I was incredibly lucky to get to view this on real film, and loved it. It turned the rather interesting sport of ping pong into a watchable, hyper, twisting story of friendship. I occasionally cried. The cinematography and special effects are splendid -- they bring it in touch with the manga it was based on, without making it inaccessibly over-produced. Also, the casting is fantastic; you can tell that the actors were type-cast, but the movie only seems to benefit from it. As others have mentioned, the soundtrack was excellent -- if Simon & Garfunkel and Japancakes collaborated on Asian pop, I think it would sound a lot like this. My only reservation is on the subbing; though it's better than dubbed would ever be, something is occasionally lost in translation when innocent phrases in Japanese end up translating into English as something connotatively very different.
31 Reviews
Karate kid-type ping pong movie sort of
dwpollar23 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
1st watched 3/20/2009 - 6 out of 10(Dir-Sori): Karate kid-type ping pong movie sort ofentertains because it focuses on the characters near the end of the movie instead of just the results of the competition. Some of the movie is irritatibly similar to the previous-mentioned movie in the main storyline. Basically, the movie is about two friends, who are opposites as far as their characters, but both enjoy playing ping pong but for different reasons. Peco, is the more carefree hero wannabe character who just enjoys the game. Smiles(called this because he doesn't do this often) is much more serious but initially plays just to pass the time(supposedly). Peco loses a big match and decides to retire from the game and during this time Smiles gets much better and becomes the dominant player(despite the fact that he used to look to Peco as his hero). Peco then tries to make a comeback under the tutelage of a woman instructor in the vain of movies like "Rocky" and "Karate Kid." Near the end, the movie returns to looking into these two characters more closely and turns what could have been a formulaic movie into something a little better. Again it takes another country to show us Americans how to make this type of movie better. Good for them!! - and good for us to be able to view the movie!!
Not Just About Ping Pong
bigverybadtom3 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The "comic book adaptation" may tend to scare people off, but this one at least made a good movie. The story is about a Japanese Ping-Pong league and the different generations of people involved in it, and how they relate to each other and how said relationships change over time.
One teenage boy is a devoted serious player, but his friend only views it as a way to kill time. There is also a highly skilled player from China who seeks his fortune in Japan after he had failed at home. There are older competitors, and a onetime former master who now serves as an ad-hoc coach. You also see their superstitions (one player has a habit of hiding in toilet stalls) and how they have no real life outside of Ping-Pong. One player even drops out only to come back because he has nothing else.
There are important matches, of course, but the real interest is what happens outside of them.
One teenage boy is a devoted serious player, but his friend only views it as a way to kill time. There is also a highly skilled player from China who seeks his fortune in Japan after he had failed at home. There are older competitors, and a onetime former master who now serves as an ad-hoc coach. You also see their superstitions (one player has a habit of hiding in toilet stalls) and how they have no real life outside of Ping-Pong. One player even drops out only to come back because he has nothing else.
There are important matches, of course, but the real interest is what happens outside of them.
it was great
brecedogg30 August 2003
the movie is about these two boys who have been friends since they were young. they are both on the ping pong club team. the main character peco is a cocky kid who thinks that he is great, though he is, his best friend "smile" (because he doesnt) is equily as good but doesnt let himself try. the two join a tournament and peco loses to an easy foe while smile beats the only person to ever beat peco... make sense? anyway, the two separate. peco loses his will to play and smile trains harder than ever. they meet again at another tournament where at the end they are put against eachother by elimination. i think that the characters in this movie are pretty interesting. the acting for the most part is fairly good but also a little over the top in a few scenes because of how animated the peco character is. a few things are also pretty far fetched. i would say that it is overall a good movie but you cant take it too seriously or you will be let down.
if you like this movie check out aoi haru (blue spring) it is based off of a manga by the same author that wrote ping pong... though much more violent, this movie is a fantastic movie. i would say to also check out kyoki no sakura staring kabozuke yosuke, also much more violent in nature, but a fantastic movie aswell.
if you like this movie check out aoi haru (blue spring) it is based off of a manga by the same author that wrote ping pong... though much more violent, this movie is a fantastic movie. i would say to also check out kyoki no sakura staring kabozuke yosuke, also much more violent in nature, but a fantastic movie aswell.
Zany but cool
paul2001sw-130 April 2009
It's hard to say directly whether 'Ping Pong' is a good film, or not. On one hand, this story of teenage table tennis players nicely captures the mixture of immaturity, ambivalence and competitiveness in their personalities; and contains some amazing film of the young stars in action. The action in sports movies often seem dull compared with watching the real thing; but not here. On the other hand, there are exaggerated elements to both the characterisations and the on-table action, and the (differently) ambivalent aspects of both central characters weakens the force of the plot - it's hard to care too much about the outcome of particular matches, when it's unclear to us whether the heroes care themselves. It adds up to an odd mix of realism, zaniness and athleticism; but I liked it.
There will never be a better movie about ping pong
please_save_yuri5 March 2005
I watched this movie in Japan, in the theater, twice. At $25 a shot. But it was worth every dollar. And this was without understanding much of the dialogue, because I don't speak Japanese. When the DVD was released with English subtitles, I purchased it immediately. And again, it was worth every dollar.
This movie is fantastic. On the surface, it's a movie about sports and competition. Beneath this, it's a movie about heroes and friendship. There's no clear-cut "bad guy". Every character has depth, motive and pain.
