Review of Ping Pong the Animation
(This has been adapted from my reddit thread) Heroes are the stuff of legend. They can prevent natural disasters to protect the Earth, fight giant monsters to defend a city, and even rescue people from unsightly doom. Heroes are who we call for when the going gets tough. They do what nobody else can, and that is, simply put, save. And it doesn't have to come from stopping an earthquake or beating up evil; what they do better than almost anyone else is instill hope. That, no matter what may come next, there is still a chance. And sometimes -- very rarely -- the heroes arethe ones who need saving. With this in mind, Ping Pong The Animation becomes an anime that goes down in history as one of the best.
STORY
Ping Pong stars two high school table tennis players, "Smile" and "Peco." One day, their club's coach sees latent potential in Smile, and begins to nurse him into the type of player he can assuredly be.
One of Ping Pong's greatest story elements, like the paddles the cast wield, is double-sided. It weaves in and out of the lives they live and the matches they play. That is, the characterization comes from their normal, everyday routines, but their development explodes from the battles they share. It's a constant turnover of seeing the characters adapt or react to the victory or loss they experience. It makes everyone involved incredibly dynamic and real. Watching Smile hold back due to misplaced drive, seeing Dragon dominate the playing field because of unimaginable practice, viewing Akuma as he faces reality; these few instances are tense and filled with drama. But it doesn't stop there. Because what happens afterwards is just as important: Smile becoming ruthless, Dragon remaining isolated, and Akuma correcting his path. In short, every match counts. The winners and the losers never leave the mats unscathed, and Ping Pong demonstrates this beautifully.
An interesting theme that the anime runs with early is the idea that "there is always someone better." A normal mindset looks at this adage as dealing with victory and defeat only; that being "better" is restricted to whatever topic is at hand. For Ping Pong, it elaborates beyond just winning and losing. For example, Yurie has two loves, but follows the one that brings her the comfort she desires. Koizumi is given a distinct opportunity, and leans towards the more moral path. Being better than someone isn't always about who earned the most or least points. Here, it comes from the actions -- not the numbers -- that the characters make. Kong training others or Akuma physically and mentally saving Peco make them "better" than the cold Smile or distant Dragon, despite the latter being "better" themselves.
Which links back to the introduction. Who is a hero? The word is used frequently, and is attributed to a fantastical creature with a strange gesture and elegant wings. Does it have to be some fictional entity? Like the story-telling and superiority discussed earlier, Ping Pong thinks outside of the box. A hero is the best friend, a rival, or some passing stranger. A hero is a coach or family member. A hero is one's self. That is, everyone is a hero. People have the opportunities to be the savior that somebody needs. And a lot of the time, they cannot always be capitalized on. Ping Pong shows this with Yurie and Dragon, or even Kong and his teacher. But when the hero does show up, it both figuratively and literally changes the game. He or she doesn't have to necessarily enact some elaborate plan. Whether it is training someone day and night or giving a small piece of wisdom, there is and always will be a hero in all of us.
ANIMATION
The most controversial topic when it comes to Ping Pong is in the art and animation department. And it is crucial to make a distinction between the two.
From the outset, the art is, bluntly put, ugly. It's literally rough around the edges and characters can have misshapen figures at any given time. But this is part of the allure, the "charm," that it exudes. Over time, one gets used to seeing the characters looking wonky or the backdrops lacking detail. Essentially it is the only barrier keeping the audience away. If anything, it's extremely unique -- at least, within the realm of anime.
To alleviate some of these issues, Ping Pong takes on two rather clever approaches. The first is presenting everything in a comic book style. Shots are segmented in such a way as to "show motion without motion." Many scenes are broken up into panels: just a character's head, his feet planting, then an arm being swung, etc. But it's more than just cutting down on animation; it actually ties back into the themes of the show itself. It's a story containing heroes. And so what one is getting isn't just an anime, but a moving, talking comic book.
Another of its brilliant artistic choices is similar to the previous style. Table tennis is a personal game. Like chess or wrestling, it's a one-on-one test of skill. To this end, Ping Pong loves to place its characters in two separate, large panels when they are having a conversation. It mirrors the give-and-take of the sport they all play. And this doesn't just happen during the matches; it also occurs during their daily life, demonstrating how great of an influence the game has had on the lot of them.
The character designs are nicely done, and help to exemplify what each man represents: calm, sly, fun, cool, and strong. Smile with his plain looks and glasses, Akuma with his slanted eyes, Peco and his bowl-cut, Kong with his slick hair and shades, and Dragon's stoic facial details. Each player looks, and plays, the part.
As for the actual animation, Ping Pong is all over the place. At times, it flows nicely, and at other moments, it dips dangerously low. Again, the composition of the shots helps to relieve some of the more blatant issues, giving the anime an all-around average showing in movement.
CHARACTERS
Ping Pong contains a strong cast of characters, some of the best in a long while.
