Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
GamiKhan
Simple show about tennis, it is the type of sports anime more focused in the journey than anything else. It isnt afraid to skip irrelevant matches and points. While a full match of 3 sets could definetly last 4 episodes in other animes, here at times they quickly wrap them up in a single episode.
To me skipping irrelevant stuff is a plus, the anime is ultimately focused on the thought process in which the protagonist advances and the fact that he skipped a leisure guaranteed free life for something that he loves, though the thing he loves is not only tennis.
Nor the anime or manga are finished, both of them got cancelled at different points of time but I think it is worth the watch, also the show even if it is not very applicable cause he does have an insane innate talent for tennis but…
Read at the sourceYBYUVI
Love the anime, it's a really good anime, the story is top tier, and the characters are written very well. But the only thing is that the matches in this anime are super annoying, I mean if you are watching this anime you probably have already watched Haikyuu, so imagine haikyuu match but they never actually show the dang court and just speak volleyball jargon. Like blud show me the damn court, I don't know what a frickin slice, or cross shot or any of that stuff is, and the main thing that if the matches are going to last 2 episodes I just don't wanna see him or the opposite player just give a monolgue, I also wanna see the dang match like the audience in the anime. Becuase it's just not fun someone just explaining what they are doing in the match and not actually seeing what they are doi…
Read at the sourcesirnothing
Baby Steps
Baby Steps is a memorable sports anime with informative analysis of tennis, likable characters, and thrilling gameplay.
CHARACTERS: 20/25
The protagonist of this series is Eiichiro Maruo. Supporting characters are Natsu Takasaki, Takuma Egawa, Kojirou Kageyama, Yukichi Fukuzawa, and Himeko Sasaki. Eiichiro plays against and continually interacts with other tennis players such as Takuya Miyagawa, Ryou Oobayashi, Hitoshi Araya, Hiromi Iwasa, Souji Ike, and Yuu Nabae. Other supporting cast include Eiichiro’s parents and his coaches, Coach Miura and Coach Ryuuhei Aoi. Eiichiro is a very likable and hard-working student who decides to try his hand at tennis and ends up loving it. Throughout the series the viewer grows to admire and root for Eiichiro’s unique approach to mastering t…
Read at the sourceCanary_Supremacy
This is a great anime, and manga and definitely deserves to have more fans. Though, all the main characters are japanese the author does add POC when the character goes to America and in different tennis matches with made me happy but I also couldn’t help but laugh at the main characters hair in every scene. Maybe they could of changed that a littleee bit lol. Maybe it’s because I’m not a fan of love interests in sports mangas, and other action ml stories because the guys don’t ever know how to write a woman/girl without her being sexualize or annoying so I didn’t really like her at first, But she kinda grew on me. Probably because her character developed further into the anime/manga, The main character is a little bit of a prev towards her though.
Read at the sourceRobijet
Baby stebs, follow a boy how play Tennis because a nice Girl told to him. Its a sport, romance show!
Im happy, that i saw this Anime because its actually really good, the best Tennis anime How I watched jet. So if you are a fan of Sport ore romance, than its good fore you.
So yea, the Opening is REALLY good!!!!!
So motivating.
It alos has a second season, but I dont now there is a third season ore will came. There also a Manga from this Anime.
One thing is the hearcut from the protagonist, the Hearcut. It looks like a chicken. I dont like it.
Read at the sourceMoMars
Review in Bullet Points:
- A more realistic than usual sports anime no one seemed to need super powers to play
- Main character is likable and fun but the rest are fairly forgettable (sometimes all you need is a good main character)
- The plot really drove this one for me it felt organic and well paced
Main Review --
Story: Baby Steps is close to exactly what you would expect of a "Sports Anime" Including main character growth, relationship development, and some heated matches that last a couple episodes. The story is well paced and doesn't spend too long on any one story point.
Art: I'm not any sort of artist so I feel weird commenting on it. Its good nothing stood out. If you are watching this anime in 2020 its definitely starting to get a little dated but nothing that would stop me fr…
Read at the sourcekurosaki_raye
I often keep fast forwarding when I watch sports animes because they usually spend so much time showing off super-power-like techniques. But Baby Steps was different. I loved every second of the anime. The anime progressed at a very good pace and I was extremely impressed by the quality of story development. The main character does not gain super-power-like skills but focuses on the basics to outsmart opponents.
Baby Steps also reminded me that sports is something you should enjoy, more than focusing on beating everyone.
