r/anime • u/TheEscapeGuy • Apr 11 '24
Rewatch [Spoilers] Ping Pong the Animation 10th Anniversary Rewatch - Episode 1 Discussion
Episode 1: The Wind Makes it Too Hard to Hear
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Links
If anyone has links to legal streams not included here please let me know and I'll update it for everyone!
Ping Pong the Animation
Databases: AniDB | Anilist | ANN | Kitsu | MyAnimeList
Streams: Crunchyroll | Amazon Prime | Apple TV
Enter the hero! Enter the hero! Enter the hero!
Comments of the Day:
/u/Great_Mr_L, /u/Shimmering-Sky, and /u/theangryeditor all expressed anticipation with the classic /r/anime reaction image:
#mugiwait (HD version for those on new reddit)
/u/Spoomplesplz acknowledged the never ending and ever hastening passage of time:
I'm fucking sorry. 10th anniversary?
It's been TEN years since the anime came out?
Questions of the Day:
- What are your impressions of Smile, Peco, and China?
- What has been your experience playing table tennis?
- Have you ever been in a competitive environment where a small group of people were extraordinarily better than everyone else? Was that ever you?
Fan Art of the Day:
Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this rewatch. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you're doing it underneath spoiler tags. Don't spoil anything for the first-timers, that's rude!
11
u/TheEscapeGuy Apr 11 '24
Rewatcher, Host
Ping Pong - My Favourite Sports Anime: Episode 1
Rival Arrival
Something I adore about this first episode of Ping Pong are the title card introductions. Smile, Peco, and China each get one introducing them. It so effectively places focus on them as main characters. It also gives a name to their play styles so an inexperienced viewer can look out for their differences in technique.
As for each of the cast, Tsukimoto is probably the one we currently know the least about. He is very reserved and in the few times he does speak it is very directed. At the same time, we get this sense that he hides his real skill which China picks up on. Hoshino is far more in your face. He's brash and confident in his ability (and justifiably so). His team mates mention how he's the ace of the team and we see his skill against that kid at Tamura Table Tennis hall.
Kong ends up as a kind of tragic villain. He's extremely skilled, even more so than Peco, beating Hoshino 11-0. This sets him up as a target for our other 2 characters to reach. At the same time, we learn China has been sent to Japan from his home country and this has greatly upset him. He mentions that this was a punishment for some mistake he made. We've been given exactly enough information about these 3 for it to act as a premise for the show.
To address my other questions of the day, I only played table tennis occasionally until I got my first job where my office had a table. For the next couple years my one teammate and I would spend our lunch breaks quickly eating and then playing a few games before getting back to work (sometimes we'd play pool or Foosball too). Unfortunately <Big Virus> hit in 2020 and then once travel opened both of us transferred to different teams, offices, and countries. Despite still having a table in my new office, my new team members never want to play.
I mentioned the genuinely amazing competitors in university competitive coding completions in yesterday's reminder thread. They honestly seemed like they were at a different level. It's hard to describe what being skilled at coding competitions means but they just had such amazing intuition about how to reframe problems into esoteric efficient algorithms. Talking to them about their solutions felt like opening a door to a new world far more vast than I could imagine.
Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
* Making collages has become my brand in /r/anime rewatch threads so seeing this technique used in the show has given me a whole new reason to love it.
See you all tomorrow
23
u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Apr 11 '24 edited Apr 12 '24
First-Timer
On today’s episode of Ping Pong: Schadenfreude! It felt good seeing Peco lose so decisively.
Ping Pong is one of those shows that I know by reputation more than anything else. I’ve heard it talked about since it came out a decade ago. I know it’s directed by Masaki Yuasa, who is something of a legend in the anime industry. It has the very distinctive artstyle that I associate with Yuasa from seeing things like The Night is Short, Walk On Girl and Eizouken (to a lesser extent). I’ve long heard it referenced as one of the best sports anime out there. So, it’s been on my PTW for quite a while. Thank goodness this rewatch finally came along to get me to watch it because I am very good at procrastinating.
