The show makes its entrance fairly straight forward with the competitive sport of ping pong. I am not an active competitor of the sports myself but the show has the ability to grip your attention with its idiosyncratic style. And despite how complex the characters look at first glance, the story itself is easy to follow. We have two friends sharing a passion for the sport they love, in this case being ping pong. Makoto Tsukimoto and Yutaka Tsukimoto are fine examples of how people compete for success yet seemingly adapts to their love for a hobby. With nicknames such as Smile and Peco, they stand out fairly solid with their personas.
Besides that point, several distinctive features stands out to make this show memorable. First, we have Masaaki Yuasa, the brainchild behind the show. With his innovative craftsmanship, he compels this show into an enthusiastic style series as previously seen in animation works such as Kaiba, The Tatami Galaxy, and Mind Game. Here, we see his talents again formulated into the world of ping pong, a competitive game that tests the very wits of the competitors. Each superlative movement is carefully made to stand out distinctively to show precision. But more so, we also see motifs whether it’s comparisons to those of a robotic arm or dragon as a form of symbolism of definable nature.
The first episode shows how Peco meets a prodigy named Wenge (also nicknamed as China from the country of his origin). Coming from the ‘kingdom of ping pong’, we quickly see the gap of strength in the two as China dominates in his match with a clean finish. But behind those devilish eyes and hot-boiled temper is also a man of integrity, who strives to become the best. His complex nature is a highlight in this show that feature several sides to his testament. For one thing, he seemingly has both an inferiority and superiority complex. From the beginning, he looks down on other players for attempting to be on his “equal” such as Peco. On the other hand, he also values players such as Smile as someone that is worthy of being his adversary. And indeed, later episodes shows exactly why Smile is worthy of being called just that. Speaking of which, our main characters Smile and Peco are like columns to the building blocks of characterization. The way Ping Pong the Animation depicts their characters at a fundamental level is appreciable. For instance, Smile is portrayed with characteristics that shows him as a loner and plain man. Throughout the series, it’s shown that he is skilled in the art of ping pong and can be relatable with his realistic style of living life itself. He is honest, has a dynamic relationship with his coach, and even rivals takes him for granted. And despite often behaving in a deadpan manner, Smile can be quite likeable. His nickname also serves as an anti-thesis because he barely ever smiles with his expressionless face behind those eye glowing spectacles. On the other hand, we have Peco, a young boy of eccentricity. Unlike Smile, he is outgoing and is often on the lookout for challenges in his life whether they’d be skilled competitors like China or dealing with countless hours of excruciating training. Even though he has a lack of skill compared to other players in the beginning, one should admire his never diehard attitude through a boy of determination. Peco’s mentor, Obaba sees his honest intentions and pushes him to become what he hopes to be – a player of integrity of admirable efforts. Similarly, Jou Koziumi (nicknamed ‘Butterfly Joe’) values Smile for both his talent and someone that he sees as his younger self. This reflection in his character shows a visage that the show details in solidity through its intriguing characterization, one that is memorable from many angles. Likewise, all the main characters gets their spotlight and their journey to stardom. It’s a ride you won’t forget with their development is what should be valued.
Of course, ping pong being a competitive sport also means competition. It’s more than just hitting a ball with a racket across the table but rather as a form of art. Each movement requires a methodical play through strategic movements. Some of these are delineated with motifs and spellbinding moments thanks to Yuasa’s innovative style. The symbolism such as the ferocity of a dragon coming from Ryuuichi Kazama (also nicknamed as “Dragon”) shows this at its best during one of his matches in the tournaments. While it may seems like a wild frenzy, it also makes its point to show how intense ping pong can really be. Each competitors’ playing style define their own characteristics and brings about their persona to life. The sportsmanship is also displayed well with accuracy to tell a riotous story.
A controversial topic relates to the artistic direction of the show. One might interpret it as unfitting. Yet looking from a different angle, it should be seen as more the nature of how it is displayed. In this case, it is unorthodox but with a fitting edge towards its thought provoking story. The characters are presented as complex by nature, complex by attributes, and complex but their playing style. As such, we see this from the artwork of Ping Pong. The way the ping pong ball is hit forward and returned is captured with very fluid animation. The camera angle often focuses on each and every movement in order to illustrate the intensity of the game with hardcore precision. There’s no rush towards the art but instead serves as a purpose of the characters being figures to remember. The artwork in this case is memorable not for its avant-garde style but for the ability to bring out ping pong at its very best.
Similarly, the soundtrack is also powerhouse that is carefully crafted to fit the characters and the ping pong world. For instance, the OST is intense often configured in rhythm to match each movement with a players’ stroke. The voice actors also show their talents in their field especially for China’s character. As a foreigner and fresh face, he is able to speak both Mandarin and Japanese to solid degrees. I give praise to Yosei Bun for his performance as his debut in the voice acting industry. However, China is not the only character with memorable dialogues. Most if not all the characters’ dialogues are a testament to define how this show stands out to be complex in nature. Their dialogue holds meaning, depth, and dedicates to purpose. Likewise, Smile and Peco’s voices also reflects their personalities in a credible way. Finally, the OP & ED song are more just than catchy. They systemically define the dynamics of its artistic style with appreciable freshness.
Ping Pong the Animation is a brilliant example based off the manga of the same name that serves as a rare breed to the sports realm. While most sports series captivates on the competitions itself, this show seizes every moment to characterize its players that will be memorable for generations to come. It is mature, realistic, relatable, and compelling. The one aspect I did find somewhat vague and may seem weakly portrayed would be the rules of the actual games. But likewise, this is a story not just being about to beat the man but to be the man. As complex as the characters look, this show is easy to understand with a cunning nature. Even if you feel the final result of their achievements may seem indifferent, it’s what their journey that counts the most with the development. After all, there’s an old saying that goes “the journey is more important than the destination”. And after watching Ping Pong the Animation, I couldn’t agree more.