Just as a side note, I wanted to say that this anime cannot be compared with Prince of Tennis. They are completely different. Personally I do like over-power main characters like Echizen (Prince of Tennis) though so I cannot compare the animes overall, because to me, th…
Read at the sourceIam_Georg
This anime is outstanding in the following points:
The character developement is set up very well. Reminded me of Hajime no Ippo, with the difference of more realism in Baby Steps.
The story is kept quite close to reality, almost no exaggerations. This actually a very important point. The main character is very good, but he doesn't allways win, he is not overpowered and the drama is not created despite you knowing he would win anyway. The anime introduces you very well to what it means to be a pro (-fessional) in your discipline. You can also convey this to other disciplines and learn a lot. Also I learned a lot about tennis. I had zero clew before and know I can (and I do) watch a tennis match, fully understanding the terminus of commentators. From that perspective, I truly don't know a…
Read at the sourceSerial_Exp_Lain
Just like it's title,the show is a bit slow to take off.However,it captures you immediately with a very unique character.The story is simple but it's the execution that is exemplary.A deep sense of realism runs through all the episodes.While the MC has some amazing talents,the show constantly reminds us how talent alone is not enough.Almost every character,every rival is unique.They all have their backstories that explain their styles of play.This makes all matches interesting and the writers manage to keep taking it up a notch with every game.Something that seemed like the greatest "weapon" when introduced,turns into a baggage in the next match.This happens while our MC is improving at an exponential though slow seeming pace using the "join-the-dots" kind of method.
The show handles all…
Read at the sourceAquatics
(SPOILER FREE REVIEW)
Story (9): As someone who's seen quite a few shonen, and sports shonen in particular, Baby Steps stands out from the pack in ways that I feel make it a worthwhile series for almost any viewer. The story, unlike most sports anime that follow prodigies building their legends, follows a complete novice who takes up the sport as a hobby and slowly becomes dedicated to it, eventually deciding to pursue it as a life passion. The story follows him building up simple skills through hard work and by utilizing his few natural strong suits, making his gameplay entirely unique, leading to all the matches throughout the series having variety and strategy as their main appeals over very hyped up, loud action sequences. The focus on self improvement and character growth through eff…
Read at the sourceGarebear68
Written January 24th, 2019:
This is just brief thought and ratings for the first season of Baby Steps. My full review on the series, seasons 1 and 2 are on the page for the second season.
Story: 9 - Well written, occasional pacing issues, ie. dragging out the tennis matches forever.
Art: 6 - Lots of reuse of the same footage over and over. It was not terrible, just noticeable.
Sound: 8 - Sold voice acting. The opening/closing music is great, the FX? Okay. Sounds like tennis.
Character: 8 - Very good, some of the secondary characters are weak, the main ones shine.
Enjoyment: 9 - If it were not for the reuse of the art assets and pacing issues, would be a 10.
Overall: 8 - I love this show, I hope there is a season 3, but it would need to be announced in 2019, or it is unlikely.
Read at the sourceJasperFrost
Baby Steps does a number of unique things in the way it tells its story. Nothing is predictable, and the pacing is actually very good given that the story spans several years. I didn't go in with any expectations except a general idea that an anime rated 8 should be good enough to watch to completion. I was pleasantly surprised every step of the way.
The animation in filler scenes and backgrounds is lackluster, especially in the first season, but during crucial scenes it gives you the information you need to engross yourself in the story, and that's where the anime really shines. The characters are all quite likable and relatable, and the story is above all, compelling. If you listen closely you'll hear some interesting foley work with the sound that I wasn't expecting given the relativel…
Read at the sourcemalort
"Baby Steps" is an anime about tennis, but it also a great coming-of-age story that emphasizes celebrating small successes, finding passion, and making meaningful connections.
This show belongs to a place near and dear to my heart. The main cast is full of very likable characters, and the protagonist's story arc and development was very realistic and believable, which is a quality that lacks in its contemporaries. I don't typically watch anime in the "sports" genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
The main character, Ei-chan, is extremely relatable and kind-hearted. The show has a good way of making a person root for him, through his hardships and growth. The supporting characters, as well as the 'antagonists' are mostly unique and complex characters that embody true human struggles a…
Read at the sourceMattNyte
This is my first review! :P
Should you watch it? Yes, the story is very entertaining and the growth of the characters is excellent.