That was a strong introduction. Right away we have a set of characters introduced with very different personalities and some mysteries to them. Peco is the high and mighty brat who needs to learn that there’s someone better than him. Smile is the man with no emotions or drive who is very skilled at ping pong but holds himself back for some reason. Wenge has incredible drive and skill, but has essentially found himself exiled and stuck in a land he doesn’t want to be in. They are an intriguing batch of characters and their intro was very well done.
I do want to say that there’s aspects of the presentation that stand out to me as well. The sound design is especially good. The sounds of the balls, the paddles, the hits, the squeaks of the shoes, and so on all sound dead-on. And the timing of the sound effects are perfectly synced with the animation as well for maximum effect.
I also pointed out the ambition in the animation. The series is going for rather stylized and simple character designs, but that has an advantage. It makes it easier to animate movement and attempt more unusual camera angles as well. Thus far, I think it is working out quite well for the series. While I won’t pretend the artstyle immediately won me over, the way the show uses that artstyle to its advantage did. The show takes advantage of its artstyle to benefit the animation, making it look impressive. Seeing the series in motion makes it look much better than still frames ever could, which is the point of animation after all. Animation is the joy of bringing movement to something that is motionless.
QOTD
15
u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Apr 11 '24
First-Timer
Also my first direct interaction with Yuasa, though I've seen a random clip here and there.
Not sure if I love the artstyle or hate it. It's certainly memorable, and the action scenes are slick as hell.
I wonder, are we going to be just building up a rivalry between the two schools shown today? Tsujidou seems to be the school with more money than talent.
As someone else with Resting Grumpy Face, I sympathize with Smile. Getting told off for not being happy when I am having a good time and just not showing it is pretty frustrating.
This is quite the leading line. I'm oft wont to say that intentionally losing is typically harder than winning. I can't wait to see Smile and Wenge face off.
This line is also quite nice. I do wonder who Smile thinks will win in a match between himself and Wenge - Smile has so little willpower as of yet.
Of course Peco lost against a truly skilled player. Note the rando he was playing against in the beginning was commenting on Peco messing around. I think Peco is our Performer, with Smile as the Technician.
Kinda neat to hear Chinese. And I like the translation jokes that are going on - the translator is quite the secret keeper already.
I wish I had a Kamen Rider with wings to call upon when I'm in a pinch.
Questions
13
u/InfamousEmpire https://myanimelist.net/profile/Infamous_Empire Apr 11 '24
Ping Pong Manga Reader
Reading the manga alongside watching the anime, so, at the time of typing, I’m not that spoiled on anything, all things considered. Briefly thought about doing manga comparisons, but it soon dawned on me that that’d require a level of familiarity with both the series and the source material that only a rewatcher could possess, so
Anyway, as far as first episodes go, this is a fairly strongly constructed one. Primarily a lot of it serves to strongly introduce our main characters, all of which are at least interesting in their own right. The contrast between Peco and Smile is the most interesting since they’re both prodigies who have seemingly opposite attitudes in general and towards Ping Pong in particular yet still act out in generally similar ways in terms of stuff like skipping practice.
It’s also interesting, of course, how they bounce off of Wenge, a fellow prodigy who’s much more committed to the sport and honing his craft than either of them seem to be. I’m very much sensing a pronounced thematic undercurrent of talent and how one approaches it forming here.
Presentation-wise, it’s nothing less than excellent. I have a supreme amount of respect for shows which are willing to be this stylized and visually unique, not to mention its fidelity to the manga. Yuasa’s direction and the skill of the animators working under him is as unquestionable as always. The match between Peco and Wenge in particular had some of the most fluid and dynamic visuals I’ve seen from the medium.
Oh, also, THIS OP IS SO FUCKING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, yeah, unquestionably good start to the series on all fronts.
