Enjoyment (10): I enjoyed this anime a lot, I thought i would get turn off by the art, but the characters ... and the story made me keep watching

Overall (10): Great anime, you should watch it if you are a fan of anime.

Ping pong - or, rather, table tennis - will forever remind me of the dissatisfying lunch-times I expended in fruitlessly playing it with my school fellows on a rainy day. To me it was the equivalent of table football; a miniaturized version of an actual sport intended less for the pursuit of physical glory and excellence than the sake of sheer enjoyment, accessible even to those who lacked the prowess and stamina required to partake in the full-sized namesakes. In short, a mere game, no more noble or dignified than Monopoly or MMORPGs.

It wasn’t until my first excursion to East Asia than I became aware ... of the magnitude it possessed in the lives of some people. Teaching English at a university in China, the topic of ‘sports’ predictably reared its head for one day of the two-week crash course I was flailing my way through. And invariably, ‘table tennis’ was mentioned - and not once, fleetingly tacked onto a list of nouns. Indeed, in games of pictionary I hosted to pass the time as innocuously as possible, the word ‘table tennis’ would be shrieked before even the slightest smudge of chalk had attempted to delineate the designated word. The frequency with which a student mistakenly presumed table tennis to be the selected piece of vocabulary reached such absurd proportions that it turned into somewhat of a running-joke, where even on days when the curriculum stipulated topics unrelated to sport, table tennis was self-satirically invoked.

“Why”, I asked the class one day, “is there such an unusual interest in table tennis?”
“Because,” one plucky student in the front-row answered, “it is our national sport.”
“And so,” I followed-up, “are you the best in the world at it?”
“Yes,” he sniggeringly replied, “much better than the Japanese.”

Imagine my delight, then, when I discovered an anime about table tennis that included a Chinese character and, furthermore, was directed by Masaaki Yuasa, the mastermind behind the animated adaption of The Tatami Galaxy.

The shared aesthetic of the two shows is the first registered thought upon one's initial viewing - before character or story or soundtrack can make themselves known, one is smacked by the ambivalence of watching an anime that doesn't look at all like an anime. This has been known to deter some - including a rather poetically-adverse housemate of mine - before the first episode is even over, but it enchanted me, and entranced me into a universe that only the works of Yuasa could inhabit. The artwork is scruffy, cartoonish, and two-dimensional. A cursory evaluation would make one think that it was drawn in haste, without finesse. And yet
it also struck me as sinister, bleak, and withering: the markings of a comfortless world.

And this is perfect - because this is the crux of the show. There is no comfort to be found anywhere. A grand purpose is usually where we think we will find a simulacrum of meaning in this world of ours - to be a writer, a musician, a baker, a politician, a husband, a wife, a parent, a capitalist, a saviour - and a lot of anime side-steps answering any big existential questions by ascribing their characters these sorts of teleologies that more often than not define the experience of what you're watching. But in Ping Pong The Animation the chosen purpose of the characters, table tennis, proves to be too elusive for most of them to grab ahold of (they're either too bad, too old, too injured, or don't care enough), and even the ones who (however temporarily) succeed in the sport (for, yes, that is what table tennis qualifies as outside of this parochial island I am stranded on) never quite manage to find a true sense of completion or fulfillment.

The first two character we are introduced to are Makoto "Smile" Tsukimoto, and his childhood friend, Yukata "Peco" Hoshino. They have interlinking backstories that are revealed in mystifying patches that have us trying to scramble together some sort of picture of their respective motives for playing the sport. We're then treated to a fairly appreciable range of other characters, all of whom have their backstories sufficiently fleshed-out despite the eleven-episode limit placed on the series. This means that no times is wasted, which on the one hand is good, but on the other isn't as the lack of space produces a rather scrambled effect (perhaps, I venture now, the purpose) and by leaving no time to reflect or breath unintentionally nullifies the rather profound message that lies at the heart of the narrative.

The anime contained many devices parallel to your run-of-the-mill pre-teen shounen, for behind the surrealistic imagery stands a story about a selection of young men all competing to become the best (besides, at first, "Smile", who is largely apathetic about winning and losing, and will forfeit matches in order to save the pride of his opponent), and who have to finish in the final four of their regional tournament in order to progress onto the next level of play. Our heroes battle it out for a shot at the title - cue training montages, and esoteric talk of special moves or abilities that are being honed - but first they must come face-to-face with the indomitable, menacing, seemingly invincible cadre that comprises the main rival school, and they have a grand master helping them out, and etc., etc., etc,. It would not be too inconceivable for one to believe that Ping Pong The Animation was written by the team who produced Beyblade after they'd spent six months holed up in a shed sniffing glue.

Living in the post-postmodern era, one can never be too sure that irony isn't afoot, and I half-suspect Ping Pong of parodying the hackneyed tropes of table-top shounen. But what is of real virtue about this anime is that it makes so many serious, thought-provoking points about the concept of sport itself and, by extension, of life itself. It questions more than any other media I've ever experienced: what is the point of playing sport? It was as if by the end of the final episode it envisioned the sort of world where Goku and all the other Z-fighters had been spontaneously sapped of their fighting abilities, and it was declared that there would never be a threat to Earth ever again, and they were now all struggling to find new identities whilst looking rather foolish in the process of doing so.

Parody or not, however, I can't stomach the tropes that usually accompany shounen, and for that I found myself faintly bored during some of the matches - the outcomes of which were all too predictable (though perhaps that was, again, the point). There's a heartening dollop of comedy that finds its greatest expression through the Japan-China rivalry that, as I have experienced first-hand, is all too fierce. But I'm afraid, in spite of the grandeur of the animation and the pleasingly didactic nature of the show, I'm going to award it a 7, for it at times failed at the ultimate goal: entertainment.

