Summary
Ping Pong (Japanese: ピンポン, Hepburn: Pin Pon) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Taiyō Matsumoto about table tennis. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1996 to 1997 and collected in five tankōbon volumes. The story follows high schoolers and childhood friends Peco and Smile, as they compete in the national table tennis tournament where they face talented players from all over the country.
| Ping Pong | |
 First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Makoto Tsukimoto | |
| ピンポン (Pin Pon) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Taiyō Matsumoto |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Big Comic Spirits |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | 1996 – 1997 |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Anime television series | |
| Ping Pong the Animation | |
| Directed by | Masaaki Yuasa |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Masaaki Yuasa |
| Music by | Kensuke Ushio |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Production |
| Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
| Original network | Fuji TV (Noitamina) |
| English network | |
| Original run | April 11, 2014 – June 20, 2014 |
| Episodes | 11 |
| Live-action film | |
| |
It was adapted into a 2002 live-action film. An anime television series adaptation produced by Tatsunoko Production and directed by Masaaki Yuasa was aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina block between April and June 2014. In North America, Funimation (later Crunchyroll LLC) licensed the series in 2014. Viz Media released the manga in 2020.
Premise edit
Despite having drastically different personalities, high school boys Peco and Smile have been friends since childhood. Now, they are both talented members of table tennis club of Katase High School. Peco gets decisively defeated by a Chinese student and thus becomes so devastated that he quits practicing. Meanwhile, Smile's personality always prevents him from winning against Peco. Coach Jō, however, discovers Smile's potential and tries to motivate him to overcome his psychological obstacle.
Characters edit
- Makoto Tsukimoto/"Smile" (月本 誠/スマイル, Tsukimoto Makoto/Sumairu)
- Voiced by: Kōki Uchiyama, Hiroshi Satomura (child) (Japanese); Micah Solusod[3] (English)
- Played by: Arata Iura
- A quiet and reserved teen. He is ironically nicknamed Smile because of his stoic nature. Smile is an exceptionally skilled player, but often lacks the drive and ruthlessness to win. Nevertheless, his talent is recognized by many, including Koizumi, Kong, and Kazama.
- Yutaka Hoshino/"Peco" (星野 裕/ペコ, Hoshino Yutaka/Peko)
- Voiced by: Fukujūro Katayama, Mitsutaka Nishida (child) (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke[3] (English)
- Played by: Yosuke Kubozuka
- Smile's childhood friend. Peco is loud, cocky, and carefree. He is initially considered one of the best players on the Katase team, but begins questioning himself after a couple of surprising losses. Peco is frequently seen snacking on various junk food items.
- Ryūichi Kazama/"Dragon" (風間 竜一/ドラゴン, Kazama Ryūichi/Doragon)
- Voiced by: Shunsuke Sakuya, Waku Sakaguchi (child) (Japanese); Marcus D. Stimac[3] (English)
- Played by: Shido Nakamura
- Kaio's team captain and star player. Kazama is a dedicated and intimidating athlete who values winning above all else. His skill and power tend to overwhelm even high level opponents. Kazama attempts to recruit Smile to the Kaio team upon noticing his potential.
- Manabu Sakuma/"Demon" (佐久間 学/アクマ, Sakuma Manabu/Akuma)
- Voiced by: Subaru Kimura (Japanese); Anthony Bowling[3] (English)
- A childhood rival of Peco's and a member of the Kaio team. Sakuma lacks natural talent but tries to compensate with hard work. He has a combative streak and is fixated on beating Peco as well as proving himself.
- Kong Wenge/"China" (孔 文革/チャイナ)
- Voiced by: Wen Yexing (Japanese); Alan Chow[3] (English)
- Played by: Sam Lee
- A transfer student from China who was kicked off the national team. His original goal was to return to his home country after redeeming himself abroad. Kong exudes an air of confidence that belies his feelings of shame and resentment.
