ベイビーステップ

2014 - 2015

Tennis and Notes

Episode 1

Maruo Eiichiro is an honor student in his first year of high school. He's a very methodical person who keeps two sets of notes for class and focuses entirely on his studies. One day, Eiichiro decides to participate in a free trial at South Tennis Club (STC) because he needs some exercise. There, he meets school idol and sweetheart Takasaki Natsu. Eiichiro has taken his first step into the world of tennis

Methodical and Unorganized

13th April 2014

Episode 2

Eiichiro is unable to answer Natsu when she asks him what he enjoys doing most. He becomes interested in tennis and returns to STC for another free trial.

The Contest Is a Fight

20th April 2014

Episode 3

Eiichiro is unable to forget how good it felt when he successfully returned Takuma's serve, and he spends all of his time practicing against the wall. After seeing Eiichiro practice against the wall non-stop for six hours on a Sunday, Natsu predicts that he will quickly improve.

Face of Conviction

27th April 2014

Episode 4

Eiichiro finds himself in a contest with Takuma. Eiichiro has fifty tries to return Takuma's serve. One successful return and Eiichiro wins. However, despite Eiichiro's best attempts to follow his notes and stick to the basics, he can do nothing against one of the strongest serves in the country.

A First Match Full of Surprises

Episode 5

Eiichirō is about to play his first match. He receives advice from the other STC members, but it only makes him more nervous. He doesn't get a chance to calm himself down as he's soon called to the tennis court.

Diamond in the Rough

Episode 6

It is down to the final match of the set. Eiichirō trails 5 games to 1, but with a determination to stay on the court as long as possible Eiichirō begins to push Oobayashi.

Nine-Square and Reality

Episode 7

In order to improve Eiichirō's playing, Coach Miura has him learn control on a 9-square court. After getting the basics done, Eiichirō is forced into a match against Takuma.

One Year and Twenty Notebooks

Episode 8

Maruo Eiichirō continues his training at STC as he tries to master every shot. At smaller tournaments he begins advancing to the third round but is unable to go further. His mother worries that Eiichirō is spending too much time on tennis when he drops out of cram school to practice more.

Diligence is My Style

Episode 9

Eiichirō returns to the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. His first match is up against fellow high school student Koshimizu Nariyuki, a man whom is always trying to compete with Eiichirō for the top scores.

Unease on the Edge

Episode 10

The match between Eiichirō and Miyagawa begins with each holding serve. However Eiichirō feels that something is off. After studying his notes, Eiichirō realizes that Miyagawa has been studying his shots, and with a 4-3 lead he plans on making his move in the eighth game.

Risk and Possibility

Episode 11

After managing to hold serve Eiichirō starts looking for an opportunity to break Miyagawa. Both hold serve and force a tiebreaker. With the score 6-5 Maruo in the tiebreaker Eiichirō decides to try and gamble to use his full stroke and steal a point.

Improvement by Memory

Episode 12

After defeating Miyagawa, Eiichirō returns to STC for some training that will make him better in 1 day. Eiichirō is teamed up with a Coach Mike from Florida who specializes in pyschological training.

Art and Technique

Episode 13

The match between Hiromi and Eiichirō begins. Everytime Eiichirō tries to go on the attack, Hiromi hits a shot Eiichirō can't reach.

Putting the Pieces Together

Episode 14

It is match 10 of a 1-set match, and Eiichirō leads 5 games to 4. Eiichirō begins to up his speed against Hiromi, and with it he stays even at 30-30. Just then Hiromi's legs cramp up, allowing Eiichirō to get two easy aces and win the match 6-4.

Plan to be Forceful

Episode 15

Eiichirō overhears Araya telling Takuma that if he loses to him this tournament, he will retire from tennis. His plan is to defeat Takuma and then announce he is going pro. Takuma agrees to tell Eiichirō Araya's weaknesses.

Beast and Initiative

Episode 16

After going up Love-15, Araya uses a number of service aces to go up 3-1 in set 2. Eiichirō holds serve, and as he gains a 30-40 advantage in Game 6 of Set 2, Araya punches himself in his face to eliminate his emotions from the game.

Pro At My Age

Episode 17

Araya and Eiichirō end up at deuce after neither player can gain an advantage. An ace end up being huge for Araya give him the match point advantage, and despite his best efforts a lucky bounce proves to be the end for Eiichirō as he loses 6-1, 6-4. The finals are held between Araya and Takuma.

Determination and Presentation

3rd August 2014

Episode 18

Eiichirō investigates going Pro, but his reaction from his parents is less than he expected. Eiichirō joins Natsu at the first round of the All Japan Pro to watch the debut match of Ike Souji.

Resolve and Hell

10th August 2014

Episode 19

Eiichirō manages to steal 1-point in the 10-minute match with Ike before his coaches reappear and make him stop playing a match. Afterwards Eiichirō is sent home to rest. The next day Eiichirō begins a brutal practice regimen that will recondition his body into that of a pro's.

