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On Jan. 17, an anime adaptation of mangaka Taiyo Matsumoto’s masterpiece Ping Pong was announced. Directing is Masaaki Yuasa who has created many magnificent anime including The Tatami Galaxy, Mind Game, and Kick-Heart. The anime will broadcast beginning this April on Fuji TV’s Noitamina anime programming block. Many new talked-about anime will begin this April, but it’s safe to say that Ping Pong is one of the most important to rise to the surface.
Matsumoto’s representative works include Tekkonkinkreet and Takemitsu Zamurai among others. Tekkonkinkreet was also made into an animated film in 2006 by Yuasa and it was showered in attention, going on to win Animation of the Year at the 31st Japan Academy Prize. Takemitsu Zamurai is a masterpiece that won the Manga of the Year award at the Japan Media Arts Festival and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize. Ping Pong is another of Matsumoto’s representative works. The work picked up popularity in the late ‘90s for Matsumoto’s unique portrayal of the adolescence of high school students through ping pong.
Along with the announcement of the anime, the first commercial was released on the official site. From here on, the atmosphere of the work will be able to felt. Also being released are exclusive illustrations drawn by Matsumoto to commemorate the anime. The freshness of these new illustrations created more than 10 years after the series is drawing attention.
Other than director Yuasa, information on the rest of the staff, the studio producing the anime, and the music artists has yet to be announced. Look forward to more information to come. Before this, handwritten messages by Matsumoto and Yuasa will be published in the newest issue of Big Comic Spirits on sale Jan. 20. Make sure to check this out first.
Source: animeanime
© Taiyo Matsumoto, Shogakukan / Anime Ping Pong Production Committee