Intro & Story

We have all heard of successful people who have earned the place through their work and efforts, but do we know what they went through? The success to the top is extremely glorified in this world, but have we seen the pain that is required to reach that spot? Ping Pong the Animation shows the pain and brutality of the top, and it shows us the true struggle. The visceral pain of knowing that you may just not be the biggest fish, which more often than not leads to great self-anguish. This anime asks the viewer how do you define success. Some characters ... had a goal that ends at one point and some characters had a never-ending goal. Do you want to be the strongest? Do you want to be the best? Do you want to be famous? It could be none of the ones mentioned. Here the anime asks what is important to YOU, and none of these goals are overshadowed by the other. Normally a regular anime would just be vague and answer "nakama and friendship!" (which is not bad or anything but it does get jaded after a while). Ironically, Ping Pong is not really about the sport unlike many other anime in its genre, but it is about the struggles our well-developed characters go through as humans to succeed at a personal level. All these characters have their own goals along with great story-telling bestowing it a real spot in my favorites


Characters

We meet our main protagonist Makoto (Tsuki)moto who is a quiet boy with a stoic looking demeanor nicknamed "Smile" (pretty ironic), and his friend (Hoshi)no or as he is nicknamed "Peco" both of these guys are members of their high school Ping Pong team. While (Tsuki)moto plays for fun, (Hoshi)no plays to be best in the world, making two amazing characters. These characters are relative yet opposite to each other like ying and yang, and they also help develop the secondary characters perfectly. These guys are all so different, yet we can all relate to them in one way or another.

Sound

I can promise you whenever I hear the OST of Ping Pong I get the chills and it perfectly meshes along with each scene during the anime. It was made by Kensuke Ushio who is not too well known compared the omega popstar Sawano Hiroyuki.

Animation

Now I seen a lot of people saying that this animation is "bad" because it isn't high quality. Does our anime need to look like Fate Zero to be counted as good? We have timeless classics like Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Persona, Metal Gear Solid, Pac-Man, etc, and to this day people are still playing them! Ping Pong's funky art style suits the anime perfectly, and it wouldn't be the same if it had the regular anime art style.

Enjoyment

I watched this anime three times without experiencing a single second of boredom 'nuff said.

Overall 100/10

I was blown away. Surprisingly, a brilliant work for a director who usually makes pretentious anime. I truly believe you should give this beaut a good watch.

Never thought a sports anime could give me so much emotion in just 11 episodes. I'm not afraid to say that despite its rather offbeat style, it's actually a fantastic show even if you're not into ping pong!

The context of this anime is quite simplistic. The main character with glasses called Makoto Tsukimoto a.k.a "Smile" with his best friend Yutaka Hoshino a.k.a "Peco" have been ping pong players since childhood. Unlike Peco, who devotes all his energy to this sport, Smile only plays for fun and shows his disinterest in making a career out of it. In their adventures, these two protagonists will face extremely ... powerful opponents and will be training like crazy in the hope of shining on the international stage.

Even if all the episodes are interesting to watch, the best thing about this anime is clearly its ending with its brilliant moral. These 11 episodes were clearly not a waste of time because it made me realize how much more important the love we bring to the sport is far more important than the desire to win. The conclusion is perfect for a story like this so I recommend watching it!

I'll just say this first, it’s nothing less than a perfect masterpiece

Plot:

"The hero comes. The hero comes. The hero comes. Chant these words in your mind, and I'll surely come to you..."

This mantra is what Makoto Tsukimoto repeats as a source of motivation when he fights through the stress of not only gruelling ping pong matches, but also in situations of his life. Makoto doesn't fight alone; he and his friend, Yukata Hoshino, nicknamed “Smile” and “Peco” respectively, are two boys who have grown up playing ping pong together nearly every day. Peco, brimming with confidence, aims to be the best table tennis player ... in the world; Smile, on the other hand, shows little ambition. Nevertheless, the two have always stuck together, with a bond built upon their mutual love for this sport.

The story is simple and linear, anyone can easily understand. Story of two high school boys, and their journey with ping pong, which is showcased perfectly, in just 11 episodes. Everything from start to finish is put together in such a perfectly woven mesh, with each episode providing just enough info to keep the audience hooked to the show without any confusion.

The major theme of the anime is “why do you play ping pong?”, “for who do you play ping pong?”. Each character has their answer for these questions and backstories, which help the audience to understand the characters perception, expectation, dreams, and suppressed emotions.

Animation:

The animation is the best part of the entire series, it’s the main factor that decides whether someone will absolutely be blown away by the anime or feel as if this anime was a mistake. However, if you are a veteran weeb you will probably find this as a phenomenal show. The anime didn’t have a lot of vibrant colours, artistically drawn backgrounds, sexy character designs, huge detailed and mesmerizing eyes or faces.

But what it had was one of a kind, something which makes it stand out of the crowd, which makes it unique. The animation is majorly black and white hand-drawn lines edited frame by frame, raw and stunning, the characters and ping pong games were traced from real matches and shown in the anime in their own peculiar and distinct animation style.
Somewhat like Kizumonogatari. And the way that animation is used, in a simple game of ping pong, is what makes it so captivating.

If one can convey a person’s inner turmoil, emotions and inner thoughts through the medium of a ping pong game, you know it’s something special.
The animation is unorthodox when I say raw, I mean raw, like the shape of the ping pong isn’t even a perfect circle. But it fits the show like a glove, it is just impeccable for what the show wants to convey.

Characters and theme:

The psychological/emotional aspect is comparable to Gatsu no lion In aspects regarding the protagonists and what the sport means to them, how are they connected to the sport and its importance. This helps us understand the character, a similar thing is seen here, but rawer in its presentation.

