Ping Pong the Animation (ピンポン THE ANIMATION)

So, even though I had zipped up, my fly was still wide open!

He tried telling me, but I was all,

"Shut up, bro, I'm talking to this girl."

So I totally ignored him! I was flying free for hours.

Till like fifth period!

C'mon, Smile, don'tcha think that's funny?

Yeah. A riot.

Seriously, dude,

don't you ever smile? Jeez.

Hey, where's Peco?

You got me.

Ota's gonna act all pissy again

if Peco doesn't show.

Yeah, he's harder on us 'cause of you two. It sucks!

That does suck.

Aw, come on, man, don't be like that.

You're the only one Peco will listen to--help us out!

All right, First Years! The rest of the team is waiting!

So quit your lady-talk and come on!

Yes, sir!

Yes, sir...

Step it up, First-Years! I want to see what you got!

So, Captain Yamada...

What's up, Coach?

That chopper with glasses.

I don't remember him being on our team.

You've gotta be kidding me.

That kid's one of the two strongest players

we've got this year. The other one's skipping out today.

I was gonna ask you to get on his case.

Who? Pen-hold grip with the chili bowl cut?

That's him.

If he won't practice, then why don't we kick him off?

Because we need him if we wanna win.

Slacker or not, he's still our ace.

Four-Eyes here's not enough?

Well, like I was saying, sir, he's way better

than anybody else in here, but he's no match for Hoshino.

You don't say. Hmm...

Peco's probably over at the table tennis dojo

next to Odakyu station.

Yeah, so what are you waiting for?

If you want him then go yourself. I can draw you a map.

Excuse me?

I'm not Peco's keeper. It's not my job to get him.

Go on talking to us like that kid, and we'll see

if your underwear can reach your ears!

I think Mr. Ota's about to crack.

Yeah, well...

He lost his regular spot when Hoshino and Tsukimoto joined up.

Those two can outplay all us upperclassmen,

and unfortunately they know it.

Can't blame Ota.

So you're new to this club, aren'tcha?

That's right, but I been playin' for ten years.

Sure I can beat a little snot-nosed punk like you.

If you want, we can find out.

But only if we make it interesting.

She doesn't let us play for money.

Old Lady, we're gonna borrow Table Four.

I don't give my tables to gamblers.

See?

Yeah, she always says that.

Let's start at a thousand yen a game, okay?

Around here they call me Peco. You can call me that too,

but after I beat someone, they gotta add a "Mister."

In other words, it's about to be "Mr. Peco," got it?

Yeah!

Oh-ho-ho! Yeah!

You don't get extra points for bein' a show off!

That's fine. I'm still gonna spank ya!

[APE GUY grunts; PECO laughs]

Hello, Smile. I haven't seen you much lately.

Who's he?

Some new guy. He's been bragging all week

about how highly ranked he was back in Junior High.

But his game reeks of college rich-kid if you ask me.

You think I'm a joke?

How's the school team? Havin' fun with it?

I guess so. Game's the same wherever you play.

The saddest part is you actually believe that.

Wish you hadn't gone with that low-level school, Smile.

With your talent, you could have done a hell of a lot better.

Don't give me so much credit.

Yeah!

The special treatment. I hate it.

Anyhow, did you think about my offer, about teaching the kids?

Can't do it. Those brats are way too unpredictable. Stupid kids.

Gotcha!

Ka-Boom!

It didn't bounce.

Give it three hundred years more practice.

You might stand a chance.

A decade of hard work, just to lose like this?

Hate to break it to ya, but hard work's for people

without talent. In fact, after I dominate high school,

I'm gonna play in Europe.

This club's gonna get a nice boost to its rep

when I'm number one, Old Lady. You must be pumped!

That there is rookie talk, kid.

A seasoned player knows when to keep his mouth shut.

Come to practice tomorrow, Peco.

What are you, my truant officer now?

Wait, let's play!

I don't care if you show up or not.

The others asked me to tell you, so I did.

Criminy. Must be exhausting to live like that.

Yeah, I used to think it was hilarious

when we were kids. But for high school?

Smile better grow out of it soon, or people are

gonna think there's actually something wrong with him.

Oh, I get it, Smile's an ironic name. Is he good?

Good enough to hang with me since, like, forever.

So that'd be Mr. Smile to you, moron.

What's with the permanent frown anyway, Tsukimoto?

Are you mockin' us? You don't smile 'cause you think we suck?

Lay off him, Ota.

I try to avoid emotional extremes. It's too exhausting.

Well! Aren't you Captain Cool?

Don't act all superior!

Guys, I said lay off!

Do what we tell ya, first-year!

Cheer up!

Wow.

I didn't realize an extra year breathing outside of the womb

makes you such a big shot!

Shut up, dummy!

That little first-year is beggin' for a fight.

Did you hear him?

You wanna go? I'll go!

Come on, Ota! What are you doing?

It's okay. Settle down.

Just focus on practice, all right?

Yeah, you definitely need it.

Huh?!

Hey, you lay off too, Hoshino!

Neener, neener, neener.

You know they're just jealous, right?

Because they'll never beat you at ping pong.

Keep chugging that stuff and you'll give yourself diabetes.

Let's ditch this lame-ass excuse for practice

and go over to Tsujido High. We can check out China.

What are you talking about?

You mean that Chinese exchange student they recruited?

What's he got to do with us?

For cryin' out loud, Smile.

Do I gotta spell out every last thing to you?

What?

You should be chompin' at the bit to see this guy.

He made a Chinese Province team, that's like going National here.

Hello, everybody! Are we ready to train?

Yes, sir!

Great, Coach is here; now we have to stick around.

Your fault for dragging your feet.

Then let's get to it.

Dang, Tsukimoto's on the defensive.

Hoshino's got some serious game.

No slacking off, get back to work, huh?

Yes, sir!

Question for you, Captain Yamada.

Is Mr. Tsukimoto under the weather today?

No, he didn't say anything to me. Why?

He looks tentative. No aggression at all.

Yeah. That's probably 'cause

he's playing against Hoshino.

The kid's a pain, but he's gifted.

Everyone looks silly facing him.

Footwork, backhand, blocks... He's got the whole package.

Have those two been friends a long time?

You know Tamura Table Tennis?

That dojo by the rail station?

Yeah, of course.

Apparently, they both learned there as kids.

I see.

I'm looking forward to this year's high school

championships. Who knows how far those two can go?

We'll find out soon. Even the strongest panther

in the wild has to watch out for lions.

What's that mean?

Means there's always someone better, Captain.

First-years, line up!

Yes, sir!

Now look around!

Either your teammates can turn invisible or they skipped out

on practice. What happened to Tsukimoto and Hoshino?

I'm sorry, Captain Ota.

They said they wanted to spy on China. Right?

Yeah. I think they went over to Tsujido High.

Meet me behind the gym, punks.

I'm gonna make you run so hard you puke.

Which gum do you think makes the biggest bubbles?

Beats me.