(L+CR) Ping Pong (NoitaminA)

[jeroz]

More people needs to know about Yuasa.

While the acting is slightly off and some of the phrases bit unnatural, the Chinese is so authentic that I could actually look away and still understand what they are talking about.

Seriously though, that final match. Absolute domination, Fantastic camera works, Fitting battle music, great sound effects, and that intensity level. It makes my heart pumping so hard while watching it. This is what a sport series should be about, unlike that other racket sport show this season.

Edit: apparently there's a 2002 movie as well

[neshru]

Originally Posted by Tempester

Do you really think I'm so stupid that I believe the director and animators, with as much talent and resources as they had to make such a splendidly animated episode, drew the characters in such a way by accident?

I know right? But you'd be surprised by how many people actually think that way. In fact, that's the kind of reasoning that the average anime fan with no interest in the animation side of anime seem to make. It looks pretty, therefore it's well drawn. It looks ugly, therefore it's badly drawn.
It's pretty sad, but I'm glad to know you're one of the people that can tell the difference

[MeoTwister5]

If people really think that this style looks like absolute garbage, then they'd probably say that a Studio 4C production looks worse than a typical bad day at Studio DEEN.

[jeroz]

Contrasting this show with Dai Shogun would be the best way to demonstrate the feeble attempt of using screenshots as basis of argument for animation level.

[Esclair]

Wow, this was completely awesome. Made 50% better by the authentic Chinese VA.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

I personally go for the stylish stuff. Think: Mushibugyou, Katanagatari, or recently Nobunagun (except for some lips).

Same here, actually - or rather than "stylish" I'm interested in stuff that looks interesting in some way. Which is one of the reasons why PA Works or KyoAni leave me cold, animation-wise. Yes, it's very pretty, but it's also very boring unless they do something interesting with the designs or the animation itself, and in my experience most of the time they don't. (Free had some interesting water animation, but that was pretty much it.)

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

I'm not very aware of what you can do with what style; I have no eye for detail and my eyesight is slightly bad. I hate 3D because it gives me motion sickness (in extreme cases; I might not be able to watch Sidonia no Kishi this season).

I was talking more about style, motion and expression, not really details as such. As I said this is very subjective, but I think that the more polished something looks, the more rigid it is. To me, looser, more flexible art and animation allows for more dramatic/abstract/etc. actions and expressions.

Anyway, this wasn't meant for you personally, it's just that I hear "ugly" and "I can't watch something this ugly" a lot when it comes to Masaaki, who I think does genuinely interesting things with art and animation, while so many people praise KyoAni and PA Works whose works look pretty but I find them visually utterly boring.

By the way, I agree with everyone here about the China vs Peco match, it was so awesome in so many ways. Someone wrote it was "lacking" but I think that was kind of the point - in a way it was about what each participant was lacking: Smile the passion, competitive spirit and ultimately bravery, Peco the humility and the technique, and of course there was China's monologue about how disappointed he is with the way his life is going.

[jeroz]

A great match is filled with emotions. The China Peco match is filled with his hatred and disdain. Within 2 minute we learnt tonnes about him as he took out his frustration on Peco, and Peco learned a lot after being completely smashed in the process. It's not just a simple sport match, it's a narrative device to showcase the other side of the characters while they are put under those situations of conflict.

Yuasa's stuff works by giving everything such a fluid and dynamic camera works. I cannot imagine any other studio would go as close to the ball, the racket, showing off great speed and flow at the same time.

[musouka]

Oddly (or perhaps, not so oddly), the set up of this episode reminded me a little bit of Free, in terms of some of the character personalities, their flaws, and general narrative beats, except the difference between the artistry of the shows is like night and day--and I mean that entirely in Ping Pong's favor.

The match with China was a perfect example of managing to evoke several layers of disparate moods in me, all at the same time: sympathy for China's overall situation, while still thinking he went too far in taking out his frustration at Peco; happiness at seeing Peco get taken down a peg, but pity in the utterly humiliating way it was done; frustration with Smile's passivity, but understanding as to why he wouldn't want to emotionally involve himself in the mess unfolding before his eyes.

All that in less than five minutes. The whole thing was gorgeous and understated, but that sequence was especially amazing.