Meat Buns and Yakisoba

17th August 2014

Episode 20

Eiichirō participates in a tournament after 3 months of hellish training. He learns about active rest while participating in the tournament and makes it to the final. Terashima is his opponent.

Consistency and Change

24th August 2014

Episode 21

Eiichirō continues his practice and gets his next tournament schedule. As the last player to qualify he is placed up against the 1-seed, Yu Nabae. Eiichirō begins to look for weaknesses from Yu on tape, but what he finds is a highly adaptive style that could easily beat him if he doesn't come up with a few tricks.

Fundamentals are the Weakness

31st August 2014

Episode 22

Yu Nabae matches up with Eiichirō and realizes they really are two players that are virtually the same. He realizes that what Eiichirō lacks is experience with the fundamentals, as he has never played anyone like himself, and after losing the first set Nabae begins to pull away and goes up 5-2.

Reckless 100-Square

7th September 2014

Episode 23

In an effort to try and reverse the tide, Eiichirō decides to go back to his idea of having 100-squares to aim for instead of 9.

Duty and Desire

14th September 2014

Episode 24

Eiichirō runs to watch Natsu's match when he learns she is in danger of losing. Afterwards they return to STC where he Ryuhei Aoi, a man who will become his new coach.

Eiichiro and Natsu

21st September 2014

Episode 25

Eiichirō and Natsu go out on their first date. When Eiichirō asks Natsu what she thinks about him, she tells him he is cheating. Afterwards Eiichirō is allowed to resume practice.

Top Cast

Taishi Murata•Minako Kotobuki•Daisuke Namikawa

Animation Comedy

Eiichirō Maruo (nicknamed "Ei-chan" for his grades being straight "A") is an honor student, bookworm, and is not interested in anything other than studying. In order to solve his problem of lacking physical strength, he enrolled a tennis school and soon found the fascinating side of tennis. Being a tennis newbie lacking physical strength, he supplement his shortcomings with his excellent observing and analyzing skills.

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Full Cast

Taishi Murata Image

Taishi Murata

Eiichiro Maruo (voice)

Minako Kotobuki Image

Minako Kotobuki

Natsu Takasaki (voice)

Daisuke Namikawa Image

Daisuke Namikawa

Takuma Egawa (voice)

Asami Seto Image

Asami Seto

Himeko Sasami (voice)

Hiro Shimono Image

Hiro Shimono

Yukichi Fukasawa (voice)

Taiten Kusunoki Image

Taiten Kusunoki

Coach Yusaku Miura (voice)

Takuma Terashima Image

Takuma Terashima

Kojirou Kageyama (voice)

Tetsuya Kakihara Image

Tetsuya Kakihara

Takuya Miyagawa (voice)

Chisa Yuuki Image

Chisa Yuuki

Yuuki Tajima (voice)

Kohsuke Toriumi Image

Kohsuke Toriumi

Coach Ryuuhei Aoi (voice)

KENN Image

KENN

Yoshiaki Ide (voice)

Yoshimasa Hosoya Image

Yoshimasa Hosoya

Souji Ike (voice)

Shintaro Asanuma Image

Shintaro Asanuma

Hiromi Iwasa (voice)

Yoshiyuki Shimozuma Image

Yoshiyuki Shimozuma

Nariyuki Koshimizu (voice)

Kenyu Horiuchi Image

Kenyu Horiuchi

Magure Mike (voice)

Takahiro Sakurai Image

Takahiro Sakurai

Yuu Nabae (voice)

Hiroshi Kamiya Image

Hiroshi Kamiya

Alex O' Brien (voice)

Megumi Han Image

Megumi Han

Marsha O'Brien (voice)

Natsuki Hanae Image

Natsuki Hanae

Krishna Rames (voice)

Kaori Ishihara Image

Kaori Ishihara

Shimizu Aki (voice)

Takuya Eguchi Image

Takuya Eguchi

Atsushi Taira (voice)

Akio Kato Image

Akio Kato

Kevin Morland (voice)

Masakazu Morita Image

Masakazu Morita

Sakuya Takagi (voice)

Tomoaki Maeno Image

Tomoaki Maeno

Ryou Oobayashi (voice)

Wataru Hatano Image

Wataru Hatano

Hiroshi Araya (voice)

Yuko Kato Image

Yuko Kato

Sanae Maruo (voice)

Full Crew

Tanaka Jin

Music Arranger

Masayuki Kouda

Character Designer

Kouhei Yamada

Music Producer

Keisuke Tsuchihashi

Production Supervisor

Kunihiko Inaba

Art Direction

Izumi Nakazawa

Producer

Hikaru Katsuki Image

Hikaru Katsuki

Original Series Creator

Hajime Takakuwa

Sound Director

Mao Abe Image

Mao Abe

Theme Song Performance

Mao Abe Image

Mao Abe

Lyricist

Yoichiro Yoshikawa Image

Yoichiro Yoshikawa

Music

Akkin Image

Akkin

Music Arranger

Masahiko Murata

Series Director

Ryoko Oka

Color Designer

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