Caterlyn

The premise of Ping Pong: The Animation is to provide an insight into the lives of a group of young Ping Pong players who play at the highest level of competition for their age group. The show’s protagonist, Tsukimoto, who bears the nickname Smile due to his unfriendly and joyless disposition is reluctantly put through a harsh training regime by an old veteran of the sport; Butterfly Jo. Charming, well-paced and clichéd in all the right ways (see classic reluctant relationship between mentor and pupil) whilst still feeling original and packed full of well-developed and relatable characters, Ping Pong offers a very rewarding journey to its viewers.

Although there are various battle sequences which are beautifully stylistic and engaging in themselves, Ping Pong is nonetheless first and foremost a coming-of-age drama. Although each of the main characters we are introduced to are somewhat unhealthily obsessed with Ping Pong, the sport itself is a transferable plot device. Whether it is Ping Pong or any other sport or shared interest between the characters, the purpose of Ping Pong in the narrative is to highlight each of their own personal struggles and conflicts of interest between them. Matches give way to elaborate abstract visual poems played out to a soundtrack of each of the players’ competing soliloquies and associated musical themes, such as Smile’s recurring Hero theme song

Alongside the naturalistic dialogue and engaging character arcs, Ping Pong also exhibits a distinctive art style and at times segmented comic book style editing much like that seen in FLCL, only less manic in its pacing. The rough-edged, back to basics art style may be somewhat jarring to anime fans who have become accustomed to certain generic conventions in animation but it is not without its charm and it feels highly appropriate for this series and the realist, grounded tone it adopts in its story-telling. The unconventional animation and varied soundtrack; which seamlessly oscillates between electronic, rock and orchestral depending on characters and setting, are always in keeping with the tone of the show at any given moment.

Each of the show’s main characters have chosen Ping Pong as their form of release and self-expression. During a game, a character’s style of play can communicate the character’s personality and state of mind to the audience. Playing as a chopper suits Smile down to the ground. His style of play revolves around giving up the initiative to the opponent and responding to rather than instigating attacks. This chosen style of play may be considered symbolic of Smile’s approach to life, in which he is carried along by others, finding himself pushed into a competitive approach to Ping Pong he never truly desired for himself. He plays Ping Pong for the fun of it and is initially devoid of all fighting spirit, making it hard to imagine him performing an aggressive drive or pressing himself close to the table or attempting to psyche out an opponent. Smile is completely artless and without charm, which is what makes him ‘wonderful’ in the eyes of some and a refreshingly downbeat protagonist for viewers of the show.

Peco is Smile’s closest friend and also his complete opposite; as both a person and an athlete. Peco is joyful and flamboyant in his play. He is an attacking player and loves to win almost as much as he hates to lose. Peco and Smile’s matches against each other paint an accurate portrait of their friendship. Peco leads as is natural for him, and Smile follows as is his nature. However the irrepressible rise in Smile’s talent doesn’t go unnoticed for long. As such, one of the major themes of Ping Pong is the changing dynamic in Peco and Smile’s relationship as both of them grow up and how they reconcile a potential challenge to the established status quo between them.

One of the show’s most interesting supporting characters in Sakuma or ‘Demon’. The match between Peco and Demon reflects the inner turmoil felt by Demon. His own anxieties regards his lack of prodigious talent come to the fore during their match. Whilst Ping Pong may be a fun pastime for Peco where victory is a natural by-product, for Demon, to defeat Peco is an opportunity to prove something to himself; that he can overcome those with greater natural advantages than himself by solely relying on effort and determination. Peco accuses of Demon of being ‘cheap’ and relying on ‘lobs and blocks’. Demon’s response of ‘Table Tennis is evolving’ is reflective of his meticulous nature and obsessive personality which are in turn reflected in his chosen style of play. Demon has worked tirelessly to evolve to a point where he can challenge Peco; someone whom he admires and also envies.

Kazama and Kong, another two of the show’s supporting characters, are both shown to be motivated by family. Kazama’s obsession with victory, the restoration of his father’s honour and the prosperity of his family’s business all link themselves inextricably with his indomitable style of play. His shaven head, relentless practice regime and refusal to even visit his own mother are all products of his iron-cast will to prove himself and validate his immediate family’s position in the Kazama clan. Kong has family motivations also. He wants to pay his mother back for her support and rectify previous failures in his homeland which led to his subsequent ‘exile’ in Japan. Each of the major characters of Ping Pong encounter each other at various points as their character arcs intertwine. The changing relationships between characters magnify their personal development and the strikingly natural and realistic dialogue between the show’s major players make each of these scenes a pleasure to watch.

Smile announces to us early on in the story that ‘I just quietly do as I’m told, like a robot’. This robot conceit is carried throughout the series in the form of abstract sequences in which Smile, known for both his robotic personality and style of play, calls out for a ‘hero’. As the story of Ping Pong gradually unfolds we witness Smile learn the lesson that ‘hot blood flows through (his) body’, the same as everyone else. Smile’s love of Ping Pong allows him his opportunity for both escapism and self-expression and as the story progresses the lessons he learns from his rise in the sport help form him into the Smile we see at the end of the story.