The middle is pretty weak but the beginning and especially the end are damn good. I was actually really surprised and very happy with what happened with the ending. As a whole the story is nothing that special and could have done with a half hour skimmed off the rudimentary middle section. Also, something is off about the look and the editing of the movie.

You're all fucking insane.

"Kudo neatly codes allusions to yin-yangs into his frames, stressing time and again that the game of ping pong is not about winning so much as it is a matter of social. camaraderie and blissful self-reflection." - Ed Gonzalez

My favorite movie of all time. Everything about this movie is perfect.

This movie has great music and transitions very well. I characters and situations feel very real, I like that.

Blends the teen drama genre with the sports movie genre, but somehow manages not to come off like Karate Kid with table tennis. The opposition isn't blatantly evil, and there's more than one hero to root for. In fact, in the end the outcome of the big game doesn't even matter that much. However, it's dripping with clichés. The training montage, the wise mentor with a mysterious past, the part where the hero quits but finds his inspiration again, etc. Fun to watch, but not especially new.

Who would have thought the 'sport' of ping pong would have made such a great movie...that's action packed?? Peco is played brilliantly by Yôsuke Kubozuka, the star of this film.