The Prince of Tennis (テニスの王子様, Tennis no Ōjisama?) is a 2006 live-action movie directed by Yuichi Abe and based on The Prince of Tennis manga series by Takeshi Konomi. It condenses the storyline from when Ryoma arrives in Japan to the Hyotei Academy arc. The film was released in Japan on May 13, 2006.
PLOT
Twelve-year-old Ryoma Echizen is a tennis prodigy from America who has the personal history of winning four consecutive American Junior Tennis tournaments. His father, Nanjiro Echizen, a tennis player of legendary status, calls Ryoma back to Japan to attend the distinguished Seishun Academy Middle School. Ryoma, a first year, has his eyes set on being on the regulars team of the tennis club, for which the school is famous.
Then, there is the lone girl who watches Ryoma from the audience. Her name is Shioin Higaki, whose parents had died in accident. She is mute due to traumatic shock of her past. She first meets Ryoma when he helps her on the train from a loud group of high school boys.
Ryoma arrives at Seigaku, and is immediately challenged by Kaoru Kaidoh, a second year team regular, known as "the Viper," whose perseverance is daunting and is known for his Buggy Whip Shot, nicknamed "Snake Shot". The members of the Seigaku regular team come watch the match. One is the vice-captain, Shuichiro Oishi, who has a calm and rational sense of playing sense, compliments the acrobatic plays of his double's partner, Eiji Kikumaru, making them the Golden Pair. Then there's third years Shusuke Fuji, a formidable player known for his tactical skill on the tennis courts, making him the "genius" of the team; Sadaharu Inui, whose tennis style relies on collecting info on his opponents' playing style called "data tennis"; and Takashi Kawamura, whose personality instantly changes when he grabs his tennis racquet. The other second year is Takeshi Momoshiro, known for his power plays. Ryoma surprises everyone by making Kaidoh's reaction slower and then pulling off the Snake Shot himself, but says it's just the Buggy Whip. Kaidoh and Ryoma's match is interrupted by Kunimitsu Tezuka, the nationally-ranked captain of the tennis club. Tezuka makes Kaidoh run laps for playing a match without an approval and begins to take an interest in Ryoma.
Ryoma arrives in time for the monthly campus ranking tournament, but at first, due to his youth and his cool attitude, some club members do not take him seriously; however, during the ranking tournament, Ryoma is quick to prove his skills and become the only first year on the regular team, just in time for the prefectual preliminary rounds.
While in a crucial match against Fudomine Middle School during the prefectuals, Ryoma injures his eye by accident, but his determination to finish the match with his Nitouryuu helps bring victory to Seigaku as they can advance to the Kanto Tournament as prefectual champions. Tezuka is deeply troubled by Ryoma's style; it's an exact copy of his father's. He is also worried about his own arm, which is injured and will add on injuries when using his Zero Degree Drop Shot. Tezuka plays a secret match with Echizen, and utterly defeats him using the Drop Shot, disregarding his physician's advice. He tells Ryoma to develop his own style of tennis and become the pillar of Seigaku.
As the regional Kanto Tournament draws near, Seigaku learns of their first opponent, Hyotei Academy, their strongest rivals. All the regulars are chosen for the tournament except for Momoshiro, as Echizen is chosen over him. However, Echizen says he has to represent in the Youth Cup and is going back to America. Momoshiro is angry of Ryoma's choice and refuses the jersey Ryoma offers him. Egate Mcleod Higaki of Hyotei comes to the courts and tries to provoke the players until Tezuka tells him to leave. Echizen goes to the park to think about his decision, and Shioin, Egate's little sister, comes by and plays her flute. The music reaches Echizen's ears, and he makes his choice.
At the Kanto Tournament, Momo still has decided not to come. Oishi and Eiji play Doubles 2. They begin a losing streak until Momo reveals himself in the cheering crowd for Seigaku. With new confidence from their returning teammate, the Golden Pair make a comeback, but lose to Hyotei 5-7. In the crowd, Kaidoh finds Echizen, who decided to stay. Kaidoh and Inui begin their Doubles 1 match. Kaidoh continually takes all the shots and uses his Boomerang Snake, while Inui stands and watches. Finally, he tells Kaidoh he has their opponents' data and they win the match 7-5. Kawamura plays Singles 3 and tries his Hadokyuu, but his big opponent copies the move. They both keep using Hadokyuu until Kawamura does the unthinkable: the dangerous one-handed Hadokyuu. His opponent copies, and both keep hitting until both of them drop their racquets, their hands and racquet handles covered in blood. The match is considered a No Game. Fuji, playing Singles 2, borrows Kawamura's racquet, and amazes his opponent with his Disappearing Serve and his Hakugei Triple Counter; he wins 6-0. Tezuka plays Singles 1 against the popular Atobe; Echizen comes and takes his place as bench coach, and, despite some of the other Seigaku players, Tezuka allows him to rejoin the team.
Atobe seems to gain the early lead, but Tezuka comes back with his Tezuka Zone and Drop Shot. Tezuka gets to match point, but as he tries to serve, his arm gives out. Tezuka continues to play as Echizen takes off his jacket, revealing his Seigaku uniform, and goes to practice. Tezuka loses in the tiebreak, 6-7. Because both teams have two wins, their reserve players will determine the winner. Echizen faces off against Egate, and wins the first game using his teammates' moves. However, as an eclipse passes over the court, Egate uses his brutal tennis form and injures Echizen's leg. Remembering his vow to become stronger, Echizen surprises everyone by using the COOL Drive attack to come back, break the eclipse, and win, and Egate's sister, Shioin, breaks her muteness and cheers for them. Tezuka rewards Echizen with his Seigaku jacket he kept for him.