In short, the filming is great, the story is fabulous, and the actors are well-cast. Even watching it in Japanese, the acting was good enough to convey the general story without me understanding what was being said.
I love this movie. In fact, whenever I meet someone who hasn't seen it, I make them watch it.
This movie is fantastic. On the surface, it's a movie about sports and competition. Beneath this, it's a movie about heroes and friendship. There's no clear-cut "bad guy". Every character has depth, motive and pain.
In short, the filming is great, the story is fabulous, and the actors are well-cast. Even watching it in Japanese, the acting was good enough to convey the general story without me understanding what was being said.
I love this movie. In fact, whenever I meet someone who hasn't seen it, I make them watch it.
Simple and touching
Inakaguy18 April 2004
This was one of those movies that I really had to force myself to watch and ended up loving.
It's a story more about the nature of friendship than the actual sport of ping pong.
As with a lot of Japanese cinema, the movie takes a while to get moving, but don't let this deter you. The special effects are fantastic. Basically, I didn't even know there were special effects until I'd finished watching it.
There are a few laugh out loud moments, although some of the humour requires a knowledge of Japan. My favourite moment is the boy who doesn't want to play in the tournament because his opponent is Chinese.
While I should have found the ending schmaltzy, I actually found it quite touching. I have no hesitation in recommending this movie to anyone.
It's a story more about the nature of friendship than the actual sport of ping pong.
As with a lot of Japanese cinema, the movie takes a while to get moving, but don't let this deter you. The special effects are fantastic. Basically, I didn't even know there were special effects until I'd finished watching it.
There are a few laugh out loud moments, although some of the humour requires a knowledge of Japan. My favourite moment is the boy who doesn't want to play in the tournament because his opponent is Chinese.
While I should have found the ending schmaltzy, I actually found it quite touching. I have no hesitation in recommending this movie to anyone.
Subtle Effects, Great Story, Awesome Soundtrack
krisyoungdesign24 March 2004
This was a great movie to come out of Japan. The actors playing the roles made these characters come to life. Yôsuke Kubozuka, that played Peco (Peko) was such a dynamic character. Also, the actor that played Butterfly Joe was hysterical. The soundtrack which was a great mix of electronica and other genres, makes it so much better. And the special effects were subtle, but impressive. The effects didn't slap you in the face like the Hong Kong film Shaolin Soccer (even though I enjoyed that one too). Overall a great movie. Rent or buy it and check out the soundtrack.
I hate manga adaptations...
ayoayo8 March 2003
Wow this movie sucked big time. I heard this movie expresses the meaning of friendship very well. And with all the internet hype on this movie I figured what could go wrong? However the movie was just plain bad. It was boring and the character development was never there. Space Travelers was also a horrible movie, if you didn't like that movie there is no way you will like this.
Wonderfully rendered and creative
Tokyo_ghost3 August 2004
This movie is a superb adaptation of the flabbergasting manga series by genius Taiyo Matsumoto; the director has truly made a tremendously good work! The actors are well-chosen and very good in their role, the picture is great (a "manga-style" centring, which is very interesting) and the story never gets boring, even if the film is over two hours.
I was impressed and have only very few negative comments to make, but I think they only concern things that have been lost in translation. The movie needs a certain knowledge of Japanese society to be fully understood, but is also funny to anyone who does not know much about it. Deliciously delirious!
I was impressed and have only very few negative comments to make, but I think they only concern things that have been lost in translation. The movie needs a certain knowledge of Japanese society to be fully understood, but is also funny to anyone who does not know much about it. Deliciously delirious!
The "Breaking Away" of Ping Pong...
honeybearrecords11 March 2005
There's a lot of great stuff coming from Japan these days and it's not on horror flicks about stylized spirits and discordant ghostly sounds. "Ping Pong" has something and it captures a feel that many people I know who have visited Japan felt on first viewing "Lost In Translation". It looks like Tokyo and it looks like hyper-real Tokyo at the same time.
But this is a very, very different story from "Lost In Translation". Based on a manga, this is a surreal and existential and neo-Zen comedy about the competitive world of young ping pong players in modern Japan. Peco and Smile are two players who have been friends since their youth. Peco (Yosuke Kubozuka of "Go" and "Tomie: Replay") is the brash and outrageous champion who crushes all opponents while rubbing their face in it. Smile (Arata from "Afterlife") is the better player (he's called Smile because he never does - Excellent!) but isn't especially interested and often loses on purpose to Peco out of some sort of loyalty. Not only does this anger his coach (a former ping pong star) but it gives Peco a further inflated ego.
During an inter-school competition, both are defeated. Peco loses to the champ of the disciplinarian, militaristic school of skinheads named Dragon (newcomer Shido Nakamura). Smile loses to China (Sam Lee of "Gen-X Cops" and "Public Toilet"), so named, as that's where he is a pro and he's just in Japan to kick start his career (sort of like when a ball player gets sent back down to the minors for a tune-up). Needless to say, the rest of the movie involves the two needing to pick themselves up off the floor solving the inequities of their friendship along the way. And of course, it all is heading back to a great rematch.
This is a lot of fun as the competitions are startling in their originality and quite beautiful at times. There are some amazing epiphanies from one character re-christening himself in a river, one of the skinheads getting his due and when Dragon learns to play ping pong completely for pleasure.
