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Ping Pong (2002)
Young man!
Don't do it, son. It's not worth it. I had a bad day at the track. All I've got is 6O... ...but I'm not giving up. What'll your parents think if you die? Die? Yeah. You'll never amount to anything if you're dead. I'm not going to die. No? I'm going to fly. Yeah? Great! I can touch the moon no problem! That's the spirit! PING PONG Tamura Table Tennis Dojo Here they call me 'Peco'. You can call me that, too. 'Peco', huh? But... ...if I win, you call me Mr Peco, OK? You call me... ...'Mr Peco'. Ow! You ripped my hair out! He's the best player at his university! He could beat you left-handed! Hey, Granny... give me Table 3. Not if you're going to bet! Say something! You're too stuck-up to talk to us! Cut it out! It's Peco! Run! You know What? You can taste iron in blood. I don't mean it like those guys, but why are you so stuck-up? If you get mad, show it! If you're happy, laugh! OK... I'll try. Why do you always skip school? I'm busy. Come on, Peco! All the tables'll be gone! You go ahead, Demon! OK! Don't you know what table tennis is? Come on. I'll teach you. Enter... ...the hero! 18-6! Your damn floor's too slippery! Who's he playing? Some college jerk. How's the school team? Ping-pong's ping-pong. You're dead wrong. Katase High School! Fight! Katase High School! Bear down! Hey! Mr Ota! Yes, Coach? Where's Tsukimoto? I sent him to get Hoshino. Hoshino? The freshman with the bowl-cut. Who's better, the bowl-cut or Tsukimoto? That'd be Hoshino. He's the best we've got. Ota! The next dragonfly's yours! OK! Coach? If Tsukimoto's not here... Stop following Peco and start playing to win. Yes! Start now and you might give me a game in 300 years! That'll be 3,000. Hey... One more set! 2,000 a game. Don't bother to call. Hey, wait! What the hell?! Hey, Smile! Come on. I'm buying a new rubber. Come to practice. Why? Because... ...the team's awful without you. Did Ota send you? Yes. I hear you. Aren't you playing? He treats the game like a job! You get tired, living like that. He looks real cute when he smiles, though. I've never seen it. I have, but only once. When was it? Could I ever be like Peco? 'Born...' 'Born...' Gross! Read that. 'Table Tennis Shown To Ward Off Senility.' No, not that! Tsujido Academy got a Chinese guy to try and beat Dragon. 'Dragon'? Kazama, from Kaio Academy. He kicked your ass in Junior High. What do I care? You don't care, huh? Katase High School! Bear down! Katase High School! Fight! Put your dicks into it! Let's hear you! Where did Hoshino and Tsukimoto go? I'm going to Europe after high school. Why? To be world champion, of course! First I'll get on a pro team in Germany... Then why are you skipping practice? Look... 'Potato chips with special Osaka-noodle flavor'. Why not just eat noodles first? Our snack-food industry is all screwed up. Right? Conversation with you is so much fun. Next station? The one after that. 'Born'... Sing 'in the USA', too. What? Nothing. Tsujido Academy Hello! Hello! This is espionage! Yep. Kong! Why aren't you running? I wish I'd gone to Sweden or Germany. Come on! Don't forget they hired you to beat Kazama. Somebody's a chopper. Against a quick-attacker. The chopper's playing to lose. Why? I don't know. Japanese modesty? Let's go inside. I can't hear in all this wind. I'll take that. Yes! Keep playing to lose, Four-Eyes... ...and it'll get to be a habit. China! You're giving him all his shots. Uh, he's saying that... Don't translate. He gets it. Come on, Four-Eyes. 'Right on.' See if you can chop against me. Uh, not you... him. It'll just be a loss. He says it'll be a loss. A loss? Who? Let's go. What's up, China? You scared? Come on, you damn panda. 'Thanks a load.' Eat this. Kamikaze! I got skunked! You always cry when you lose. What are you looking at?! What does 'skunk' mean? Losing 21-0. Peco got skunked! Skunked! Skunked! Skunked! I wish I'd never been born. He's one of Shanghai's top juniors. Who do you think you are? I've shamed Japan! I want to die! Do it outside. Here and now! 1,000 fine for climbing on a table. Yuck! Granny-panties! 