Twelve-year-old Ryoma Echizen is a tennis prodigy from America who has the personal history of winning four consecutive American Junior Tennis tournaments. His father, Nanjiro Echizen, a tennis player of legendary status, calls Ryoma back to Japan to attend the distinguished Seishun Academy Middle School. Ryoma, a first year, has his eyes set on being on the regulars team of the tennis club, for which the school is famous.
Then, there is the lone girl who watches Ryoma from the audience. Her name is Shioin Higaki, whose parents had died in accident. She is mute due to traumatic shock of her past. She first meets Ryoma when he helps her on the train from a loud group of high school boys.
Ryoma arrives at Seigaku, and is immediately challenged by Kaoru Kaidoh, a second year team regular, known as "the Viper," whose perseverance is daunting and is known for his Buggy Whip Shot, nicknamed "Snake Shot". The members of the Seigaku regular team come watch the match. One is the vice-captain, Shuichiro Oishi, who has a calm and rational sense of playing sense, compliments the acrobatic plays of his double's partner, Eiji Kikumaru, making them the Golden Pair. Then there's third years Shusuke Fuji, a formidable player known for his tactical skill on the tennis courts, making him the "genius" of the team; Sadaharu Inui, whose tennis style relies on collecting info on his opponents' playing style called "data tennis"; and Takashi Kawamura, whose personality instantly changes when he grabs his tennis racquet. The other second year regular is Takeshi Momoshiro, known for his power plays. Ryoma surprises everyone by making Kaidoh's reaction slower and then pulling off the Snake Shot himself, but says it's just the Buggy Whip. Kaidoh and Ryoma's match is interrupted by Kunimitsu Tezuka, the nationally-ranked captain of the tennis club. Tezuka makes Kaidoh run laps for playing a match without an approval and begins to take an interest in Ryoma.
Ryoma arrives in time for the monthly campus ranking tournament, but at first, due to his youth and his cool attitude, some club members do not take him seriously; however, during the ranking tournament, Ryoma is quick to prove his skills and become the only first year on the regular team, just in time for the prefectual preliminary rounds.
While in a crucial match against Fudomine Middle School during the prefectuals, Ryoma injures his eye by accident, but his determination to finish the match with his Nitouryuu helps bring victory to Seigaku as they can advance to the Kanto Tournament as prefectual champions. Tezuka is deeply troubled by Ryoma's style; it's an exact copy of his father's. He is also worried about his own arm, which is injured and will add on injuries when using his Zero Degree Drop Shot. Tezuka plays a secret match with Echizen, and utterly defeats him using the Drop Shot, disregarding his physician's advice. He tells Ryoma to develop his own style of tennis and become the pillar of Seigaku.
As the regional Kanto Tournament draws near, Seigaku learns of their first opponent, Hyotei Academy, their strongest rivals. All the regulars are chosen for the tournament except for Momoshiro, as Echizen is chosen over him. However, Echizen says he has to represent in the Youth Cup and is going back to America. Momoshiro is angry of Ryoma's choice and refuses the jersey Ryoma offers him. Egate Mcleod Higaki of Hyotei comes to the courts and tries to provoke the players until Tezuka tells him to leave. Echizen goes to the park to think about his decision, and Shioin, Egate's little sister, comes by and plays her flute. The music reaches Echizen's ears, and he makes his choice.
At the Kanto Tournament, Momo still has decided not to come. Oishi and Eiji play Doubles 2. They begin a losing streak until Momo reveals himself in the cheering crowd for Seigaku. With new confidence from their returning teammate, the Golden Pair make a comeback, but lose to Hyotei 5-7. In the crowd, Kaidoh finds Echizen, who decided to stay. Kaidoh and Inui begin their Doubles 1 match. Kaidoh continually takes all the shots and uses his Boomerang Snake, while Inui stands and watches. Finally, he tells Kaidoh he has their opponents' data and they win the match 7-5. Kawamura plays Singles 3 and tries his Hadokyuu, but his big opponent copies the move. They both keep using Hadokyuu until Kawamura does the unthinkable: the dangerous one-handed Hadokyuu. His opponent copies, and both keep hitting until both of them drop their racquets, their hands and racquet handles covered in blood. The match is considered a No Game. Fuji, playing Singles 2, borrows Kawamura's racquet, and amazes his opponent with his Disappearing Serve and his Hakugei Triple Counter; he wins 6-0. Tezuka plays Singles 1 against the popular Atobe; Echizen comes and takes his place as bench coach, and, despite some of the other Seigaku players, Tezuka allows him to rejoin the team.
Atobe seems to gain the early lead, but Tezuka comes back with his Tezuka Zone and Drop Shot. Tezuka gets to match point, but as he tries to serve, his arm gives out. Tezuka continues to play as Echizen takes off his jacket, revealing his Seigaku uniform, and goes to practice. Tezuka loses in the tiebreak, 6-7. Because both teams have two wins, their reserve players will determine the winner. Echizen faces off against Egate, and wins the first game using his teammates' moves. However, as an eclipse passes over the court, Egate uses his brutal tennis form and injures Echizen's leg. Remembering his vow to become stronger, Echizen surprises everyone by using the COOL Drive attack to come back, break the eclipse, and win, and Egate's sister, Shioin, breaks her muteness and cheers for them. Tezuka rewards Echizen with his Seigaku jacket he kept for him.
As Echizen looks up in the stands at their future opponents, his only reply to them is, "mada mada dane" ("No, not yet", "simply not there yet" or "a long ways to go").
My thoughts:
Because recently I was in a mood for 城田優 Shirota Yuu, I decided to get this movie, & today I finally watched it.
I have only watched the movie version of the prince of tennis, therefore I did not really know what to expect nor was I fully aware of what the prince of tennis テニスの王子様 is about.
At first I thought I would not like this movie at all, as I am not a tennis fan, However the more the movie progressed the more I liked it.
I wanted to see more, I would have liked for there to have been atleast a short drama, just so I could have been satisfied with seeing more (^_^)/.
I liked Shirota Yuu's character, i've not seen Shirota Yuu act in this way before so it was good to see, especially as it was very different to his role in Koshonin 交渉人.
I also thought that Kanata Hongo was good as Echizen, he was quite a brat and very confident in his skill as a tennis player.
I would like to watch the anime version of The Prince of Tennis テニスの王子様 however I saw there were many episodes and well I'm kinda too lazy to work my way through them, but maybe one day i'll work my through them.
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