I'll also say this; the soundtrack is amazing. I don't know who any of these groups are. They're all Japanese. But we were all jumping up and down to the music the first time we saw it. If you have an all-region DVD player, I would suggest you get the Japanese disc as it comes with a feature where you can watch the whole movie with just the music soundtrack.
But this is a very, very different story from "Lost In Translation". Based on a manga, this is a surreal and existential and neo-Zen comedy about the competitive world of young ping pong players in modern Japan. Peco and Smile are two players who have been friends since their youth. Peco (Yosuke Kubozuka of "Go" and "Tomie: Replay") is the brash and outrageous champion who crushes all opponents while rubbing their face in it. Smile (Arata from "Afterlife") is the better player (he's called Smile because he never does - Excellent!) but isn't especially interested and often loses on purpose to Peco out of some sort of loyalty. Not only does this anger his coach (a former ping pong star) but it gives Peco a further inflated ego.
During an inter-school competition, both are defeated. Peco loses to the champ of the disciplinarian, militaristic school of skinheads named Dragon (newcomer Shido Nakamura). Smile loses to China (Sam Lee of "Gen-X Cops" and "Public Toilet"), so named, as that's where he is a pro and he's just in Japan to kick start his career (sort of like when a ball player gets sent back down to the minors for a tune-up). Needless to say, the rest of the movie involves the two needing to pick themselves up off the floor solving the inequities of their friendship along the way. And of course, it all is heading back to a great rematch.
This is a lot of fun as the competitions are startling in their originality and quite beautiful at times. There are some amazing epiphanies from one character re-christening himself in a river, one of the skinheads getting his due and when Dragon learns to play ping pong completely for pleasure.
I'll also say this; the soundtrack is amazing. I don't know who any of these groups are. They're all Japanese. But we were all jumping up and down to the music the first time we saw it. If you have an all-region DVD player, I would suggest you get the Japanese disc as it comes with a feature where you can watch the whole movie with just the music soundtrack.
Brilliant
charlie_bucket16 July 2003
Warning: Spoilers
(Spoilers - semi-detailed descriptions of characters and central themes ahead)
I just watched this little Japanese gem a few minutes ago, and it was pure joy. The movie was both funny and touching, and the two primary actors did such a terrific job that it hooked me right away. I'm usually not one for 'sports flicks', but this one stands out among a small group in that category that I actually like, where the sport is simply the backdrop to a larger ideal. In this case, there are a few strands that are developed as lessons in life, and very gracefully so - even the 'villains' of this movie are ultimately likeable.
The main characters are in terrific contrast to one another - almost exact opposites - and yet their friendship is as true as any ever created on film.
On the one hand there is Peko, who is brash, cocky and tremendously talented at ping pong. His only desire, seemingly, is to crush his opponents in the most belittling way possible, and to him, being a champion is everything. He's not a bad guy at all, but his competitive drive tends to take over and sometimes overshadow his charisma and inner goodness.
Peko's life-long friend is Tsukimoto, a melancholy guy whose nickname is "Smile" because it's something he never seems to do. He is likely more naturally talented than Peko, but he feigns apathy about the game in almost all that he says, yet never quits playing it. He has no real desire to win, and he denies his abilities, and maintains this ideology to the point that he intentionally plays to lose against Peko (whose ego doesn't allow him to realize what his friend can do, even if everybody else can see it plainly). Tsukimoto derives greater pleasure from watching his friend soar than from trying to match his competitive fire or crush him.
Their childhood bond is so strong that Tsukimoto has suppressed feelings of hero worship for Peko, who was there to defend him and teach him the basics of the game when they were very young. Tsukimoto is a gentle and kindly sportsman and person, but difficult to talk to and very complex. He wins when he wants to - rather, he hates the idea of ego-crushing that is so strong in any competitive event, and will intentionally lose a game if he sees that he's making a detrimental impact on the psyche of an opponent; he sees the way other people around him take Ping Pong so seriously, and he shakes his head about it. Tsukimoto ultimately takes the middle ground though, and perhaps 'rediscovers' the pleasures of the game, but we are still left wondering what's really going on in his mind.
The film pulls no punches when it comes to declaring that natural talent goes farther than a strong work ethic, but talent cannot always do so alone. It strongly emphasizes the idea that talent without discipline is a tremendous waste, and will often lose the battle against a driven and tireless opponent who has talent in smaller degrees. This ideal is shown in the 'Rocky/Karate Kid' mould, with the typical "training to the beat of the soundtrack" thing that we've come to know from dozens of sports films.
But! The payoff is another thing - the training doesn't describe anything about what is ultimately accomplished, and this is entirely atypical of the Hollywood Sport experience: when we see Peko finally commit to excellence during the semi-final match - where he learns to be the hero, to "fly". It's a remarkable thing, the way the director handled this. Very poetic, very crafty, and it completely serves to make one put away any misgivings about his ego and cheer him on.
The lesser characters here represent a bunch of more-or-less typical types that we might encounter in any sport, but they are far from being stock. There are a few primary antagonists, both players and coaches, but in the end their characters are not shown to be the usual, two-dimensional "bad guys" that we see in American film - we come to understand these people and we see what makes them tick - their foibles, their inner ideas, and their struggles are shown pretty vividly. The movie is squarely set up, however, to showcase the two aforementioned characters, and to show how they rise up and tackle their own problems. The true antagonists here are the dubious inner ideas that people can embrace in life, particularly after some dose of failure.
