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The intense aura of a wild groan overwhelmed the whole hall, as the two gladiators standed between each other in unsteady gaze. The coach pushed your back, as the 10th round got started, by the decisive ring of the bell, crucial for recognizing the winner during the next 3 minutes. This local hall never felt such big applaud, yet couldn’t predict, that someday it would hold a world title match for their local hero. You can’t recognize anything from these mutters. As a matter of fact, you can not feel anything anyway. There is no fear, no strategy, no meaningless thoughts. Just pure descent into ... madness, as the only feeling you can name for a while, the only thing that matters in this world is – your burning flame, once replenished never turned down, once your heart’s volcano errupted with it’s magma, it never stops exploding until it elevate your will, right with your flaming gloves into the Pompeii of your rival. And at the end the only thing that remains, is pure white ashes…


Ashita no Joe is a work such underrated and unpopular, despite of it’s uproar back in it’s days, when it was published in late 60’s - it’s utmost sad, no one recognizes it anymore. I could have never stumble onto this if not for mere coincidence of noticing it on this site. This work is like an old man, ready to tell a quaint story from his days, yet there is no one to listen to him, as everyone are concerned with things more important or more interesting to take care about. It’s a work that – for me, as a boxing fan – replenished my love for the sport once more. A slow descent into the most obscure corners of Tokyo’s slums, where people trying their best to survive with their family can not think of anything else, as utter desperation and injustice at the world surrounding them. We did not want the war, why do we have to endure it’s consequences? Yet among them are people, who did not lose their spirit, they are ready to defy their fate and challenge the world, giving everything they can, to put up a fight and strive for more than just surviving – for Tomorrow.


Joe is a short-tempered, rude and defiant teenager. Ready to solve every problem with fists, he does not feel any empathy nor humility to anyone. Full of egoism and spite, not think about anything nor anyone, than just his own survival in this messed up world, no matter if it’s by theft, crime or at cost of someone’s own safety. What remains true to Joe is – there is no one for him. Fleeing from orphan, in which he grew since he could remember, he never had a chance to feel love nor friendship. During his lone wandering through the slums of Tokyo, being a frivolous boy, he engaged into a fight again. What remained more shocking to people watching was, that Joe could handle everyone at himself, despite of being enormously outnumbered. Danpei used to be a boxer himself. However, after the loss of his left eye, he was forced to give up on his own boxing career, aiming to become a coach instead. But due to his violent, strict, passionate and even desperate approach in training, his proteges couldn't take it and abandoned him for better gyms. as he became jobless and eventually a homeless alcoholic. A cathartic moment, bombastic realization of Danpei Tange’s problem was finnaly understood by him, when he saw that boy fighting, as he could see with his very own eyes him standing on the top of the boxing world. In order to give Joe a training placement, Danpei tries to build up a low-standard boxing gym, for which he takes up a job in the mine, where he works horrendously long shifts – for Tomorrow. Despite of Danpei’s dedication to his plan, he could not hope for convincing Joe , he does not feel the need of listening to some crazy grump, nor some stupid-ass sport – as he does not listen to anyone in this world, which tries to preach him. Joe, due to his shameful conditions and constant crimes he commites, Joe goes to a juvenile prison miles away from Tokyo, where he meets Rikishi Toru – a boxer prodigy, who as the first one in Joe’s life could outclass him in his violent way of solving problems. Being at the verge of desperation, due to his lose, there is a tiny fire released in his heart, an uncontrolled passion of rivalry, which forces him to face Rikishi again, hence why he spents all nights in juvenile prison hitting his filthy mattress, according to Danpei’s training tips sent by letters to him. Where the boxing tournament is organised in the middle of juvenile prison, every uncontrolled delinquent faces a big change, a pure passion which can only be embraced by fists.


