Review: Prince of Tennis Manga - Nationals Arc
If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll know that I’m a fan of almost all anime and manga with a super-genius protagonist. Prince of Tennis, therefore, would logically be one of my fav. series. If you haven’t seen or read Prince of Tennis before, I suggest you read my review of the anime series before reading this one, because the Nationals Arc is a post-anime arc.
For those reading the manga, I think chapters 250+ (until chapter 293 so far) qualifies as the Nationals Arc. This is when all our favourite characters go into battle at the Nationals level. Besides the original schools, e.g. Seishun Gakuen and Hyoutei Gakuen, a few new schools enter the fray, e.g. Okinawa Higa Jr. High. This story arc is also when Prince of Tennis descends into ultimate Dragonball-style.
Judge for yourself:
The Giant Habu technique by a Higa Jr. High player. An unbelievable amount of spin is applied such that the ball spins and moves randomly and unpredictably. It is almost impossible to return.
Fuji’s Fourth Counter, Zagerou Zutsumi - Dragonfly Illusion. The manga translators explained this technique as “…pretty much an illusion of a non-moving ball that they (opponent players) can never reach…” How is this done? No idea, since they didn’t bother to explain it this time. But I think it is more likely that it was impossible to explain (in any sort of logical manner at least).
While prior techniques, like Fuji’s Triple Counters, were all somewhat rationalizable, these new techniques are stretching the boundaries of imagination. Fun yes, but I feel that they somehow cheapen the manga as a whole. For me, much of the fun that came with Prince of Tennis was how players would manage to defeat their opponents with genius-level techniques, but not crazy-level techniques. For example, Fuji’s Hakugei used the wind, while Atobe’s Rondo smash was just highly skilled aiming. These older techniques were somewhat logical.
Then there is the elegance factor of the new techniques. The new DBZ techniqes are class-less, and boring - as if they were created with little thought. Contrast them with Fuji’s Triple Counters, or even techniques in other anime series like Bleach. Kuchiki Byakuya’s Shikai and Bankai or Kuchiki Rukia’s Shikai are prime examples. The difference in class is as wide as heaven and earth.
Okay, so this turned out to be more of a rant against PoT rather than a proper review. But I really feel that the cheapening of PoT techniques in this Arc is the essence of its failure. And now that I’ve updated myself to the manga chapters, I actually feel thankful that the anime series ended before this arc even began. At least, you won’t have to bear the sight of totally unrealistic and completely unrationalizable techniques.
Related Articles:
- [Downloads] Prince of Tennis Episodes 163-164
- [Downloads] Prince of Tennis Episodes 161-162
- [Downloads] Prince of Tennis 170-172
- [Reviews] Prince of Tennis
- [Downloads] Prince of Tennis 173-174
- [Downloads] Prince of Tennis 175-176
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This entry was posted on Friday, February 3rd, 2006 at 10:49 pm and is filed under Manga Reviews, Prince of Tennis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
June 2nd, 2006 03:58
hi! can you upload prince of tennis ep 177 and 178! they are the LAST EPS! AND I DONT WANNA MISS IT!! THANKS A MILLION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 4th, 2006 06:29
Eeks, I’m very sorry. But I no longer have those episodes on hand to upload…
Sorry…
June 4th, 2006 19:59
One of my members is uploading it, but only upto eps 14 now, so it will take 2 weeks at least.
But POT is not so hard to find I guess ^^, try some other site.
June 9th, 2006 23:57
hmms… how about the movie? do you have it subbed??
July 1st, 2006 21:42
hi,
i’ve been trying to find ep 49, 50-54, and 56-57 but i couldn’t. could u upload it?
would appreciate it
thanks.
July 30th, 2006 18:39
I agree with ur blog…
August 24th, 2006 10:19
Hi!
Great post there. I really love Prince of Tennis. However, I’ve been looking -everywhere- for a site where I can download the PoT-manga, but I just can’t find one. You don’t know where I could download the manga, do you? ^^
Thanks a lot!