2,000! Keep away from Hoshino. Keep away from Tamura, too. Why? Because... ...against Hoshino you let up. No, I don't. Wow! You don't even realize it! OK... starting tomorrow you come here at 5 a.m. We'll do two months' special training for the inter-high tournament. It's like we'll be married. One, two... ...three, four... ...five, six... legs and arms! Hey! Mr Tsukimoto! I knew you'd come! I was wrong, Coach. You were wrong? Don't worry about it! Let's get to work. Yes, Coach. Let's go! Ready, Tsukimoto? You poor old bastard! Isn't this fun? Change the line! Attack! Make your own chances! Hey, skinhead... is he always like this before a tournament? Who are you calling 'skinhead'?! He's mad about this morning. Recognize and react! Recognizing takes a tenth of a second! Then you react! Bring that time as close to zero as you can! No other sport demands the reaction time of table tennis! Tsukimoto's getting pissed off. Coach keeps stepping on the balls! There's another one! What is this? A hot spring? Shape up or ship out! He's pissed off. Another ball! What's wrong? I'm shipping out. We just started! Real hot, ain't it? Why are you following me? You're going to beat China, right? Hell, yeah! So you can't skip practice any more. Practice like that? It's a total waste of time. I've been really tired lately. Of what? Table tennis, relationships... life is getting too complicated. I'm a simple guy- All I want is to be the best table tennis player... ...on the planet! Winning's everything, right? No, it isn't. No? I don't like dragging someone down just to win a game. That's the cool part. For me, ping-pong is only killing time. Not for me. Yeah, but you're cool. I don't like it when you look bad. Then let's go back. I can't practice without you. I'll buy you a Popsicle. Hurry up, Smile! Run! Hey! Popsicles! Welcome to the 2000 Inter-High Prefectural Preliminary... Men's Table Tennis Tournament. I have to play those losers? I wish I was dead! I don't see the guy with the glasses. Kaio! Look out! Who'd you draw? China, in the third game. That sucks, dude. Rest in peace. What about you? I drew... ...'that', in the third game. Demon? Well, if it isn't Peco! You're such a shrimp I almost didn't see you. Maybe a certain bald guy needs better glasses, huh? Does your shit school put frosh on the varsity squad? Better than picking up balls for three years at a name school. Dumb-ass! I'm on the varsity! Sakuma! Team meeting! Right! Later, Peco. Have your hanky out. What? For when you start crying. I'll put a ball right through those glasses, asshole! I'm going to skunk you, Demon! There he is! You happy now? Where's Mr Kazama? He always shuts himself in the can before a match. Diarrhea? No. One day you'll understand. Game, set! Hoshino, Katase High School. Thank you, thank you... Shut up, stupid! It's only the first game! What does he think he's doing? Kong, baby! Show us some kung-fu! Hey, China! China! China! Hey, fortune-cookie! Silence! To hear you speak ill of him... ...is repellent. He's pissed off. Who the hell do you think you are, egghead?! Cool it! Huh? Huh? Just shut up! The Kaio team's having its meeting, Mr Kazama. I want to talk to you. Do you mind? I'm going! Wait! I met your mother at an Inter-High Tournament! He represented Aomori, and I represented Ehime! Table tennis is in your blood! I won't stand by and let you quit! Let go of me! So what if he's Chinese? Some black people can't dance. What? Is that true? Yeah! And some Germans don't like beer! Your father's from Aomori, but he hates apples! Yeah! Shanghai-Schmanghai! He'll fall down, go boom! Fall down, go boom! Fall down, go boom! Fall down, go boom! Yes! How childish! He didn't make China's national team... ...so he's trying to start over in Japan. I hate to think how that'd feel. But he shouldn't show up someone in front of everybody like that. How will that guy feel? You play your best out of respect for your opponent. Tsukimoto... ...I hate the way you play... ...going easy on people out of consideration for them. It's patronizing. If you want to make me mad, you're succeeding. You're not fit to hold a racket. I hate you. It's almost time... I'm coming. Where's the old glass bottle? 