Ill rate the genres now (That are tagged). [Romance] 4/10. Sure there was some romance in the second season, but there wasn't much. Romance is barely there.
[School] 6/10. There not much school in it as well. There is some of it in the beginning of the season, but after that there isn't much school. [Shounen] ?. This is a type of anime that anybody can watch. Sure, its focusing mainly for men, but everyone can have the same entertainment with this anime. [Sports] 10/10. Sports is the main adjective of this anime, and does a fairly good job of showing it. It shows the struggles of playing tennis, and the strategies and skills needed in order to play tennis.…
Read at the sourceTpfang56
- This is a joint review of seasons 1 & 2 of Baby Steps. There will be mild spoilers. -
Of all the sports anime I’ve seen so far (which is not actually a whole lot), Baby Steps is my first foray into tennis. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised at how good it is. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been watching team sports all this time and tennis is a single player sport, but it does feel like it did something different.
First, let me just say that the main character Eiichiro (or Ei-chan) is not your typical sports protagonist. I mean sure, he’s another "complete newbie"-type who gets into a sport for the first time in high school, but unlike many other sports protagonists, he’s also an excellent student. Almost always, a sports protagonist is book dumb or at best average at school. On top of that…
Read at the sourceaedonis
Where sports anime is concerned, Baby Steps is definitely underrated. This anime has all your typical parts to a sports anime but with a way better story and main character.
Typical Plot:
- The MC is a novice at the sport.
- The MC works hard towards a goal
Not so typical plot:
- The MC isn't a pansy.
- The MC is incredibly likable
- The improvement in the MC's skills are realistic. - The end of every episode leaves your heart racing and motivated to conquer the day. (Seriously how I felt after haha)
Art: The art is nothing fancy. It is good enough to tell the story.
Overall, this is a must watch.
Read at the sourceanaract
Baby Steps is sports anime done right. No power ups, final bosses, character gimmicks, overpowered main characters, or formulaic plot.
The shonen battle-arena format is done so thoughtfully that it hardly feels like one at all. While the story ultimately consists of a generic underdog main character training and battling against increasingly stronger opponents, it manages to feel unique and refreshing due to its detailed and compelling portrayal of competitive tennis.
The underdog trope is used to successfully make Maruo's (the main character) foray into competitive tennis at a late age (sixteen) feel intimidating, challenging, and all the more impressive when he nails it. Maruo doesn't catch up to everyone else because he has prodigious talent or a super gimmick, he earns it though lots…
Read at the sourcepleochroic
I loved this show. I am not usually a big sports anime fan because most sports anime is shounen, and the typical shounen treatment is so over the top. I did sit through many episodes of "Prince of Tennis" but I blame a friend who said "it gets better" (it didn't, not really). She shipped various guys, which might explain that. ;)
Compared to PoT this is a whole different world, and it's a lot closer to reality. No sports anime can ever be truly realistic because it would be too boring, but Baby Steps tries its best. There are no hyper-talented people who rarely need to practice here, no magic swings and power-ups to make the action pop off the screen, no artificially pumped up rivalries to add drama.
Oh, and lets get this out of the way, because the anime is miscategorized on MAL: there'…
Read at the sourceDeMilan
Baby Steps is a very interesting and somewhat unique take on the regular sports anime.
The show follows highschooler Eiichirou, a complete newbie at tennis, who uses his hard-working and determined personality to quickly improve his skill, and rise to the level of the players he meets during his journey.
-Story- 7/10
The story itself is nothing extraordinary. That doesn't mean it's bad in any way, but it isn't anything groundbreaking - it's just good.
-Art and animation- 6/10
The art-style of the show is somewhat unique - different to the typical 'all hot guys' design that most sports anime these days tend to have. Although the art-style is nice, the animation is noticeably lackluster in some scenes. Usually it's nothing terrible, but there are some parts which might leave you wondering…
Read at the sourceleezodne
This anime was great overall; however, the repetitive animations and explanations regarding tennis were a bit too much. I found myself skipping every few seconds especially when the explanations have already been said previously. The plot had a nice direction however I feel that two seasons are not enough for the whole story of the main character’s journey as a fresh tennis player. Romance arc is fine and you can want to look for more romance-focused-episodes, but this anime revolves more on the main story than the romance for the two main characters.
A great watch to learn a bit more about tennis, but it will leave you wanting more by the end of the second season.
Note before watching this anime: This work is a bit of an old one, so do not expect to be sucked in by the visual animations…
Read at the source