Ashita no Joe is not just a story another inspirational story, following the same trope from zero to hero, rising to the top of his particular sport. It’s a story about the whole lifetime of it’s character, an as introverted, lonely and unstable human garbage, who cares for nothing but himself, that makes the lives of others a misery, that goes against every modern civilization rule, yet we see how he changes to a person, who is not good at treating women, who does not try to understand him, yet how he grows to appreciate his new friends and rivals. gaining empathy, learning how to check his temper and how to morally define the world around him. We observe his every thought and move, every expression of his suffering and his solitude and as the story progresses his pride, determination and uncompromise. It’s at no means lightheartening nor cheerful in it’s delivery. It’s a heavy collapse into the harsh reality of a boxer, where nothing is predictable and no one is truly safe, between the four corners. Mililiters of sweat, fear, anger, pride and the blood on gloves. Ashita no Joe is never going to lie about the harsh reality, nor going flashy about the confrontations of them and does not hold punches for a reader naïve enough to think of it as a game. People in this world can lose their health or lives, as what they can receive is far more meaningful, as Joe’s only salvation in his life was passion he gained by training boxing. Later on, the story gets extremely grim and does not hold any shock factor nor depressing motives, as what only remains in the end is white ashes…


As how Ashita no Joe’s ending remains one of the most iconic moments in the anime history, I won’t hesitate of spoiling it. During the literature’s history, certain works or genres are often defined to their specific times, representing it’s values, motives and bright impact on the history of art, such as timeless Shakespearean tragedies, romantic poems or moving war diaries. Next to them, there are timeless pieces as Ashita no Joe to it’s nation’s history, while could be described as a sport series or a story about one man's life and his struggles, the writer’s message throughoutly transcendents the world of boxing and only the life of the protagonist - even the work itself, placing itself as one of the biggest cultural impacts manga has ever recorder, directly inspiring many boxing stories, as more famous Rocky Balboa and being the target of countless refferences in the anime medium. During the ending of the first season of anime adaptation airing in 1970, there was a special funeral for Joe’s rival – Rikishi, where about 700 people packed the streets dressed as Rikishi in his training suit. I could never feel so much emotions for a fictional character as much as I did for Joe. I loved Joe, i saw him grow from a snotty 15 year old to going toe to toe with the world's best boxer. When he finally finished the match and sat down on the chair and died, you could see he was happy... This scene is what made cry a lot of men throughout the 40 years from it’s publishing up to now and this work is what made me love this sport once again. “Ashita” in Japanese means “Tomorrow”, when bringing out the whole title could be free-translated to “Tomorrow’s Joe”, as Joe represents the struggle of the lower class of Japan, during it’s economic transformations, where in spite of hopelessness and vain ordinary people faced, there were people like Joe, who shined a light, giving hope and doing impossible, a story not only about boxing and Joe, but about people, who did not lose the sight of what remains true to them, aiming higher and putting up a fight with all their might… for Tomorrow!

Extensively exotic forest, covered with the lucidly enormous visage of the sun in the sky placing most of it’s gorgeous grace upon the ample grass everywhere you look. It’s hard to believe how intensely green is the local nature. The overwhelming echo of the wind makes you harder to stand still the higher you’re getting. The only sounds you recognize are familiar rings of crickets, sough of the crystal water nearby and the beautiful symphony of birds warbling everywhere above you. By the time you climbed up to the nearest hill, you were welcomed with the engrossing look of the vastness around you. Bright sky, ... enormous trees, treacherous mountains, peaceful ponds and the undoubtable feeling of a meaningful ensure that – this life, given birth unasked is a mystical miracle and you’re a part of the vicious, yet beautiful world’s life, which you live with all your might. Let us cast it’s brilliance past the rainbow and it’s colors.

In the anime once in few years, there is a certain work that transcendents the medium, – while not necessairly revolutionizing it – pushing the envelope and reaching a pinnacle rarely seen, creating something completely unorthodox and creative. It lies down to personal prefferences which shows are especially deserving that title, however I do believe that “Mushishi” - without a doubt- places itself as one of those titles. Anime is an expressive form of art in its own way, telling a story by the exploitment of the audiovisuals and it’s script, which is what differenciates it from live-action works. Sometimes this "art" is utilized to produce poor, commercialized shows not worthy of mentioning, however sometimes it’s used to satisfy more demanding viewers. Studio ArtLand famous for creating the crème de la crème of anime – a legendary War Drama OVA from 90’s: Legend of the Galactic Heroes - once more in 2005 decides to produce something of sufficient quality – Mushishi, consisting of 26 episodes - yet 9 years later decides to release 2 more seasons consisting of 10 episodes each, which is very admirable, taking the fact, not many studios these days are willing to take the risk, instead of supporting commercial and unimaginative works created for the sole reason of merchandising, supporting the otaku culture, which is one of the reasons why anime is rarely taken serious by people not familiarized with it. Obviously, a big mistake.