200 for this is a rip-off! Huh?! Hey, did you shake this?! There's 1OO gone already! This sucks! Feel the heat! Game, set. Tsukimoto, Katase High School. You were attacking... Just for a change. Play your own style. Why? I just do this to kill time. What's wrong with that? I don't like this play-as-if- it-meant-your-life shit. You sure sound relaxed. Is that why you weren't chopping? Is that a problem? Maybe. I'm the guy who plays the attacking game. Uh yeah? Anyway, it's not smart to keep changing your game. Are you OK? About what? Demon. He's like a different guy from the old days. Don't you worry 'bout me. Hey, Peco... ...do you believe in heroes? Heroes? Someone who comes to help when you're in trouble. They only exist... ...in comic books. Maybe so. Take this and play to win. This is my spare. I changed the rubber. Long Dips Why bother? I'm playing Kong. Yes. Not Hoshino. So do me a favor, and don't hold back. I don't need this! Why are you always on my case? Leave me alone! Mr Tsukimoto... ...let's make a bet. You win your match, and I get off your back. And if I lose? Lose and you're my dog. You do everything I say. There are things you can only see from the very top... ...Mr Tsukimoto. And you've been there? Nothing's going to change for me, win or lose. I'm not betting. You'll lose. Thanks, 'Coach'. I'm telling the truth. You're going to lose. Sure you don't want to bet, Mr Tsukimoto? If I win, don't try coaching me ever again. Round 3! Kong, Tsujido Academy, and Tsukimoto, Katase High School. I want to hear you guys! The loudest side wins! If Tsujido outshouts us, we lose! Go, go, Tsukimoto! Push, push, Tsukimoto! Shut up! This is my game. There's no point shouting. What? It's irritating. Dismissed! Yes! That's the best you can do? You've got talent... ...but you'll never develop it... ...here. Yes! Game! Tsujido, Kong! I knew we should be shouting. We can't outshout China. There's a billions of them. Second Game! Tsukimoto to serve. Love-all. Yes! China was off-guard. He's reading you! Keep quiet, will you? Now we'll see the real Smile. Could we get him into our school? China? No. Your old buddy. Smile? 'Smile'? They call him that because he never does. You're really into this. It's half jealousy. Lots of people want real talent... ...but very few have it. Real talent? Shit! It's over, Wenge! Lose this and you're finished! Ignore him. You're not here as a tourist! They left you off the team, remember? This is no time for attitude! Do you hear me? Yes. Peco... He's still too nice for his own good! Game, set! Kong, Tsujido Academy. Playing like that is an insult to the game. Don't do it again! Don't hit someone with glasses on. Don't you know that? Either come to play or quit! All right. Smile isn't going to bring you back your youth... ...'Butterfly Joe'. Tamura... Round 3: Sakuma, of Kaio Academy... ...and Hoshino, Katase High School. Four years, three months since the last time. 24 wins... Yeah, whatever. ...and 94 losses. Soon it'll be 95. Peco... That's Mr Peco. You can't imagine how long I've waited for this day. I don't want to hear it! The local hero? Hand on table. 15-12. What's all this blocking bullshit? That's what's happening, 'Hero'. Up yours! First game. Kong serving, love-all. Let's get this over with or we'll miss Mr Kazama. Goodbye, junk-food junky! Game, set! Sakuma, Kaio Academy. I'll give you a tip. You know how you stop losing? By winning. Work harder or quit, punk. Shit! Game, set! Kazama, Kaio Academy. You staying here? Peco? I'll go on ahead. 'My blood tastes of iron.' Move it! Faster! Move it! Move it! Move it! We're leaving, Coach. He's a machine! Here they call me 'Poco'. You can call me that, too. You're all messed up, kid. We said move! But if I win, you call me 'Mr'. Call me Mr Poco. Owww! I read your 'comment'. Kazama Wins Second Title As Kaio Team Upset 'The decline of the team... '...is more important than individual victories.' 