One of the great things about this whole set-up is that it puts on center stage two protagonists, and pits them against one other in the end in a final game of Ping Pong. Who should the audience want to win? As the team's coach rightly says, "Root for both of them. Cheer every point", and we do.
I just watched this little Japanese gem a few minutes ago, and it was pure joy. The movie was both funny and touching, and the two primary actors did such a terrific job that it hooked me right away. I'm usually not one for 'sports flicks', but this one stands out among a small group in that category that I actually like, where the sport is simply the backdrop to a larger ideal. In this case, there are a few strands that are developed as lessons in life, and very gracefully so - even the 'villains' of this movie are ultimately likeable.
The main characters are in terrific contrast to one another - almost exact opposites - and yet their friendship is as true as any ever created on film.
On the one hand there is Peko, who is brash, cocky and tremendously talented at ping pong. His only desire, seemingly, is to crush his opponents in the most belittling way possible, and to him, being a champion is everything. He's not a bad guy at all, but his competitive drive tends to take over and sometimes overshadow his charisma and inner goodness.
Peko's life-long friend is Tsukimoto, a melancholy guy whose nickname is "Smile" because it's something he never seems to do. He is likely more naturally talented than Peko, but he feigns apathy about the game in almost all that he says, yet never quits playing it. He has no real desire to win, and he denies his abilities, and maintains this ideology to the point that he intentionally plays to lose against Peko (whose ego doesn't allow him to realize what his friend can do, even if everybody else can see it plainly). Tsukimoto derives greater pleasure from watching his friend soar than from trying to match his competitive fire or crush him.
Their childhood bond is so strong that Tsukimoto has suppressed feelings of hero worship for Peko, who was there to defend him and teach him the basics of the game when they were very young. Tsukimoto is a gentle and kindly sportsman and person, but difficult to talk to and very complex. He wins when he wants to - rather, he hates the idea of ego-crushing that is so strong in any competitive event, and will intentionally lose a game if he sees that he's making a detrimental impact on the psyche of an opponent; he sees the way other people around him take Ping Pong so seriously, and he shakes his head about it. Tsukimoto ultimately takes the middle ground though, and perhaps 'rediscovers' the pleasures of the game, but we are still left wondering what's really going on in his mind.
The film pulls no punches when it comes to declaring that natural talent goes farther than a strong work ethic, but talent cannot always do so alone. It strongly emphasizes the idea that talent without discipline is a tremendous waste, and will often lose the battle against a driven and tireless opponent who has talent in smaller degrees. This ideal is shown in the 'Rocky/Karate Kid' mould, with the typical "training to the beat of the soundtrack" thing that we've come to know from dozens of sports films.
But! The payoff is another thing - the training doesn't describe anything about what is ultimately accomplished, and this is entirely atypical of the Hollywood Sport experience: when we see Peko finally commit to excellence during the semi-final match - where he learns to be the hero, to "fly". It's a remarkable thing, the way the director handled this. Very poetic, very crafty, and it completely serves to make one put away any misgivings about his ego and cheer him on.
The lesser characters here represent a bunch of more-or-less typical types that we might encounter in any sport, but they are far from being stock. There are a few primary antagonists, both players and coaches, but in the end their characters are not shown to be the usual, two-dimensional "bad guys" that we see in American film - we come to understand these people and we see what makes them tick - their foibles, their inner ideas, and their struggles are shown pretty vividly. The movie is squarely set up, however, to showcase the two aforementioned characters, and to show how they rise up and tackle their own problems. The true antagonists here are the dubious inner ideas that people can embrace in life, particularly after some dose of failure.
One of the great things about this whole set-up is that it puts on center stage two protagonists, and pits them against one other in the end in a final game of Ping Pong. Who should the audience want to win? As the team's coach rightly says, "Root for both of them. Cheer every point", and we do.
Surprisingly good and charming
yojimbo99929 March 2003
a terrific movie. i was surprised by how good and mature the screenplay was. the movie takes place in the world of high school ping pong, but really it's more of a human story about friendship and hero worshipping, and not living life like it's a curse. a good movie, highly recommended, even if you don't know a lick about ping pong (which pretty much sums up my experience).
The best Japanese movie I've seen.
ville_koistinen21 March 2005
I watched this movie the first time last summer and I really liked it. Now after seeing it the second time I absolutely adore it. The ending almost got me into tears and that's really something.
Ping Pong is about friendship and well, table tennis. I really don't think you can call this a normal sport film because that's kind of a lame term. And this isn't a lame film.
The directing is good and acting too and the whole mood of this flick is stunning, especially in the end. I got the shivers.
Too bad that this is, at least for most people, really hard to find. I'm glad my friend went to Japan and by mistake got this film and then gave this to me. A weird coincidence.
Ping Pong is about friendship and well, table tennis. I really don't think you can call this a normal sport film because that's kind of a lame term. And this isn't a lame film.
The directing is good and acting too and the whole mood of this flick is stunning, especially in the end. I got the shivers.
Too bad that this is, at least for most people, really hard to find. I'm glad my friend went to Japan and by mistake got this film and then gave this to me. A weird coincidence.
a transcendent film!
nomoretitanic23 October 2003
"[...]transcendent moments are in short supply these days."
