Baby Steps

S01E03: The Contest Is a Fight

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.

Overview

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.

Episodes

Tennis and Notes

S01E01 Tennis and Notes

April 6, 2014 25 min
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...
Methodical and Unorganized

S01E02 Methodical and Unorganized

April 13, 2014 25 min
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

S01E03 The Contest Is a Fight

April 20, 2014 25 min
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...
Face of Conviction

S01E04 Face of Conviction

April 27, 2014 25 min
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...
A First Match Full of Surprises

S01E05 A First Match Full of Surprises

May 4, 2014 25 min
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...
Diamond in the Rough

S01E06 Diamond in the Rough

May 11, 2014 25 min
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

S01E07 Nine-Square and Reality

May 18, 2014 25 min
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

S01E08 One Year and Twenty Notebooks

May 25, 2014 25 min
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...
Diligence is My Style

S01E09 Diligence is My Style

June 1, 2014 25 min
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

S01E10 Unease on the Edge

June 8, 2014 25 min
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...
Risk and Possibility

S01E11 Risk and Possibility

June 15, 2014 25 min
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...
Improvement by Memory

S01E12 Improvement by Memory

June 22, 2014 25 min
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

S01E13 Art and Technique

June 29, 2014 25 min
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

S01E14 Putting the Pieces Together

July 6, 2014 25 min
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...
Plan to be Forceful

S01E15 Plan to be Forceful

July 13, 2014 25 min
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...
Beast and Initiative

S01E16 Beast and Initiative

July 20, 2014 25 min
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...
Pro At My Age

S01E17 Pro At My Age

July 27, 2014 25 min
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...
Determination and Presentation

S01E18 Determination and Presentation

August 3, 2014 25 min
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

S01E19 Resolve and Hell

August 10, 2014 25 min
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...
Meat Buns and Yakisoba

S01E20 Meat Buns and Yakisoba

August 17, 2014 25 min
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

S01E21 Consistency and Change

August 24, 2014 25 min
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,...
Fundamentals are the Weakness

S01E22 Fundamentals are the Weakness

August 31, 2014 25 min
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...
Reckless 100-Square

S01E23 Reckless 100-Square

September 7, 2014 25 min
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

S01E24 Duty and Desire

September 14, 2014 25 min
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

S01E25 Eiichiro and Natsu

September 21, 2014 25 min
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.

Cast

Taishi Murata
Taishi Murata
Eiichiro Maruo (voice)
Minako Kotobuki
Minako Kotobuki
Natsu Takasaki (voice)
Daisuke Namikawa
Daisuke Namikawa
Takuma Egawa (voice)
Asami Seto
Asami Seto
Himeko Sasami (voice)
Hiro Shimono
Hiro Shimono
Yukichi Fukasawa (voice)
Taiten Kusunoki
Taiten Kusunoki
Coach Yusaku Miura (voice)
Takuma Terashima
Takuma Terashima
Kojirou Kageyama (voice)
Tetsuya Kakihara
Tetsuya Kakihara
Takuya Miyagawa (voice)
Chisa Yuuki
Chisa Yuuki
Yuuki Tajima (voice)
Kohsuke Toriumi
Kohsuke Toriumi
Coach Ryuuhei Aoi (voice)
KENN
KENN
Yoshiaki Ide (voice)
Yoshimasa Hosoya
Yoshimasa Hosoya
Souji Ike (voice)

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