'For Kaio to recover... '...it needs more players like Tsukimoto of Katase High...' What? You've gotten slow. Three days off means a week to get your speed back. How many days have you missed? One, two, three, four... ...five, six, seven... Get out! Greetings! I am Sakuma Manabu, of Kaio Academy. I am here to play table tennis against Tsukimoto! Aren't you worried about Sakuma? He knows non-competition games are against club rules. If he plays one and loses, he's off the team. I'll play, but you'll lose. Listen to this! He'll lose. What did you say? Sakuma's going to lose. Tsukimoto's in there! Not now! But he's so cool! What's happening? Yuck! It's Hoshino! Want some sour chips? They're excellent. 'Suppamucho'. I thought you quit ping-pong. I didn't quit living. Well? Give this to Tsukimoto for me. Roger. After I check it. Why?! Do you have a girlfriend?'... No! Hattori Mako, Grade 10C! 'Make Hattori'! Change serve! To Kaio Academy. Damn it'! Where did I go Wrong? I can't watch this! Sorry. Demon! Leave Smile alone! But he's lousy! He'll get better with practice. Practice won't help him! I don't care! 21-7. Game, Tsukimoto. Aw, shit! Why?! Why is it you and not me?! I've tried! Ten, a hundred, ten thousand times harder than you have! To impress Mr Kazama... to beat Peco... I've lived and breathed table tennis! So why is it you?! You just don't have the talent. What?! That's all it is. It's nothing to start screaming over. You can go now. Bye-bye. Hey! Where do you think you're going? Where do you think you're going, I said! Wherever the hell I want to! Where am I going, huh? Tell me! Kazama Rise to Buddha, old buddy. Home it! We were just warming up. I asked for some better balls to practise with, didn't I? Oh, yeah... they're on order. You said that last week. Look, we can't spend the whole club budget on you. What else are we buying? Hey, wait! Tsukimoto! There's Peco! Why don't you come any more? Come and teach us! Girls don't go for ping-pong players. There's a guy there who chops! A chopper? The guy with the glasses. Smile? Nope. But an old friend's an old friend. There! Gee! Idiot! That chop wouldn't cut tofu. You're right. See? I'm teaching myself. I'm totally impressed. I had to drop out of school, but I want to give it my best shot. But this watch-and-wait kind of game... ...just doesn't suit me. Some birds can't fly. Keep playing. You've got the gift. I'm talking about you, Peco. Do I know you? You've got an instinct for the game. Bullshit. The fact is that you beat me, and Smile beat you. So do something about it. Go screw yourself. There are things only a hack player knows. I'll say this once. Run till you puke blood. Practise till you piss blood. You'll feel better. If you don't... ...you'll letdown the ones who've always admired you... ...me and Smile. Haven't seen him. Coaching is more than just teaching technique. Aw, shuddup. It's trial and error. I've bust my ass over him. That's why he took off. If there's no love in it, you'd better leave him alone. Young man! Don't do it, son. It's not worth it. I had a bad day at the track. All I've got is 6O... ...but I'm not giving up. What'll your parents think if you die? Die? Yeah. You'll never amount to anything if you're dead. I'm not going to die. No? I'm going to fly. Yeah? Great! I can touch the moon no problem! That's the spirit! Did I make you do that?! Are you strong? Taste iron in blood. Hey, Peco... ...do you believe in heroes? You're still here? A coach isn't a coach... ...without a player. Next time I kick your ass. Now I remember... ...the one time... ...that Smile smiled. This isn't a barber shop. Show me again, will you? Right from how you grip the racket. 