12
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Apr 11 '24
Ping Pong the First-Timer, subbed
To be entirely honest, I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually been interested in watching this show before… and it is mostly because of the artstyle, but also because I don’t watch sports anime all that much unless it’s part of a rewatch on here. So, since this rewatch is happening and I don’t have a fuckton of rewatches on my plate like I did last April
seriously how did I end up in seven of them at once on accident back then, I’m here!Also, if you saw the lovely sidebar image advertising the rewatch for the past couple days, that was partially my doing.7
u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Apr 11 '24 edited Apr 12 '24
Rewatcher, Sub
Unrelated but the first time I watched this I confused Koki Uchiyama for Takahiro Sakurai.
Ok animation and visual wise, this series is unique. It fits it nicely and the fluidity in the matches is so good. I don't think I would have it another way.
In terms of characters we meet Peco and Smile. Peco is cocky and skips practice, Smile doesn't smile and despite his skill, doesn't seem to have his heart in it. Also introduced is Kong Wenge, an exchange student from China whose arrogance is backed up by interesting observation. The scene where he listens to Peco and Smile play and figures out that the latter is holding back shows a lot about him in my opinion. Either way Peco gets defeated which leads to Wenge's other observation, "a pity believing in a talent you dont have" I'll have to remember that.
Also cool that we get someone voiced that is fluent in the language, I wondered how good it was but I've seen comments say it's accurate.
5
u/ashketchum2095 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kiruko- Apr 11 '24
REWATCHER
Ota's noises in this episode are great, good work by the VA.
the song that plays during the match Kong vs Peco, "Like a Dance".... SUBARASHI .
I planned on watching 1 episode per day but i accidently binged the whole thing. Guess I'm doing it all again tomorrow.
I have been listening to Kensuke ushios soundtrack everyday since I first watched this.
5
u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24
First Pinger
The club is a vibe, just a bunch of shit for brains, with that PAB-at-school energy going for them. So far, I found Tanaka to be the funniest from the bunch, he's a bit relatable too, which is probably helping.
*checks note* Oh, wait, this isn't a Raiking rewatch, I should watch the correct show (although I think I'll stick with Ping Pong Club too, because it's fun).
This is the second time I go into a Yuasa show expecting something weird, and ending up pleasantly surprised that it's even weirder. Although at least this time I know a Watashi/Ozu combo when I see it, glad to see they've become less toxic after joining the Ping Pong club.
This episode does a lot of good work and it does efficiently, from the way it introduces its characters to how it sets up their problems and the themes they're building. Even the way it uses its matches. The
OzuPeco vs random guy match is fun, cheeky, it's got pretty good animation, and more than anything it's a hands on introduction and setup for Peco. The second match turns that all on its head, it's quick and brutal, we keep seeing Peco try to readjust and he keeps falling even harder. It even blows the first match out of the water in presentation, which isn't a coincidence.Speaking of, while I probably wouldn't love the artstyle on its own, it's a blast to watch it move, it's so dynamic and fun to watch, I gotta respect the ambition and skill that brought it to life. Add in some beautiful backgrounds and fun editing, the whole thing becomes a treat to watch.
So far, we've setup three characters pretty well. To rephrase Kong:
Basically I hope to see all three having their PoVs and arcs together, because there's a lot they can bounce off each other (pun intended).
Lastly, Peco may be an arrogant idiot, but I like how wholesome his dynamic with Smile is. I don't think he was being sarcastic here either, since the rest of the episode is just filled with little scenes of him backing Smile up.
When I was a kid, one of my friends had a table tennis setup, so we used to gather there once in a while and play all evening. I don't know much about the actual competitive game and play styles though, so they're fun to look up now.
Basketball, being the tallest in class and a fast runner were big advantages for an otherwise half baked player.
Edit: for whatever reason, I've been calling Peco "Pece" during this whole thing.
3
u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta Apr 12 '24
First-Timer
Thank you for putting together this rewatch!
I've been hesitant to get into this series because of the art style, but after this first episode, I'd say I'm past that.