As Echizen looks up in the stands at their future opponents, his only reply to them is, "mada mada dane" ("No, not yet", "simply not there yet" or "a long ways to go").
CASTRole ActorRyoma Echizen ~ Kanata Hongo
Kunimitsu Tezuka ~ Yuu Shirota
Shuichiro Oishi ~ Hiroki Suzuki
Shusuke Fuji ~ Hiroki Aiba
Eiji Kikumaru ~ Osamu Adachi
Sadaharu Inui ~ Hirofumi Araki
Takashi Kawamura ~ Yoshikazu Kotani
Takeshi Momoshiro ~ Masaki Kaji
Kaoru Kaidoh ~ Kousuke Kujirai
Keigo Atobe ~ Ryuji Sainei
Egate Mcleod Higaki ~ RIKIYA
Yuushi Oshitari ~ Daiki Nakae
Ryoh Shishido ~ Junpei Suzuki
Choutarou Ohtori ~ Koji Date
Gakuto Mukahi ~ Tokio Emoto
Jiroh Akutagawa ~ Genki Ishii
Munehiro Kabaji ~ Kazutoshi Yamakawa
Nanjiroh Echizen ~ Goro Kishitani
Sumire Ryuzaki ~ Hitomi Shimatani
Shinji Ibu ~ Yasuka Saitoh
Akira Kamio ~ Yuuki Fujiwara
Genichirou Sanada ~ Eiji Moriyama
Renji Yanagi ~ Mamoru Miyano
Kintarou Tooyama ~ Masato Wada
Shioin Higaki ~ Sayuri Iwata
Aoi Kentarou ~ Daiki Sano
Hikaru Amane ~ JURI
Masaya Sakurai ~ Shun Takagi
Sasabe ~ Mitsuyoshi Shinoda
Sasabe's friend #1 ~ Kenta Kamakari
Sasabe's friend #2 ~ Takashi Nagayama
Referee ~ Yusuke Ishibashi
Bystander ~ Ruito Aoyagi
Bystander ~Takumi Saito
Bystander ~ Ryou Washimi
Bystander ~YOH
Kite Eishiro ~ Yuichi Tsuchiya
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKThe soundtrack is composed by Taro Iwashiro and was released in Japan on May 12, 2006. It also features music from the group, Yellow Cherry.
The track listing is as follows:
1. Mada Mada Dane (まだまだだね, Mada Mada Dane?)
2. Ryōma vs Kaidō (リョーマVS海堂, Ryōma vs Kaidō?)
3. Soko Made Da (そこまでだ, Soko Made Da?)
4. Ano Ko wa Samurai Jr. (あの子は侍Jr., Ano Ko wa Samurai Jr.?)
5. Seigaku Ranking Ikusa (青学ランキング戦, Seigaku Ranking Ikusa?)
6. Chiku Yosen (地区予選, Chiku Yosen?)
7. Ryōma vs Ibu (リョーマVS伊武, Ryōma vs Ibu?)
8. Hyōtei Fight (氷帝ファイト, Hyōtei Fight?)
9. Echizen Omae wa Tashikani Tsuyoi (越前お前は確かに強い, Echizen Omae wa Tashikani Tsuyoi?)
10. Ryōma no Omoi (リョーマの思い, Ryōma no Omoi?)
11. Higaki Tōjō (檜垣登場, Higaki Tōjō?)
12. Oboete Okeyo (覚えておけよ, Oboete Okeyo?)
13. Kantō Taikai (関東大会, Kantō Taikai?)
14. Oishi, Kikumaru vs Oshitari, Mukahi (Acrobat Shōbu) (大石・菊丸VS忍足・向日(アクロバット勝負), Oishi, Kikumaru vs Oshitari, Mukahi (Acrobat Shōbu)?)
15. Inui, Kaidou vs Ōtori, Shishido (Data & Tairyoku Shōbu) (乾・海堂VS鳳・宍戸(データ&体力勝負), Inui, Kaidou vs Ōtori, Shishido (Data & Tairyoku Shōbu)?)
16. Kawamura vs Kabaji (Power Shōbu) (河村VS樺地(パワー勝負), Kawamura vs Kabaji (Power Shōbu)?)
17. Kono Racket Tsukawasete Morauyo (このラケット使わせてもらうよ, Kono Racket Tsukawasete Morauyo?)
18. Fuji vs Akutagawa (Tensai! Fuji) (不二VS芥川(天才!不二), Fuji vs Akutagawa (Tensai! Fuji)?)
19. Tezuka Shutsujin (手塚出陣, Tezuka Shutsujin?)
20. Tezuka Zone (手塚ゾーン, Tezuka Zone?)
21. Atobe Hametsu e no Rondo (跡部 破滅への輪舞曲, Atobe Hametsu e no Rondo?)
22. Tezuka e no Omoi (手塚への思い, Tezuka e no Omoi?)
23. Ore wa Makenai (オレは負けない, Ore wa Makenai?)
24. Ryōma Shutsujin (リョーマ出陣, Ryōma Shutsujin?)
25. Ryōma vs Higaki (リョーマVS檜垣, Ryōma vs Higaki?)
26. Ryōma Kōgeki Kaishi (リョーマ攻撃開始, Ryōma Kōgeki Kaishi?)
27. Ryōma Kakusei (リョーマ覚醒, Ryōma Kakusei?)
28. Last Battle (Sorezore no Omoi) (ラストバトル(それぞれの思い), Last Battle (Sorezore no Omoi)?)
29. Ippome (Tenipuri Edit) (一歩目(テニプリEdit), Ippome (Tenipuri Edit)?)
30. Kimi o Omou (君を想う, Kimi o Omou?)
Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:46 am