- Jō Koizumi/"Butterfly Joe" (小泉 丈/バタフライジョー, Koizumi Jō/Batafurai Jō)
- Voiced by: Yusaku Yara (Japanese); Mark Stoddard[3] (English)
- Played by: Naoto Takenaka
- The elderly coach of the Katase team. Though his behavior is sometimes silly, he has a deep sense of commitment to the sport and can be demanding of his players. Koizumi takes great interest in Smile and decides he will force the young player to achieve his potential through any means necessary.
- Obaba (オババ)
- Voiced by: Masako Nozawa (Japanese); Pam Dougherty (English)
- Played by: Mari Natsuki
- The retired chain-smoking owner of the table tennis club where Smile and Peco learned the sport as children. She cares for the two young players, despite her outwardly tough and jaded persona.
- Ota (大田)
- Voiced by: Takanori Hoshino (Japanese); Tyson Rinehart[3] (English)
- Team captain of Katase, known more for his unusual hairstyle than his athletic ability. He helps run the family appliance store and is often occupied with odd jobs after school.
- Masayuki Sanada (真田 昌幸, Sanada Masayuki)
- Voiced by: Kenji Hamada (Japanese); Ian Sinclair[3] (English)
- The second-best player on the Kaio team, who secretly envies Kazama and hopes to rival him.
- Shuji Nekota (猫田 修二, Nekota Shūji)
- Voiced by: Kenta Ōkuma (Japanese); Clifford Chapin[3] (English)
- Another top player from Kaio.
- Ryū Kazama (風間 竜, Kazama Ryū)
- Voiced by: Shinji Ogawa (Japanese); R. Bruce Elliott (English)
- Patriarch of the Kazama family, President of Kaio, and Ryuichi's grandfather. He is a shrewd businessman and former professional player who does not tolerate failure.
- Taku Kazama (風間 卓, Kazama Taku)
- Voiced by: Akihiko Ishizumi (Japanese); Bill Jenkins (English)
- Yurie's father and Ryuichi's uncle, coach of the Kaio team.
- Yurie (百合枝)
- Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese); Lindsay Seidel[3] (English)
- Ryuichi's fashionable cousin, who has feelings for him.
- Michio Tamura (田村 道夫, Tamura Michio)
- Voiced by: Takahiro Shimada (Japanese); Jeremy Inman[3] (English)
- Obaba's son, who trains professional table tennis players.
- Egami (江上)
- Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda (Japanese); Eric Vale[3] (English)
- A player around the same age as Smile and Peco. He is restless by nature and tends to give up easily.
Media edit
Manga edit
Ping Pong, written and illustrated by Taiyō Matsumoto, ran in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits from 1996 to 1997. The chapters were collected in five wideban volumes, released from July 30, 1996, to August 30, 1997.[4][5] The manga was re-released and reformatted into three volumes between July 14, 2012, and August 10, 2012.[6][7] Shogakukan re-released a two-volume edition, Ping Pong: Full Game (ピンポン フルゲームの, Pin Pon Furu Gēmu no), on April 1, 2014.[8][9]
In North America, Viz Media announced in May 2020 that they have licensed the manga for English language release.[10] The two volumes, based on the "Full Game" edition, were released on May 19 and September 15, 2020.[11][12]
Original release edit
| No. | Release date | ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 30, 1996[4] | 4-09-184736-6 | ||
| ||||
| 2 | November 30, 1996[13] | 4-09-184737-4 | ||
| ||||
| 3 | February 28, 1997[14] | 4-09-184738-2 | ||
| ||||
| 4 | June 30, 1997[15] | 4-09-184739-0 | ||
| ||||
| 5 | August 30, 1997[5] | 4-09-184740-4 | ||
| ||||
2014 re-release (Full Game edition) edit
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 1, 2014[8] | 978-4-09-186089-7 | May 19, 2020[11] | 978-1-9747-1165-9 |
| 2 | April 1, 2014[9] | 978-4-09-186090-3 | September 15, 2020[12] | 978-1-9747-1166-6 |
Live-action film edit
A live-action film adaptation directed by Japanese filmmaker Fumihiko Sori was released in 2002.
