Prince of Tennis, Captain Tezuka's “Drop Shot”

Captain Tezuka's “Drop Shot”:

A drop shot is a shot where the ball is hit “lightly,” so as to only just go over and land near the net. It works especially well if given a precise amount of backspin (also called “underspin,” this is a hit that makes the ball spin backward), which makes the ball bounce lower. Shots like this generally work best when the opponent is too deep in the court to retrieve the ball.

Project 2 "Interactive Narrative" site

Here's the link to my website-script for Project 2, the "Time Master" game.

(2-8-10, Note: now that the class is over, the site's been taken down.)

Prince of Tennis, Momoshiro's "Dunk smash"

Takeshi Momoshiro's “Dunk Smash”:

A “smash” is a shot that's hit like a serve, high above the head. These hits are known for their power, and are often used against poorly placed lobs (hits that send the ball high over the opponents head and deep into their court).

Momoshiro's hit in the manga resembles a particular kind of smash made popular by the famous professional tennis player Pete Sampras. Also known as the “jump smash,” Sampras would jump up, then smash the ball in midair. The ordinary smashing power combined with his falling weight makes the move nearly undefeatable. In real tennis, this move is often called a slam dunk, after the basketball term. The title of Momoshiro's move combines the two different names of the shot (although they do alternately call it a “jump smash” as well).

Prince of Tennis, Ryoma's "Twist" Serve

Ryoma Echizen's “twist” serve (also known as the “American twist” or “kick” serve):

A serve with so much topspin* on it that it curves toward the opponent's right hand. However, when it hits the court, it “kicks” back directly toward the opponent's backhand on the left side. Balls coming right at the player can be tricky to return, so it's a popular serve, but difficult to learn. In the anime/manga, Ryoma serves it in such a way that the ball kicks up directly at the opponent's face.

*Topspin – When the player hits the ball with lots of topspin, the ball arches sharply downward as it goes over the net. This downward arc makes it a good second serve as the ball can be hit higher over the net without losing speed. The ball also bounces higher, often making it harder for the opponent to return.

Real Tennis Shots in The Prince of Tennis, Introduction

Real Tennis Shots in The Prince of Tennis, Introduction

Prince of Tennis is, as the name suggests, a manga/anime that draws from tennis culture. It focuses mainly on a twelve-year-old tennis prodigy and the junior high tennis team he plays on, especially the training they go through and techniques they employ.

In the next few posts, I'm going to be looking at the signature shots of the characters Ryoma Echizen (the “twist” serve), Takeshi Momoshiro (the “dunk smash” shot), Captain Tezuka (the “drop” shot), and Kaoru Kaido (the “snake” shot).

(Even though I'm not into sports so much, I find sports manga and anime fascinating. It's based on something so tangibly real... even if it is exaggerated.)