Film
Ping Pong
Other titles called Ping Pong: the 2012 film.
Masashi Asogawa's Ping Pong is a hyperkinetic sports film disguised as a buddy story. Two teenage opposites—cocky natural talent Peco and introverted underdog Smile—chase ping pong glory while navigating rivalry, friendship and what it means to play for yourself. Kinetic, funny, genuinely moving: it's about competition as intimate as love.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy underdog sports stories told with exaggerated, comic-book style visuals, where the rivalry between two very different boys carries more weight than any trophy.
Skip it if the heightened, flamboyant style can feel like a relentless performance if you want grounded sports realism or a quieter, more naturalistic drama.
What it asks of you: Settle in for a little over two hours, with a shifting tone that moves from broad slapstick to sudden melancholy and back, so patience with mood changes helps.
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Recommended by
Haikyuu!!, Balls of Fury, Tea and Sympathy, Ping Pong Playa, Look Back, All About Lily Chou-Chou, Crows Zero, The Liverpool Goalie