Back to DeadRobots's Profile DeadRobots's Profile

So this show really could have been great, And I really did want it to be. Unfortunately it just couldn't come together properly.

The pacing of the plot which is little more than generic is extremely questionable, rushing through the season and the first arc to end two episodes into the second arc. This doesn't make sense from the idea of a single season or from a sequel as you would want the sequel to be the start of the new arc and vice versa. They really could have dragged out the arc more and added more character development instead of trying to churn the ... story out. The series is very character driven so it's kind of okay that the plot wasn't anything too special however it doesn't excuse the fact that it doesn't seem to be making any real attempt to try anything new either.

As for animation the shows has some flashes of brilliance utilizing great use of motion and colour to create strong powerful cuts. Unfortunately they're few and far between with much of the character animation moving awkwardly and reusing far too many cuts. There's really not too much to say it was simply average with the occasional great shot.

The soundtrack is one of the high points of this series. It's frantic and energetic and remind me of something out of an arcade. It really helps amp up the action and make up for some of the scenes that have lacking animation. The tracks from competitive matches are so fun I've began putting it on when playing competitive games because it really helps get you into the mood. The opening also makes great use of the sound of ping pong balls bouncing to keep the rythym. Once I noticed by episode 4 or so I couldn't stop myself from bouncing along throughout the rest of the series.

Another high point of the series is the characters. The majority of the characters have very unique designs and somewhat unique twists on standard character tropes. The main cast isn't too developed unfortunately which goes back to the pacing issues of the story and could have easily been fixed however the characters who are more fleshed out feel really fun and interesting. In particular one of the antagonists from the first arc is a really unique take on a character trope which I was really able to identify and bond with. They aren't necessarily a character most would or would want to but just the few extra defining feature helped make her feel so real and relateable to my own personal experiences in highschool that it had me rooting for them even though I shouldn't have. Likewise I am extremely intrigued by the very different antagonist introduced at the end of the series for the second arc. Which unfortunately we never get to so I guess I'll just have to read the manga for that.

Overally I really enjoyed the series. The light hearted comedy and straight forward plot made it a fun show to unwind late at night to and just relax while watching yet still be able to get invested in enough to really care about some of the cast. Unfortunately as I said at the start, it could have been so much more. I would recommend if you like sports, club or high school club shows and want something light hearted and fun. You wont get anything super deep with this one but if you don't need that then it's a good watch.