Every major character undergoes development, realising what the sports means to them, for what they have been fighting for so long, why were they lying to themselves, what were their hidden emotions, were their decisions right, what is it that they want, and in the end, it’s all about finding themselves.

Like we have an actual character who lost a game of ping pong in the starting episodes, then goes around the world trying to find his passion, his calling, and in the end realises, in the last episode, that it was ping pong he was looking for this whole time.

The characters are very well made, you might be able to relate to someone, with no plot hole or loose threads concerning their part in the story or their backstories.

The very dialogues and conversation in the anime felt very natural, genuine, realistic. The development in 11 episodes is not an easy task but they pulled it off with just precise pacing and changing things as the show progressed.

Sound:

The OST is different from what would be expected in a sports anime, but it didn’t disappoint once. It was suiting and changed when they were playing a ping pong match, enjoying themselves, feeling sad, monologues, even when they were in between a match and their feelings surfaced, it was fairly good.

Conclusion:

This is without a doubt one of the best anime ones can find have seen in under 15 eps. Here we have a psychological sports anime, flawless animation, excellent OST, characters with depth and proper development, and a thought-provoking theme. You just have to watch this show. Overall a light watch, very entertaining and hard not to binge.

If you want something for a change from everyday normal anime, something light where everything makes sense and makes you feel good, go for this one without a doubt.
The anime is by the same director for Devilman Crybaby, Yuasa Masaki, and once again this guy has shown me something noteworthy and unique.

It’s a must-watch for every weeb out there, just get the timing right. Like if you are new to anime, don’t watch it as the art and animation may be very different for you, given demon slayer is your favourite anime. For a weeb who has seen quite a lot of stuff, and is bored with current animation in the industry, and every day shows we see, this might be for you. Just take a look at the anime opening animation, you will know if it is time for you or not.

I recently decided to watch Tatami Galaxy and after finishing the first episode I marathoned the whole thing. I looked into who was the director and it was Masaaki Yuasa. His work was so phenomenal, I checked what other anime he’s directed and Ping Pong the animation was one of them.

Many people have been recommending me to watch Ping Pong for a while now so I thought it’s two flies with a one swat if I watch it now. Oh boy that was one of the best decisions I’ve done.

Ping Pong the animation tells us a story of multiple high schooler ping pong players and ... their coming of age story. Our two main protagonists Peco and Smile have been playing since they were little. Peco is confident, arrogant and talented pong player who introduced our other main character Smile to the game. Smile on the other hand is a very melancholic, bored and lonely person looking for a hero to save him. Reason to his behavior is later told in the story. Peco has always been a ping pong prodigy and has never really practiced. Smile on the other hand is also good in ping pong but he’s always decided to stay in Peco’s shadow.

There are other characters as well, for example Kong Wenge a chinese player exiled to Japan, looking to win tournaments to get back on track and return home. He was my favorite character because in a way he was so relatable, struggling with the idea of talent vs hard work.

Even though the anime is named Ping Pong the Animation, It’s much more than just a story about the game. It introduces us to all these characters, their personal issues, dreams and hopes. When the show is over you might wonder was this about ping pong at all. I think that’s what the creator wants us to think.

The animation in this anime is beautiful, it has this raw power and rough around the edges but it is fluid in it’s own way. The art style has divided people in two camps where others absolutely love it and others dislike it. I personally belong to those people who loved it, after the first episode I kinda got hooked in to it. The style allows the characters to show emotions more clear and human which is very centered theme in this show.

Music in this anime is legendary, I can’t even count how many times I’ve re-played the OST. The ending theme and Ping Pong Phase 1 & 2 are my absolute favorites. There’s also song that I wont link because of spoilers but that one made me shed a tear.

Overall Ping Pong the Animation is a work of art and will be remembered as a masterpiece inside the medium.

Positives

+ Gorgeous art and animation

+ Relatable and realistic cast

+ Chillingly good OST

+ The story was very well put together and the ending was satisfying



Negatives

– Maybe the fact that they didn't explain much about ping pong techniques or the game itself but after all that is not what this anime is about.

Ping Pong the animation is an 'oddity'. Rarely we come across animes which are animated so differently. And this difference
is what made it so enjoyable and refreshing.

Story
The story is about Peco(Hoshino) and Smile(makoto);two childhood friends who are always together. Both of them play
Ping Pong and are really good at it.

Peco dreams of becoming the world champ but he has a swollen head and skips practice believing he is invincible.
On the other hand Smile just plays Ping Pong just for killing time. Both are a stark contrast to each other. Peco has
a happy go lucky attitude while Smile is a silent boy who ... is often depicted as a robot withno emotions. He is called
'Smile' because he never smiles(Well its not the real reason;but i don't intend to spoil anything.Smile used to be
bullied as child and it was Peco who always used to save him. The story focuses on their development both as a player
and a human being.

Characters
There are a lot of interesting characters like Kazama, the coach(who speaks English every now and then),The old lady
at the ping pong shop who taught Peco to play Ping Pong, Sakuma(thier childhood friend),Wong(The Chinese player) and
even though its a small series all of them are given short backstories which makes us feel for them and connect with them.
The character development feels a bit paced but it is completely understandable considering it has only 11 episodes

Animation
Now this is the talking point of this anime. This anime's art is ; in plain words 'Awesome'. It is unique to Ping Pong!
The characters , the background are animated in stark contrast to present adaptations. At first it threw me off and I almost
decided to quit watching the series but I am glad I didn't do so because once you start watching the series you understand
the beauty and uniqueness it possess. I loved the how the characters as well as the background was animated. There are no
big eyed girls or the usual coloured hair characters!! They are animated much more realistically.

Sound
Well the opening seemed okay to me but it was the ending that commanded my complete attention! Its really good.
Every matches have different background music which fits perfectly with the mood and the characters. Overall the sound
was good.