August 30th, 2006 23:14
Chizzle: Use IRC to join #fet @ irc.irchighway.net. There, you’ll find quite a few methods to get PoT manga.
faith: Try shareparadise.net (i.e. commenter No. 3’s site)
September 28th, 2006 05:58
If yu like Prince of tennis than go to the website youtube.com where a lot of anime episodes are. All the anime and episodes along with the movies a.k.a ovas
April 8th, 2007 00:13
Can someone upload PoT 70 cuzz its not workin on youtube.com, some one let me know, Klikkilla@hotmail.com
Thanx ^^
April 25th, 2007 01:14
konnichiwa!!!i am a greatest fan of prince of tennis that’s why im always watching that episode i hope many of the cast will go to the phils. because i want to see even they just only can participate the COSPLAY…i hope u it granted!!!
May 8th, 2007 03:22
I love PrinceTennis. I think it is really funny and insteresting
June 24th, 2007 18:18
prince of tennis is so great,it is so fun!!
June 28th, 2007 04:55
Hey, since you like me are a fan of PoT.. I have seen all the anime + the new episodes of National Championships. Probably you know something I dont, so I thought I could give you some questions? hehe.. How far are the manga subbed? Manga: I’ve come to chapter 249, by time looking for the next ones.. Anime: when does the next episodes (12 +) arrive? if you know, please respond to my email: Long87@gmail.com
Thanks a lot, nice review btw.
September 11th, 2007 22:17
Anybody in this site knows where can i found the whole episode of the POT nationals. I’ve already got all the 178 episode on the TV series but I dont have the Nationals. The youtube is up to OVA 15 only, Do you have a copy of OVA 16 until the end!! pls help me
September 23rd, 2007 05:03
according to the past releases of prince of tennis ovas, they were releasing 2 at a time every after 2-3 months and probably before the end of the monh.. ova 16 and 17 will bw out.. if i were you i would read the manga.. it is so far ahead of the on going ovas.. thw manga already features the finals, where Seigaku faces the Champion Rikkai Dai.. the first two mathes are very tragic for seigaku.. and in the first match its Tezuka VS. Sanada!!! hope this reply help a lot of Prince of tennis fans out there, Like me… and oh by the way… let me give you the site where i read the latest chapters of prince of tennis where their chapters are assured to be the latest among other sites that are releasing mangas.. it www.bleachexile.com… hope you guys continue support the Prince of Tennis… Suguoiii!!!
October 14th, 2007 19:00
helo guyz, i’ve already watch the new uploaded ova 16 and 17, but there’s no subbing, huhu, but good news , i’ve a complete copy of all the TV series, hehe, anyone in this site knows where I can find the comple nationals series, I aggree to you julz, but the cahpaters their are lacking of 332 up!!!!, do you know where can I go? plz reply, tnx
October 22nd, 2007 15:28
Hey!
Hows it goin’ yall? Well, youtube has the PoT episodes OVA after 12+ subbed, believe it or not! Thank you sargon! I’ll see yall later than!
October 22nd, 2007 15:30
Hi there Everybody! Its me again!
The best place to read the manga online for free is:
www.onemanga.com
Enjoy reading!
October 22nd, 2007 15:31
Prince of tennis rules everybody!!! Yay!
June 18th, 2008 17:44
KONNICHIWA everybody!! A great place to read the Prince of Tennis Shonen Jump Manga is onemanga.com!! If you want to watch all of the Prince of Tennis subbed episodes go the veoh.com but if you want to watch all of the Prince of Tennis OVA’s in subs, then go to crunchyroll.com and search: Prince of Tennis Nationals. I absolutely LOVE Prince of Tennis but my favourite character is Fuji. And my ALL -TIME FAVE COUPLE is RYOMA & SAKUNO!! <3 =) I hope everyone loves Prince of Tennis too and please keep supporting Prince of Tennis and animes and mangas people!! LOVE Y’ALL!! =)
-RYOSAKU LOVER always and forever!!