PING PONG The Animation: Episode 11 FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2025-03-20 13:00:08 +0000 UTC*SMILING HEADPHONE WARNINGS*
This series has been nearly flawless from start to finish and this episode just encapsulates what makes it SO GOOD.
The heart, the intensity, the callbacks, the full circle moments, the friendship, the match, the themes and symbolism, THE EPILOGUE -- this has been SUCH a joyous ride and I'm so glad I got to take it with you all! Let's GO for this last episode of the series!
LINK TO REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/4UP6we4gkM9ZnwY6WtoEJY
Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!
Comments
I definitely am going to miss this series - it was SO good! *chef’s kiss* But yeah, this final episode subverted my expectations in the best way! Peco and Smile smiling and being so happy at the end? I just loved it! Their dynamic was so great throughout this series and I was so satisfied with their ending! All the themes came together so well. And the tie back to the Hero and the locker and the fact that Smile is a teacher now - it was so lovely to come full circle with! The tie back with the kids in this too was really sweet – again, all tying together, like I talked about in the discussion! It was nice seeing how it all tied back with Koizumi and Kazama and seeing them and Obata have their moment as well in this. The time skip was awesome and just what I wanted from this show in ways I didn’t expect! Yeah, glad for Yurie, too! And YES! I’m so glad someone else is shipping Kazama and Smile! YESSS! It really DID come out of nowhere and I was so here for it! I wish there were fan fiction of them! And Kong being on the Japanese team?! LOVE! I would have liked to have seen Sanada’s arc, but seeing Sakuma makes sense as he’s one of the MC’s! Ranking the group is hard and I flip flop all the time on what I think of their position in the ranks. Thank you for the comment and kind words! I can’t wait to tie this show into others in the future now and I definitely can see myself re-watching it down the road!! 😀
Romaniablack
2025-04-02 21:27:47 +0000 UTCThank you so much for the comment and kind words! That’s so fair about the binging part - it’s just so good! I’m so glad you survived the bing!! Hahaha! <3 I just LOVE sports anime and this one connected to me so much with my experience coaching – and as someone that went through being competitive and seeing the highs and lows, I loved that this series talks about joy and drive with sports - it was so fresh! The pacing really helps to binge this show and ooohhh Devilman Crybaby…oof. But yeah, it’s just so fun to watch the episodes in a row with how they flow so well together! I really loved the journey Kong took me on - I just love him and his team! The warmth he gave this series! Smile’s journey and the parallels with his coach! I loved it! Luckily I don’t really drink anymore, or that drinking game would be dangerous! UGH, the final episode is just SO DARN GOOD! Those moments you mentioned are so great! And yes, I plan to watch the dub at some point! Maybe while I’m on my trip? We’ll see! I truly love sports anime that are so character focused and this is just a create example of that! And oooh, I’m really into the BL introspection! And OH Bachira and Shidou! That’s a great tie-in! Ooohh, Yukinori in Kong is so neat! Nice! And oooh, I can see the mentorship and supportive “authority” perspective tying to Blue Giant! All the stars are aligning, hahaha!! I just love that and agree with the three friends comparison as well. I hadn’t thought about that, but the idea that I can take what I’ve learned from Ping Pong and apply it to the future of Blue Lock?! OOOHHHH There is so much you could connect and I’m so excited to see where that takes us! Onwards and Upwards - I will say, Chihayafuru is picking up wonderfully where this series left off! Thank you for the comment and kind words and all the support!
