Come on! Lets go!
Here I go!
Okay!
Over here!
All right!
Once more!
Sakuno!
Oh, Tomo!
Cmon! Look at your swing!
You havent made any progress!
But
No excuses! Listen up, Sakuno.
To play tennis,
you must aim to have a form like Ryoma.
Its impossible
Dont say that. You can do it, Sakuno!
Cheer up!
Now keep practicing.
Ryomas form
Hmm, that sounds like a good idea.
Because Echizen beat Kaido,
the regulars are feeling a lot of pressure, which is good.
If we can keep the adrenalin flowing through the sectionals,
the results will definitely be good.
You seem to have taken a liking to Ryoma Echizen.
No Im not convinced of his skill yet.
So Im going to match him up with many different types of players.
Youre as strict as ever.
Its expected of me as the captain.
Grandma!
Hot!
Hey, Sakuno, you scared me!
Ohsorry.
Umm...I didnt see Ryoma
So?
So I was wondering where he is.
Why? Are you interested in him?
N-Not really
I thought Id copy his form
He doesnt have a match today. But hes hooked on tennis.
He wont be without his racket, even on his off days.
Huh?
So where can he practice even without a partner?
A place where you can practice without a partner?
Were going to Nanjiro Echizens house?
Yeah.
But we dont have an appointment.
What if hes not the real person?
Dont worry. Its my reporters instinct.
Huh? And whats this?
Just what it looks like.
An autograph card?
Yes.
Are you serious?
Yup.
Theres nothing to do.
It cant be helped.
Theres nothing for us to do during the ranking tournament.
Geez, I wonder when Ill become a regular.
Hey, stupid!
Stop chatting and watch the game carefully!
Huh?!
Momoshiro Senpai!
Call me Momo.
Hi!
Pay attention!
Their form and techniques,
therere quite a few things you can pick up just by watching.
Keep your eyes wide open and watch carefully.
Like the Senpai next to us
Huh?
Oh, Inui Senpai!
Hell play Echizen next
He looks so intense.
Yeah
Oh, I know! Thank you, Grandma!
My goodness.
Many great players throughout history have been charismatic.
The charisma is what fascinates people.
Charisma, huh?
Yes?
ECHIZEN Im Inoue from Monthly Pro Tennis and spoke to you at noon.
May I see your husband?
Oh, hold on, please.
If hes for real, hell probably be very difficult and scary.
We wont know until we see him.
But its Nantaro Echizen, Nantaro.
No, its Nanjiro.
Whats the difference?
He must be several hundred times more reticent than his son Ryoma,
and his eyes are narrow and have a glint.
Oh no! Im scared, Inoue Senpai!
Shiba! Cut it out!
This isnt a game! Its w-o-r-k!
Pull yourself together! Now!
Thank you for waiting.
Huh? Who are you?
Im Nanako, his niece.
My uncle is at a temple behind our house.
Oh, I see. Thank you very much!
My, but youre pretty
Hello! Inoue Senpai!
Its work! W-O-R-K!
Huh? Huh?
W-Who is that lazy monk?
I dont know. No harm in asking.
Excuse me, monk.
We were told that Mr. Nanjiro Echizen is here.
Lets forget this, after all.
And whore you? Im Nanjiro.
Huh?!
Whoa!
Wha--! H-Help me, will you?
Huh? Wha--?!
Whats this smut?!
2ND FL - ROOFTOP AUTO-TENNIS COURTS 3RD FL - TENNIS COURTS
Im Inoue of Monthly Pro Tennis!
Im very pleased to meet you, Mr. Nanjiro Echizen!
Um, Im not Nanjiro. Hes off traveling
You just told us you were.
Whyd he suddenly switch to broken Japanese?
Sheesh! I hate reporters.
Youre mistaking me for somebody else.
Im not Nanjiro. Not me.
We wanted to talk to you in depth today.
About what?
Huh?! You answered!
Young lady, would you like to have some tea with me?
W-Whats his problem?!
I ring the bell every day
GongGong
Its very boring.
I dont have many chances to talk with young ladies
Lets go for tea, all right?
No thanks!
Aww, come on, lets go.
Uncle!
Heres tea for all of you.
Shucks! Interference.
Uncle, you should answer politely.
Cripes!
Huh?!
Jeez! Who would put a tennis court here?
You did, of course!
The head monk of this temple has been on a retreat.
So, my uncle has been watching over this place.
And he made this tennis court without permission.
Oh well... Hey, Mr. Inoue
Huh?
Do you play tennis?
Huh? What?
Well?
Of course! I used to play in school,
and I still play every week with my companys tennis club.
I see. Then lets play a game!
Since my fool of a son hasnt returned from school
and I have nothing better to do!
My hero, Samurai Nanjiro, is asking me to play!
P-Please wait one minute!
Huh?
I was right. Theres Ryoma
What?
Huh?
Well Its nothing, but...
My grandma told me you might be here.
So what can I do for you?
Nothing really
Hmm
Man oh man! Echizen skipped out without helping us!
He must be practicing for his next match.
If Ryoma becomes a regular,
all of us 7th graders will be so proud of him.
Thats for sure.
Im happy I joined this team just so I can watch him play.
