Adapted from the 1996 manga of the same name by Taiyo Matsumoto, Ping Pong the Animation follows a young highschool student Smile and his many competitors in the world of elite ping pong as they all strive to become the best in Japan. Originally starting this series for the unique animation style alone, which was gorgeous, I stayed for a compelling character driven plot, with very human connections and misunderstandings, and the many explorations of work, goals, existence, and ultimately life's purpose. I didn't think a show about ping pong would have me questioning how I structure the frameworks of personal values, but it did, and I could not be happier for it. A short single 11 episode season, it ends beautifully and if you can get your hands on this series I could not recommend it more. Whether you're a fan of anime alone, ping pong, or neither, this series had me questioning if my kitchen table was really needed in my life and perhaps a ping pong table would get better use.