All anime despite of their quality, or the effort put from their creators can be called as “art”. As long as an individual finds something to be aesthetically appealing, whether that be a decent visual experience with plot or an universally hated work, that's all that really matters. But sometimes you'll stumble across works that take it a step further in order to invent something outstanding enough to put to awe most of it’s viewers in order to place itself as one of the biggest successes in the medium. And to many in the community, one such work that has reached the pleasure of being that outstanding title is, the anime Mushishi. Mushishi portrays an undominated by civilization world of feudal Japan during the Edo period, filled with it’s melancholic and tranquil tone, yet transcendental and mystic nature of what lives beyond it – Mushi – the most basic form of life in the world. Existing without any purposes and goals, Mushi are unorthodox spieces, seen in countless forms, such as diseases, animals, weather or unearthly forms of unsearchable phenomenas, while living next to a race not fully aware of their nature, nor their significance in their lives – the human race. The people gifted with the vast knowledge of them are called title Mushishi’s. As Mushi are neutral spieces, while can be seen as helpful, they can also be very dangerous. That’s when ordinary people not understanding the reason of their sorrow are placed before hope and the cathartic understanding, when the main protagonist – Ginko, while being one of the Mushishi, wanders through the villages to teach people not only how to deal with Mushi, but also how to deal with problems caused by them.

Most of Mushishi’s emphasis is placed on the portrayal of it’s separated stories. The show is episodic, each one portraying separated story only connected by the Mushishi – Ginko and Mushi causing incomprehensible problems to people he meets along the way. Ginko is laidback, yet responsible and caring; intelligent and cunning, ready to help, yet never takes any side in conflict and also can get selfish. The character doesn’t get any real development throughout the story, yet feels very “alive”, which is the testimony of powerful characterization by it’s author. The show lacks any action, it’s slow and immensely captivating, yet this title’s prowess for crafting almost "healing" atmosphere is peerless. Each episode - even if not every of them is ending happily - leave the viewer with a bittersweet feeling of satisfaction, since the emotional crescendo doesn’t come until the end credits, hence the delightment carried out is the most powerful at this point. There is no way of predicting the outcome - as in nature itself – not every outcome is determined by whatever is the most favourable conclusion. So while you are watching things that are often tragic, in Mushishi what you’re really watching is a person watching a sad story, and then moving on. Tears are shed, but Ginko remains impartial in spite of all this, gaining little more than the experience itself, as do you. Considering that, Mushishi is a work not only about some mystical “things that does weird things”, but mostly about people and their problems. Is your sorrow only yours? The solitude you carry on your back, does it end with your life? Some of the Mushi portrayed are extremely bizarre, yet can get a symbolic meaning. Unconditional love, loss, empathy, loneliness, relieve... The themes portrayed can be seen as simplistic and universal, yet they are extremely relatable, being the things we all long for or experienced along our way, which only increases their meaning.

If anime could ever been called an “art” in it’s own way, then Mushishi is master canvas brought to life; it’s art personified. The rich visuals, astonishing landscapes and the emphasis put into it’s sound effects, creating a friendly atmosphere is what makes that animated work “alive”. It doesn’t try to ostentatiously convince you into it’s cleverness, yet those willing to look beyond what is visible at the first glance will surely find something worthwile, as what you can receive through can be far more meaningful. There are very few works I will ever proclaim as a masterpiece, while giving them a 10/10 score and Mushishi is one of them. It’s a title, which pushed the envelope far beyond my expectations and has become something far more significant in result, as it can change at least a small part of us for better. And im conviced that anyone, trying to check it out will be at least entertained by it. Maybe they also won’t see any Mushi, Monsters, Ghosts or Ninjas hiding below their bed, but maybe they will try to look honestly into the eyes of a beloved one, sit down in silence to listen through the symphony of their own body, think about their happy memories, not as nostalgic transcience, but rather feel a gentle joy of creating the new ones, to look at the world from distance as a chess board of their infinite capabilities. Maybe they will value nature more and value people with indulgence, by the size of their heart, rather than their appearance, or perhaps they will finnaly try to trust someone and try to look up to the solutions of their problems through the ways they haven’t tried before. To discover some of the world once more.

