English Dub Review: The Prince of Tennis II U-17 World Cup; Final Member Selection Match “Team Japan’s Next Challenge”

Overview

Team Japan will soon face Spain in the final match, but who will compete? There’s only one way to decide.

Our Take

Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup – Final Member Selection Match (Technically season 5) begins with Japan preparing for its upcoming showdown against Spain, though the focus is on determining who makes the final roster. With only seven spots available, however, predicting the final lineup is tricky. The episode wastes little time setting up intriguing matches, including Kirihara versus Fuji and Tokugawa versus Sanada, the latter of which could prove especially interesting given how heavily the story has hinted at Tokugawa’s importance.

Unfortunately, the premiere feels somewhat abrupt, and the noticeable amount of reused footage makes me wonder whether the animation budget is being conserved for later episodes. Hopefully, this is just a first-episode issue, as some visuals already look weaker than those of the previous season. With potentially 10 to 15 matches spread across 12 episodes, the pacing could improve on the previous installment, which featured relatively few matches. Still, it remains to be seen how quickly the tournament progresses, how the doubles pairings shake out, and whether familiar faces like Tezuka will appear.

Overall, this premiere sets the stage for a fierce battle over Japan’s remaining roster spots, with intriguing matchups and plenty of tough decisions ahead. However, it remains unclear whether this season will focus entirely on selecting the team, leaving the actual showdown against Spain for another installment. While giving the cast another opportunity to shine makes sense, especially after nearly a quarter century since the original anime began, I can’t help wishing the overall story would move forward at a more fluid pace. Hopefully, the next episode delivers stronger animation and gets the tournament properly underway.