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Oct 11, 2019 2:58 AM
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Nov 2018
38
This anime is awesome.. I already felt for it.. Storyline looks great, animation is beautiful. And Maki l... I really like his personality.
Oct 11, 2019 3:11 AM

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Nov 2010
1284
CHC said:
I particularly love how they understatedly use a quirky building (what it is? A warehouse?) as the landmarking place...

If you mean this building, it's an old water gate.
Oct 11, 2019 3:16 AM

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Sep 2016
309
what i wanna know is if this watergate is based on a real structure cause it sure looks that way.

https://imgur.com/a/MlEWh7i
Objectivity doesn't exist. Subjectivity is an excuse. Beautiful world of online discourse.

Oct 11, 2019 3:23 AM

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Aug 2013
478
This show is really charming so far! I enjoyed it a lot and if it keeps up, it might as well end up as my favorite of this season!

The ending though..... made my heart drop.
Oct 11, 2019 3:38 AM

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Jul 2017
14675
I think this original anime, being from the director of Escaflowne (to which WHY hasn't anyone noticed it) really ambitions it very high from the get-go.

The amount of drama between central characters Toma and Maki, you can tell the stark differences between both their personalities. Not to mention the people around them, and how it greatly affects their lifestyles.

Not to mention that the settings and dialogue were pretty smooth. Family melodrama and such are what makes this show special, though I fear this'll become like Hanebado!, to which I really wish it won't turn out that way. Especially the post-credits of family abuse. Because I really like Maki's character and it shows to a degree.

EDIT: More like a "show, don't tell" approach, because with Maki's seemingly "innocent" intentions to NOT take the lift despite living on the 8th Floor, shows that with his dad's abusive actions, he's learned to adapt to it. Same with Toma, his brother and estranged mom. I mean hell, these are sure parents who don't have power against dysfunction in the family.

I'm quite excited yet scared at the same time for what comes next...
KANLen09Oct 11, 2019 3:56 AM
Oct 11, 2019 4:44 AM

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Sep 2017
652
kuroneko99 said:
CHC said:
I particularly love how they understatedly use a quirky building (what it is? A warehouse?) as the landmarking place...

If you mean this building, it's an old water gate.

I see, thanks. you've been there?
Oct 11, 2019 4:54 AM

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Mar 2019
952
Wow that ending was surprising.
I like how the story goes and the characters look pretty good so far
The animation is great too Im looking forward to ep 2
Oct 11, 2019 6:40 AM
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Sep 2016
31
WOW, I did not expect this to be so good, the music is so good and caught me off guard from the very first moment, the characters introduced so far are really interesting and have been handled really well, there's some mystery how they all relate to each other which really makes me want to see more, the tennis itself seems to be a big part but i'm glad threes more too it than just tennis. What a way to begin a series, the ending was especially surprising, i'm attached to these boys already.
Oct 11, 2019 8:47 AM

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Feb 2016
2688
Solid start, the animation is smooth and CG isn't distracting. Really like the ost. That ending tho, did not expect it.

KANLen09 said:


EDIT: More like a "show, don't tell" approach, because with Maki's seemingly "innocent" intentions to NOT take the lift despite living on the 8th Floor, shows that with his dad's abusive actions, he's learned to adapt to it. Same with Toma, his brother and estranged mom. I mean hell, these are sure parents who don't have power against dysfunction in the family.

I'm quite excited yet scared at the same time for what comes next...


OOF, how did I not notice? not taking the elevator pointed to something dark, damn ;_;
"We could make the world better, but it's easier to just shut our eyes."
~Blackwall
Oct 11, 2019 9:15 AM
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Nov 2016
2
Tennis anime focusing on middle school boys? A character named Ryoma? Man am I gonna get flashbacks to Prince of Tennis again?
Also PSA (Public Shilling Announcement): If you haven't already, watch Prince of Tennis

Anyway, jokes aside, it seems like a decent, laid back series that I'm going to enjoy watching this season, especially on my relaxing days
Oct 11, 2019 9:19 AM

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Jul 2017
14675
HereticHunter said:
Solid start, the animation is smooth and CG isn't distracting. Really like the ost. That ending tho, did not expect it.

KANLen09 said:


EDIT: More like a "show, don't tell" approach, because with Maki's seemingly "innocent" intentions to NOT take the lift despite living on the 8th Floor, shows that with his dad's abusive actions, he's learned to adapt to it. Same with Toma, his brother and estranged mom. I mean hell, these are sure parents who don't have power against dysfunction in the family.

I'm quite excited yet scared at the same time for what comes next...