5:04... no good! Do it again! Granny! What? I said 'from how you grip the racket,' didn't I? Yep. When do I start hitting? I've been running for two weeks! Until you beat three minutes. Do it again. Nice day. Don't you have... ...someone to pack you a lunch on a sunny day like this? I've got a girlfriend. You don't have to be surprised like that. Wanna go out? Tsukimoto! Hey, Tsukimoto! Hi! Isn't this fun, Mr Tsukimoto? Are you having fun? If you're having fun, smile! I would if I was. You would, huh? Damn right! Stop puking! You'll hurt my feelings! I'm your honey! Get up here and put your arms around me! Stop puking! 'Butterfly Joe'? Yep. 30 years ago he was one of the best. Was he really good? Not just good. He was beautiful to watch. No one could touch him. He was the king of Japanese table tennis. He was a shoo-in for the national team... But... ...I had a friend I'd hit against ever since I could remember. He was really good... ...but if we were both in good shape... ...I'd beat him. A knee injury... They said to take six months off. So you defaulted? I would have. But it was my friend who had the bad knee. I don't get it. You could've played him deep then hit to his backhand. Could you do that? Would you take advantage of a friend's injury... ...and risk ending his career? Could you do that? That was my last game. Let's go. Coach... ...I've always wanted to ride that thing. Well? Did I do it? I did? I didn't? Back to the dojo! I did it! Three minutes! Am I awesome or what! You're great. We make a great couple! I love you a whole bunch! Here... What you've been waiting for. You're losing it, Granny. There's rubber on the back, too. I'm not losing it. That means you can turn it over to hit. I thought you'd forgotten. We'd just come to the end of last year's budget. Plus I didn't know where to order them. Will you hit against me for a bit? You'd better ask Coach Koizumi. The Inter-High's getting close. I'll go easy. These are good. It's not the same. Now for some spin... Damn! That's enough! No! Tsukimoto! Shouldn't you be warming up? Is he listening? Is he listening? You'll be late! Who's my first game? Don't leave on me when you find out. Why do I have to draw China first? I seriously want to go home! I'm not losing it. Placement, control, speed... ...Tsukimoto's in another league. Hmm? Oh, Kong Wenge... He's gotten better this year, too. He's headed for the top. I wonder... He could lose here. 16-20. Yes! All right! You remember? The first time we played, you didn't win a point. Thanks, Kong. I learned something from you. You taught me how to fly. There! The back side! Game! Hoshino! That's my boy! Check it out, China. You might catch me in 300 years! Hey! You're in a game. Sorry. Get a move on, will you?! Hurry up, Muko, or I'll leave you here! Hey, Manabu... there's a swimming tournament, too. You can go jump in with them, then. What's the matter? I just said there's swimming. Swimmers have meets, not tournaments! I should've gone to Europe. Sweden, or Germany... But I chose Japan... Say hello to Kazama. Hoshino Kong I could cry... What? Did your friend win? Hello, Mr Kazama. It's Sakuma. Sakuma Manabu. I'm not going to let you... ...show up my school! How have you been, Sakuma? What? I'm doing all right. Mr Sanada never quits, does he. If there's one guy he doesn't want to lose to, it's Tsukimoto. Sakuma... ...competition is there to show who's best. If you say so. It doesn't matter who says so. Now that I've quit table tennis I finally understand... ...why you shut yourself away in here. Funny,huh? Who do you play for, anyway? Myself, of course. You're kidding, of course. If you mean that... ...I was wasting my time. Be seeing you. Sakuma! Do you feel betrayed? I sympathize. What's the matter? Have you got diarrhea? There's more than diarrhea drives a man to the toilet. What do you mean? Stay there. I need to cry a little. Game, set! Hoshino, Katase High School. Semifinal Hound Game, set! Tsukimoto, Katase High School. You're in the final! Way to go, Smile! Uh... 