Enjoyment
To be honest I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I never expected it to be so good. And I can understand if people stay
away from this series due to its art but those people will regret not having watched such a great anime! I am sure grateful
I gave it a try. So folks don't hesitate just watch this!!

Well you see I gave this anime a 10 overall because of my enjoyment. But by no means is every aspect of this show a 10. This show didn't have that interesting a story, characters weren't the most memorable, and by no means was it special in some other aspects. But the things this show had that comepletely hooked me were the animation, art, and the story telling itself. The animeation is so memorable when used with this so very different art style. The art style may at first seem as though little time was put into it but in all actuality it is the ... exact opposite. The art truely is something different and special. To the average anime fan this may look like shit but for those of us logical enough to see it for what it really is know how special it is. The story telling that this show presented is really the true anchor of the show to me. I truely felt invested in all the characters not because they were something totally new but because the way the story was told and presented. Especially since this show is so short and concise they simply tell the story they wanted to and then it's over. I felt as though I got a truly compelling story from start to finish with this show and in the end that's the main thing I look for in anime. Also I just felt like writing this review because I saw someone gave this show a 3, and this is my first review, so please understand that why this was short and didn't go that in depth.

“Some dance to remember, some dance to forget”-Hotel California, 1976

There are many philosophies when it comes to sport and competition. Do you play to win or do you play not to lose? Do you value winning over everything, or do you consider the relationships you build through competition and teamwork more important? Can effort win out over talent? It’s questions like these that Ping Pong the Animation revolves around.

Based on the manga by Taiyou Matsumoto (Tekkon Kinkreet) and directed by the phenomenal Masaaki Yuasa (The Tatami Galaxy, Kaiba, Mind Game), Ping Pong the Animation aired during the Spring 2014 season and ran for 11 ... episodes.

The story of Ping Pong the Animation revolves around the characters Yukata Hoshino and Makoto Tsukimoto, also known as "Peco" and "Smile" respectively. It tells the tale of not only their experience in competitive ping pong, but also the story of complex concepts like the burden of winning, the folly of wasted talent, and what it truly means to compete.

The characters of Ping Pong are very complex and represent the varying philosophical approaches to sporting, and also the values they hold. Smile represents technical prowess and the nihilistic approach to sporting. He plays table tennis to kill time. Peco represents talent and the speed approach to sporting. He relies on speed and energy, and plays only to win. Wenge is more of a dreamer, and represents the burdened approach to sporting. He seems to always be looking ahead, and plays for establishing social status. Kazama represents obsession and the burden of winning. He is so obsessed with table tennis that it basically consumes him, to the point where his victories feel hollow and all he feels from the sport is pain. Demon is the embodiment of pure effort, and represents the competitor who isn't talented but works harder than anyone to overcome his handicap. Lastly, there's Butterfly Jo. Jo represents the social side of sporting, valuing the relationships built through competition above winning or anything else.

Each character is explored and studied in incredible detail and each endures their own trial they have to overcome to grow as not only athletes, but as people. By the end of the show, the final match between Peco and Smile barely even matters. Peco's trainer says this herself, and she's completely right. In fact, they only show 2 points of the entire match. The sport itself was never the complete focus: it was about the people that make the sport what it is.

The art of Ping Pong is vivid, fluid, and bursting with energy. The character designs are fantastic and represent visually each character perfectly. Just like The Tatami Galaxy and Kaiba (Yuasa's other works), the art and animation of Ping Pong set it apart from everything else without being a distraction.

From the opening song to the ED, the music of Ping Pong is fantastic. The opening itself ("Tada Hitori" by Bakudan Johnny) embraces the fire of competition and spits it back out in a frenetic burst of energy. The soundtrack is filled to the brim with interesting and bizarre pieces, with perfect music placement present throughout the entire show.

Ping Pong the Animation is a masterpiece. From the brilliant character development and internalization of its themes to the clever symbolism and dynamic art style, Ping Pong is a landmark in the sports anime genre and yet another reason to count Yuasa among anime's greatest directors of all time. It's engaging, exciting, smart, and incredibly entertaining.

Ping Pong the Animation gets a 10/10.

At the opening scene of this short series, I knew that I was in for a treat. From the script to the soundtrack to the unconventional animation, it couldn’t be anything less than a thrill despite the plot’s focus around a sport I once found quite dull. However, despite my anticipation of greatness, what I walked away with was more than I could have foreseen and for that, this series has worked its way into my top favorite animated jewels.

We open the episodic journey with two boys, both young and naive, and we end with the same pair’s growth into adulthood. Friends since childhood and ... teammates in high school, the two have a strong relationship, and one that any person might relate to and find emotionally compelling. One child bullied and the other popular, the two were opposites that eventually elicited the best out of one another, unearthing seasoned potential and also, their devotion to the ones and things they care about. The story’s main focus winds around the two’s prosperity and the concluding result of such weighty character development leaves you weakened by their strength and love.

Our main protagonist, a distant and downtrodden boy that goes by the nickname Smile is a table tennis player who doesn’t share the same desires to succeed and improve as his close friend Peco; simply, he seemingly plays for no fundamental reason which hinders his potential of accomplishing feats and meeting standards that otherwise could be achieved.

Through the series, we watch as Smile is personally taken under the wing of his high school’s, table-tennis coach, a gruff, 70-something with plenty of dedication and love to spare. Side by side, they train to lift Smile to a higher level of competition. Together, Smile and his coach build and hone in the boy’s potential and are eventually rewarded with a spot in the country’s national table tennis tournament.

While Smile trains alongside his coach, Peco takes a different route. Guided by an elderly woman who once fiercely competed in ping pong herself, Peco finally finds the gumption to emerges from his chrysalis, a gorgeous, proud and strong player after rigorous months of training and a ripe does of character insight.