Have you ever dreamt about doing something completely unorthodox and new, something that would carry with itself many delightful situations and beautiful memories, a certain decision that would make you encounter many people, learn about different cultures or even change your life, make yourself discover new things about yourself or the world around you? Many people from different times, places, carrying different beliefs or cultures are bounded with one burning and adventurous desire that ultimately defines their audacious nature – to Discover. The title Hunters are people driven by that uncontrolled passion, to the point, where they are ready to leave their previous jobs and ... lives behind to fulfill their ambitions. Hence, the Hunter’s license opens the door for many different jobs, inaccessible places and opportunities. It’s a prestigious title, that carries with itself strenght, flair and it’s treacherous temper, to the point where many people are ready to put their life on stake and gather to choose the most matched and worthy of calling himself as a Hunter. There can be many reasons: lust, money, ambition, or simple desire – to discover. Neither one of them drives the protagonist of the story. 12 years old Gon Freecs believes there must be a reason for his father leaving him to live as a Hunter, other than just being a douchebag. Hence, his adventure to find him and discover the harsh world, by becoming a Hunter begins with a big decision that follows every discovery.


Sounds mediocre, right? Can’t blame for that. The term of “Adventure” is mainly overused in the various forms of popculture and media taking away it’s appeal and making it sound average. We’ve all seen stories with that main word on stake – primarly in shows aimed to younger viewers - following the same and frequently seen tropes, making unable to surprise the viewer anymore. How a piece with so weakly presented and unoriginal premise of the story be so acclaimed and loved by both critics and fans, to the point where experienced viewers of the anime medium are surprised with cleverness of the story and place it among their most favourite shows? The main reason behind that is how the story is being executed during it’s airing and the powerful usage of cunning writing of Yoshihiro Togashi visible as the show progreses.


Nearly all shounens in anime history are basing on cliché formulas and tropes, predictable action and unimaginative plot completely withdrawing it’s charm to eventually become tedious and uncaptivating. As a matter of fact Hunter x Hunter breaks and deconstructs every formula we got used to in the genre, being the superiorance of main protagonist or cliché character interactions, creating something extremely charming, making it something more than just a shounen anime. It’s visible where the show begin to split the moral lines between protagonists and antagonists. It’s normal for shounen “bad guys” to soften and understand their mistake, eventually teaming with the “good guys”, Hunter x Hunter however, goes further, fleshing out it’s villains not in a way we’re used to in fiction, forcing the audience to reconsider their measurement of good and evil ultimately making the viewer unsure of righteousness of the "good side”.


Perfectly balancing between the main goal of the story and the subsidiary plots, the show slowly creates a bigger picture with them, without losing the sight from the goal, as it quickly takes place in One Piece. Fluently portraying new fleshed out characters to the story, pushing the plot forward, while constantly keeping the cunning and intelligent narrative, portraying creative and and imaginative outcomes for characters’ actions, presents unconventional worldbuilding adding lots of exoticity to the modern civilization and the nature, with more government authority visible, introducing the most creative and set out power system ever created, giving limitless options and infinite usage of it not only in the show, but also being a nice food-for-imagination for those dedicated enough to invent something on their own. It is not afraid to show the main characters fail or place them in extreme situations, when winning isn’t always solving the problem and battles becoming more of psychological contests than rumbling, when using strategy in a crafty way and outsmarting your enemy is what means victory – which leads to a question if the raw power the only measurement of strenght, or can it also be found in many different aspects in life? - hence making the encounters even more tense, as the show constantly keeps it’s best cards in hiding, creating a false ensure of safety, completely overturning the viewers expectations and eventually leaving the viewer speechless with the final outcome.


