Animation20141 seasonTV-14★ 8.2
Makoto 'Smile' Tsukimoto and his friend Yutaka 'Peco' Hoshino have been playing table tennis together since they were kids, but as they enter high school, they find that the game, and how they see it, has changed. Peco, brimming with confidence and energy, wants to be the best in the world, but the reserved Smile has little fighting spirit and doesn't want to sacrifice others' happiness just to win, despite his innate talent. As the two grow, and experience the ups and downs of the sport – and life – they try to figure out exactly who they really are and what drives them to play.
Where to watch
Provider data via JustWatch.
Episodes
1The Wind Makes It Too Hard to Hear
Apr 11, 201423 min
Two old friends go to spy on a new table tennis champ at a rival high school, but meanwhile their own team is falling apart.
2Smile Is a Robot
Apr 18, 201423 min
Coach Koizumi has started working Smile hard, and he definitely doesn't appreciate the extra attention.
3Staking Your Life on Table Tennis Is Revolting
Apr 25, 201423 min
All the teams gather at the prefectural qualifiers, and China gets to play Smile at last.
4The Only Way to Be Sure You Won't Lose Is to Not Fight
May 2, 201423 min
Peco learns a hard lesson from someone he never took seriously enough, and then we finally see how Dragon earned his name.
5Where Did I Go Wrong?
May 9, 201423 min
Dragon's obsession with Smile prompts Akuma to do something rash.
6You Love This Sport More Than Anyone!!
May 16, 201423 min
Five athletes have five very different Christmas Eves, and Peco gets a wake-up call.
7Yes, My Coach
May 23, 201423 min
Players, coaches, captains, and their families.
8The Hero Appears
May 30, 201423 min
Smile, Peco, Dragon, and China begin another prefectural qualifier. Will the results be different this year?
9Gonna Cry a Bit
Jun 6, 201423 min
In the third round, Dragon has an unexpected visitor, Sanada questions himself, and Peco scares lots of people in lots of ways.
10I Thought You Were the Hero!!
Jun 13, 201423 min
Peco and Dragon tackle the question of whether only birds can fly.
11Blood Tastes Like Iron
Jun 20, 201423 min
The final match is on.
Cast
Koki Uchiyama
Makoto 'Smile' Tsukimoto (voice)
Fukujuro Katayama
Yutaka 'Peco' Hoshino (voice)
Yousei Bun
Wenge 'China' Kong (voice)
Shunsuke Sakuya
Ryuuichi 'Dragon' Kazama (voice)
Subaru Kimura
Manabu 'Demon' Sakuma (voice)
Yusaku Yara
Jou Koizumi (voice)
Masako Nozawa
Obaba Tamura (voice)