By the concluding episodes of this wonderful series, I was left clinging to the edge of my seat, drinking in both the brilliant animation style and the story of these fleshed out characters. Each moment is gorgeous and meaningful. Scene per scene, Ping Pong the Animation continuously delivers some of the best script writing and progression I’ve seen in a series so short.

This piece will steal your heart away with its dynamite style, its intelligent writing, the wonderful soundtrack and the characters that coincide with such brilliant elements. Despite this not being a particularly sorrowful piece, I was left with tears trailing down my cheeks as the series came to its end due to the emotional weight it evokes. Here, in this story, I found motivation, wisdom and words that personally unveiled my own desire to make something of myself.

This is not simply a sports story, but one of friendship and love. What we learn through each character, even the side rolls, is that everybody is afraid of something and this weakness, this fear of the unknown, is what grounds us; to fly, we must believe in ourselves and overcome the hurdles that life tosses our way.

Ping Pong the Animation comes very close to being a masterpiece, but is lacking in the visuals. It is a mixture of hard character development, great action, and in depth look into sports and table tennis.

The story is perfect for 11 episodes. Everything at the end was concluded; all threads were tied and the viewer is left feeling satisfied. 10/10.

The OST for ping pong is one of my favorites. The intense opening and "battle" themes really set the mood for the action sequences. There are appropriate slower songs for the sad moments, and other niche ... songs that fit well. Give the soundtrack a listen to after watching it. 10/10

The characters are what you'd expect from a sports anime: there's "hero" who develops his skills due to his persistence and support; the anti-hero who strives for the same goal as the hero, but takes a different path; the sage who guides our hero's, etc. They all fit together nicely, and left me rooting for multiple characters. 10/10

I enjoyed this anime without any table tennis experience or knowledge prior, and with some experience for my re-watch. 10/10, i cri errytime.

The animation is the only wavering factor in my mind. Some call it masterful due to its charm that fits the show so well, some call it too low budget that ruins the rest of the experience. I am with the former; however, I accept the criticisms towards it as reality. It may not look that good at first, but after a few episodes, the animation quality isn't worse, just different. 6/10

Even if you hate sports anime, Ping Pong is still a masterpiece in it's genre. A strong contender for AotY for 2014, and one of my favorite anime I've seen to date. 9.6/10

"My blood takes like iron."

Ping Pong the Animation is a show about the game Ping Pong, but it actually isn't. Rather it's more used as a catalyst for the characters, who all struggle with something about life. The show does go into some depth on techniques and styles, but they don't delve too much into it. Just like any seinen anime would, the show will be using the game Ping Pong to convey its message. And it delivers it extremely well.

Art - The art style is a hit-and-miss. To sum it up, the art is crude and a little dilapidated. There isn't huge detail ... on the characters nor the environment. In fact the art looks like it was drawn without realism in mind. And that fact alone makes the art style very unique and interesting. You still know that the artists and animators put in a lot of effort in each episode in spite of the crude art style, and in the end it's very appreciated. At times it does get a little hard to discern what's what, but this isn't the issue. This is another thing that the style works wonders. It convinces the viewer to take in the moment, not worrying over the subtleties. And in spite of the cruelties, the emotions the characters have are still conveyed without much problem.

The animation is free-flowing as well. During matches it still maintains the crude style but the action goes up a notch to match the tension of a game. At times even the sequencing goes into a manga-like state, where each box can represent a technique or the strains of a character.

Story - It's pretty difficult to review this aspect without going into spoilers, because as I said earlier the story is solely on character development. Even though this anime is only 11 episodes long, the story is incredibly fleshed-out

As this is a Seinen, it'll deal with life and be very mature about it. Ping Pong the Animation will deal with five people, all around high school age. And everyone should know the teen sentiments at this age: What should I do with my life? What do I want out of it? Each character struggles with these questions, and the game of Ping Pong helps establish their answer. Thus these characters will grow more and more each episode. Even if one tries their hardest but still lose, anyone can learn from what they got out of it and see a new day. This is exactly what this show does, creating a very mature atmosphere around a relatively simple game of Ping Pong. As I said earlier, Ping Pong serves more as a catalyst for the characters and drives the plot forward more than the technicalities of the sport.

The pacing actually slows down in many parts of the show. Not in a way that breaks the show or is used as "filler". In fact this slowing down helps establish that the people involved are just normal human beings. They know the little nuances of life and use it as a way to push something out of themselves and ultimately enjoy life itself.

Characters - As I said earlier, character development is a key aspect in this show. Since this show is tagged as Seinen, the characters will surely be flesh-and-blood and down-to-earth. And they are. Every character will have a journey of their own, dealing with what they're struggling with. The only way to experience these characters is to see it for yourself.

These characters can literally walk out of the screen and exist in real life. It's outstanding how these characters go about their struggles with the game of Ping Pong, learn from it, and make do with their problems. Even the side characters will support the main ones, having a change of their own. The friendship between Smile and Peco. Kong's homesickness. In one way or another every character is quite relatable.

Sounds - The OP and ED work very well for the atmosphere. The OP has a more exciting tone to it, while the ED moves into a more reflective sort of tone. Exactly matches how the pacing goes in each episode.

Enjoyment - I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. I can watch it multiple times and still get enjoyment out of it. These characters become extremely relatable, and you'll grow affection for each person and with their hardships. Ping Pong the Animation takes a spin at the Sports genre. And it's a very, very good spin at it.

Makoto Tsukimoto "Smile", a young student and a member of a school table tennis club nicknamed "smile" as he do not smile very often. Tsukimoto been a victim of school abuse since childhood and decided the best way to deal with those abusers is to choose ignorance by concealing himself and hide, until a "Hero" arrived.

Yutaka Hoshino "Peco", loves table tennis and eagers to be a national and worldwide champion.

