THE PRINCE OF TENNIS (VOLUME 1 & 2)
April 17th 2009 23:03
Category: Graphic Novels/Comics
Publisher: 1999 Shueisha/2004 VIZ Media LLC
Story & Art by: Takeshi Konomi
English Adaptation: Gerard Jones
Translation: Joe Yamazaki
Touch up & Lettering: Andy Ristaino
Graphics & Cover Design: Sean Lee
Cost: AU$13.23/US$7.95
Tennis, one of the world’s most popular sports, one of the highest paying sports as well, probably even more so than golf or football although the jury might still be out on that. I have to admit that as a sport its not one that I can get into in any great way, I’m more a golf and football man, these are sports that I can relate to as I frequently play golf and back in the days of my misspent youth I played football for school sport during the winter. Now I was definitely no Pele or Beckham although unfortunately I often found myself playing with guys who thought they were, and completely lacked the talent to even make it into a weekend competition team let alone be world class players. My wandering down memory lane aside, if I’m not a big tennis fan then why the heck bother reading this particular manga? Good question…
Just because I’m not a fan of the particular sport doesn’t mean that the manga may not be good reading, and now and then it’s always a pleasant surprise to find something that isn’t my usual fare and discover something quite enjoyable and entertaining. Such is the case with the Prince of Tennis, now this particular series was one of several that the local library launched at their recent Cosplay event in the final days of March this year. At the time I didn’t bother with this particular work, not out of any disdain for it but due to the fact that I was already walking away with an armload of stuff so it felt a bit reprehensible to take more. Kind of like pigging out at an all you can eat venue.
Still a week or so later I did notice the entire series sitting all on its lonesome on the shelves, not one single volume having been borrowed so it seemed. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity to enjoy something different and hopefully a good read I picked up the first two volumes; borrowed them, and wandered on home to cast the eternal emerald gaze of the Green Lantern over them. Now sports are not something new in the manga world, after all there have been baseball manga, basketball manga and even football manga so it should be no surprise that there is a tennis manga. Surprisingly though I have never heard if there is a golf manga, especially considering how popular golf is in Japan, hmm maybe an opportunity there perhaps? A niche market just waiting to be exploited…
Our story takes place in Japan, Tokyo to be specific at the Seishun Academy, which is the school in which our protagonist Ryoma Echizen has enrolled in after having spent several years in the US where he has managed to win consecutive US Junior tournaments. Now Ryoma is a twelve year old who has the potential to be an ace tennis player, his old man is the famous ‘Samurai’ Nanjiro Echizen who at a relatively young age made a name for himself on the pro tennis circuit stateside. Some people think he’s an arrogant character although when you get to know him slightly better he comes across as someone who although aloof just does not tolerate bully’s of any shape, form or age. Nor does he tolerate prima donnas, who think they are so much better than everyone and anyone else simply due to the fact that they are so good, this attitude is no doubt going to lead to some epic confrontations later on down the track.
Seishun Academy is noted for Seigaku, its tennis team and its legendary captain Kunimitsu Tezuka, I wonder if he’s named after Osamu Tezuka, the legendary creator of Astro Boy and so many other seminal manga? Regardless this is a tennis team who has the ability and potential to go places, very likely the nationals. Now how the heck can a twelve year old boy who is only a seventh grader hope to win himself one of the eight starting spots in this legendary tennis team? Well the fact that he simply has the talent to be able to handle the pace of inter school tennis competition is one fact in his favour as well as the fact that the captain can use his discretion to allow a seventh grader to compete for a place amongst the starters is another fact running in Ryoma’s favour. Off course the Prince has to prove himself, he just doesn’t get to saunter on in like he owned the place he has to earn it.
These two volumes effectively detail the opening volley in the Prince’s attempts to achieve his own goals of making his mark in the tennis world. By winning a spot in the school tennis team as a starter he can compete in the City tournament then should Seigaku win that they will go onto the regional tournament and if they make their mark their then they will find themselves competing in the nationals. From that lofty pinnacle who knows where things may go, perhaps an international? Now tennis does take up a large part of the story, you’d expect it to in a sports manga that is focused on tennis. But it is not just all about hitting balls there are moments of humour and the various other characters that comprise the Seigaku starters and the tennis team in general.