Akuma is a member of the Kaio Academy table tennis club. His rough attitude and unfriendliness makes him a difficult person to approach. As a child, he looked at Peco as an inspiration, and as a teenager, the mighty Dragon. He saw these great figures before him, and his goal was set: to become the kind of player his heroes had been known to be. But he faced a harsh reality, that sometimes, despite how hard one works, it just isn't enough. A certain amount of talent is needed to make the transition from good to masterful, and Akuma learns this the hard way. But his experience allows him to flourish. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he becomes a savior for the people he had always looked up to. And eventually he realizes that just because his life may not have gone down the initial path he walked, there is still more out there to cherish and love even when the future looks bleak.
Kong Wenge -- also known as "China" -- hails from the land of the same name as the moniker given to him. Being foreign, cocky, and good at the game depicts him as a powerful opponent for anyone to face. More so than anyone else, he had to meet expectations. Representing his home country, abandoning his mother, making his coach proud, and getting back to his former glory are all pressures exerted on him. He succumbs to them, but he takes defeat not as a final judgment, but as a means to start anew. He reconnects with his family, he adopts a nicer personality, and he starts to coach -- starts to be the hero -- for his own club. He discovers that it isn't just about pleasing others; it's also about pleasing yourself.
As the champion of the mats, Dragon is a ferocious monster when it comes to table tennis. His only goal is to win; he cares about nobody and nothing on his way to the top. Growing up, he was subject to mental abuse, that he was only worth as much as the trophies he earned. Losing his father and being essentially ostracized, he became isolated. Lonely and afraid, his only comfort came from the stalls in which he would dwell. Crushing player after player, he decides that there are no heroes, that the only person that truly matters is yourself. But in a stunning performance, he learns the truth. That there exist people who can do the impossible, who can reach the skies. That people really can fly.
Smile is so aptly named because he never smiles. As a child, he was often bullied, ridiculed for his robotic nature and the video games he played. But he always believed that a hero would save him, would reach out and take him to a place of happiness. As a teenager, Smile's robotic play-style and obvious talent made him into a fearsome juggernaut, whose rise through the ranks was unparalleled. Going from uncaring to stubborn in his determination, Smile uncharacteristically begins to play with unfettered will. However, it is all for a purpose: to repay the hero of his past.
Finally, no discussion about the anime can be had without Peco. Always looking to have fun and eating way too many sweets, he prides himself on how good of a player he has always been. But what quickly comes to light is that he is no match for everyone around him, specifically Akuma, Kong, Dragon, and Smile. He finds himself everywhere emotionally, from soaring highs to drowning lows. But in the end, it is Peco who is the ultimate hero. Because he alone influences each of the cast. To Akuma, he was the kid everyone wanted to be; to Kong, he shows that people can improve; to Dragon, he signifies that heroes do exist; and most of all, to Smile, he proves that Smile is alive, is human, that Smile's "blood tastes like iron." Peco touches the hearts and minds of these men in one way or another, giving them all the opportunity to become the type of people they always wanted to be.
SOUND
The OP is quite good. With the yelling and whistling, the fast paced lyrics, and rock-n-roll instruments, it's not only very catchy but gets you quickly pumped up.
The ED takes some time to grow, but once it does, it is very powerful. It starts off soft, with the clapping and wavy, up-and-down sound effects. When the beat kicks in, it turns into both a happy and hopeful piece. And it ends like the birds in the sky: out of reach and free.
The soundtrack for the anime is amazing. "Peco" perfectly captures Peco's passion and love for the game with its flute and peppy feel. "Butterfly Joe" is sorrowful, with the violin and piano being emotionally resounding. The best track is easily "Dragon," with its choir chanting, thunder, and hard drums; it is both incredibly mysterious and strikingly powerful. Every track either fits where needed or leaves a lasting impression.
Voice acting sees above-average work for everyone involved, with each cast member bringing about a splendid performance. Special shout-outs go to Fukujurou Katayama in his first VA role as Peco, Yousei Bun as Kong for the Chinese dialogue, and Shunsuke Sakuya as Dragon.
ENJOYMENT
There were so many events, and entire episodes, that were momentous to see. Kong versus Dragon of episode four, the Christmas Eve depiction of episode six, and all of episode ten were fantastic experiences that I can still picture in my mind. The development of the characters, the art direction, and the story itself; there are so many instances within the show that are memorable.
And that speaks nothing of the writing, too. Smile telling Kong, "It'll only end in defeat," Peco screaming out, "I'm fly--" only to hit the water before finishing his sentence, or Smile telling his coach that, "Heroes have no weaknesses." There are so many great lines that can be pulled out from the anime, all of which not only sound cool out of context, but have such huge connections to the themes of the show itself.
Ping Pong The Animation has it all. A heartfelt story, a unique and purposeful art style, unbelievable characters, top-notch sound-work, and more enjoyment than one will know what to do with. This anime serves as testament to the idea that ping pong isn't just a sport; it's a way of life.
SUMMARY
Story: Great, ping pong affects both the match and the personal, with strong themes of being better and being the hero
Animation: Great, unique art style and direction, good character designs, varying animation quality
Characters: Great, Akuma, China, Dragon, Smile, and Peco are heroes to and for each other
Sound: Great, good OP, good ED, great soundtrack, good VA work
Enjoyment: Great, memorable instances and writing the whole way through
Final Score: 10/10