OOF, how did I not notice? not taking the elevator pointed to something dark, damn ;_;


I mean like, at first it didn't seem that way, but after rewatching it again, there it was: the connection between the characters and their abused lives. It's damn frightening too see how it all went in full circle.
Oct 11, 2019 9:20 AM

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Aug 2015
227
I definitely did not expect the first episode to end the way it did omg, at first I just thought it would be a regular sports anime that we had already seen many times but I think (and lowkey hope too) that this will be more weird and twisted, but of course also about the sport lmao.. In conclusion I liked it
Oct 11, 2019 10:12 AM

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Dec 2016
1407
After seeing the ending I can already say this anime is worth a watch. It's very different than the other sports anime which just focuses on their sport.
Oct 11, 2019 10:50 AM

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Aug 2013
4150
That ending wasn't something I expected from the flow of how things was going.
Originals seem to do better these days.
Oct 11, 2019 11:03 AM

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Mar 2015
74
Loved the OST, had both Yuri on Ice and Kimi no na wa vibes.
Oct 11, 2019 12:49 PM

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Mar 2010
13684
Toma seems like a pushy guy. I wonder why his mom is afraid of him.

Dumbo opening that door.
Oct 11, 2019 1:00 PM
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Jul 2018
564074
I am not sure what I was expecting when I came into this. I mainly came to watch it because an animator/character designer I like is working on this and in that department, it really doesn't disappoint. This series is really easy on the eyes, the designs are simple yet distinct and the movements are beautifully fluid.

As for the story, I love how much we can already infer about the characters from the very first episode from what is shown and hinted at with their dialogue and the visuals. Characterization seems to be a strong point in this series and it's enough to keep me curious about what's to come. Some interactions are a little questionable ((like many others here, I am not sure why Maki would open the door when the peephole is dark like that; maybe because he was busy his mind was preoccupied? And he didn't want to be rude to whoever was at the door? but yeah, the dad acted like this was business as usual so I dunno)) and there are so many ways that this can go from here on out that it's definitely a "wait and see" series to see how it all plays out. This could easily become a trainwreck or the prized gem of the season depending on many factors.

I am curious how Toma will manage to collect that much money. He does live in a larger house, in contrast to Maki's apartment life and the characters do seem made to contrast each other. Maybe he really has some expendable cash saved up? Or at least knows how to get more.
Oct 11, 2019 2:03 PM
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Feb 2019
79
woah, wasn't expecting that ending... interesting, though. poor maki.
Oct 11, 2019 3:27 PM

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Oct 2013
769
Wow the first genuine surprise this season, what a great first episode. Both visually and narratively.
Oct 11, 2019 5:40 PM

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Dec 2018
36
I really liked this one, good direction, good OST (reminds me of Ping Pong) good drama, for sure the surprise of the season.
Oct 11, 2019 7:02 PM

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Sep 2018
2157
lol they intentionally name one of the characters as "Ryoma" right? haha

I like this episode, they are cute and all but I HATE THE VIOLENCE part!!! Why???? Why there's violence drama in sports genre ?? TT--TT I hate that father!!

and also.. what's wrong with Toma's mother?
erenmeiiOct 11, 2019 7:06 PM
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Oct 11, 2019 7:39 PM
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Aug 2017
2
Outstanding first episode. Really pleasant to look at, great voice acting.
Oct 11, 2019 7:51 PM

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Jun 2014
1665
The character dynamics here is quite something unique. By far the most interesting drama show so far this season. I just hope it doesnt suffer from the large cast of similar-looking characters.
Oct 12, 2019 12:08 AM
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Sep 2019
132
I must confess, this anime gets a 9/10 from me, just after the first episode...and am ready to take it up to 20//10 if the quality continues

Good introduction, especially to the MC, who looks approachable yet mysterious. And it is your usual sports anime without being your usual sport anime.

I would give this anime 20/10 if we don't get the usual cliches of 'triumph under adversity' 'we won all our matches' etc..type of anime....and if we get character development and drama.

Watching this
Oct 12, 2019 1:57 AM

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Apr 2012
528
Wow okay I was not expecting the ending... so this not gonna be just your average cute sport anime. I'm not complaining tho, I love it so far.
Oct 12, 2019 6:37 AM

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Dec 2008
925
After the first episode I'm already sad that this will be only one cour.

Oct 12, 2019 7:36 AM

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Oct 2017
2726
Great animation, great drama, interesting character dynamic.
I'm on board to this ride !