Anime edit
An anime television series adaptation produced by Tatsunoko Production and directed by Masaaki Yuasa was broadcast from April 11 to June 20, 2014, on Fuji TV's Noitamina block.[16][17][18] The opening theme is "Tada Hitori" (唯一人, lit. "All Alone") by Bakudan Johnny and ending theme is "Bokura ni Tsuite" (僕らについて, lit. "About Us") by Merengue. In North America, the anime series has been licensed by Funimation (later Crunchyroll LLC).[19][20]
Episodes edit
| No. | Title [21] | Directed by | Original air date [a] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Wind Makes it Too Hard to Hear" Transliteration: "Kaze no Oto ga Jama o Shiteiru" (Japanese: 風の音がジャマをしている) | Yūdai Kubota | April 11, 2014[23] | |
| Two old friends go to spy on a new table tennis champ at a rival high school, but meanwhile their own team is disintegrating. | ||||
| 2 | "Smile's a Robot" Transliteration: "Sumairu wa Robotto" (Japanese: スマイルはロボット) | Hideki Itō | April 18, 2014[24] | |
| Coach Koizumi has started working Smile hard, who does not appreciate the extra attention. | ||||
| 3 | "Devoting Your Life to Table Tennis is Creepy" Transliteration: "Takkyū ni Jinsei Kakeru nante Kimi ga Warui" (Japanese: 卓球に人生かけるなんて気味が悪い) | Masatsugu Arakawa | April 25, 2014[25] | |
| All the teams gather at the prefectural qualifiers, and China gets to play Smile at last. | ||||
| 4 | "The Only Way to Be Sure You Won't Lose is to Not Fight" Transliteration: "Zettai ni Makenai Yuiitsu no Hōhō wa Tatakawanai Koto da" (Japanese: 絶対に負けない唯一の方法は闘わないことだ) | Fumihiro Ueno | May 2, 2014[26] | |
| Peco learns a hard lesson from someone he never took seriously enough, and then we finally see how Dragon earned his name. | ||||
| 5 | "Where Did I Go Wrong?" Transliteration: "Doko de Machigaeta?" (Japanese: どこで間違えた?) | Masaki Utsunomiya | May 9, 2014[27] | |
| Dragon's obsession with Smile prompts Akuma to do something rash. | ||||
| 6 | "You Love Table Tennis More Than Anyone Else!" Transliteration: "Omae Dare yori Takkyū-zuki jan yo!!" (Japanese: おまえ誰より卓球好きじゃんよ!!) | Yūdai Kubota | May 16, 2014[28] | |
| Five athletes have five very different Christmas Eves, and Peco receives a wake-up call. | ||||
| 7 | "Yes My Coach" Transliteration: "Iesu Maikōchi" (Japanese: イエス マイコーチ) | Ryōta Itō | May 23, 2014[29] | |
| Players, coaches, captains, and their families. | ||||
| 8 | "Enter the Hero" Transliteration: "Hīrō Kenzan" (Japanese: ヒーロー見参) | Hirayasu Kyo | May 30, 2014[30] | |
| Smile, Peco, Dragon, and China begin another prefectural qualifier, anticipating potential changes in the results. | ||||
| 9 | "I'm Gonna Go Cry a Bit" Transliteration: "Sukoshi Naku" (Japanese: 少し泣く) | Ryōta Itō | June 6, 2014[31] | |
| In the third round, Dragon has an unexpected visitor, Sanada questions himself, and Peco scares many people in many ways. | ||||
| 10 | "You're the Hero, Aren't You?!" Transliteration: "Hīrō na no darouga!!" (Japanese: ヒーローなのだろうが!!) | Eunyoung Choi | June 13, 2014[32] | |
| Peco and Dragon tackle the question of whether only birds can fly. | ||||
| 11 | "Blood Tastes Like Iron" Transliteration: "Chi wa Tetsu no Aji ga Suru" (Japanese: 血は鉄の味がする) | Masaaki Yuasa | June 20, 2014[33] | |
| The final match is on. | ||||
Reception edit
Manga edit
In 2021, the manga received an Eisner Award nomination in the category Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia.[34]
Critical reception edit
Rose Bridges from Anime News Network praised the two omnibus editions of the manga, in particularly its characters and story giving it an A, and stated "The real story is about Smile and Peco's relationship with each other. This ultimately becomes the catalyst that sets forth their futures, and understanding that relationship is key to understanding the manga's ending—which may come out of nowhere if you're not paying careful attention. It's even more the story of how his friendship with Peco changes Smile, becoming something like his emotional lifeline. Reading Ping Pong 25 years after it wrapped, it's easy to see where it's been so influential. The series changed how sports manga was created, and that's obvious: so many modern-day sports anime clearly have Ping Pong in their DNA. If you haven't seen or read Ping Pong, I won't tell you what happens. The journey they take and the finale should both be richly savored, and these two omnibus editions are the perfect way to do just that. Deservedly one of the classics of sports manga; does a great job juggling the excitement and details of the sport, and building rewarding and layered story and characters; flowing art style that perfectly fits frenetic match scenes; rewards active, deep reading".[35]
