Ping Pong the Animation

Ping Pong The Animation is a relatable, realistic embodiment of the sometimes torturous nature of professional sport, and how some athletes lose sight of why they started playing in the first place. A wonderful coming of age story with an incredibly unique, refreshing, and ultimately mesmerizing animation style.

This anime is not just for anime lovers. Anybody can and should watch it. It is an education. And a funny, heartwarming sort that won't leave you soon.

Ping Pong is something my kids would be forced to watch. It doesn't bleat about ambition or success. Instead, it humanizes growing up and living life - through the lens of four ping pong players. And no matter that you don't play the sport or know anything about it. It more about life than about Ping Pong.

This is also a story with one of the best endings I have ever watched. It isn't pseudo intellectual but it is also not predictable. It makes you wonder about choices you have made/will make - and that is one of the greatest things art does. A new state of awareness.

For the anime lovers reading this, note that it is another collaborative effort by Masaaki Yuasa and Taiyo Matsumoto so it is genius.

A cartoon about ping pong? What? How could something like that be interesting? Yeah, no surprise if you're thinking the same. The only reason I started watching this was because the style seemed interesting and different - let me tell you, this cartoon has a lot more to offer than you would think.

Three elements that are worthy of mention: the animation, the characters and the depth of the story.

First of all, the animation is spectacular. Constantly surprising, new textures and unexpected choices in every single episode. So lovely to see a more artsy approach than your average anime - also the movements of all the characters are so fresh and playful, it really gives off the impression that the artists had real fun drawing it. Filled me with joy. Don't be afraid to watch it simply because it's not 'aesthetically pleasing' at the beginning, because it definitely has a spark that will make you really enjoy it by the time you click 'next episode'.

The characters... Beautiful. They are not the kind of characters that you wish you could be, or that you will get a crush on. They are human. They are just like you or me, and whether they are 'good' or 'bad' is entirely unimportant... You get the chance to appreciate them exactly as people, with all the grey areas in between, and make up your own mind about them. Something truly rare in this age and time - that the setting or characterisation doesn't tell you whether you should like them or not.

On top of that, I was really impressed by the fact that no character gets left behind. Even minor characters seem to have a whole life behind them, and you get glimpses of it that allow you to understand them better. I'm certain that the writers really did think of every single one of them, and what was happening in their lives before and through the duration of the series.

And last but not least, the depth of the story. There is just no way you're gonna watch this and think this is about ping pong (although, I must admit, they also do manage to make ping pong seem really cool!). This story is about humans being human, having passions and insecurities. Their friendships, their problems, the difficulties that life keeps putting in front of them, the whole 'I am not special, and yet I am because I am me' that seems to be what every character eventually transmits to you through the screen... It's beautiful. Heartwarming. Makes you wish there was more, just so you can experience the lovely warmth of that human spark.

I want more! More of this! More stories that are real, more characters with depth, more interesting animation, and more feel-good cartoons like this one!

How thoughtful and inspiring. My life has improved exponentially now that I know the universe has brought to my attention something of this standing. Hopefully you will give it a shot, watch it, and understand what I'm talking about!

First of all, if you're the type of person who doesn't like the style, well, I won't be able to entice you, I'm sure. But I personally adore the animation style. It is so dynamic and interesting. Movement looks incredible and i like that it's sort of like watching many styles come together.

Story wise, though, this is unbeatable for me. What is so great about a well crafted story is often it's specificity. People sometimes make the mistake of trying to tell a very generic story; one where they are very obviously trying to make a character a blank slate and allow for a vicarious experience of sorts.

But the more specific a story is, the more a person will connect to it simply be virtue that at the heart of every person, we are similar. I've never played ping pong. I don't know anything about the game. And while this story is about the game-more so, about interrogating "game" itself-its also about what makes an impression on you when you're young.

It's about remembering who you are through the eyes of someone else. Its about joy being indomitable, but often discarded as lesser than emotion by society.

It's about growing up and finding some kind of agency in the world. Wether by connections to people, or the associations you've made along the way that ground you in the person you are today.

So like all good stories, in its specificity, we find that it is about many things. Almost certainly you will find something moving here.

This is a must watch anime for anime fans,its animation can be a bit unothodox for the newer fans but with time you will realize the animations fluidity and the amazing visuals that its able to create.