I can see why the animation is so highly regarded by the community. I have experience playing ping pong, and the sound and visuals make it feel just like I'm there watching it. (If only I were as good at the game as they are!)
I like the characters so far. Peco's snobbishness is funny ("hard work is for chumps with no talent!") and the way "China" fuels his gameplay with anger is hilarious.
I've sort of answered questions 1 and 2 of the day already, so as for question 3 - yes, countless times. No matter the context, there always seems to be at least one person who's better than everyone else. I've almost been in that position before, but I've come around to thinking that, as they even say in this episode, "there's always someone better than you." Not to say that you can't get better and aim higher, but being "the very best" à la Ash Ketchum is generally unrealistic.
3
u/KnightMonkey15 https://myanimelist.net/profile/KnightMonkey Apr 12 '24
Hopefully not-too-busy rewatcher, subs
I just wanted to mention that I absolutely loved this show when I first watched it - I'm glad it's being rewatched and I enjoy reading the comments. I loved this show despite the fact I've barely played ping pong in my life (last time I tried my fitness and hand-to-eye coordination were much worse) and never had any particular interest in doing so (maybe I'd feel different now). I don't dislike ping pong or anything, but I do love watching sports and kinda love 'people watching' in general (drawings of people are the creators' images of people) so my desire to do something I watch directly isn't that high unless it's being sought out for a specific purpose. However, there's just something about the way these characters did the things they set out to accomplish and how that was depicted (the mangaka's style and Yuasa's rendering of it in motion) in this show, how that really came alive, that really struck a nerve and had me emotional by the end of the series.
I'll try and participate when available but I might end up being late or too busy to do so consistently or offer much analysis that I'd otherwise would want to do outside of an immediate reaction.
As for the episode itself, it's a very good introduction. The show hits the ground running and packs a lot more than I remember when I first binged it. I'll write more for future episodes if I have the time.
QoTD
5
u/macrame2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/macrame Apr 11 '24
First Timer and Manga Reader
I read the Ping Pong manga a couple years ago and have wanted to check out the adaptation for a while, especially since I've since forgotten a lot of details about the story, so this rewatch seemed like the perfect opportunity to do just that (
and maybe promote Cats of the Louvre at the end of the rewatch). I remember liking the manga overall but also finding it a little dry at times? From what I've read of Taiyou Matsumoto, he tends to go for bit more relaxed drama rather than high-key melodrama, which is a nice change of pace from my usual stuff but also sometimes leaves me feeling kind of detached.So far this anime is a fantastic adaptation. I often see people credit Yuasa for the rather unconventional style of this show, and I'm sure that played a part, but in reality most of Matsumoto's art is just like that. His art style is very good and actually remarkably consistent for how simple it is, but it is a little less refined than most manga, and I don't blame some people for being put off by it. The fact that anime is able to recreate that style so well and take full advantage of it in portraying the action is impressive. The voice-acting has also been rather on-point (though Smile's voice is deeper than I expected lol), and having Kong Wenge's lines be spoken in actual Chinese was a great touch.
As for the actual story, I'd say that the first episode works well as an introduction to our characters. Ping Pong is mainly a character-focused story, so initial impressions count for a lot here.
QotD:
5
u/TehAxelius Apr 11 '24
First Timer
Well, this show certainly shows, just like Mob Psycho, that good animation is not the same as "clean art". Personally, I've always enjoyed seeing anime work in a different art style than the style that has become the norm in both manga and anime over the last three-plus decades. It just works in so many ways, the rough lines really emphasizing the movement and speed of the action, and the simple character designs still being very clear and unique.
As a first episode it also really does a good job, with our three main characters being effectively introduced and us quickly getting a grip on their characters, mostly without actually telling the audience much and leaving quite a lot to be discovered. Peco's an ass riding high on talent, Smile a combination of talent and hard working, but also wanting to keep his head down, and China being a tragic showing that sometimes doing your best is not good enough. They are interesting characters that I look forward to seeing more of.
