Ping Pong by Taiyou Matsumoto Ive started my journey with Matsumotos work back in February where i discovered his manga No. 5 that left me speechless with so many theories and new ways of thinking so when i saw the numbers that PING PONG THE ANIMATION was gaining i wanted to check myself how good it actually was. And even though i am not the biggest SportsManga fan going into this manga and Anime series I was not disappointed one bit. The art style itself is something Matsumoto is known for since its so unlike the standard for sports mangas and mangas in general. But then again pretty much every aspect of Ping Pong is like that the characterization the overall portrayal of the sport the manga itself even. If youve read anything by Taiyo Matsumoto before then you know to expect nothing less than absolutely superb art that gives off a level of energy like no other. Matsumotos art is very unique his lines are often wobbly the scale of things can sometimes be unclear and his shading is minimal while his inking is high. You wont find many sketchy effects usually associated with manga in Taiyo Matsumotos works either but what he does offer is something totally fresh and just as interesting that being outstanding line art. A huge amount of detail is put into every single panel and during the ping pong matches the energy behind his art perfectly catches the nature and pace of the game. If youre into sports anime like I am dont expect the typical experience that most of these mangas give you. Every match that was played in this manga could be heard even though youre reading a manga book. Where as in most sports manga a single match/game can last for several volumes whereas Ping Pong finishes entire tournaments within single volumes. And the style is different obviously so that shows a lot in the matches as well. Theres a lot of splicing a lot of implied action which is the opposite of what most people think of when they think sports anime/manga. Same with the characters the story is less about their journey with ping pong and more about their personalities and growing into themselves. A lot of sports anime has some element of that because its necessary in any media but character development plays a much larger role in Ping Pong than most other shows of the same genre. The Synergy and charisma between the two main characters in Ping Pong is marvelous. I dont want to leave spoilers but its such a role reversal of most sports anime protagonists so its really refreshing to watch and by the end of it you dont even care who wins. Youre just proud of how much theyve grown. I could go on but I feel like Im already rambling so Ill leave it at that. This manga and show is criminally underrated and I think everyone should read/watch it. Its got something for everybody. Plus its not too long so you can read most of the manga in a day or two. Matsumoto is a genius when it comes to sending a message through art or storytelling and yet again he did not miss with this Manga either. Give this a read or watch the 11episode anime you wont regret it trust me. 10 / 10 Masterpiece