Hunter x Hunter: 2011, while not carrying much artistic values, nor revolutionizng the medium is still a profound story delving from cheerful plot to powerful analysis of humanity, strategy contests and ponderings about morality and human decisions, and is the testimony of Yoshihiro Togashi’s creativity. It sets standards not only for the shounen genre, while being one of the most entertaining shows, always staying unpredictable and cunning, making it easy to marathon it and keeping top-notch production values despite of it’s length, which is the very evidence of Madhouse workmanship. Nonethless it’s a flawed work. The fact that the original source has not ended doesn’t help with the fact that author’s writing bases on not fully explaining or fleshing out some of the themes or leaving questions unanswered giving the author a bigger field to write the story in the future, while judging the anime adaptation alone it may appeal to be nothing more than just a plot hole. Even though the story still continues in the manga, the show beautifully ends leaving the viewer with a bittersweet taste as if it was the real ending of the story.


A certain work of fiction – while giving some sort of message - may therapeutically resonate with you or your current situation, giving you more positive outlook on certain circumstances. That has been the case with Hunter x Hunter. Telling a story of optimism and persistence - as shounen anime usually used to do – Hunter x Hunter highly encourages to aim bigger, but in the most reliable way i've ever encountered in anime, not giving a naive perspective of being the center of the world, but still not losing the child inside you despite of your age and seeking what drives you to become passionate, which at the end of it all gives such an obvious message (when in the beginning of the story seemed to set off unappealing) that turns around the main theme of the show. It tells how vast the world and it’s not logical to naturally understand it all, while giving that microscopic feeling of having infinitely larger amount of options and capabilities than what it appears to be at first, having a big amount of time to enjoy getting from one point to another. It wouldn’t necessarily matter how prestigious your title or degree is or how much money you earn, but how much experience and knowledge you received along the way and how much passion drove you to ultimately become like this. There is much to see and do despite our mistakes and hardships we endure along the way, the journey is ultimately what shape the very person you become, which is why Hunter x Hunter is so meaningful. If you haven’t watched this enormously large show, consisting of 148 episodes, don’t be hesitating to check it – not to ultimately finish it and get rid of it, but to enjoy what is between the end of it, because that is where Hunter x Hunter truly shine.

- NOT A SPOILER FREE REVIEW -

This review was made to make people fully understand this show, which often makes people confused, not because it is hard to understand, but because the show tries to push in 11 episodes as much motives as it takes and the full meaning is not as visible as it is needed to understand it while watching it for the first time.
If you didn't like Ping Pong the Animation or didn't really understand what was going on in there i encourage you to read this review.


Ping Pong the Animation is an exceptional show, unorthodox in every aspect, at first glance ... a normal sport show, but turns out to be something more, a strong emotions feel trip about different people struggling with life and finding their definition of happiness. The Ping Pong as a game itself is not really important for the plot, you can swap it with anything you want, even life itself, the game is only an excuse to portray characters motives, represent their state of mind, because Ping Pong the Animation isn’t really much of a sports show, there are no cool techniques, the matches are excitatory and artistic, which is job of an eccentric art and unparalelled animation made by Yuasa Masaaki, who is often praised for his work and the soundtrack which perfectly fits the atmosphere and propel the more tense scenes and make some of them truly epic. The stars of this show are: Tsukimoto, Peco, Kong Wenge, Kazama and Sakuma. What makes this show stand out is the fact, that every character starts with a big lack, something that either limits them or makes them unhappy. In the middle of the show something happens to them that turns their point of view upside down and and eventually every one of them positively changes. Everyone wins in this


Kong Wenge is a Chinese player who got kicked out of the national China team and decides to transfer to Japan to make himself a name there which might allow him to go back to his team. He was cocksure and full of himself, disgusted by the way everyone plays and ensured that no one is on his level and no one even deserves to stand on the same table with him. He wanted to return to his homeland so badly, but he knew he's stuck in here. The theme with a plane flying away symbolises moving back to China, every time when he looked up at a flying plane he yearned for homeland and playing for his old team, but he knew he's not able to do so. In the first tournament he barely lost to Tsukimoto, he won only because of Tsukimoto's mercy for him, but eventually got skunked by Kazama later on. That was his biggest lesson of humility in his life. He lost twice to people whom he didn't respect. Now he is forced to reckon with the fact that Japan may now be his home. After the tournament his trainer tolds him that honestly his life only starts and he just have gotten on start line, it doesn't matter if he fails at Table Tennis. He gets offered a job of training a team. Kong turns to be a wonderful trainer, he's sharing useful advices with his students and is encouraging them to train. Even after defeat he's not giving up on playing Ping Pong and still trains to get better. In the second tournament when he played Peco and still lost, the "plane" flied away, but he doesn't care anymore. He's not willing to go back to China, because Japan is now his home, he found something that holds him here and it was his team for which he was a Leader and inspiration. If you cannot reach something you want, then look up to the things you have already got and seek for good things in them. At the end of the show we see that his will to continue training even after constant defeats paid out - he moved out to Europe and started playing on Olympic level.