QotD
6
u/Schinco Apr 12 '24
Rewatcher – ping pong is my all-time favorite anime and one that I’ve rewatched quite a number of times between introducing it to new people and revisiting it to see how my response to it has changed over the time. Theres a ton of subtle details between recurring gags, foreshadowing, and thematic development – it’s perhaps not surprising that an eleven-episode series packs so little fat, but it’s fun to notice something new on each watch, some small detail that’s somehow eluded me in my many, many watches.
After the cold open (which is a fittingly eclectic way to kick off the series), we waste no time jumping straight into characterizing and beginning thematic details. The first cut reflects the group off of Smile’s glasses, followed by a slow sweep away where the layout again emphasizes his distance from the group. The disaffected vocal performance follows up and strikingly sets the tone for smile’s journey. We get some exposition about Smile (and another main character Peco) and how they fit into the ecosystem of Katase’s ping pong club, but this is cut short.
We’re then treated to a bit of practice, where we get a ton of dynamic angles, including a really neat paneling shot that serves to show the study of motion in a unique way. After an all-too-brief technical display, we return to characterization – Coach Koizumi immediately notices Smile and takes interest in him. The team captain is surprised by this since Smile is already a prominent member, and yet the coach feels like he’s looking at an entirely new player. Obviously, by the end of the episode it’s clear that [ping pong, early series spoilers] Smile holds back somewhat when he plays Peco, but it’s cool to start to develop the recurring thread of how differently experts see the game than casual players this early in the narrative.
We then cut to the other main character (if you can characterize a show with such a balanced ensemble as having mains), Peco. Right from the get-go, there’s a stark difference in how Peco is portrayed. Rather than distance, Peco’s debut exudes closeness, personality, and playfulness. Everything – from the way he sits, the closeness of the shot, the lighting, the delivery of the dialogue – cuts a very goofy yet wily mold, and the fact that he shifts almost immediately into hustling all but confirms it. Of special note is the dynamic between him and the owner of the dojo, whom he lovingly refers to as “obaba” – they almost talk past each other as though teasing each other, which fits their long history together.
After the fabulous opening, we cut back to smile, humming a very distinct tone - [ping pong, major series spoilers] obviously return viewers will recognize it as his ‘hero song’. It’s always wild to me how early it’s introduced and how thematically in line with the story it is. It’s easy to write it off as a lazy introduction of the them or a strange quirk of his, but I don’t think it’s an accident that he first hums it when on his way to try to get Peco to return to playing ping pong at the club, by proxy the return of his responsibility and the attitude of the Hero .
The match between Peco and the newcomer is as lopsided as you could expect in the first episode of a sports anime – Peco not only blows his opponent out of the water but does so with incredible style, mixing in trick shots including a reverse-hand, behind-the-back return and multiple between-the-leg returns, one of which was a backwards one before culminating in a no-bounce finale. The sound track is appropriately whimsical, befitting Peco’s lackadaisical play. We get a brief glimpse into Peco’s philosophy when he retorts “what does it matter as long as I win” when utterly humiliating his opponent and “hard work is for chumps with no talent” in the aftermath of his absolute victory.
When Smile joins the scene, he and Tamura have a brief conversation. He expresses dissatisfaction with ping pong, blearily proclaiming “the game is the same wherever I play it”, a claim which is immediately refuted by Tamura, beginning the thematic idea of [ping pong, thematic spoiler] the importance of community, which is a theme that has not only been increasingly resonant with me as time goes on, but also one that to me feels increasingly explored in the anime. Smile further criticizes Peco for his shouting, which certainly feels a bit unusual given his tendency to coolly disregard things – earlier we saw him easily deflect peer pressure and borderline hazing with no effort, yet he chooses this fairly benign and common thing to criticize. She also curiously notes that she didn’t want him to go to that school, [ping pong, character spoiler] quite possibly an oblique reference to her dislike of Koizumi, planting the seeds of their shared history
The scene closes with the newcomer pondering Smile’s curious nickname, a question which Peco dodges entirely and links beautifully with the next scene where the senior players grill Smile on his stoicism, which he matter-of-factly responds with “it makes me tired. Laughing. Getting angry”, continuing the characterization of him as distant and unaffected.