'Tsukimoto'. Where's Peco? In the medical room. His knee's pretty bad. Aren't you worried about him? The man's a machine! I like it... how cool he is. No problem, baby. Check it out. I had it retaped, and I got a shot of pain-killer. You don't know what a bad knee can do. Excuse me... it's time for your semifinal. I'm coming. No, he's not. Listen Peco... I know how bad you want to play Kazama. But if you want to be the best in the world someday... ...you've got to have the guts to raise the white flag. Smile's calling me. He's been waiting for a long time. For ages and ages... ...he's believed in me. I knew it, but I pretended I didn't. It scared me. I covered my ears against it. But he's waiting for me. Peco... ...I love you, kid. Stand back! Stand back! Competitor coming through! Stand back, stand back! There's a player coming through. Do you believe in heroes? Heroes? You OK? Your knee... I don't know if it'll hold up. But you're a high-flier. Way high up there. So I'll just climb your back, stand on your shoulders, and... ...fly. A hero shows up in the clutch... ...and saves me, no matter how deep a hole I'm in. That's a hero. Here goes! After I beat you, go out and get... ...a haircut. Go get some hair! I really need to take a piss! He jumped over to his backhand. He won't admit that Hoshino's good. Amazing! Nice shot. But... ...you won't be there forever looking down at everyone. 'Enter the hero.' I'm the hero. It's me. He comes back. My name is... ...Hoshino... ...Yutaka! How do you do? 15-2. What's wrong... ...'hero'? What's wrong? Aren't you the hero? Can't you fly?! He thinks he's fated to win. Maybe for Kazama... ...table tennis is pain. There's a strength in that. Looks like Peco made him mad. The back! Use the back! Right! Kid! Don't go pulling those cheap trick shots on me! It sucks! First game's yours, Dragon boy. Love you, man. Game, Kazama! Does it hurt? You're a nice guy. So why not give me this game? Clown! You asked! Right? Left? Stop thinking, Peco! Not that way! I can't keep this up! Oh, man... ...here we go again! Ow! Shit! Help me! Please! Enter the hero! Enter the hero! Enter the hero! Is he good? Yeah. Table tennis incarnate. You can have fun here. Your knee's no prob/em I is ten to /'1'. Can you fly? What's going on? Don't ask me. Hey! I'm ready to roll! The speed of sound! The speed of light'! Yes! And beyond! Faster! Ba ck! I get it... The hero... Game, Hoshino! Kazama's in trouble. Maybe. Don't fall back! Play up! Shut up! You bother me! Kazama's smiling! Hoshino's not sticking to one pattern. It's like he's playing for the sheer joy of it. Yeah. Playing someone like that... ...is fantastic. Match point, Dragon. You're going to win? What the hell. It was fun. I like it here. Bring me here again... ...'hero'. You guys haven't changed a bit! You sure have. That kid with the bangs was cool! Yeah. You're not jealous? You're no fun! Final: Tsukimoto vs. Hoshino And now, the 2001 Inter-High Men's Table Tennis Final. Captain Ota... ...is Hoshino's knee OK? He's coming. I see. So who should we cheer for? Both of them, of course! You cheer whenever there's a point. But... You can yell, Ota. Tsukimoto! What's with you? Tsukimoto... I probably don't have to say this... I'll play to win. I'm not like you, 'Butterfly Joe'. You're the best player I've ever seen. Stand aside! Stand aside! Competitor coming through! Viva! You're late. Don't be like that. I'm here to kick your ass. The final match! Hoshino, Katase High, vs. Tsukimoto, Katase High! I'm getting too old to stand and watch. Yeah. And it doesn't matter who wins. Get Hoshino to a hospital when this is over, OK? I know. Go, go, Hoshino! Push, push, Hoshino! Go, go, Tsukimoto! Push, push, Tsukimoto! Let's go, buddy! Welcome back, hero. Smile... ...don't squeeze the ball when you serve. And hold it up above the table. It has to bounce here first. Try it. OK. I'll try it. Don't swing so far. Take the ball, gently... Bring your arm down, and hit. Hit it well forward... ...as it's rising. OK? Can you do that? You try it. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Thank you, Peco. 'Mr Peco', please. 'Mr Peco, please.' Enter the hero! |
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