[Dop]

Originally Posted by musouka

Oddly (or perhaps, not so oddly), the set up of this episode reminded me a little bit of Free, in terms of some of the character personalities, their flaws, and general narrative beats, except the difference between the artistry of the shows is like night and day--and I mean that entirely in Ping Pong's favor.

I understand what you're getting at, as I'd been thinking that if this show had been done in a glitzy Kyoto Animation style the internet would be full of people saying "It's just 'Free!' but with table tennis*".

That's just another reason to love the rather unique style of this show.

*in the same way all shows with a predominantly female cast were "just 'K-on' but with X", and equally as wrong!

[kuromitsu]

Now I want a Free x Ping Pong art crossover....

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Tempester

Art style is based off the manga.

I think Ping Pong's incredible animation more than makes up for the ugly art so far. I've also heard lots of praise for the original manga, so we may be getting a great story as well.

It's like this manga was made to be animated by Yuasa. This art totally fits his style.

[vaden]

Add me to the list of people impressed by the Chinese voice acting. There were times when the voice direction sounded a little awkward, but the impassioned rant Wenge gave at the table sold me. Now I'm mostly just got a provincial beef with the northern Chinese accent. Rhotic vowels everywhere.

[Cloudedmind]

Well, that was just awesome, and I really like China so far. That scene with him and his coach/handler listening to the match, and the way he vented his frustration on being kicked out and then sent to Japan while thoroughly dominating Peco had great direction and animation.

[ChainLegacy]

This was one of the best premieres of the season so far. I'm definitely intrigued as to what Smile's true ability is. I can guess he just doesn't want to hurt Peco's feelings, so he holds back, but is it that simple?

I am abominably bad at ping pong, but this makes it looks so damn cool.

[SinsI]

I really don't like that they changed Rubik's Cube for a game console with lame action game. It doesn't fit Smile's character in the least, and hurts his motivations as well.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Ep2 makes me surer that I consider this one of the best new shows of the season. Strong animation, expressive drawing, good artistic conception, sharp story-telling. The main psychological movement seemed a bit sudden, but it worked. The locker scenes were meaningful.

Originally Posted by vaden

Add me to the list of people impressed by the Chinese voice acting. There were times when the voice direction sounded a little awkward, but the impassioned rant Wenge gave at the table sold me. Now I'm mostly just got a provincial beef with the northern Chinese accent. Rhotic vowels everywhere.

Since the actor is supposedly from Canton, where people learn Mandarin as a second language, he is probably pretty proud of himself for giving us such a good northern accent. Like it or not, that's "standard" Mandarin. Personally, I love it. But then again, I love just about all the Mandarin variants I'm familiar with, from Beijing to Taibei.

[Flower]

Episode 2 was another very interesting ep for me. It was kinda unexpected to see Smile change the way he did towards the end of the ep. Ruthless....

Still what a great thing to have a coach / teacher / mentor care about you that much to try and bring the best out of you - I had a teacher do the same for me, and it was literally life changing even though I resisted and fought too. In retrospect I am grateful.

The despair of Smile really comes across clearly and effectively for me, and part of me feels sorry for him and can relate to him.

Kinda curious to see what they are doing with the OP from an "oohhhhh! sparkly!" angle of things....

[Reckoner]

2:

This confirms it for me. Best show of the season so far behind Mushishi easily. Really enjoyed the locker room scenes and how they went about developing Smile's character in general. Just loved how every is animated again as well.

[Dop]

Well that was intense. I was fearing Koizumi would have a heart attack or something once Smile fought back.

Some good funny moments too.

"Don't speak logically!"
"Yeah, that's against sports club law"

Also the bit where the woman sitting on the steps has her lunch stolen by a Kite.

[Xeiros]

The hero appears! The hero appears! The hero appears!

We get some excellent insight into Smile's character and a bit of why he acts the way he does. I'm so glad this series has such a strong focus on the people themselves and what does and does not motivate them. What playing ping pong means to them.

Koizumi is awesome. He truly is the perfect husband. I loved the way he manipulated Smile into feeling motivated and breaking out of his reclusive shell even if was just for the latter half of their match. It'll be interesting to see how he develops down the road as a result.