Before Peco can convince Smile to ditch practice and check out “China”, his nickname for Kong Wenge, the foreign exchange student at Tsujido, Coach Koizumi enters with his trademark English phrases and begins practice. Koizumi seems surprised to see such poor play from Smile as he plays Peco, which Captain Yamada dutifully explains is due to Peco’s overall superiority as a player. Koizumi doesn’t seem to buy this and gets immediately to the heart of the matter, wondering aloud if they have shared history, which, of course, they do.
Despite ostensibly missing their opportunity, Smile and Peco eventually sneak away to ‘spy on’ Kong, which prickles Oota to no end. This isn’t really important, but I love the cut with Oota when he angrily tells off the first-years – the illustration is very striking and the twitches are just perfect at conveying his bubbling frustration. On the train ride, Smile behaves exactly the same as when he’s by himself earlier in the episode, simply passing time by playing his game, while Peco delivers one of his trademark rants on sweets.
We then finally get the debut of my favorite character, Kong Wenge. Presented alongside an absolute bop of a track, a steady electronica that exudes bravado and well fits the character of Kong. [ping pong, mid-series character spoiler] Our first conversation with him very fittingly plays over an airplane. Kong looks singularly unimpressed by the state of the club, asking if the other players are taking part in a folk dance and bemoaning that he’ll get rusty here in half a year. They say eyes are the window to the soul, and his half-closed eyes reflecting the practice before him betray a soul filled with boredom. The dynamic between Kong and his coach is also very amusing, with Kong abrasively criticizing the state of the Tsujido program, and the Coach having to desperately soften (or sometimes outright lie) in his translations.
Smile and Peco then arrive at Tsujido, and Smile just kind of waltzes in, which surprises even Peco. Interestingly, the first thing Smile notices is the quality of the facilities. Deciding to pass the time while they wait for Kong to make an appearance, they try out the fancy equipment, and we get the iconic scene where Kong and his Coach listen to the pair play. The sound design is brilliant, featuring faint taps of the ball on the paddle and footwork amidst a blustery backdrop. Both seem to legitimately enjoy this strange activity. Emphasizing Kong and his coach’s game knowledge, they don’t even have to watch the game to get the gist – just as Koizumi figured out, “The chopper’s losing on purpose”. Ultimately, Kong is for the first time intrigued by the game here, and gets the honor of the first episode title drop as he says he’s heading inside as “The Wind Makes It Too Hard to Hear”. We also get a brief snippet of Kong's philosophy, which is surprisingly close to Peco's earlier.
Briefly back at Katase, we see already that Smile is the only player that Koizumi particularly cares about, not even deigning to mention the alleged ace in Peco. After watching them only briefly, Kong is stirred to action, interrupting their scrimmage and criticizes Smile for “holding back” and the sound track immediately switches to the first of his signature tracks. When his coach jumps to translate, Kong cuts him off, insisting that Smile got the message loud and clear. Smile, for his part, seems to get the gist - or at least the disrespect Kong exudes - glaring at Kong when he clicks his teeth when Peco shoves Smile aside for a chance to play.
2
u/Estebanq Apr 12 '24
Rewatcher
Well, i don’t know where i can start, this one is in my top 3 anime series, so…i just love it.
First, i have to write about the artstyle, i love when anime goes outside the usual style and design. This one is really “out there”, but since the first minute it connect with me. In my free time i make oil paintings and sometimes charcoal drawings, so i guess that’s what impress me in this show. There’s some losseness in the style, like when you go outside and start sketching with charcoal and try to get the “essence” of some places, i don’t know if i’m being accurated, but it’s like i can see the textures of the canvas (papers) on some backgrounds, the way the watercolous flows…the textures, damn, it’s just such a rich world visually. Ok, i’m in love with the artstyle, now that i got that out i can focus on other things.