--Martin Scorsese, on Wes Anderson
At first I was very skeptical about this movie, because the ads made it sound like a shaolin soccer ripoff, you know, a movie that takes a normal sport to a comically extreme level or something. Then I realized the movie was nothing like that--it didn't really have any of that over the top cg or any of that ingenious mo lit tao (an asian "nonsensical/ absurdist" type comedy, kinda neo-Groucho Marxian I guess) comedy of Stephen Chow. It was simply a very down to earth sports movie. what makes it so good? first and foremost, the characters. The movie depicts the relationship between two high school guys on the ping pong team--Peco and smile. Peco is the crazy genius ping pong player seen beating some college champ for money in the first scene, while Smile ("they call him that because he never does") his nerdy awkward buddy who envies Peco's talent. Peco's dream is to be the best ping pong player "on the planet" while Smile just wants to play for fun. But then we realize that maybe Peco isn't so good after all, and maybe Smile is the real genius who concedes on purpose because he just wants to play for fun, not for victory.
Then there is the hot shot player from Shanghai (hong kong's Sam Lee of Gen-X Cops); the militant, all-bald rival ping pong team dressed in all black; the crazy granny with her own "ping pong dojo" and a frustrated coach named "Butterfly Joe"--all of them sounding like real familiar sports movie archetypes, but there is a twist at the end of every scene, when we realize that they are a lot more human than anything we've seen in a long time. For instance, the Shanghai hotshot is under constant stress because he knows he's just a failed junior national player in China, playing against Japanese high school kids to feed his own complex ("I coulda gone to Germany, I coulda gone to Sweden..." he keeps on telling himself). And ironically, these are orginally comicbook characters.
The actors are really good--probably too old for high school roles, but they display a real innocence, and that makes you forget that the main guy's got smoker's teeth of a 25-year old. The little kids that play the younger version of the high school characters are especially nice. My favorite parts of the movie are the flashback sequences interspersed throughout the movie when Smile keeps on remembering a young Peco with the mask of a popular manga robot hero from the 60's, proclaiming "enter the hero!" in front of a temple. Those kids are so natural, and so confident, but not jaded like those TV kids. Either that or they are so jaded they are fooling me.
The music is good too, just like the rest of the movie, it has a real innocence about it. it's just catchy electronic pop, but never crosses the line to being stupid or bad or cheesy pop, at least not in the context of the film. The energy is high, and it attacks in short assaults--it comes in, drops out before you realize it, then attacks again. Half of the movie is carried through ambient noises, but the sound design does an excellent job of creating that sense of rhythm in a ping pong hall, between the cheers and the conversations, just a symphony of crispy ping pong sounds, layered with heavy breathing and the echoy sneakers. It is intense.
The style in which the movie's shot is real flashy, a lot of handheld work, mixed with a lot of crane. in fact, I don't think the movie used a dolly or steadicam at all--when the camera is not flying up and around the characters, it's following them step by step via handheld. and between all the cool extreme closeups and quick cuts, it also reminds you that this is a Japanese film by pulling all the way back and leave the characters on screen doing about their thing, free of extradiagetic sounds or any medium shots, Ozu-style. it's flashy but never obtrusive. I don't think there was any quick cut simply for the sake of showing off, but to simply elevate the tension of a ping pong game. there were some lengthy takes on the crane of two players going at it, uncut, with the assistance of some nice CG to show off the long takes, but those didn't last too long, and I think that's the only instance of showing off I can remember. and showing off isn't even a real crime, just a minor petty nit petty petty pick.
This movie reminds me in a lot of ways of Inoue's Slam Dunk, where gifted (and soulful) high school jocks center their lives around the sports, and the comedy and the drama just comes from how easily they have it and the tension between them and other people who try and try but just don't got it (but the story doesn't side with either of the party in these two instances). However, while Slam Dunk packs the plot and character development so tightly within the basketball games, where every point seems life and death--Ping Pong really isn't concerned about the games, and the message of the movie seems to be reminding us that hey, it's just a game, a beautiful, transcendent game.
--Martin Scorsese, on Wes Anderson
At first I was very skeptical about this movie, because the ads made it sound like a shaolin soccer ripoff, you know, a movie that takes a normal sport to a comically extreme level or something. Then I realized the movie was nothing like that--it didn't really have any of that over the top cg or any of that ingenious mo lit tao (an asian "nonsensical/ absurdist" type comedy, kinda neo-Groucho Marxian I guess) comedy of Stephen Chow. It was simply a very down to earth sports movie. what makes it so good? first and foremost, the characters. The movie depicts the relationship between two high school guys on the ping pong team--Peco and smile. Peco is the crazy genius ping pong player seen beating some college champ for money in the first scene, while Smile ("they call him that because he never does") his nerdy awkward buddy who envies Peco's talent. Peco's dream is to be the best ping pong player "on the planet" while Smile just wants to play for fun. But then we realize that maybe Peco isn't so good after all, and maybe Smile is the real genius who concedes on purpose because he just wants to play for fun, not for victory.
Then there is the hot shot player from Shanghai (hong kong's Sam Lee of Gen-X Cops); the militant, all-bald rival ping pong team dressed in all black; the crazy granny with her own "ping pong dojo" and a frustrated coach named "Butterfly Joe"--all of them sounding like real familiar sports movie archetypes, but there is a twist at the end of every scene, when we realize that they are a lot more human than anything we've seen in a long time. For instance, the Shanghai hotshot is under constant stress because he knows he's just a failed junior national player in China, playing against Japanese high school kids to feed his own complex ("I coulda gone to Germany, I coulda gone to Sweden..." he keeps on telling himself). And ironically, these are orginally comicbook characters.