Hoshino Yutaka, alias Peco is a truly gifted player, he even could outplay older players as a child, he was always in the spotlight, but his constants victories and his natural capabilities made him really full of himself and eventually got slothful and lazy. Instead of training and developing his skills he was eating candies and snacks. When he played Kong Wenge in the first episode he got totally skunked, he haven't even scored one point. He never experienced that big defeat before. He celebrated his defeat with tears and despair and eventually he got even more lazy, which made him completely unprepared for the competition ahead of him. In the first tournament he noticed that Smile had almost won with Kong Wenge - the player that he lost to without scoring any point. It was a great shock, because he was always thinking that he is better than Smile. In the same tournament he played Sakuma, who was always worse than him up to this moment, but over time he overcame the difference in skill between them with hard work and dedication to sport and it ended up in lose for Peco. Sakuma laughed down at him telling that he should give up on the sport, because he is no longer good. Constant defeats and his descention in skill made him lost his confidence and eventually ended up on decision to give up on Table Tennis. Peco started eating even more snacks, got fat, adust and started smoking. He got into a relationship that didn't really work out, the girl broke up with him just because he didn't bring up her Christmas Gift. Later on when Peco visits his old Ping Pong club where he mets Sakuma. He tells Peco that he need to go back to Ping Pong, because he loves that sport more than anyone else. Peco after seeing photo featuring him and Tsukimoto holding a trophy, gets reminded of his love for the sport and goals of becoming the greatest and ultimately decides to go back to Table Tennis. He determines to start from the very beginning, trains very hard and develops his skills even further which results in winning the second tournament. Peco is the hero of Ping Pong, and he represents all that the show values and believes in. He does not fear defeat - because he plays for his earnest love of the game, and his earnest love of those he plays with. While playing Kazama and Smile whom are content to remain safe in their own cages, Peco lifts them up with his belief, and they lift him higher in turn. I know and im sure you know too some people who got that kind of passion for their lifes.

Sakuma, alias "Devil" is a childhood friend of Peco and Smile. He's got no talent for Table Tennis, because of an eye astigmatism that doesn't allow him to achieve the same response time as other players, which is essential in Table Tennis. Always envious to Peco for his great Ping Pong capabilities, for that he was always in the center of attention unlike him and got so many trophies for winning. He decided to work hard to overcome the obstacle that he met while playng on a higher level and eventually found a place in prestigious Kaio sport club which resulted in winning with Peco. After the first tournament he challenged Smile for a game. It was shocking experience for him since he didn't know that Tsukimoto might become that good. He totally lost, defeat at Smile’s hands forces him to realize that sometimes you just don’t have the aptitude to achieve your dreams, even thought he was a little relieved with that fact. That was the turning point for his life, because he no longer was limited by desire to win. In the second tournament he seems to be happy and in the end of the show it is said that he started a family. If you have no talent in something you shouldn't cry about that, just find something else that you are good in and move on, or focus on something else, life doesn't end on Ping Pong.

Then there is this dude, who played Tsukimoto in the first tournament. After he lost, he decided that Table Tennis is not for him and he decided to travel around the world and find his place on Earth. He tried on the beach, on the mountains, on the desert, but every time he felt that this is not what he was looking for. After a year he ended up on the second tournament in Japan. Tears filled his eyes when he realized that it was Ping Pong all along that he loved, but he have given up too easily on it, just because of one defeat. Witnessing the match between Peco and Smile, he rejuvenated his love for Ping Pong and eventually found his way to the Olympic stage (at the end of the show he is sitting on the stands with Japan national team shirt on).