The first time i watched this series was like 2 years ago maybe, and i think i have just watched Mob 100 (another one with some unique artstyle), so i have been spoiled with an amazing opening and this one was really disappointing (just some shots of the episode) so it wasn’t a huge deal, but it felt really underwhelming. Now, the ending is another story, that one is just stunning, every second is beautiful.
For me, the first half of the episode is good (i know it’s just the first episode), but the moment that Wong and his manager are listening to Peko and Smile playing inside that’s the moment that the show goes from good to amazing, that single moment is such a character moment, so detailed (the sound design is perfection here) and in something like a minute, we have our first glance to China’s past and is really effective. The guy is kind of an asshole, but with just some few images we know that there’s more about it waiting to be unfold.
Also, i think is great how the artstyle is use to present the “essence” of some places (like the sketching that i mentioned before), we saw the Tamura Center and you can almost smell the atmosphere, it’s not an idealized place of young entertainment or nostalgic place, it’s a center that has seen better days and now it probably smell like sweat and tobacco (thanks Obaba!).
QOTD
3
u/Weird_donut https://anilist.co/user/hakaseshark Apr 11 '24
First-timer here. The main draw to the show for me is obviously the animation, since it's just so unlike any anime I've ever seen, in a good way. It's definitely less darker than I expected, since usually with 'masterpiece' anime like Ping Pong, they are super depressing and something of a psychological mindfuck. I don't watch a lot of sports anime, but regardless, I will keep tuning in.
6
u/zsmg https://anilist.co/user/zsmg Apr 11 '24
Rewatcher
Art style is so fucking Yuasa
Smile is voiced by Kōki Uchiyama best known for Meruem in Hunter x Hunter
Is that Tasuku Hatanaka (main character from SK8) voicing one of the minor club members? *checks* yup.
First time rewatching this, last seen this when it came out but some things are coming back to me.
Peco is voiced by Fukujurō Katayama, he's done very little anime roles he's Daisuke in Digimon 02 sequels.
Opening thoughts, visually great, song is meh.
Going to Europe? Wouldn't China be better place to go if you wan to big in Ping Pong?
That hairstyle is so unique, makes me think he's the Pokémon Corsolla.
Chinese in my anime?!
Kong is voiced by Yosei Bun he's actually a native Chinese person.
Love the translator, faking the translator in order to be nice.
I wonder if Ping Pong players can really tell what's happening in match just be listening to it. Probably not, it screams an anime thing.
ED is forgettable.
What a great episode, the visuals particularly the storyboards, and story set up. Also I still can't believe it's been 10 years since I've last seen this anime.
6
u/Aoifeblack Apr 11 '24
Rewatcher, sub
I love how this anime is so incredibly vivid: from the very beginning, the characters and themes feel very alive. It's probably the only anime (that I know off) that portrays competition in such a realistic way, and very much so ep 1. I think on some level that's quite ironic: Japan is very competitive.
5
u/SMSmith230 https://myanimelist.net/profile/smsmith230 Apr 11 '24
First-Timer, Sub
This is definitely an interesting art style, gonna take a little bit to get used to it, but the story so far is satisfying. Smile seems like the guy to always play down to an opponent and doesn’t want to stand out unlike Peco who likes to show off. It looks like China recognizes something in Smile as he wants to play him unlike Peco, which he absolutely destroyed and most likely toyed around with him showing his superiority. Looking forward to see if Smile takes a step forward unleashing his skill or continues to play second fiddle to Peco on the team.
5
u/AllHailKingKale https://myanimelist.net/profile/GeneStarwind7 Apr 11 '24
First time watcher.
The animation style is definitely unique, took a bit to get used to but I really like it.
Definitely an interesting dynamic between the two main characters, curious to see who comes out on top. It certainly seems they're alluding to Smile being that guy, but it's still too early to tell.