Romaniablack
2025-04-01 03:18:45 +0000 UTCI can't believe this anime is over now. I'll miss it so much. While this final episode was NOT what I was expecting, it was so perfect, and it had me in tears in a way that I was not expecting at all. Have to say, Peco and Smile's game was so freeing and joyful. I appreciate a lot that it felt very much like a celebration and not somethign anxiety inducing at all. It was just the both of them, fully aware from the very beginning that they were about to enjoy this game a ton. Everything, from Smile being so sure that he didn't need to be careful with Peco's knee because Peco, his hero, wouldn't have any shinks in his armor (heroes don't have weaknesses), to Peco having a small, tiny moment of worry and were he considered checking on Smile and not playing when he crashed against the barrier while chaising the ball, but then just pulled himself together and just called to Smile, full of confidence that Smile could continue playing and they both enjoyed the game. It all felt so invigorating and beautiful. Seeing Smile breaking free from his robot armor and become flesh and blood... yeah, that had me nearly in tears. See, the thing with Koizumi throwing the game to protect Kazama's knee is, as is pointed out in this episode, because of the fear of Kazama straining his knee so bad that he can't play anymore, well, it was only a possibility, one of two possible outcomes. We see it with Peco, he was fine after playing, went on to have a successful career playing Ping Pong at a national level; and maybe Kazama would have also been alright after playing Koizumi. It was all a guessing game. And the only true, certain thing is that throwing the game will feel bad and will be disrespecting your oponents skills, and leave a sour taste in the mouths' of all the parties involved. The little scene with Obaba, Koizumi, and Kazama senior reminiscing about their younger days, and maybe reklinding a friendship long gone, pushed me further in my feels. It was so beautifully done, and such a sweet, nostalgic moment. At this point, I think we can say with enough certainty that Smile was actually locked in that locker, seeing as how that one bully kid said something along the lines that they would lock him again if he didn't do what they wanted, and the Peco came in an beat everyone up. Not that it truly matters if that was all metaphorical or physical, as Peco's role in Smiles' life remains the same, being that light that brought hope and safety to Smile's life when he was all alone. What truly got me, though, was that scene with all of them playing as little kids, and seeing how deep their love for the sport ran. How each of them had lost that in some way, the wonder with which they started playing, and they all came back to it in the end, to that simple joy of playing, for the sake of playing and not to go back to their countries, or to make grandparents happy, or just mechanically become the best. I just get emotional even thinking about it now. I was NOT expecting to have a time skip at the eleventh hour, but I was NOT mad about it XD I adored being able to see where they all ended up in life, and it was wild to see how much things had changed for some of them. First of all, I think my girl Yurie deserves a shout-out for making her own way in the world and becoming reknown. I'm glad she found her own way in life all on her own and didn't let her romantic woes pull her back. Okay, now to the really important part, and that is that THE SECOND THAT KAZAMA MAKES IT INTO THE TRAINING HALL, WITH THAT FLOWER ARRENGEMENT, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND MYSELF SHIPPING HIM AND SMILE SO HARD. It came out of NOWHERE, but this apparently softer Smile, who actually smiled, and talked gently to the kids, had me in enough awe that it rewrote my brain chemestry. I'm a true believer now. KONG BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT BIG IN THE PING PONG WORLD MADE ME SO HAPPY T_T I needed him to have all his effort rewarded after how terribly the year that we follow him with the show went for him, and how kind he became. I hope he and his mom were happy, eating home cooked meals all the time now. Sakuma becoming a family man is wild. I don't quite know what I imagine he would have being doing in the future, but him being so grounded felt like a revelation, in all the right ways. Good for him. I love that, yes, he had a very loved moment, he self-sabotaged and went as low as he could, but he DIDN'T STAY THERE and he rose to have a happy life in the end. And he seemed to still enjoy Ping Pong, as Smile mentioned that he was just going to stop going to the training hall for a little while *now* because he was going to have his third child. Brilliant. But, truly, all the arcs of these boys were brilliant. I agree that ranking them is INCREDIBLY hard, and I don't think I could quite do it, as I'm finding I have found feelings now that I'm writing about them. It is worth mentioning, though, that Smile closing the series saying that "dedicating your life to Ping Pong is not dumb" and Kazama answering him with "I couldn't do it", completely flipping their initial arguements is PERFECT. No notes, nothing to add to it. Peco living his dream, being in magazines and being famous, was nice for him, and I'm glad to see that he achieved what he wanted; but, it did feel like he and Smile were no longer as close as they had being in school. Which is something that happens naturally in life, of course, but that made me sad. Of course I could be completely wrong about that one, but that was the impression I got from it. That is all to say, this show was simply amazing and I think the rewatchability value is very high. It was a worthy successort to March.
Alexandra Q
2025-03-26 04:43:32 +0000 UTCOohh, honestly, I will have to make a note and look into some more! Especially with that plug that they aren't adapted but are so good! Thank you for the recommendation!!
Romaniablack
2025-03-26 03:22:41 +0000 UTCI honestly love this series SO MUCH - I'm so sad to see it end, but it really was near-perfect - and oooohhhhhh, I am SO EXCITED already for Chihayafuru! I can't wait to discover it weekly with you all! Thank you for the comment and kind words!
Romaniablack
2025-03-26 03:22:11 +0000 UTCThis show is just incredible! I definitely want to check out the manga when I get a chance - but I'm so impressed with how this series has come together - it's just wonderful! Thank you for joining me on the journey with this series!
