Buckle up folks, we’re watching some goddamn Ping Pong Girls. Our last episode of taut table tennis tension managed to stuff two full matches into twenty minutes, as Hokuto’s close defeat at the hands of the sadist Yuragi led into a joyous doubles match featuring the team moms. That match served as a celebration of pretty much everything this show cares about – bombastic, JoJo-esque sports melodrama, genuinely well-constructed tactical action, and a cast who are all head-over-heels in love with each other.
The match’s drama was smartly constructed around Munemune remembering to trust Kiruka’s instincts, though it also demonstrated Ping Pong Girls’ so-graceful-it-seems-effortless approach to tactical drama. The degree to which Kiruka and Munemune compliment and elevate each other was clear not just in their overt expressions of love, but also in the synergy of their play; Kiruka’s consistent, efficient movements control the battlefield, setting Munemune up to rattle their opponents with a devastating power swing. Scorching Ping Pong Girls has always offered a mix of sports action and lovey-dovey slice of life, but last episode was the first time those two instincts merged on the same side of the table, making for an extremely endearing spectacle.
And yet, for all that, it’s only now that we’re getting to the real payoffs of this tournament. With our team against the ropes and fighting a 2-1 score deficit, Agari and Koyori will each have to defeat one of their enemy’s strongest players, as Zakuro and Kururi at last take the field. Let’s see what madness awaits in one more Scorching Ping Pong Girls!
