The Ping Pong Club
(Redirected from Ping Pong Club)
| The Ping Pong Club | |
 Cover of the first tankōbon volume, featuring Maeno (center) and the rest of the members of the Ping Pong Club | |
| 行け!稲中卓球部 (Ike! Inachū Takkyū-bu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Minoru Furuya |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Magazine | Weekly Young Magazine |
| Original run | 1993 – 1996 |
| Volumes | 13 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Masami Hata |
| Written by | Sukehiro Tomita |
| Music by | Katz Hoshi |
| Studio | Grouper Productions |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | TBS |
| Original run | April 6, 1995 – September 8, 1995 |
| Episodes | 26 |
The Ping Pong Club (Japanese: 行け!稲中卓球部, Hepburn: Ike! Inachū Takkyū-bu; lit. 'Go! Inachū Middle School Ping-Pong Club') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Minoru Furuya. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1993 to 1996, with its chapters collected in 13 tankōbon volumes. It is about the dysfunctional members of a middle school ping-pong club.
The Ping Pong Club was adapted by Grouper Productions into a 26-episode anime television series. It was licensed in North America by Central Park Media.
The Ping Pong Club manga has had over 25 million copies in circulation. In 1996, the manga won the 20th Kodansha Manga Award for the general category.
Plot
[edit]The series focuses on an unconventional ping-pong club whose members show greater interest in lewd humor than athletic competition. When Kyōko Iwashita becomes the club's manager, she attempts to redirect the team's focus toward actual ping-pong, despite constant distractions and the members' lack of discipline.
Characters
[edit]- Maeno (前野)
- Voiced by: Kōsuke Okano (Japanese); James Carter Cathcart (as Jimmy Zoppi) (English)
- Maeno is the de facto leader of the Ping Pong Club, known for his eccentric demeanor and pride in his physique, particularly his backside. Despite his peculiar and often perverse behavior, he unexpectedly attracts female attention, as well as the admiration of his close friend Izawa.
- Hiromi Izawa (井沢 ひろみ, Izawa Hiromi)
- Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese); Buddy Woodward (English)
- Izawa, a chivalrous but sometimes pervert boxing fan, models his shoulder-length hair after Ashita no Joe protagonist Joe Yabuki. He often plays female roles in games with Maeno, despite their close friendship. Izawa opposes Maeno's romantic pursuits, even impersonating a woman to interfere.
- Takeda (竹田)
- Voiced by: Tsutomu Takayama (Japanese); Crispin Freeman (as Mark Percy) (English)
- Takeda is one of the Ping Pong Club's most attractive members, recognized for his bowl-cut hairstyle with short bangs. Kyōko harbors a strong romantic interest in him, which culminates in an incident where he touches her breasts while Maeno, Izawa, and Tanaka hide naked in a locker.
- Yūsuke Kinoshita (木之下 ゆうすけ, Kinoshita Yūsuke)
- Voiced by: Susumu Kaseta (Japanese); Wayne Grayson (as Hans Brikfeice) (English)
- Kinoshita is one of the Ping Pong Club's most attractive members, sporting shoulder-length hair and widespread popularity among female students. His composed demeanor makes him a frequent object of admiration, though Maeno and Izawa once manipulate his appearance by dressing him as a woman, leading Tanaka to pursue him. In the English adaptation, he speaks with a relaxed, surfer-like accent.
- Tanaka (田中)
- Voiced by: Yasuhiro Takato (Japanese); Gil Goujons (English)
- Tanaka, a diminutive yet notorious figure in the Ping Pong Club, comes from a family historically associated with peculiar obsessions. He frequently becomes an unwitting participant in Maeno and Izawa's antics and habitually addresses female crushes as "Mommy".
- Gorō Mitchell Tanabe (田辺・ミッチェル・五郎, Tanabe Mitcheru Gorō)
- Voiced by: Masato Amada (Japanese); Dan Green (as Jack Bean) (English)
- Tanabe, a biracial Japanese-American, stands out with his blond hair and blue eyes. Kind-hearted and compassionate, he frequently assists others, particularly his close friend Tanaka. Despite his gentle nature, he struggles with severe body odor, which only pool disinfectant has proven effective against.
- Kyōko Iwashita (岩下 京子, Iwashita Kyōko)
- Voiced by: Sakura Uehara (Japanese); Sharon Becker (as Cookie D'Goodie) (English)
- Kyōko serves as the Ping Pong Club's strict manager, appointed by the principal to curb her rebellious tendencies. She endures the team's persistent advances with barely restrained patience. During a crucial tournament, she motivates the underperforming team by offering a provocative reward—a pass entitling the best player to unrestricted access to her body for a month—which drives them to reach the city finals.
- Chiyoko Kamiya (神谷 ちよこ, Kamiya Chiyoko)
- Voiced by: Nanami Kurosaki (Japanese); Kayzie Rogers (as Paula Brown) (English)
- A shy transfer student develops romantic feelings for Kinoshita and joins the Ping Pong Club to attract his attention. Seeking to improve her skills, she naively chooses Izawa as her instructor. Izawa, who fantasizes about dominating an obedient female student, quickly exploits his position of authority over her.
