Review of Ping Pong the Animation
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 inregard 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.