Masaaki Yuasa Marathon: Ping Pong the Animation, Episodes 1-5
120 minutes
Masaaki Yuasa's critically acclaimed manga adaptation about two prodigious table tennis players.
Seen as one of the best Japanese animated series of the previous decade, Ping Pong is an adaptation of Taiyou Matsumoto’s beloved sports manga. With his expressive visual style, Masaaki Yuasa brings to life the intense rivalry between childhood friends Peco and Smile, two prodigious table tennis players with vastly different personalities and ambitions. As they navigate the pressures of competition, mentorship and self-discovery, the series shows how they each try to figure out exactly who they really are and what drives them to play.
This screening covers episodes 1 till 5. The second screening covers episodes 6 till 11.
This program screened as part of Kaboom Animation Festival 2025
Showing in this program
Ping Pong S1E1: The Wind Makes It Hard to Hear
Two old friends go to spy on a new table tennis champ at a rival high school, but meanwhile their own team is falling apart.
Ping Pong S1E2: Smile’s a Robot
Coach Koizumi has started working Smile hard, and he definitely doesn't appreciate the extra attention.
Ping Pong S1E3: Devoting Your Life to Table Tennis is Creepy
All the teams gather at the prefectural qualifiers, and China gets to play Smile at last.
Ping Pong S1E4: The Only Way to Be Sure You Won’t Lose is to Not Fight
China beats Smile. Coach Koizumi gets angry because Smile hadn't been motivated during the game. Peko has a game with Demon who gives it all he got to win.
Ping Pong S1E5: Where Did I Go Wrong?
Dragon won many awards, and he said Smile is necessary for team Kaio at a press conference. His comment upsets the members of the team.