Hah! I totally disagree!
Ill definitely become a starter and wear the Seigaku jacket some day!
There are still 236 balls left.
Inui Senpai.
Therere 236 balls. Get them all.
O-Okay.
Inui Senpai is...
I feel like hes boring holes through me!
Huh? Huh?
Im ready to play!
Its embarrassing, Inoue Senpai!
He seems all set.
Absolutely!
As a tennis player,
you never know when or where Ill be asked to play.
So I always carry my stuff around like this!
Thats what you say,
but Ill bet you planned on playing Nanzaburo Echizen, right?
Hey, young lady! My name is Nanjiro!
Oops!
Im not Nanjiro, no
Hey Senpai, was he really a legendary player?
He seems like a dirty lecher to me
Hey, Shiba!
Watch your mouth in front of his niece!
Oops!
Its okay. Shes on the right track.
Hey you!
Dont jump to conclusions like that!
Hey, Nanako! Youll see a real man play now!
Inoue Senpai, you look so silly!
Good luck.
Best-of-one-set match! Inoues service!
Mr. Nanjiro. As a reporter,
and as a tennis player, I have so many questions to ask you.
All right! Ill be happy to answer you, Mr. Inoue.
Thats if...
you can get just one point off me!
All right then, lets get started.
Too bad, Mr. Inoue.
You hit to my backhand first!
You should treat an old man with respect.
No kidding!
Then hows this?
There!
I was your biggest fan!
No fun having male fans.
Why did you suddenly retire?
Thats my little secret.
Huh?! That lecher is good!
My back is itchy.
Amazing physical reaction.
Powerful muscles and extremely limber
He doesnt look like hes been retired for 20 years.
There!
Did you retire because...
of an injury?
Or illness?
Its a secret!
Darn!
I thought Id be able to get at least one point.
That lecher is playing great, but hes a former pro player.
Its to be expected.
Look at my uncles feet.
Huh?
Oh!
My uncle hasnt moved from that position since the match started!
He plays like that against Ryoma all the time.
Thats the handicap he gives his opponent?
Yes.
I didnt notice it!
He controls it
so I hit the ball right to where hes standing.
He
keeps his left leg firm and doesnt move from that spot at all!
A-Amazing!
Umm...
Will talking bother you?
No, go ahead.
Why did you start playing tennis, Ryoma?
I forget.
Huh?
When I realized it, I was playing tennis every day.
I cant seem to stop, even if I wanted to.
Why?
Well, I have this goal!
Let me change the question.
What do you have planned for Ryoma?
Whats your intention?
Intention?
He has...
world-class talent!
Youre going to train him, right?
To become the cream of the crop!
Isnt that so?!
There!
Huh?!
Mr. Inoue
You still have a long way to go.
Youve got spirit, Ill say that much.
Its starting to become monotonous.
So, Ill give this handicap, Mr. Inoue.
Wh-What?
Oh yuck! The lecher is winking!
Be silent!
Im saying Ill play with only one eye open!
Now take back those words!
Ohis that what you meant?
Darn!
Ill just find a way to get a point!
There!
I cant believe it.
Hes playing with only one eye open.
He has no perspective on the court!
Huh?!
He hits it so easily.
There!
I-Inoue Senpai!
Look!
Huh?! He has both eyes closed!
R-Ryoma
Yknow, Mr. Inoue, I love it.
Huh?
Teasing him with tennis. I get such a kick out of it.
Playing tennis with that cocky, rotten boy of mine every day
is frankly ten times, no, a hundred times more fun than I had when I was a pro.
I get it, Mr. Nanjiro.
Hes your protégé, isnt he?!
Huh?!
Placement, form, power
Samurai Nanjiro! Theres no mistake!
Hmm? I think hes getting serious now.
Oops! Sorry, I hit it a little too hard.
Thats quite all right! Thank you for this game!
Ryoma?
Hmm?
About that goal you mentioned earlier. What is it?
Im sorry! Its okay if you dont want to answer.
Theres something I want to do.
Huh?
Theres someone I want to beat, in tennis
Someone to beat?
Right now, his playing style is a copy of my style.
A copy?
Yeah
So, he still has something he must do.
Wh-Which is?
I wont tell you!
You lost the game, Mr. Inoue.
Lifes not so easy, yknow?
Its not fair to tease us like that!
Im gonna write an article that Nanjiro Echizen is very mean!
I amnot Nanjiro.
How about having some tea with me, Mr. Nanjiro?
Yes! Lets go! Lets go!
See? Youre Mr. Nanjiro, after all!
Oh, no. Im not Nanjiro. Lets go have some tea!
No way!
Sheesh! Its not nice to tease an old man.
RYOMA ECHIZEN
Okay, I have all the data I need.
Now, Ill analyze all of his moves.
Ryoma Echizens chance of winning: zero percent.
Im Inui, a 9th grader. Im going to play Echizen next.
For a newbie, hes been playing great.
No doubt, hes quite a rookie.
But Ive done my research on him.
And based on my infallible data, theres no way Echizen will be able to beat me.
Sorry, but Im going to become a regular.
Next on The Prince of Tennis: Two Ryomas
Echizens secret...
Want to know what it is?