Media
[edit]Manga
[edit]Written and illustrated by Minoru Furuya, The Ping Pong Club was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1993 to 1996.[2] Kodansha collected its chapters in thirteen tankōbon volumes, released from November 6, 1993,[3] to February 6, 1997.[4]
Volumes
[edit]| No. | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 6, 1993[3] | 4-06-323432-0 |
| 2 | March 5, 1994[5] | 4-06-323450-9 |
| 3 | June 6, 1994[6] | 4-06-323471-1 |
| 4 | September 6, 1994[7] | 4-06-323487-8 |
| 5 | January 9, 1995[8] | 4-06-323510-6 |
| 6 | April 6, 1995[9] | 4-06-323528-9 |
| 7 | July 6, 1995[10] | 4-06-323546-7 |
| 8 | December 6, 1995[11] | 4-06-323568-8 |
| 9 | March 6, 1996[12] | 4-06-323586-6 |
| 10 | July 5, 1996[13] | 4-06-336605-7 |
| 11 | October 4, 1996[14] | 4-06-336627-8 |
| 12 | January 8, 1997[15] | 4-06-336644-8 |
| 13 | February 6, 1997[4] | 4-06-336648-0 |
Anime
[edit]A 26-episode (consisting of two segments each) anime television series adaptation, animated by Grouper Productions, was broadcast in Japan on TBS from April 6 to September 28, 1995.[16]
In North America, the series was licensed by Central Park Media and released under their Software Sculptors label. The series had first a sub only release on VHS starting in 1999.[17] It was later released with an English dub on five DVDs, starting from the fourth volume, released on October 9, 2001;[18] the fifth volume was released on December 11, 2001,[19] and the first to third DVDs were released from August 13 to December 3, 2002.[20][21][22] A DVD box collection was released on December 3, 2002.[23]
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Original release date [16] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "School Boys / Evil Plot" Transliteration: "Kōsha no Rokuri / Jiage Kyōshi no Inbō" (Japanese: 校舎の六人 / 地上げ教師の陰謀) | April 6, 1995 |
| 2 | "Half-Baked / The Worms" Transliteration: "Fukanzen Nenshō Otoko / Mushikera no Gyakushū" (Japanese: 不完全燃焼男 / 虫けらの逆襲) | April 12, 1995 |
| 3 | "Maeno Germ / Seductive Snob" Transliteration: "Dango Mushi no Yō ni / Tsuntsun Musume" (Japanese: ダンゴ虫のように / ツンツン娘) | April 29, 1995 |
| 4 | "The Purchase / Hot Summer" Transliteration: "Kaimono Bugi / Natsuiatsu" (Japanese: 買い物ブギ / 夏い暑) | April 27, 1995 |
| 5 | "Training Camp / Curse of Takeda" Transliteration: "Osaru na Gasshuku / Norowa Reta Kamo Shirenai Takeda" (Japanese: おサルな合宿 / 呪われたかもしれない竹田) | May 4, 1995 |
| 6 | "Sixty Years / Burning Spirit" Transliteration: "Takkyū-reki Roku Jū-nen no Waza / Sorezore no Yaru Ki" (Japanese: 卓球歴六十年の技 / それぞれのヤル気) | May 11, 1995 |
| 7 | "Inachu Vs. / Sex Ticket" Transliteration: "Inachu Bāsasu Kishinaka / Furī Sekkusu-ken no Yukue" (Japanese: 稲中VS岸中 / フリーセックス券の行方) | May 18, 1995 |
| 8 | "Love & Comedy / Love & Comedy Part II" Transliteration: "Rabu Kome Shine Shinedan Tōjō (Mae-hen) / Rabu Kome Shine Shinedan Tōjō (Ato-hen)" (Japanese: ラブコメ死ね死ね団 登場 （前編） / ラブコメ死ね死ね団登場（後編）) | May 24, 1995 |
| 9 | "First Love / Loser's Community" Transliteration: "Ubawa Reta Hatsukoi / Dame Ningen Kyōdōtai" (Japanese: うばわれた初恋 / ダメ人間共同体) | June 1, 1995 |
| 10 | "Dress-Up Dolls / Ultra Tanabe" Transliteration: "Kise Ka e Ningyō / Chōjin Tanabe" (Japanese: 着せかえ人形 / 超人TANABE) | June 8, 1995 |
| 11 | "Winning the Lottery! Part 1 / Winning the Lottery! Part 2" Transliteration: "Ikkakusenkin Otoko Mae-hen / Ikkakusenkin Otoko Ato-hen" (Japanese: 一獲千金男前 編 / 一獲千金男後 編) | June 15, 1995 |
| 12 | "Shibazaki's Plan / Survival" Transliteration: "Shiba-chan no Buin Kōsei Keikaku / Sabaibaru" (Japanese: 柴ちゃんの部員更生計画 / サバイバル) | June 29, 1995 |
| 13 | "Friendship / Tsutomu" Transliteration: "Tomojō / Boku no Sukina Tsutomu-kun" (Japanese: 友情 / ぼくの好きなつとむ君) | July 6, 1995 |
| 14 | "Saturday Hare / The Wimp" Transliteration: "Doyō no Usagi / Koshinuke Otoko" (Japanese: 土曜のウサギ / 腰抜け男) | July 13, 1995 |
| 15 | "The Outcast / Shorty" Transliteration: "O miso / Chibi" (Japanese: おみそ / チビ) | July 20, 1995 |
| 16 | "Dr. Maeno Part I / Dr. Maeno Part II" Transliteration: "Dokutā Maeno "Orega Yarazu ni Dare ga Yaru" Dai Sakusen Mae-hen / Dokutā Maeno "Orega Yarazu ni Dare ga Yaru" Dai Sakusen Ato-hen" (Japanese: ドクター前野「オレがやらずに誰がやる」大作戦前編 / ドクター前野「オレがやらずに誰がやる」大作戦後編) | July 27, 1995 |
