To be honest, I'm really not a fan of sports anime at all. I tend to lean towards the slice-of-life and romance genres, with few exceptions. However, Prince of Tennis has surpassed all of my expectations, and it's become one of my most favoriete anime of all time.
Let's start with the fact that it is indeed a sports anime. Almost every episode includes at least some aspect of tennis, even the filler episodes. Tennis is what connects all of the characters in Prince of Tennis, so naturally it has to be one of the most prominent features. What surprised me, though, is how this anime really opened my eyes towards the world of tennis. I'd never actually paid much attention to it, since it isn't one of those sports that's shoved down my throat door the media (e.g. American football and basketball). Watching an entire anime based upon it was out of the vraag for me at the time, but as I got sucked into it, I somehow began to gain a much deeper appreciation of the sport. That's one main reason why I love this anime: it was able to give me a newfound interest in something I'd never thought about before.
The other main reason why I love this anime is because of the characters. Just about every character is gegeven substance of some sort. Rival players, minor/side characters...all of them were able to leave an impression on me. In fact, I wasn't sure I liked all of the Seigaku regulars (Tezuka, Kaido, and Inui just didn't appeal to me), but as I watched meer and meer episodes, even those that I barely cared about began to grow on me. I started to truly notice Tezuka's mature leadership and relentless dedication to the team, Kaido's admirable perseverance in daily training (and soft side), and Inui's behind-the-scenes caring for his teammates. There's no longer a single character in Prince of Tennis that I wholeheartedly hate, especially within the Seigaku Regulars (I have nothing but love for all of them).
Prince of Tennis far surpassed my expectations for a sports anime. It included much meer depth than I thought it would, with so many moments that make me tear up every time. Though it may just be a phase in my series of obsessions, Prince of Tennis will always keep a special spot in my heart.
Let's start with the fact that it is indeed a sports anime. Almost every episode includes at least some aspect of tennis, even the filler episodes. Tennis is what connects all of the characters in Prince of Tennis, so naturally it has to be one of the most prominent features. What surprised me, though, is how this anime really opened my eyes towards the world of tennis. I'd never actually paid much attention to it, since it isn't one of those sports that's shoved down my throat door the media (e.g. American football and basketball). Watching an entire anime based upon it was out of the vraag for me at the time, but as I got sucked into it, I somehow began to gain a much deeper appreciation of the sport. That's one main reason why I love this anime: it was able to give me a newfound interest in something I'd never thought about before.
The other main reason why I love this anime is because of the characters. Just about every character is gegeven substance of some sort. Rival players, minor/side characters...all of them were able to leave an impression on me. In fact, I wasn't sure I liked all of the Seigaku regulars (Tezuka, Kaido, and Inui just didn't appeal to me), but as I watched meer and meer episodes, even those that I barely cared about began to grow on me. I started to truly notice Tezuka's mature leadership and relentless dedication to the team, Kaido's admirable perseverance in daily training (and soft side), and Inui's behind-the-scenes caring for his teammates. There's no longer a single character in Prince of Tennis that I wholeheartedly hate, especially within the Seigaku Regulars (I have nothing but love for all of them).
Prince of Tennis far surpassed my expectations for a sports anime. It included much meer depth than I thought it would, with so many moments that make me tear up every time. Though it may just be a phase in my series of obsessions, Prince of Tennis will always keep a special spot in my heart.