Tsukimoto and "Peco" are best friends and always like to meet to play after school at a nearby table tennis center. While both loves table tennis, Tsukimoto has no interest into taking it seriously as ... Peco does, and just using it as a way for passing time.

The two friends loves to play most days that way until their bond of friendship encounters a certain road block and at this time you begin to understand how deeply their friendship bond tied up in the past.

The way this work shows of this bond of friendship, the passion towards table tennis and the reason why they both love playing against each other is just so extraordinary.

You rarely have the opportunity to watch an anime series that connect the dots as Ping Pong does in this great piece of work!

Best sports anime(actually its not a sports anime) and one of the best anime out there.

Story- it's simple but beautifull, specially the human aspect of the show is so well presented.


Character - all character's are very relatable and easy to connect with and what they present you they present you very well. Not a single one is just there to be there all of them has their story and their thought process which I loved.

Animetion - goes really well with the kind of story where flag barrier isn't the action or beautifull shots but the characters. Its adds on the tone of the show.

Direction - ... Just sheer "Masterclass". If this show is that good, Most of it cz of it's direction.



Overall it's highly recommended show for everyone even if you are not into slice of life anime, its the creamy layer of this genere.

Ping Pong the Animation takes no prisoners.

With director Masaaki Yuasa at the helm, he’s able to transform a “seemingly lame” sports drama into one of the greatest anime of all time. I say “seemingly lame”, because here in North America, we see it as more of a friendly sport rather than something truly serious.

Ping Pong the Animation is about two high-schoolers with a monstrous talent for Ping Pong. It describes an athlete’s journey to the very top, the best of the best, the one percent of the one percent. Even though it’s primarily about Ping Pong, its messages can be applicable to real life in ... regard to chasing your passions. It’s for this reason alone that I think that Ping Pong the Animation is, without a doubt, a masterpiece.

You don’t need to be a connoisseur of art to understand just how rich the show is. You don’t need to be a sports athlete to relate to the characters. All you need is a pinch of curiosity to explore the unfamiliar.

Conversely, as outlined by multiple reviews, you can find it pretty easy to dislike this show. The art style for instance, is an easy point of contention. From the beginning to the OP, Ping Pong the Animation SCREAMS that it’s not like any other anime you’ve ever seen. Its obtuse art style may deter those who were expecting large anime eyes and XXL bonkhonagahoogs of the anime tid. The story too can be seen as a bundle of cliques because it doesn’t seem to do anything unique. They have tournament arcs… They play Ping Pong seriously… I’m just going be frank with you, I don’t watch sports anime so I can’t relate to this critique at all lol

Let’s first talk about the art style. It’s rough, unorthodox, blended 2D and 3D, and overall, kind of UGLY. But as you watch through the series, there’s this inexplicable charm that exudes from it. As the show progresses it enthralls you with a lot of soul. The one aspect that might throw people off is just how mutable the art style is.
The OP and later episodes demonstrate this. Hell, even the posters for this show is vastly different than what the show actually presents. The later episodes have moments where they swap to a more cartoon-y and 3D style, blending in just as well as how Space Jam does it. As the colors aren’t shaded, they allow for the 3D to flourish just enough to slow the pacing a little.

Of course, this isn’t perfect. This anime came out in 2014 and the 3D is still easily distinguishable from the 2D, and that’s a good thing. Because it shows that the presentation and execution was done immensely well. You wouldn’t need to criticize the 3D moments because their impact is so minimal on the overall enjoyment.
There is also another egregious flaw in this diamond in the rough ala reusing footage. Yeah, I’m not going to sugar coat this one. They reuse animation clips, even going so far to repeat said clip twice with only one shot in between. This can also be used as ammunition to deter it from being a masterpiece, but I don’t believe that this is a fatalistic flaw. These repeated clips are only used for style points and still convey what they want to convey. I will admit, it is a bit tiresome to watch the same flashback with the same clip that just has a different filter on it. I can’t defend it, but I also don’t care about the flaw since it still fits in the show just fine. Even though I felt like I yearned for more Ping Pong action, I was never mad when they repeated the same flashback ad nauseum just to remind you that each player has their own personal stake in the match.

And that’s because when Ping Pong the Animation shines, it truly shines bright. Like a supernova, anyone who watches will be dazzled, seduced, awestruck. Those who miss it because they had a long day at their 9-to-5 job will be confused or depressed as they miss out on such an ephemeral yet visceral event. Thankfully, said event can be archived, much like how we can still watch a 7-year-old anime (at the time of writing) on the interwebs.
Let’s talk about the presentation. It is a complete upgrade from the manga, faithfully adapted with everything and then some. With overhauled visuals that look fittingly modern, Masaaki Yuasa’s masterful story telling is employed to full effect here. He translates each panel masterfully, and even adjusts the story to better suit the medium. On top of that, each element of the show has so much soul infused into it. From the story down to the subtitle translations (or even the dub for that matter), every moment feels like true art because there was so much care put into it.

Like Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain, a literal urinal that managed to change how contemporary critics and intellectuals view art (in other words, paving the way to how people view modern art today), Ping Pong the Animation invites us to accept its challenge, straight from the blu-ray cover. The cover looks strikingly intriguing because it’s clean, drawn in a classical anime way to emphasize everything that’s important in that single frame. In this case, it’s the characters. I’ll briefly go over the characters later. For now, let me explain why Ping Pong the Animation absolutely obliterates the three-episode rule.

Ping Pong the Animation begins its ruthless massacre from episode 1. Shattering a person’s ego is as close as you can get to killing important main characters in any media, and Ping Pong the Animation does it without even blinking. It’s a story about chasing your passions and climbing to the top because…

“There are some sights you can only see at the top.” – Koizumi, ep2, Blu-Ray translation.

Nobody cares that you were a top-tier athlete for your local high-school unless you were talented enough to be world-class. Only then would you have the world witnessing how powerful your existence is, basking in whatever glory you can bring. To stand at the apex of your passion showcases PURE ascension beyond the enthusiast tier. To stand as a king, a master of your subject allows you to look down on your cute plebian kouhais as they squirm around practicing a move you learned and mastered in mere minutes. Beyond the 98th percentile lies the 99th and 100th percentile. Beyond the S-tier lies the SS-tier and SSS-tier.

Ping Pong the Animation is as meta as any A-tier (and above) sports anime, with my closest comparison being Whistle! or Touhai Densetsu Akagi. It exemplifies and fuses every element needed to become a world-class athlete. In other words, Ping Pong the Animation needs to prove that it’s the real deal, and it does that by building itself up to the first tournament arc in the third episode. As stated earlier, Ping Pong the Animation begins its merciless assault from the get-go. It doesn’t seem like anything interesting happens until the very end where two characters duel it out in a “friendly” match. This is where the duelist nature of the sport truly shines, as it’s this vicious energy that drives each character to win and obliterate their opponent. And it’s only after this first duel that you know that you want to see more. Episode 2 follows the same structure, the same song and beat. You’re left HUNGRY for action, craving the destruction of egotistical bastards who think they’re the shit. Then for the third episode, Ping Pong the Animation doesn’t blue-ball the viewer. It capitalizes on their anticipation by jumping straight into a tournament arc. Even though the characters aren’t quite as fleshed out as they can be, the results speak for themselves.

Character growth is Ping Pong the Animation’s strongest and most legendary strength. It transcends the original adaptation, making the original manga look poor and weak in comparison. I won’t bore you with the differences here, though.

Enter the heroes, Smile and Peco. Smile enjoys playing Ping Pong on a casual level, but stifles his own talent when breaking a sweat is more of an annoying chore. Peco can only be described as a cocky son of a bitch who thinks he’s the shit. It’s the journey of these two characters with an unparalleled talent that showcases what honest and true passion looks like. You WANT to keep an eye on these characters because they CAN speak with their skills. When other characters recognize their innate talent, you can recognize them as a force of nature that can and will destroy people’s dreams.

This bloodthirst isn’t exclusive to these characters, it extends to everyone. Each character in Ping Pong the Animation has a purpose, from the no-name grunts all the way to Kazuma “the Dragon”. They show you how they see Ping Pong. There are plenty of ways to appreciate a sport, but I think my favourite has to be…

“Sights where competition isn’t a factor,” Sakuma, ep. 6, Blu-ray Translation.

By the end of the anime, I was a sucker for nearly every single character. Each character had grown up or shown a powerful level of maturity and depth to them. As the world continues to spin another day, these characters move on from their ruined egos. This is where Masaaki Yuasa’s touch comes in, as each character has their own stylish theme, memorable appearances (minus Kaio high, their eyebrows are their personalities), and captivating story. To name a difference, the manga doesn’t elaborate on Kaio High nor Kazama at all. It’s exactly that focus on interpersonal relationships that proves just how strong each character is. Every single one of them are out there for blood, but only one can stand at the very top.

Even if it comes at the cost of sacrificing the potential of the story (if there was any, because the story is pretty clear-cut), I believe this is a fair trade. Watching these characters passionately crush each other’s dreams brings along this tension that you would only know of if you were slightly competitive in nature. This means that if you don’t give a shit about the characters, watching Ping Pong the Animation might be a complete slog for you. Because if you care about the technicalities and formalities, Ping Pong the Animation doesn’t provide much. It has flashy matches, but the full games aren’t shown. Players inspect each other’s racket and you’re told about each player’s playstyle through subtitles, but that’s it. They show moments of Ping Pong theory, but only enough for you to grasp the killing intent. Behind the scenes, there truly is a wealth of depth that isn’t explored, but that’s fine. It’s moreso about the characters than the theory, the melodrama rather than the actual game itself.

The soundtrack – holy fuck bro. It’s world-class, or at the very least, one of the most memorable anime soundtracks. When it comes to soundtracks, I mainly listen for emotional appeal, since my brain has a deficiency in braincells and can’t really grasp onto lyrics with whatever meaning they might have. After all, I sometimes daily drive anime OPs and have no idea what they’re saying until I feel like looking up a translation.

I can describe the entire soundtrack with a single word – passion. Can’t you feel it too? From the casual theme of the Katase High School Ping Pong Club to the existential crisis that is the Melancholy of the Dragon, each track is filled with this inexplicable passion that somehow only fits in Ping Pong the Animation. Yes, you can insert this theme wherever you want, but the roots are undeniably clear. China’s theme belongs only to an egotistical bastard named China. Butterfly Joe’s theme belongs only to a seasoned veteran who has seen everything the sport has to offer, beginning with a beautiful melody akin to sniffing sunflowers and transitions into a ferocious intensity of a boss theme. Of course, not every song is a masterpiece, but it’s worth noting that even the off songs still set the tone well enough to not be placed under intense scrutiny. Nobody cares that you can find 25 flaws within the Christmas jingle.

Enter the hero, enter the hero, enter the hero.

Upon saying this phrase, the hero from Planet Ping Pong swoops in and saves the day. To me, Ping Pong the Animation is sheer inspiration. In an ever-growing world filled with unique and unforgettable experiences, Ping Pong the Animation still stands at the apex. It is, dare I say it, objectively good.

Objectively, Ping Pong the Animation has no flaws, only blemishes. I’ve watched this show at least 5 times now. Each time, I’ve watched and enjoyed it all the same. I haven’t completely rewatched the show in dub, but the only flaw with the dub would be Kong Wenge’s voice. I’ve read the source material, and have found that the anime adaptation is so much more impactful, leaner, and transformative. If you’re able to spot a true flaw that can leave a stinky impression every time I revisit the show, please let me know. Otherwise, whether the blemishes affect your viewing experience is entirely up to you.