This may be the hidden gem of this season for sure.

zwolf12 said:
countcasper said:
My only problem with this show is that he didn't latch his door when he opens it, If some one could explain this I might watch it

That completely took me out of it, because it is completely unbelievable for a guy that seems to have abuse scars to just open a door after he can't see what is outside...
It was clearly not the first time something like this happened judging by his dads behavior, which makes it even less realistic.

Also about the people not understanding the mothers reaction, for me it is pretty obvious that the dad of the family is well of and she is probably remarried and the sons are not her biological sons and the younger one doesn't accept her or they have some kind of other internal problems.


What if the dad kick the door? What then?
What if that guy stay there not moving away, waiting until the mom come back and then use his mom as hostage?

Mod Edit: Merged duplicated posts; please use the edit button.
DeadlyRavenOct 13, 2019 12:44 PM
Oct 12, 2019 8:54 AM

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Jun 2012
260
Wow this was awesome. I'm just not sure about the domestic abuse scene at the end, I think the episode was pretty perfect up to there. Hopefully these themes are handled well throughout the show.
Oct 12, 2019 8:57 AM

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May 2017
366
Interesting first ep, can't wait for the next!

Also that end...ouch...
Oct 12, 2019 12:54 PM
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Mar 2018
615
I loved the first episode!!! It has all the ingredients to be a really good anime and I hope it will not disappoint in the long run. One of the things I liked most about the episode is that the characters are not one-dimensional which is really important for character development and marrying the sport and slice of life genres. I am looking forward to more of this.
Oct 12, 2019 2:39 PM
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Apr 2017
6
Not a bad start to be honest. Not really a fan of sports anime, but this shows lots of potential. That final scene with Maki's dad really hit hard and felt really dark compared to the rest of the episode.
Oct 12, 2019 6:00 PM

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Oct 2008
13718
I'm impressed with the first episode! but do we even need to have drama because of that scum of the earth dad!?
5/5.
ED was great!


Oct 12, 2019 6:50 PM
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Oct 2015
24
Wow, I didn't have this on plan to watch, but after seeing some pictures on Twitter I decided to give it an opportunity and I liked it.

About Maki opening the door without thinking... I think he let down his guard thinking his dad didn't know where they have moved, he was quite relaxed cooking and thinking about other things (the softball tennis club) so he got too confident at the moment since two days have passed and his dad haven't found them yet. It will probably not repeat twice.

And about Toma "collecting" the money... Seeing his house (and wow the contrast betwen his house and Maki's house) and how big it is his family, with his father away earning money in what seems a good job, he probably has money to spend. Like, I think he has much bigger problems than money, for example the fact that it seems his mother is disgusted by him... Maybe it's not Toma's fault but his mother paranoia, if Toma was actually doing something bad to her his brother would not have stood up for him, or so I think. There is probably something more complex going on there.

In general the first episode was really nice, the characters seem interesting, and Maki seems quite refreshing in terms of personality, not the sports obssessed kind of person the main character usually is (he will end up liking tennis, of course).
YlenieOct 12, 2019 6:59 PM
Oct 12, 2019 10:11 PM

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Nov 2010
413
Ventus_S said:
zwolf12 said:

That completely took me out of it, because it is completely unbelievable for a guy that seems to have abuse scars to just open a door after he can't see what is outside...
It was clearly not the first time something like this happened judging by his dads behavior, which makes it even less realistic.

Also about the people not understanding the mothers reaction, for me it is pretty obvious that the dad of the family is well of and she is probably remarried and the sons are not her biological sons and the younger one doesn't accept her or they have some kind of other internal problems.


What if the dad kick the door? What then?
What if that guy stay there not moving away, waiting until the mom come back and then use his mom as hostage?

Kicking in a door in an apartment building with paper walls seems like the best idea to get thrown out and taking someone hostage seems like a good reason to get into prison and a restraining order placed on you.
He also obviously didn't think about these things, because he just opened the door and was surprised, which is naive to say the least.
Oct 12, 2019 11:36 PM

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Nov 2012
2351
zwolf12 said:
countcasper said:
My only problem with this show is that he didn't latch his door when he opens it, If some one could explain this I might watch it

That completely took me out of it, because it is completely unbelievable for a guy that seems to have abuse scars to just open a door after he can't see what is outside...
It was clearly not the first time something like this happened judging by his dads behavior, which makes it even less realistic.

Also about the people not understanding the mothers reaction, for me it is pretty obvious that the dad of the family is well of and she is probably remarried and the sons are not her biological sons and the younger one doesn't accept her or they have some kind of other internal problems.


