Seishun takes on Yamabuki Junior High in the continuance of the District Preliminaries. Who will win the first two double matches and the first singles matchup? Find out in another exciting volume of “The Prince of Tennis”!
© 1999 by Takeshi Konomi. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: The Prince of Tennis vol. 12
STORY AND ART BY: Takeshi Konomi
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shonen Jump Manga
RATED: A for All Ages
RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2006
The next round of games are underway, and Seishun’s Takeshi Momoshiro encounters Kiyosumi in the No. 3 Singles. Takeshi’s in for a hard day’s work, as Kiyosumi proves to be an intimidating opponent from the moment he launches his “Kohou,” which is a type of serve.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Tennis Ryoma Echizen faces Yamabuki’s Jin in the No. 2 Singles. Discover the “reason” why Jin can’t possibly lose..
Featuring the conclusion of the singles matchup between Seishun’s Takeshi Momoshiro vs. Yamabuki’s Kiyosumi Sengoku. And the next singles matchup that everyone has been waiting for, Ryoma Echizen vs. Jin Akutsu. Jin has tried to pick fights, even injuring Ryoma by hitting rocks towards his face.
But now, Ryoma will take his revenge on the tennis court!
Who has the advantage? Find out in “The Prince of Tennis” Vol. 12!
What is “The Prince of Tennis”?
In 1999, tennis player and manga artist Takeshi Konomi created a series known as “Tennis no Ojisama”.
Published in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” in July 1999, the series became one of the most popular sports manga series created and would eventually lead to an anime series adaptation by Trans Arts and Nihon Ad Systems & TV Tokyo.
Suffice to say, the series became an incredible hit and popular media franchise which would lead to video games and more!
“The Prince of Tennis” is a manga series that revolves around Seishun Academy’s players and it’s seventh grade prodigy Ryoma Echizen.  As other have the drive to become great tennis players, for Ryoma, his goal is to beat one person he has never beaten…his father, former tennis prodigy Nanjiro Echizen.
“The Prince of Tennis” features the following characters:
- Ryoma Echizen – A seventh grade tennis prodigy who’s tennis skill has shocked everyone at Seishun Academy, but his lost to Team Captain Kunimitsu Tezuka makes Ryoma learn that he still has a ways to go in his tennis game.
- Kunimitsu Tezuka – The Team Captain who is trying to recuperate after an ankle injury. An excellent player but he starts to see the amazing potential of Ryoma.
- Shuichiro Oishi – The Alternate Team Captain and one half of the “Golden Team” duo with Eiji Kikumaru.
- Shusuke Fuji – One of the star solo players of Seishun Academy
- Eiji Kikumaru – Known for his acrobatic skills on the tennis court, he is one half of the “Golden Team” duo with Shuichiro Oishi.
- Takashi Kawamura – Seishun Academy’s power player.
- Sadaharu Inui – Known for keeping stats on data on every tennis player.
- Takeshi Momoshiro – Known for his dunk smash, Momoshiro has been limiting himself on the court after suffering an ankle injury.
- Kaoru Kaido – Hardly speaks, his stare is cold as ice and always looks grumpy. Known as “The Viper”.
- Sumire Ruuzaki – The Team Coach
- Nanjiro Echizen – Ryoma’s father who was once a tennis prodigy and was expected to go professional until he suffered a major injury. Now living at home and is a pervert, but still can easily beat Ryoma.
- Sakuno Ryuzaki – Sumire’s granddaughter and friend of Ryoma. Started playing tennis after watching Ryoma play.
- Kachiro, Horio, Katsuo – Seventh graders who are on the tennis team.
At first, it looked as if Momoshiro was going to win his game against Yamabuki’s Kiyosumi Sengoku but Momoshiro learned that his opponent is also a master of his own “dunk smash” known as “The Tiger Canon”. But Momoshiro starts to show weakness in his knee. Can he continue to play at a high level against his most difficult opponent yet?
And the next solo match is the first half of Ryoma taking on his biggest rival yet, Jin Akutsu. As show in volume 10, Jin has done nothing but torment and beat people up. And with Ryoma, going so far as to injure his face.
But now both players put everything on the tennis court. Can Ryoma win this matchup?
Character design by Takeshi Konomi are always well-done, the storyline manages to capture the excitement of tennis and strategy of tennis, but also for the series of introducing a cold antagonist. Great artwork and for the most part, his attention to detail for the players and the surrounding environments are well-done.
Volume 12’s matchups are exciting! Once again, another exciting volume of “The Prince of Tennis”!