I honestly can’t trust anyone who rates this show a 4 and below. A rating of 4 would imply that they dislike Ping Pong in general. I can understand if they watched Ping Pong the Animation just to watch it, but to find the anime insulting is an entirely different thought process. I can understand brushing off this show as mediocre if they weren’t able to resonate with it. But saying that this show is terrible simply because it’s unable to match whatever standard they uphold as the very best can only showcase how they can’t place a limit on their own expectations. Such expectations are still fair, but it would be like trying to compare Ping Pong the Animation to Gintama, Ghost in the Shell, the newly released Arcane or even Squid Game (if you like C-tier nonsense). Following this train of thought would only lead to more and more needless subjectivity.

Ping Pong the Animation doesn’t care about your opinion because the show is having fun with itself. With its diverse art styles, invigorating story, and legendary characters, it’s clear that this is one of Masaaki Yuasa’s true masterpieces. Being able to transform something that took place in the 90s to something in the mid-2010s is certainly no easy feat. I’m not sure if I can call this an easy watch as I can easily rewatch this show for many times to come. But I can say that there is only one barrier that might prevent you from watching the show in its entirety – the obtuse art style. If you can’t even overcome that single barrier, then it’s not me gatekeeping the show, it’s yourself.

To simply refuse to watch Ping Pong the Animation because of its obtusity exposes just how conceited of an anime viewer you are. It’s exactly like judging a book by its cover and refusing to touch it with a 10-foot pole. And it’s okay if you feel insulted by my statement because this wasn’t directed towards you, but rather one of my best friends (you know who you fucking are, you bastard) who refuses to watch the show simply because of the art style. To feast on pointless seasonals instead of exploring the medium with your capable eyes is honestly a damn shame. On the otherhand, if you’re going to continue to be a connoisseur of seasonals, that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t come at me pretending to be a hot-shot snob (which thankfully, they don’t). Because praising a seasonal show as a masterpiece when it really isn’t only shows how incapable you are of being able to grasp the bigger picture. Can you really call yourself an “anime critic” when you can’t even explore the unfamiliar and default to the safe-space that is delectable seasonal trash? The answer is no.

Ping Pong the Animation can be the revelation you were looking for all your life or it can be one of the most mundane sports show you’ll see. To have watched the show already places you on a level higher than the average viewer because it’s definitive proof you have the capability to explore the objective unfamiliar. Ping Pong the Animation might not be for everyone, but everyone - at the very least - should give Ping Pong the Animation a chance.

Word count: 2773. Thank you so very much for indulging in the vomit that is my verbiage. Until next time.

Enter the hero! Enter the hero! Enter the hero!

The art for this show is unique; it stands out. At first you may find it weird and offsetting. But as the episodes pass, you'll find a certain comfort, a certain familiarity with it. The rough art style grows on you, then you'll find yourself loving and wanting more of it. Sometimes, different is better.

As you delve into the rich story of the show, you're accompanied by its music, its soundtrack. It surrounds you, and sets the atmosphere perfectly for any scene. Superb opening and ending theme songs also greet and bid you farewell respectively at each ... episode. In a word, the music is phenomenal.

The characters are Ping Pong's strongest point. All are of different backgrounds, and of different experiences who are met with each other through Ping Pong. They have their own personality, yet how each one complements or clashes with the others' was gracefully executed. Encounters change people.

Ping Pong: The Animation is not about the sport; it's about the people playing it.

If you don't want to read this long review, scroll down to the bottom line.

If you cannot see past this art style, you are ignoring what QUALITY really is. The story development and character arcs reach the single point of god, the artstyle isn't even BAD, it creates the definition of story. Would you even take this anime seriously if the artstyle had all of the characters look like moe loli? i don't think so

It BAFFLES me this anime, it reaches character development deeper than the pits of the universe in 11 episodes. Something that isn't even PARALLELED in any mainstream anime within THOUSANDS of ... episodes. The artstyle isn't flashy like jojo, which in itself is a extremely well crafted style. It's use of realism and subtle color changes puts itself equal to jojo's artstyle but vastly different.

Honestly this artstyle is refreshing; it doesn't follow the same "industrial" stereotypical overtly sexual obsessive bs. I could speak miles about the extreme sexualization of anime and how it constantly churns the same story over and over again, but that takes away from this anime.


Every match they have, they use these stories to convey the emotional weight both characters are carrying into their match, no one is truely evil in this anime; they all have their stories and they are all human; we can empathize with every single players story and we want both of them to win. But the out come of each match only allows one person to win. These GOD DAMN STORIES convey SO MUCH MORE than a simple "hit ball with paddle game", all of the characters PROGRESS with their life. They get BETTER at the game, they LEARN life LESSONS.

TL:DR
This review has slowly turned into a rant, so I'm going to end with this, when is the last time; that all of the characters had STORIES to their persona; when was the last time that they PROGRESSED in life; When's the last time they LEARN LIFE LESSONS.

Sorry for the bad english.
Ping Pong the animation is an incredible show. The characters, story, music... all... is really amazing. I love and hate the fact that the studio take the risk with the animation style, because a lot of people, like me at first, only focus on the style of animation and not give him a chance and don´t know they are missing a beautiful story. All the characters and his development in so few chapters is amazing, and you can be proud of all the characters at the end.
The symbolism are really important and chapter by chapter you wonder who is the hero ... and when it shows, you get excited and many things make sense. The sport isn´t important like the charas development, so you will not care who wins the match.
In short: Incredible spokon about life, friendship and personal growth.