Ryoma Echizen and the rest of Seigaku are back and go head to head with the best middle and high school tennis players in the country in the U-17 selection camp. The middle schoolers, which includes most of Seigaku's rivals from other schools, soon find that U-17 is full of talented players and wily coaches who want to test their limits.
Players are grouped in several courts depending on their abilities. Shuffle matches let courts move up or down the ranks. In the preliminary matches, several players are eliminated while Ryoma is disqualified for not showing up when he goes looking for Tokugawa, a player from court one, for a match. He has to leave the camp along with the losers.
They were not leaving however. They are sent to a drunkard coach, Nyudo, and undergo extensive and difficult training. Meanwhile, the middle schoolers who won, are slowly moving up the court ranking, led by the powerful Jujiroh Oni. It seems like the middle schoolers can't get along with the coach and the high schoolers who were also eliminated. Near the end of the 13-episode series, they realize that Nyudo's tactics are working. They were soon given a chance to go back to camp.
The series is too short. The last few episodes seemed like they were rushed and there is no way of knowing what the result of the training and final matches would be.
I didn't like how some teams were snubbed but at least all the Seigaku players had enough screen time.
Despite all that, it also has some good points. One of the things I noticed immediately is that Ryoma got cockier and more confident but also more mature especially while he was training. Although it was not an official match, Ryoma lost to Tokugawa. Ryoma has always seemed unbeatable but he's running out of tricks. This proves that he can still get stronger.
I loved the funny episodes too especially the one with Ryoma, Tanishi, and Kenya sneaking into U-17 camp to get supplies for Coach Nyudo.
As a fan of Prince of Tennis, this is a bit disappointing for me but it's still well-done even if it's too short.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Here are the titles of episodes 1 to 13:
Episode 1: Return of the Prince
Episode 2: The Gatekeeper of Hell
Episode 3: Friendly Fire
Episode 4: The Captain's Choice
Episode 5: Winners and Losers
Episode 6: Cliffs of the Heart
Episode 7: Start From Zero
Episode 8: Special Mission
Episode 9: Evolution and Change
Episode 10: Farewell, Kunimitsu Tezuka
Episode 11: Promise
Episode 12: The Start of a Revolution
Episode 13: Toward Your New Brilliant Selves
