Ping Pong [J-Movie]
Directed by Fumihiko Sori
Produced by Shinji Ogawa, Sanae Suzuki, Tamotsu Shiina
Written by Kankuro Kudo
Starring Yosuke Kubozuka, Arata, Sam Lee, Shido Nakamura, Koji Ookura, Naoto Takenaka, Mari Natsuki
Ping Pong (ピンポン; Pin pon) is a 2002 sports film directed by the Japanese filmmaker Fumihiko Sori. It is based on Taiyō Matsumoto’s manga of the same name, and is about the friendship between two high school table tennis players.
The film concentrates on these two friends, their two mentors, and three players who they encounter at high school table tennis tournaments. It explores the different motivations and philosophies that they have towards table tennis, and tries to portray the excitement and subtlety of the sport.
Ping Pong was nominated for eight Japanese Academy Awards in 2003; Shido Nakamura won the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ prize for his performance as Dragon.
The cast includes Yosuke Kubozuka (Peco), Arata (Smile), Sam Lee (China), Shido Nakamura (Dragon), Koji Ookura (Akuma), Naoto Takenaka (Butterfly Joe, the high school coach) and Mari Natsuki (Obaba, Peco’s mentor).