Ping Pong as a Great Work (parts 1 and 2)

Growing up as a United State’s citizen, my perception of the scope and magnitude of ping-pong has been limited to a summer camp favorite or a Friday night fallback. Until my experience at the International Cinema, I was tragically unaware of the significance of the sport in Japanese culture.

Likely beginning as a social hobby in England during the late 1800’s, the phenomenon did not take hold in Japan until the formation of the International Table Tennis Federation in 1926. Japanese competitors dominated the sport throughout much of the 1950’s and 60’s, until China began to make a name for itself in the sport. To this day, ping-pong brings players throughout Asia, and around the world, together in a form of competition that requires both athleticism and finesse.

In addition to highlighting the influence of table tennis throughout the country, the film explored the nature and values of the Japanese people as seen in both the storyline and filming techniques. There were several instances when certain techniques were evident, but perhaps the most obvious effect came during the semifinal round of the tournament. Just prior to Peco’s defeat of the defending champion, known as the “Dragon,” the two competitors are transported to an ethereal location in which the audience disappears, leaving only the two players and the ping-pong table, surrounded by infinite white space. This instance seems to reflect an idea of a peaceful, transcendental state of mind. Such outlooks are often related to Asian culture, and are not typically seen in America.

A second example that seems to be extremely indicative of the film’s Japanese nature comes when Smile’s coach is reflecting on his final ping-pong match. “Butterfly Joe,” as he was often known, is seen in a state of deep concentration in the locker room, adorned with a set of butterfly wings. The laughter from the audience at this point was evidence enough that such a scene would not typically be found in American movie making. It does, however, seem to depict a certain relationship with nature that is generally associated with those of Asian descent.