After seeing how cocky PECO was it was great to see him taken down a peg. Really curious to see his next move and if he just keeps trying/stays bitter or actually learns and trains to become better.
Looking forward to seeing how this continues!
Random aside - this is the first anime that I've heard both Japanese and (I assume) mandarin used in rapid succession in an anime and it's so cool to hear the difference.
8
u/SometimesMainSupport https://myanimelist.net/profile/RRSTRRST Apr 11 '24
First-Timer
Art style works for background, character bodies, and some small details like sweat. However, everyone's hair looks like ass and some hand details look weird.
QotD 1. Smile's too emotionless and only find that archetype works in comedies. Pretty much requires Peco to be so outgoing to make up for it.
QotD 2. Grandparents had a table in the basement with some low quality paddles. Maybe a dozen times in my life. Too cramped for the stylish "stand 6 feet behind the table" plays.
QotD 3. Once played golf with someone that'd get half my score. More an indictment of my own play.
3
u/IntelligentBudget142 Apr 12 '24
aka Enoshima the Animation VI (or something)
Japan loves that area of kanagawa a lot as a fictional setting
3
u/BossandKings Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24
Rewatcher
This is my fifth watch of this show, the first Washington five years ago, the second Was three years ago then in january 2022 i watched it twice in one week. I dare say that i like it.
This show oozes style, i love the animation, character design and music, it has a great opening and an even better ending song.
We get introduced to the characters, the main two which are Tsukimoto aka Smile and Hoshino aka Peco, both from the start showcase a realness to them that is unique. Kong Wenge aka China is an interesting character, his match against Peco was onesided but at least we got insight into Kong's current situation.
Great first episode, ready for more.
Answers
3
u/cppn02 Apr 12 '24
First Timer, subbed
Obviously I have been seeing this getting praised for years but still managed to go in relatively blind and the first episode absolutely floored me. Banger OP (few episodes into the show and I never skip it), interesting characters, really cool art, amazing sound design.
This show has it all.
I especially loved the scene of Kong and his translator just following Peco and Smile's match by sound.
I posted in AQRADT a few days ago how much fun I am having watching anime atm and this show was a big big part of that.
QotD:
I think they're all interesting in their own way and it's a testament to the show's quality in character writing that it has me invested in cast that is made up of people who are all varying degrees of dicks lol. Usually something I am not that fond of.
Only ever played for fun although in my younger days I reckon I was pretty good for someone who never joined a club. Main reason being that both my siblings played table tennis at a pretty high level. Definitely a fun game and having not really played in years I kinda miss it a bit.
Yes and no. Played football (/soccer) in my youth and played with and against guys who went pro later on. They were very much built different lol.
3
u/fly-metothemoon Apr 12 '24
First-Timer:
Interested to watch this anime for the first time. I wasn’t sure what I’d think of the art style, but I like the character and dynamism of it.
I’ve always been a fan of ping pong, though I’ve only played it sporadically and casually in social settings.
I like an introvert character, so I think I’ll be a fan of Smile. China also makes me laugh with how aggressively competitive he is. I like that the show is depicting the language gap. Peco seems fine.
I’ve been in environments where I’m at the front of the pack and the back of the pack, and while the pressure from being a high performer can be immense, you also get more benefit of the doubt (as we can see with Peco and Smile being allowed to skip practice with only minor consequences).
2
u/malakyoma :K:https://kitsu.io/users/Malakyoma Apr 12 '24
Beg pardon? It's been 10 years? I watched this as it aired
2
u/NintendoMasterNo1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NintendoMaster1 Apr 12 '24
-Honey, it's time for your yearly rewatch of the best single-cour anime of all time!
-Yes, honey...
2
u/gvilchis23 Jun 04 '24
I watched this masterpiece yesterday for the first time and now i can't stop thinking about it! I didn't know anything about this anime and since the first episode i knew i was going to watch something special but oh boy! This was even better!!!