The actors are really good--probably too old for high school roles, but they display a real innocence, and that makes you forget that the main guy's got smoker's teeth of a 25-year old. The little kids that play the younger version of the high school characters are especially nice. My favorite parts of the movie are the flashback sequences interspersed throughout the movie when Smile keeps on remembering a young Peco with the mask of a popular manga robot hero from the 60's, proclaiming "enter the hero!" in front of a temple. Those kids are so natural, and so confident, but not jaded like those TV kids. Either that or they are so jaded they are fooling me.
The music is good too, just like the rest of the movie, it has a real innocence about it. it's just catchy electronic pop, but never crosses the line to being stupid or bad or cheesy pop, at least not in the context of the film. The energy is high, and it attacks in short assaults--it comes in, drops out before you realize it, then attacks again. Half of the movie is carried through ambient noises, but the sound design does an excellent job of creating that sense of rhythm in a ping pong hall, between the cheers and the conversations, just a symphony of crispy ping pong sounds, layered with heavy breathing and the echoy sneakers. It is intense.
The style in which the movie's shot is real flashy, a lot of handheld work, mixed with a lot of crane. in fact, I don't think the movie used a dolly or steadicam at all--when the camera is not flying up and around the characters, it's following them step by step via handheld. and between all the cool extreme closeups and quick cuts, it also reminds you that this is a Japanese film by pulling all the way back and leave the characters on screen doing about their thing, free of extradiagetic sounds or any medium shots, Ozu-style. it's flashy but never obtrusive. I don't think there was any quick cut simply for the sake of showing off, but to simply elevate the tension of a ping pong game. there were some lengthy takes on the crane of two players going at it, uncut, with the assistance of some nice CG to show off the long takes, but those didn't last too long, and I think that's the only instance of showing off I can remember. and showing off isn't even a real crime, just a minor petty nit petty petty pick.
This movie reminds me in a lot of ways of Inoue's Slam Dunk, where gifted (and soulful) high school jocks center their lives around the sports, and the comedy and the drama just comes from how easily they have it and the tension between them and other people who try and try but just don't got it (but the story doesn't side with either of the party in these two instances). However, while Slam Dunk packs the plot and character development so tightly within the basketball games, where every point seems life and death--Ping Pong really isn't concerned about the games, and the message of the movie seems to be reminding us that hey, it's just a game, a beautiful, transcendent game.
This film is a thorough pleasure. Well done!!
CarmaChan16 March 2008
A fellow screenwriter recommended this as one of his favorite films, and I rented it through Netflix. It is an absolute charmer! The buildup in the first half is a little slow, but entertaining, and by the end of the film, I had fallen in love with all of these characters.
There are moments of pure and fresh delight! This story has a heart and soul - it has many! The only criticism I have is that there are not enough female characters in it. Peco's granny is terrific, but Demon's girlfriend is an annoying stereotype.
Peco and Smile - an unforgettable pair. Great friendship movie, and excellent footage of table tennis at its best.
I especially love the character of Smile. Great writing!
There are moments of pure and fresh delight! This story has a heart and soul - it has many! The only criticism I have is that there are not enough female characters in it. Peco's granny is terrific, but Demon's girlfriend is an annoying stereotype.
Peco and Smile - an unforgettable pair. Great friendship movie, and excellent footage of table tennis at its best.
I especially love the character of Smile. Great writing!
TAIYO MATSUMOTO
freshflapjax13 November 2004
This is a movie based on the comic book by the great Taiyo Matsumoto, but he is only listed on IMDb with credit for the movie "BLUE SPRING" (Aoi Haru) which was also based on one of his comics. Other works by T. Matsumoto include:
"No. 5"
(great artwork).
"Black and White"
(My FAVORITE of his works...also great artwork AND story, but his artwork wasn't yet as developed as it is in No. 5).
Check out his comics if you enjoyed either of the films based on his work! You might even enjoy them more than the movies!
"No. 5"
(great artwork).
"Black and White"
(My FAVORITE of his works...also great artwork AND story, but his artwork wasn't yet as developed as it is in No. 5).
Check out his comics if you enjoyed either of the films based on his work! You might even enjoy them more than the movies!
HIRO KENZAN! The Most Uplifting Movie Ever Made. Period.
jimpyke9 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Of course this is just my opinion, and you are free to disagree with it as you please :) The phrase "Hiro kenzan" (ヒーロー 見参) which translates to "enter: the hero" - as in a stage direction in a script - pretty much sums up this movie. This phrase is repeated throughout the film, and becomes a sort of mantra. I'm marking this as containing a spoiler, because some people might rather come to their own understanding of the use of this phrase in the film before reading my explanation of it.
What I love so very very much about this film is that it takes something (the game of ping pong) which is to me relatively insignificant (in the same way that many of the things that play an important role in my life would seem insignificant to you who are reading this now), and uses it to create an extended meditation on life choices and their after-effects; relationships of mentoring, friendship, and competition (in the best sense of that perhaps loaded word); and the very idea of what it means to be a hero - both to oneself and to others.
There is a hero that dwells in each of us. That hero is released by our taking charge of our own choices and our own lives. That hero is released by being true to ourselves, and when that hero "enters," the lives of others around us cannot help but be deeply touched and improved by such "self actualization." I hope that people who see this movie can come to feel the presence of that hero within themselves (and the others around them) in whatever small or large way.
What I love so very very much about this film is that it takes something (the game of ping pong) which is to me relatively insignificant (in the same way that many of the things that play an important role in my life would seem insignificant to you who are reading this now), and uses it to create an extended meditation on life choices and their after-effects; relationships of mentoring, friendship, and competition (in the best sense of that perhaps loaded word); and the very idea of what it means to be a hero - both to oneself and to others.
There is a hero that dwells in each of us. That hero is released by our taking charge of our own choices and our own lives. That hero is released by being true to ourselves, and when that hero "enters," the lives of others around us cannot help but be deeply touched and improved by such "self actualization." I hope that people who see this movie can come to feel the presence of that hero within themselves (and the others around them) in whatever small or large way.
Cute Comedy
mrinman2 March 2003
I saw this on a JAL flight and then bought the DVD last week as it has just been released in Japan. The DVD has a whole disc of extras which are very funny giving mini stories into some of the lesser seen characters in the film and the usual documentaries. However the extras are in Japanese, though the movie has English subtitles.
As for the film. It immediately hit with me because though the film focuses on the world of high school ping pong, it is really a story about two boys who play the game. More important is their view on the competitiveness of the game and the many characters surrounding their sport. It is beautifully filmed with some amazing scenes, clever but subtle effects and an abundance of humor. Highly recommended and even though expensive on DVD gives good value for money
As for the film. It immediately hit with me because though the film focuses on the world of high school ping pong, it is really a story about two boys who play the game. More important is their view on the competitiveness of the game and the many characters surrounding their sport. It is beautifully filmed with some amazing scenes, clever but subtle effects and an abundance of humor. Highly recommended and even though expensive on DVD gives good value for money
Enjoyed this very much!
c_huelsbeck8 October 2002
I just saw this movie at the Mill Valley Film Festival. It was very entertaining and had a message at the same time.
The movie is about the game of Ping Pong of course, but also about friendship, competition and all sorts of things that make life interesting. It also causes you to think about what is important in life and friendships.
The ping pong playing scenes are filmed in a very competent and dedicated way with lot's of attention to detail, which was a nice surprise.
Though this movie was shown in original Japanese language with English subtitles, it was easy to follow. In fact I think it would loose some of it's appeal if it would be dubbed. I just hope that they will release a DVD some day, because I would add it to my collection.
I rate it 9/10 because it's unique and cool!
The movie is about the game of Ping Pong of course, but also about friendship, competition and all sorts of things that make life interesting. It also causes you to think about what is important in life and friendships.
The ping pong playing scenes are filmed in a very competent and dedicated way with lot's of attention to detail, which was a nice surprise.
Though this movie was shown in original Japanese language with English subtitles, it was easy to follow. In fact I think it would loose some of it's appeal if it would be dubbed. I just hope that they will release a DVD some day, because I would add it to my collection.
I rate it 9/10 because it's unique and cool!
An inconsistent film but still pretty cool and enjoyable
bob the moo7 November 2006
"Peco" Hoshino is an arrogant young man who's talent for table tennis is matched only by the intensity with which he competes and lives the sport. He shares his passion with friend "Smile" Tsukimoto who, despite being a slightly morbid sort, also demonstrates a real knack for the sport but, to the frustration of his coaches and peers, isn't that fussed about taking it beyond being just a game. As their coach tries to develop Smile's skills as a player, Peco suffers his first major "skunking" at the hands of a Chinese player Kong. Meanwhile the inter-high school championship looms, offering both Peco and Smile a real challenge.
Shown recently as part of a night on BBC4 dedicated to the sport of table tennis (who says the BBC don't use the freedom given them by not being reliant on advertising?) I was drawn to this simply because it offered a different sport for a sports movie. The plot does follow a fairly traditional path although it does have plenty of nice touches and directions that make it more than just a genre movie with all the clichés put into ping pong. It isn't as good as I had hoped though because it isn't that consistent across the characters and its depth. This isn't a major failing but it did make it feel a bit bumpy to have weak characters at times while other times some of the dialogue and characterisation was smart and insightful.
Visually the film benefits from the use of digital video and feels a lot "realer" than a different film type might have. Sori has some clever shots but even when just watching the games happen it still looks good. The cast are very talented on the table even if some of them are limited in the acting stakes. I liked Kubozuka and his character is the most interesting and he delivers it well. Arata is not as good but his performance is covered by his quiet silent and steady character. Lee, Nakamura and a few others produce solid characters on the table and are also given at least good dialogue scene each to work with none of them are great actors but they all handle it well. Takenaka and Natsuki were both nice additions in the cast.
Overall then this is not a great film but it is quite cool, enjoyable and funny. It doesn't really manage to do any one thing consistently and could have been funnier, sharper, more dramatic or more stylised (or all of them) but it does do all of these things here and there to good effect. Stays away from the easy genre clichés and is different enough to be worth a look though.
Shown recently as part of a night on BBC4 dedicated to the sport of table tennis (who says the BBC don't use the freedom given them by not being reliant on advertising?) I was drawn to this simply because it offered a different sport for a sports movie. The plot does follow a fairly traditional path although it does have plenty of nice touches and directions that make it more than just a genre movie with all the clichés put into ping pong. It isn't as good as I had hoped though because it isn't that consistent across the characters and its depth. This isn't a major failing but it did make it feel a bit bumpy to have weak characters at times while other times some of the dialogue and characterisation was smart and insightful.
