Ping Pong (film)
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| Ping Pong | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Fumihiko Sori |
| Written by | Kankuro Kudo |
| Starring | Yosuke Kubozuka, Arata, Sam Lee, Shido Nakamura, Koji Ookura, Naoto Takenaka, Mari Natsuki |
| Release date(s) | 2002 |
| Running time | 114 min |
| Language | Japanese |
| IMDb profile | |
Ping Pong (ピンポン; Pin pon) is a 2002 sports film directed by the Japanese filmmaker Fumihiko Sori. It is based on Taiyō Matsumoto's manga of the same name, and is about the friendship between two high school table tennis players.
The film concentrates on these two friends, their two mentors, and three players who they encounter at high school table tennis tournaments. It explores the different motivations and philosophies that they have towards table tennis, and tries to portray the excitement and subtlety of the sport.
Ping Pong was nominated for eight Japanese Academy Awards in 2003; Shido Nakamura won the 'Newcomer of the Year' prize for his performance as Dragon.
The cast includes Yosuke Kubozuka (Peco), Arata (Smile), Sam Lee (China), Shido Nakamura (Dragon), Koji Ookura (Akuma), Naoto Takenaka (Butterfly Joe, the high school coach) and Mari Natsuki (Obaba, Peco's mentor).
[edit] Plot
Peco and Smile are members of the high school table tennis club. Peco is charismatic and has a passion for the sport, while Smile is introverted. They have known each other, and Akuma, since primary school. Despite Smile's greater natural talent, he sees the sport as simply a way to pass the time, and often lets less able players such as Peco beat him out of consideration for their feelings.
Peco hears about a new table tennis player brought over from China to win for his new high school: "China". In an informal set, China completely shuts out Peco, winning 21 to 0. Peco is devastated by the loss. This is compounded at the next inter-school competition, where Akuma also beats Peco. Smile, meanwhile, lets China beat him out of fear of upsetting Peco, whom China had so easily defeated earlier. Akuma's team—led by Dragon, a top competitor and strict disciplinarian—wins the overall competition.
Out of despair, Peco quits the game, while Smile is pushed relentlessly by his coach, who was a brilliant player in his youth but betrayed his talent. Meanwhile, Akuma, who is passionate about the sport, quits when he loses to Smile and recognises that despite his hard work he lacks talent.
Akuma confronts Peco, telling Peco that Peco does have a lot of talent, and he lost because he was coasting. Peco jumps off a bridge into a river as a symbolic rebirth, and begins training harder than ever.
In the next high school tournament, Peco beats China in the first round, and Dragon in the semi-final despite an injured knee. During this match, Dragon experiences the joy of playing table tennis for the first time.
Peco and Smile meet in the final, the scene fading out as they begin their first set. The film then jumps forward several years: Peco has fulfilled his dream of playing professionally in Europe, while Smile is shown helping a young boy learn the sport. A photo behind Smile shows Peco, Smile and Dragon having taken first, second and third places respectively.