As with most popular manga this series has also been made into an anime series, one that apparently aired on the same network as Naruto in Japan. Be interesting to get a hold of the anime and see how it plays, I can certainly say that the manga just captivated me. Takeshi Konomi has created a truly enthralling work, after reading these two volumes I had to keep on reading to see how the story panned out, how things would develop between Ryoma and his team mates. Well worth taking the time out to get your hands on and read, definitely a good read in your local watering hole on a fine Summer afternoon, a schooner of the place’s best at your side and perhaps something tasty to munch on as you ride. Ahh what bliss…
Story & Art by: Takeshi Konomi
English Adaptation: Gerard Jones
Translation: Joe Yamazaki
Touch up & Lettering: Andy Ristaino
Graphics & Cover Design: Sean Lee
Cost: AU$13.23/US$7.95
Tennis, one of the world’s most popular sports, one of the highest paying sports as well, probably even more so than golf or football although the jury might still be out on that. I have to admit that as a sport its not one that I can get into in any great way, I’m more a golf and football man, these are sports that I can relate to as I frequently play golf and back in the days of my misspent youth I played football for school sport during the winter. Now I was definitely no Pele or Beckham although unfortunately I often found myself playing with guys who thought they were, and completely lacked the talent to even make it into a weekend competition team let alone be world class players. My wandering down memory lane aside, if I’m not a big tennis fan then why the heck bother reading this particular manga? Good question…
Our story takes place in Japan, Tokyo to be specific at the Seishun Academy, which is the school in which our protagonist Ryoma Echizen has enrolled in after having spent several years in the US where he has managed to win consecutive US Junior tournaments. Now Ryoma is a twelve year old who has the potential to be an ace tennis player, his old man is the famous ‘Samurai’ Nanjiro Echizen who at a relatively young age made a name for himself on the pro tennis circuit stateside. Some people think he’s an arrogant character although when you get to know him slightly better he comes across as someone who although aloof just does not tolerate bully’s of any shape, form or age. Nor does he tolerate prima donnas, who think they are so much better than everyone and anyone else simply due to the fact that they are so good, this attitude is no doubt going to lead to some epic confrontations later on down the track.
Seishun Academy is noted for Seigaku, its tennis team and its legendary captain Kunimitsu Tezuka, I wonder if he’s named after Osamu Tezuka, the legendary creator of Astro Boy and so many other seminal manga? Regardless this is a tennis team who has the ability and potential to go places, very likely the nationals. Now how the heck can a twelve year old boy who is only a seventh grader hope to win himself one of the eight starting spots in this legendary tennis team? Well the fact that he simply has the talent to be able to handle the pace of inter school tennis competition is one fact in his favour as well as the fact that the captain can use his discretion to allow a seventh grader to compete for a place amongst the starters is another fact running in Ryoma’s favour. Off course the Prince has to prove himself, he just doesn’t get to saunter on in like he owned the place he has to earn it.
These two volumes effectively detail the opening volley in the Prince’s attempts to achieve his own goals of making his mark in the tennis world. By winning a spot in the school tennis team as a starter he can compete in the City tournament then should Seigaku win that they will go onto the regional tournament and if they make their mark their then they will find themselves competing in the nationals. From that lofty pinnacle who knows where things may go, perhaps an international? Now tennis does take up a large part of the story, you’d expect it to in a sports manga that is focused on tennis. But it is not just all about hitting balls there are moments of humour and the various other characters that comprise the Seigaku starters and the tennis team in general.
As with most popular manga this series has also been made into an anime series, one that apparently aired on the same network as Naruto in Japan. Be interesting to get a hold of the anime and see how it plays, I can certainly say that the manga just captivated me. Takeshi Konomi has created a truly enthralling work, after reading these two volumes I had to keep on reading to see how the story panned out, how things would develop between Ryoma and his team mates. Well worth taking the time out to get your hands on and read, definitely a good read in your local watering hole on a fine Summer afternoon, a schooner of the place’s best at your side and perhaps something tasty to munch on as you ride. Ahh what bliss…
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