Visually the film benefits from the use of digital video and feels a lot "realer" than a different film type might have. Sori has some clever shots but even when just watching the games happen it still looks good. The cast are very talented on the table even if some of them are limited in the acting stakes. I liked Kubozuka and his character is the most interesting and he delivers it well. Arata is not as good but his performance is covered by his quiet silent and steady character. Lee, Nakamura and a few others produce solid characters on the table and are also given at least good dialogue scene each to work with none of them are great actors but they all handle it well. Takenaka and Natsuki were both nice additions in the cast.
Overall then this is not a great film but it is quite cool, enjoyable and funny. It doesn't really manage to do any one thing consistently and could have been funnier, sharper, more dramatic or more stylised (or all of them) but it does do all of these things here and there to good effect. Stays away from the easy genre clichés and is different enough to be worth a look though.
Transcends the "feel-good" sports movie...
Ataraxia-19 June 2003
Sure, there are all the elements that you may find in Rocky or in the Karate Kid...but there's more than that. There are also some of the elements that you may have found in Billy Elliot...and yet, it goes further still.
This movie transcends the "feel-good" sports genre, and becomes a study in humanity, in love, in friendship, and most importantly, what we choose to do with our lives.
I'm a tough customer when it comes to films, and I loved this one. It is the only 5-star film I've seen thus far at the Seattle Film Festival.
This movie transcends the "feel-good" sports genre, and becomes a study in humanity, in love, in friendship, and most importantly, what we choose to do with our lives.
I'm a tough customer when it comes to films, and I loved this one. It is the only 5-star film I've seen thus far at the Seattle Film Festival.
A Joy To Watch ...Uplifting
MickeyTheConstant6 January 2019
This has to be one of my favourite films and whenever I see it, it genuinely makes me feel happy. It is a story of friendship and also striving to be the best you can. Two friends that are opposites. Smile, who seems so depressed. He is a natural at table tennis and probably the best there is, but has no real joy in winning and making others unhappy when they lose, especially his best friend Peco. Peco is brash, arrogant and has no problem upsetting those he beats. He has the potential to be the best but does not have the right attitude. Smile hopes one day his best friend will find what he is missing and achieve his potential by being the best, even if Smile ends up losing along the way. Their rival school team is led by the reigning champion Dragon. He wants to be the best but by beating the best. He wins but takes no real joy beating those lesser than him. He too wants Peco and Smile to truly challenge him.
There are other subplots, another friend Demon realising Ping Pong isn't everything and again friendship means more. There are also the two trainers who have their own motivations for wanting their boys to succeed. The action is red hot, there is humour, there is emotion. A great sound track also. I love this movie and so highly recommend it. I read a review once that named it "Rocky" with table tennis and I kind of get it. Watch it and enjoy.
Best movie ever hands down
Albertownsjoo9 September 2007
Ping pong truly is one of those rare movies that come along once a decade. I confess i was forced into buying this movie and watching it, ended up watching it over and over again.
Once i found out it was based on a separate manga, i immediately gave up on the story, to the contrary, within the limit of the two hours, the movie splendidly and beautifully told all there is to tell, after the two hours, movie viewers will be on equal footing with manga readers. Whereas most will say the story was the strongest part of the movie, don't leave out the humour and the casting.
Characters portrayed so well, bittersweet moments did leave me in tears for one or two moments.
The only downside would be that if you came to this movie in hopes of a tasteless comical movie with no story you will be disappointed. The morals, philosophies of the movie and its characters leave one thinking. Not many times has a movie left me with so much self-reflection and noggin-scratching. Easy to see where its won Eight Japanese Academy Awards in 2003.
Once i found out it was based on a separate manga, i immediately gave up on the story, to the contrary, within the limit of the two hours, the movie splendidly and beautifully told all there is to tell, after the two hours, movie viewers will be on equal footing with manga readers. Whereas most will say the story was the strongest part of the movie, don't leave out the humour and the casting.
Characters portrayed so well, bittersweet moments did leave me in tears for one or two moments.
The only downside would be that if you came to this movie in hopes of a tasteless comical movie with no story you will be disappointed. The morals, philosophies of the movie and its characters leave one thinking. Not many times has a movie left me with so much self-reflection and noggin-scratching. Easy to see where its won Eight Japanese Academy Awards in 2003.
One of my favorite Japanese movie
KineticSeoul17 March 2011
Who knew ping pong players took that sport seriously, and this is what the movie is about ping pong players that take the game too seriously. The main point is though is that the movie is very entertaining and engaging, I even caught myself taking the game a bit seriously while watching this. The direction is comic book like but it's a good thing for this movie, plus it's a manga adaptation. Every one of the cast did a good job, Yôsuke Kubozuka being one of them. Mainly because he sort of reminds me of a Japanese version of Joseph Gordon-Levitt sort of. I seen this movie a few years ago and just had to see it again, since it was probably the most entertaining Japanese movie when I first saw it a few years ago. I liked how every character had their own background and agenda, so most of the characters aren't put to waste. The story revolves around the competition of ping pong of course, but is overcoming struggles and having heroes and friendship like some reviewers are claiming. For a movie based on a manga this is a very well crafted film that will make you want to watch it again someday after it's finished.
8.4/10
8.4/10
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