Anime edit
In 2015, Ping Pong the Animation received the Grand Prize award for Television Animation of the Year at the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival.[36][37][38] The anime series was part of the Jury Selections at the 18th Japan Media Arts Festival in the Animation category in 2014.[39] In November 2019, Polygon named Ping Pong the Animation as one of the best anime of the 2010s,[40] and Crunchyroll listed it in their "Top 25 best anime of the 2010s".[41] IGN also listed Ping Pong the Animation among the best anime series of the 2010s.[42]
Critical reception edit
Nick Creamer from Anime News Network praised the anime adaptation and consider it to be a great anime with excellent character design and development, as well as magnificent soundtrack with great animation and story. And describes it as "The show only finds time for all this character development because absolutely zero scenes are wasted. This doesn't mean the show feels rushed - it simply means every line tells you something about a character, and every confrontation between two players changes something in both of them. Ping Pong's characters care about winning, but the show itself rises to make points beyond the field of battle. Failure is actually necessary and welcome in Ping Pong, as it is through failure that we grow, and become more than what we were. The show's music and sound design aren't just good, they're indispensable - they are a critical part of the show's aesthetic whole, rollicking opening song and contemplative ending included. Overall, Ping Pong is a triumph of artistry and treasure of storytelling. It's one of the shows I'd recommend to really demonstrate what anime is capable of, and yet it's light and engaging enough to be enjoyed by almost anyone. Highly recommended for all fans of anime as an art form, or just fans of good stories told well. Poignant storytelling, creative art design, propulsive direction, and resonant sound design come together in a brilliant, can't-miss package".[43]
Nicoletta Christina Browne from THEM Anime Reviews gave it a 5 out of 5, and describes the anime as not the most beautiful one compare to other animes directed by Masaaki Yuasa like Kaiba, but the show stands out by its wonderful development and storytelling.[1] Andy Hanley from UK Anime Network also gave a positive review of the anime series and gave it a 9 out of 10, calling it "Its visuals won't appeal to everyone but its story and handling of its characters are almost flawless, resulting in a compelling package that will live long in the memory. Less divisive will be the rest of Ping Pong's presentation - its soundtrack is utterly superb and fits the series perfectly, and the voice cast all do a good job of representing their characters in a way which is never overstated and again slots nicely into everything that the show is trying to achieve. Its thanks to Yuasa's take on both the story and how it's presented that this series is more than just another sports anime - it's a pitch-perfect examination of growing up, sporting endeavour and plenty more besides. No matter your take on its animation style, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better character study in animated series".[44]
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Nicoletta Christina Browne. "Ping Pong:The Animation". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ "The Official Website for Ping Pong". Viz Media. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Michelle Lee. "English Cast Announcements for Ping Pong the Animation and Wanna Be the Strongest in the World". Funimation. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b ピンポン 1 ビッグ コミックス スペシャル (in Japanese). Shogakukan. July 30, 1996. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b ピンポン 5 ビッグ コミックス スペシャル (in Japanese). Shogakukan. August 30, 1997. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ ピンポン 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. July 14, 2012. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ ピンポン 3 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. August 10, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b ピンポン フルゲームの 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ a b ピンポン フルゲームの 2 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. April 2014. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ Sherman, Jennifer (October 4, 2019). "Viz Media Licences Fushigi Yūgi: Byakko Senki, How Do We Relationship?, Mujirushi: The Sign of Dreams Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ a b "Ping Pong, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on April 9, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- ^ a b "Ping Pong, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ^ ピンポン 2 ビッグ コミックス スペシャル (in Japanese). Shogakukan. November 30, 1996. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ ピンポン 3 ビッグ コミックス スペシャル (in Japanese). Shogakukan. February 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ ピンポン 4 ビッグ コミックス スペシャル (in Japanese). Shogakukan. June 30, 1997. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 16, 2014). "Kick-Heart's Yuasa to Direct Ping Pong Anime for Noitamina". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (January 16, 2014). "noitaminA Adds 'Ping Pong' Anime For Spring 2014 Season". The Fandom Post. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ^ Green, Scott (January 17, 2014). ""Ping Pong" Manga to be Adapted as Spring Noitamina Anime". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ Loo, Egan (April 4, 2014). "Funimation to Stream Ping Pong the Animation". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (November 8, 2014). "Funimation Adds Ping Pong, Tokyo Ravens, Puchimas Home Video Rights". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ^ "Funimation Ping Pong Episodes". Funimation. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ テレビアニメ『ピンポン』第3話の場面カットが到着！ 全11話を収録したBD＆DVD「ピンポン COMPLETE BOX」が8月27日発売決定！. Animate Times (in Japanese). April 25, 2014. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第1回 2014年4月10日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第2回 2014年4月17日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第3回 2014年4月24日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第4回 2014年5月1日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第5回 2014年5月8日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第6回 2014年5月15日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第7回 2014年5月22日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第8回 2014年5月29日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第9回 2014年6月5日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第10回 2014年6月12日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ 第11回 2014年6月19日(木)放送 あらすじ (in Japanese). Fuji TV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (June 10, 2021). "Spy x Family, Remina, I Had That Same Dream Again, More Nominated for Eisner Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- ^ Bridges, Rose (October 7, 2020). "Ping Pong GN 1-2 - Review of The Full Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- ^ "TAAF2015アニメ オブ ザ イヤー部門グランプリは『アナと雪の女王』と『ピンポン THE ANIMATION』に決定！". Tokyo Anime Awards Festival (in Japanese). March 22, 2015. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Loo, Egan (March 22, 2015). "Frozen, Ping Pong, Tiger & Bunny Win at Tokyo Anime Award Festival". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Saabedra, Humberto (March 22, 2015). "Masaaki Yuasa Wins TAAF Award For "Ping Pong The Animation"". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "PING PONG | Jury Selections | Animation Division | 2014 [18th] Japan Media Arts Festival Archive". Japan Media Arts Festival. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "The best anime of the decade". Polygon. November 6, 2019. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ Wolf, Ian (November 27, 2019). "Crunchyroll Names The Top 100 Anime of the 2010s". Anime UK News. Archived from the original on November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ^ "The Best Anime of the Decade (2010 - 2019)". IGN. January 1, 2020. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
- ^ Creamer, Nick (June 25, 2015). "Ping Pong the Animation - BD+DVD - Complete Series". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- ^ Hanley, Andy (July 9, 2014). "UK Anime Network - Ping Pong the Animation". UK Anime Network. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
External links edit
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Ping Pong at Viz Media
- Ping Pong on Funimation
- Ping Pong (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia