Ping Pong the Animation

Confident Peco and reserved Smile, friends since childhood and members of the Katase High table tennis club, stake out an overseas student from China.

A crushing defeat against exchange student China devastates Peco. Coach Koizumi tells Smile to overcome his lack of drive by the inter-high games.

As the preliminaries begin, renowned Kaio player Dragon expresses his dislike for Smile’s style of playing. Smile plays China in the third round.

Koizumi fumes over the way Smile played against China, until table tennis dojo owner Obaba Tamura arrives on the scene. Peco battles Demon from Kaio.

Dragon returns from the Youth Olympics as singles champion. His comment to the media that Kaio needs a player of Smile’s caliber causes a stir.

Peco spends his days at the dojo after giving up on ping pong. Smile trains rigorously with Koizumi but his commitment creates tension with the team.

Dragon comes to recruit Smile. Obaba helps Peco slip into the national team training center to hone his skills after he decides to make a comeback.

As the preliminaries draw near, Koizumi signs Peco up to play upon hearing news of his comeback. Peco faces a match with China in the second round.

Peco’s victory over China immediately puts him in the spotlight. As rumors spread of crisis at Kaio, a lone Dragon recalls memories of his father.

As the match between Peco and Dragon begins, Koizumi approaches Smile whose eyes are averted from the game. Smile asks if Koizumi believes in heroes.