I was shocked, too. It's obvious he has emotional scars. Even if they have moved, he shouldn't have felt that safe.

I agree. I don't think she's the Shingo brothers mother. Their mom probably died and she married their dad too soon and Toma never accepted her.
Oct 13, 2019 12:17 AM

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Mar 2013
2154
Kinda shocked at the final scene. His dad is scum. Thought it was a rather mellow show but seems to be quite heavy.
Oct 13, 2019 2:09 AM

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Jul 2019
15
Went into to this one blind and it turned out to be better than I thought. In the beginning, I thought the MC was going to be one of those arrogant protagonists, but it seems like he has issues of his own. As for the visuals, they are pretty good. This one going to be a keeper.
HeyItzSteveOct 13, 2019 2:12 AM
Oct 13, 2019 6:52 AM

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Mar 2016
3077
uninstallthegame said:
hm, depending on how they'll execute this whole situation, this might turn out good or it might turn out a huge miss like HaneBado did. it sure plays on contrasts, from carefree soft tennis club to domestic abuse. don't think the tone shift is bad in the case of first episode, as they create the setting, but if they'll continue doing this it might come off as just lazy writing

looking forward seeing how the story develops, the premise surely is interesting enough to continue


I feel like they introduced the family melodrama too early. Like, I feel no immediate affinity for the Mc due to how “perfect” he initially seemed, but to just shove that aspect to his background might’ve not been exactly good timing.
Then again, Hanebado’s case wasn’t that much better because the melodrama became something similar to the feeling of continually beating a dead horse.
Oct 13, 2019 10:07 AM

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Nov 2011
4001
This was really really good, please don't be disappointing.

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Oct 13, 2019 1:09 PM
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Jan 2019
1009
I didn't plan on watching this anime, but this first episode made me change my mind. It has good animation. I like stories of overcoming and effort, especially in sports, the last one I saw was Kaze ga Tsuyoku no Fuiteiru and I loved it. I am also following the anime Ahiru no Sora, another sports anime and one of the promises of the season. It will be my first time watching a soft tennis anime, I hope it surprises me.

Ps: Two anime of the season that have the word "Sora" in their title, and both are sports. Coincidence ?, I don't believe it xD.

 A shitty father! I hope that bastard ends up in jail in some future episode or receives a good beating. Great frustration that left me at the end.
Oct 13, 2019 3:04 PM

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Jan 2017
603
With that ending it might be a very good drama or very forced one. We will see in few eps.
Oct 13, 2019 9:48 PM

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Dec 2013
3556
Have to say that was somewhat of a pleasant surprise. The hints of a dark underbelly in an otherwise generic start kept me watching. This could be the sleeper of the season.
Oct 14, 2019 1:17 AM

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Oct 2018
256
Kazuki Akane can do no wrong! Amazing first episode as expected.
Oct 14, 2019 1:25 PM

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Apr 2016
2236
This first episode was pretty interesting. The relationship between dad and son is pretty critical and it would be a good theme to be treated. Toma is a good character, his relationship with the mother is critical as well. I’m curious to konw how it’s going to be.
Oct 14, 2019 7:14 PM

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Apr 2013
1174
What a stunning and wonderfully directed first ep! Loving the characters so far already and the music and art fits so well with the atmosphere.
Oct 15, 2019 11:05 AM
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May 2019
4
Wow for a first episode it touched all the feels. At first I felt it might be a lighter "lets save the team" Free type sports anime but the more it went on the more powerful it became. That ending broke my heart a bit seeing him cower in the corner when for the rest of the episode he seemed so strong. A great first episode with enough plot/character introduction to make me want more.
Oct 15, 2019 12:48 PM
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Nov 2017
229
That ending was very unexpected and it was really realistic. Poor boy... I didn't see that coming. When that man stepped in though, I had a vibe saying it must be his father. I mean, there's gotta be a reason for why his parents divorced years ago so I wouldn't be surprised if this man was the reason alone..

This is just the first episode and judging from it, this anime is gonna get some nice reviews. Already now, I like Maki <3
Oct 15, 2019 8:49 PM

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Sep 2010
6759
Maki cowering in the corner as his Dad took his money was really depressing.
"What has two arms, two legs, and is alive? Not your favorite character lol! xD"
Oct 17, 2019 3:59 AM

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Jun 2013
4852
whoa that ending man...
Oct 18, 2019 7:44 PM

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Jul 2012
48255
I was like "aw this anime is so cute and wholesome" and then the last part happened. Holy shit.

I thought the dad had passed away and was an athlete or something which is why the MC is talented in reflexes but no, he's just a dick.
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