"Defeat is death", "The truth lies in victory" - those are the slogans of Kaio, sport club obviously aiming to be the greatest that is never fully pleased with their athletes performance. Sport hall opened 24/7 available for training, trainers from around the world, in-depth analyses of training, highest quality sports equipment available to players for free, the usage of modern medicine to keep athletes bodies in perfect condition. Those are only the few of opportunities that Kaio is providing for their players. The only condition is - if you're not playing well enough, you're getting kicked out. They are even getting cut bald to not let hair distract players while playing. Kaio is a factory of robots playing Table Tennis for the victory. Kazama Ryuuichi is magnificently talented player which is the best player of Kaio sport club and their biggest trump card. He has been taught that the only route to success is victory, believes that the failings of others are definable and surpassable as lack of effort. Not only does he not rely on the strength of others, but he also doesn’t lend others his strength. The amount of stress he used to experience, because of his responsibility everyone are trying to bestow overwhelms him. Ping Pong has become a cage for Kazama - he used to close in the toilet and stand alone in his stall, staring silently down at his purple ping pong shoes before any bigger competitive, because of the fear. While he was playing with Peco in the second tournament he could see him "flying". Though walls of his bathroom are closed, the ceiling is open. Kazama can still look, can still reach, can still dream. The match between Peco and Kazama ends not in dour dramatics, but in laughter, in a shared love of the sport. Kazama's play defined fear, but Peco manages to break through to him and show him through competition and love that there is joy in these exchanges. At the end of the show he's telling that he got kicked out of the professional team, but as the time passed he learned to overcome failures gracefully. He's not afraid anymore, either victory or defeat, he will be able to face it boldly.

Makoto Tsukimoto, a friend of Peco that was introduced to Table Tennis by him, called "Smile", because of his lack in expressing any emotions often insulted by his classmated. When he started playing Ping Pong - he was smiling like a madman. Peco gave a lesson to everyone that tried to insult him and pulled him out of a "cage" he was sitting in, because of that Peco has become his role model and "hero", he wanted to be just like him. At the start of the show Tsukimoto wasn't smiling at all. It was because he didn't feel any motivation for playing Table Tennis. It was because Peco was playing bad and behaved pathetic. Smile after years proved to be horribly good player, his overwhelming power becomes evident. He was subconsciously letting Peco him win to not hurt feelings of his "hero", which later on trainer Koizumi noticed. He even gets scouted by Kazama from Kaio, but it was Koizumi who awakened his potential. He starts training under his wings, not because he wanted to, but because he just wanted to win, he truly started behaving like a robot. Even though he got the power to crush every player he faced he couldn't help with loneliness he constantly felt, he spent Christmas Eve alone, even training Table Tennis with Koizumi would be better. Tsukimoto was told since he was very young that he's a "robot", that he is emotionless and incapable of feeling. However, Peco still remembers why Smile is called by that nickname, smiling is an emotion too, Tsukimoto have to feel that human emotion - Smile - again and remind to himself why he started playing. After Peco won with Kazama, he knew that his "hero" is back and he don't need to hold back anymore - it was always Peco’s joyfulness that made Table Tennis so wonderful for him. While playing with Peco he slowly came to realize why he is playing the game. It is because "Blood tastes like Iron", it is the taste of blood in your mouth after a big effort that make it truly worth experiencing (We are alive song). At the end Smile throwns the racket in the air and shows that it no longer have any hold on him, he have to find happiness by his own way now. He can toss the racket free without regrets, because he now knows who he wants to be - a teacher.

The scene on the train when Smile says “the one after next” is relevant to just about everything the show discusses. Smile waits for his hero to make it to him at the finals - the match after Peco’s “awakening” vs Kazama. Kong fights to make it to his next match - to find a home for him and his mother. The whole show is really about what comes after what you are doing now. Ping Pong the Animation doesn't show it's characters falling, because of their patheticism, but because they need to fail. Every one of their defeats made them stronger. Failure in Table Tennis is not the end of the world. Making it to the next match is much less difficult when you are passionate about what you are doing. Peco’s love for ping pong is exactly what allows him to get to his next match, because there is always something else waiting for you. The whole point of the show is to not seek for victory. Victory will not give you timeless satisfaction, only seeking seek true passion and joy from what you're doing just like Peco will provide it to you.

Thanks for reading. :)