Romaniablack
2025-03-25 00:10:35 +0000 UTCThat. is. SUCH. a great full circle moment! I just love that contrast of Smile from start to finish - the way these characters change so much over the course of the series, but still being themselves? I just love it! And yesssss, I honestly am looking forward to re-watching (probably to check the dub) and see those moments like you pointed out - it's just so. Darn. Good! And yes, not just a sports anime! This is an anime everyone should watch! Thank you so much for the comment and going on the journey with me on this one!
Romaniablack
2025-03-25 00:06:48 +0000 UTCLoved the reactions and discussions! Thank you for diving into Ping Pong. 🥰 I have a peculiar relationship with this show - I can only watch 4h of it or zero, I just cannot do ep by ep. So, I have binged these reactions in two sittings last weekend and today. 😂 I have survived. It was excellent. But I am also writing this comment in a bit of a state. 😂 Your full journey through the show was a total joy to watch! And thank you for the excellent discussions – for sports anime these are always enhanced by your coaching experience. And for someone who does not possess an iota of competitiveness, the discussions bring a perspective to which I do not feel that connected otherwise. This has been especially interesting for this series where the whole point is examining why ‘joy’ and ‘drive’ are in conflict. Various moments I loved in the reactions: The series does “pick you up and toss you into the pool,” you mentioned the rhythm of the show – I completely agree there, something about it is just different. I think this is also why I have trouble getting through it ep by ep. In ep 4 discussion you alluded to watching multiple eps on the same day (+ binging Devilman Crybaby), this makes perfect sense to me. The pacing of these shows is very particular. Watching the affection for Kong grow (especially starting with ep 5) was glorious. 🥰 He is my absolute favourite, as well. All the other darlings share a warm (but second 😆) place in my heart. The discussions around wanting to watch your students succeed and the way coach Koizumi was attempting to coax Smile into ‘caring.’ Also, the way Smile and coach were paralleled, especially with playing against someone injured. Trying to kill us by making references to flying a drinking game! 🤣 And then the entire finale reaction! I am glad they did not show the whole match and did not focus on it. Whenever the shot pans over to the photo and Smile beaming in that 2nd place? Tears every time. You also mentioned being interested in the dub at some later point – I absolutely recommend it, it is excellent. Overall, I feel like again this is a sports anime I love where the sport (to me) is a side dish at best. Much like BL, a lot of it to me is purely about introspection: Smile lacking competitive drive, and the odd combination of passion and apathy he struggles to understand and use; Peco confronting his own limitations; Kazama struggling to maintain excellence; Kong struggling against a culturally imposed identity. I could go on a bit about BL parallels, especially around Bachira and Shidou. 😆 But I mostly just want to talk about Kong – because the link I see with him is Yukinori! For both of them, their technical excellence, and their understanding of the boundaries of who they could be and where they could go, acted like limiters. Fear of stepping outside the confines they perceive (correctly or not) surround them. Strength and vulnerability, reconnecting with the joy they wanted to feel. All are similar in their struggle. I think they both shift from seeking external validation to seeking personal fulfilment. Precious beans. 🥰 The other Blue Giant parallel to me is the emphasis on mentorship and supportive “authority” figures around the cast. The importance and influence of peers who can also be mentors. The scene with the 3 old friends at the end and it flashing back for a second to what they were like when young was so beautiful. 🥰 Thank you again for another excellent set of reactions. I am looking forward to BL being back post-Ping Pong and how this will inform those discussions! Also looking forward to more Masaaki Yuasa works on the channel. 🥰 Onwards and upwards! 💙
Sunspots
2025-03-22 20:41:50 +0000 UTCDid you have any plans to read Taiyo Matsumoto's other manga? A lot of his work doesn't get adapted, but I think he's one of the best mangaka ever.
excel
2025-03-22 19:03:36 +0000 UTCPing Pong is the best sports anime I've watched and it's always sad to see it end, even though it has a perfect conclusion. But now it's time to watch the 2nd best sports anime of all time! Can't wait for next week!
William Pina
2025-03-21 06:11:01 +0000 UTCWhat a show. Great adaptation of a great manga by some of the best people in the anime industry.
Generation Wumbo
2025-03-20 14:39:21 +0000 UTCIt's funny that on the reaction you say it makes sense for smile to be a elementary teacher. If you go back to episode 1, you can see how smile rejects the offer from tamura to coach kids because they are unpredictable and he hates kids. Peco's paddle having the star and smiles having the moon, reflecting their personalities etc. The show is full of these small details that you can catch on another watchthrough. This show never disappoints and it continues to be my #1 sports anime there is. Honestly it's so much more than just a sports anime.
gggoos
2025-03-20 14:37:49 +0000 UTC