| 17 | "Find Happiness / Sheds His Skin" Transliteration: "Maeno, Shiawase o Tsukamu / Maeno, Hitokawa Mukeru" (Japanese: 前野、幸せをつかむ / 前野、ひと皮むける) | August 3, 1995 |
| 18 | "Partner? Part I / Partner? Part II" Transliteration: "Aikata wa Dokoda? Zenpen / Aikata wa Dokoda? Kōhen" (Japanese: 相方はどこだ？ 前編 / 相方はどこだ？ 後編) | August 10, 1995 |
| 19 | "The Unfortunates / May I Have It?" Transliteration: "Fukōna Kyōdai / Sore, Kudasa" (Japanese: 不幸な兄妹 / それ、ください) | August 17, 1995 |
| 20 | "A River / Retirement" Transliteration: "Kawa / Intai" (Japanese: 川 / 引退) | August 24, 1995 |
| 21 | "Loan King / Flaming Perverts" Transliteration: "Shakkin Ō / Honō no Reipā" (Japanese: 借金王 / 炎のレイパー) | August 31, 1995 |
| 22 | "The Invasion / Into the Big Sky" Transliteration: "Shinryaku / Ōzora ni Mukatte" (Japanese: 侵略 / 大空に向かって) | September 7, 1995 |
| 23 | "I've Got Guts / A Dramatic Photo!" Transliteration: "Konjō Arimasu / Gekisha!" (Japanese: 根性あります / 激写！) | September 14, 1995 |
| 24 | "Fake Drunkard / Takeda Fondles" Transliteration: "Nise Dorankā / Takeda, Oppai o Momu" (Japanese: にせドランカー / 竹田、おっぱいをもむ) | September 21, 1995 |
| 25 | "Wanted Part I / Wanted Part II" Transliteration: "Kyūbo Zenpen / Kyūbo Kōhen" (Japanese: 急募 前編 / 急募 後編) | September 25, 1995 |
| 26 | "Dandy Principal / The Drifters" Transliteration: "Dandi Kōchō / Nagare-sha" (Japanese: ダンディ校長 / 流れ者) | September 28, 1995 |
Reception
[edit]The manga has had over 25 million copies in circulation.[24] In 1996, the manga won the 20th Kodansha Manga Award for general manga.[25]
References
[edit]- ^ Chapman, Paul (February 20, 2016). "Gross-Out Comedy 'Ping Pong Club' Returns to Japanese Home Video with 20th Anniversary Box Set". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ 「稲中」着ぐるみ前野＆井沢がぬいぐるみに. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 8, 2014. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b ヒミズ（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b ヒミズ（１３） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（２） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（３） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（４） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（５） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（６） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（７） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（８） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（９） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（１０） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（１１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ ヒミズ（１２） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b 行け! 稲中卓球部. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ "February Video Releases". Central Park Media. Archived from the original on February 9, 1999. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (October 9, 2001). "Ping Pong Club Vol. #4: Loser's Club (of 0)". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on April 24, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (December 20, 2001). "Ping Pong Club Vol. #5: Rots in Hell". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on September 18, 2002. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (August 24, 2002). "Ping Pong Club Vol. #1: Make Way For (of 0)". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (November 5, 2002). "Ping Pong Club Vol. #2: Love & Comedy (of 0)". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Beveridge, Chris (December 21, 2002). "Ping Pong Club Vol. #3: Goes Too Far". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on April 27, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ "The Ping Pong Club DVD Collection". Central Park Media. Archived from the original on March 24, 2006.
- ^ 「BeeTV」内のBeeマンガで、累計発行部数2500万部の超人気ギャグマンガ『行け！稲中卓球部』（原作：古谷実／講談社刊）と、おかざき真理原作の、フジテレビ月9ドラマにもなった人気コミック「サプリ」が2010年9月20日（祝・月）より配信スタートすることが決定した。. Animate Times (in Japanese). September 17, 2010. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on August 16, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
External links
[edit]- Ike! Inachū Takkyū-bu (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia