What is Prince of Tennis?
Prince of Tennis is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takeshi Konomi. It was adapted into an anime series produced by Trans Arts and directed by Takayuki Hamana. The anime series aired in Japan between October 10, 2001 and March 30, 2005, consisting of 178 episodes.
The story follows the adventures of Ryoma Echizen, a 12-year-old tennis prodigy, who attends the prestigious Seishun Academy, or Seigaku for short. With the help of his teammates on the Seigaku tennis team, Ryoma strives to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
How Long is the Prince of Tennis Anime?
The Prince of Tennis anime consists of 178 episodes, divided into two seasons. The first season aired from October 10, 2001 to March 30, 2005 and consisted of 166 episodes. The second season, known as the “National Tournament Arc”, aired from April 13, 2005 to September 28, 2005 and consisted of 12 episodes.
Prince of Tennis Anime Episode List
- Season 1: 166 Episodes
- Season 2: 12 Episodes
Prince of Tennis Plot Overview
The Prince of Tennis anime follows the story of Ryoma Echizen, a 12-year-old tennis prodigy. He attends the prestigious Seishun Academy, or Seigaku for short. With the help of his teammates on the Seigaku tennis team, Ryoma strives to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
The first season of the anime focuses on Ryoma’s introduction to the Seigaku tennis team and his struggles to become the team’s ace. The team faces off against various rival schools in order to win the National Tournament.
The second season of the anime, the “National Tournament Arc”, focuses on Ryoma and his team’s journey to win the National Tournament. Along the way, they must face off against other powerful teams, such as the notorious Hyotei Academy and the legendary Rikkai Dai Fuzoku tennis team.
Prince of Tennis English Dub
The Prince of Tennis anime was dubbed in English by 4Kids Entertainment. The English dub aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block from October 11, 2003 to May 12, 2004 and consisted of 104 episodes.
Prince of Tennis Movies
The Prince of Tennis franchise has produced two full-length anime movies. The first movie, The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament, was released on March 8, 2003 and retells the story of the National Tournament arc from the anime series. The second movie, The Prince of Tennis: Two Samurai: The First Game, was released on August 16, 2005 and is set before the events of the anime series.
Prince of Tennis OVA Episodes
The Prince of Tennis franchise has also produced several OVA episodes. The first OVA, The Prince of Tennis: The National Tournament Finals, was released on December 17, 2003 and serves as an epilogue to the anime series. The second OVA, The Prince of Tennis: The Two Samurai: The First Game – Special Edition, was released on December 19, 2005 and serves as a sequel to the first movie.
Prince of Tennis Live-Action Movie
A live-action movie adaptation of Prince of Tennis was released on August 20, 2006. The movie was directed by Yuichi Abe and stars Shunsuke Daito as Ryoma Echizen.
Prince of Tennis Musical
A stage musical adaptation of Prince of Tennis was performed from July 29, 2006 to August 27, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. The musical was directed by Tamiya Kuriyama and starred Shunsuke Daito as Ryoma Echizen.
Prince of Tennis Video Games
Several video games based on the Prince of Tennis franchise have been released for various platforms. These games include The Prince of Tennis: Match Tennis (Game Boy Advance, 2004), The Prince of Tennis: The Two Samurai: The First Game (PlayStation 2, 2005), and The Prince of Tennis: Power Smash 4 (PlayStation 3, 2012).
Conclusion
The Prince of Tennis anime is a classic shonen sports anime with 178 episodes divided into two seasons. It has also spawned two full-length anime movies, several OVA episodes, a live-action movie, a stage musical, and various video games.