Ping Pong the Animation

Ping Pong the Animation, PPTA, ピンポン THE ANIMATION, Ping Pong the Animation

Episodes: 11 / 11

Type: TV

Plot Summary: Despite being polar opposites, Makoto 'Smile' Tsukimoto and Yutaka 'Peco' Hoshino have been best friends since childhood. Although the overly confident Peco strives to be the best ping-pong player in the world, he often skips practice, earning the ire of his fellow teammates on the Katase High School ping-pong team. Meanwhile, Smile—in spite of his innate talent for the sport—cannot help but hold back his full strength when playing against others. Through their mutual love for ping-pong, the two have developed a bond that is seemingly unbreakable.When Peco hears that an ex-national team player from China is coming to Japan, he drags Smile over to rival Tsujido High School to observe them. The subsequent trip leads to a clash between Peco and Kong Wenge, who overwhelmingly defeats the former in one game. Stunned by such a comprehensive loss, Peco finds himself questioning why he plays to begin with. Seeing his potential as a player, Katase's coach begins to train Smile to overcome his hesitation, but he is reluctant to play if it is not for enjoyment.As the two struggle to find meaning in the sport, a plethora of stronger players—each with their own internal strifes—await them at the inter-high tournament, where only the very best can persevere. But when these young athletes let their unbridled ambition go unchecked, the hardships they face paint a somber reality as they pursue glory.

Genre: Award Winning, Drama, Sports, Seinen

Studios: Tatsunoko Production

Producers: Aniplex, Dentsu, Fuji TV, Kyoraku Industrial Holdings

Licensors: Funimation

Type: TV

Released: Apr 11, 2014 to Jun 20, 2014

Country: Japan

Status: Finished

Tags: #Coming of Age, #Table Tennis, #Primarily Male Cast, #Male Protagonist, #Seinen, #Philosophy, #School Club, #Primarily Teen Cast, #Ensemble Cast, #Rotoscoping, #School, #Teacher, #Anti-Hero, #Language Barrier, #CGI, #Bullying, #Time Skip, #Delinquents, #Suicide, #Coastal