| Nicky Townsend Kage@nabiki.com www.sacramentoanime.com Another series I didn't think I would like, and yet another time I have been proven to be horribly, completely wrong. I mean, come on- Junior High tennis. Weeee. These kids neither look nor play like Junior High students. Fierce competition breeds fierce players, that's for sure. Echizen Ryoma- not your average 12 year old. He's so cocky he's annoying- but at least he has a reason to be cocky. Before returning to Japan with his family, he lived in America where he'd won 4 Junior titles. His posture is always cool and self-assured, his composure nearly un-crackable. The series opens with Ryoma-kun on train going to a junior tournament. Across from him a High School student is demonstrating to his awed friends the difference between the "Western" grip and the "Eastern" grip, while a girl about Ryoma's age cowers behind them. With each demonstrative swing, the High School student comes mere centimeters from hitting her in the face with his tennis racket. Much to the girl's relief, Ryoma-kun spots an error is the student's teaching- he's got the grip types reversed. Obviously embarrassed the student halts his teaching in time to realize that they've arrived at his stop. This also happens to be Ryoma-kun's stop, as well as the girl's. The girl, who's name is Sakuno, exits the train and begins looking for her grandmother who is supposed to meet her there. Ryoma, seeing her standing around, asks her for directions to the Tennis Garden the junior tournament is being held at. Sakuno's directions are incorrect and Ryoma arrives to him match late, therefore losing by default. Sakuno's grandmother comes to pick her up 30 minutes late and exits though the opposite side of the station- Sakuno is also going to the Tennis Garden, but only to watch. She realizes then she gave Ryoma the wrong directions. Once they arrive, she looks for him to find out if he was late, which he was. By way of apology she offeres to buy him a can of juice, only to discover that she has no coins! Ryoma buys her a can of juice instead. Who shows up again, but the High School student from the train- he recognizes Ryoma, and challenges him to a match, in order to prove that he was correct. The match is predictable- Ryoma is winning quite easily. Sakuno is amazed at Ryoma's skill. Sakuno's grandmother, who joins her on the side lines comments, "You didn't know? He is the Prince of Tennis." By this time the High School student is royally pissed off- he can't believe he's losing to a 6th Grader! In a fit of sheer stupidity he throws his racket at Ryoma and hits him in the face. Claiming it was an accident, the student reclaims his racket and returns to his side of the court. It's the last game in the set- Ryoma's service. He's shown no anger towards the student for hitting him in the face- he knew it was on purpose. From the student's point of view the serve looks normal at first- Until it strikes the floor of the court, and bounces at a strange angle to hit in directly in the face. By the last serve of the game, the student is cowering. He's terrified. He's been so soundly beaten, he looks ready to cry. Unbelieving, he shouts that he wasn't serious, and wants another match. Without flinching, Ryoma switches hands from right to left and serves again. This serve is twice as strong and fast. The humiliated High School student then realizes the truth- Ryoma's been going easy on him, playing with his right hand when he's really left handed. That realization fresh in his mind, he grabs his things, and collects his friends, and bolts away from the court. I positively love this series. Ryoma-kun
is awesome not only because he's an amazing tennis player, but because
he has a bit of an evil streak. I really like his personality. I haven't
seen enough of the series yet to know if he's unbeatable, but so far it
looks that way. Believe me when I say that I'm waiting with baited breath
for the next episodes to download! |