Masahiko Murata
Director
Baby Steps (2014)
Season 1
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.
Released April 6, 2014
Episode 25 min
None+
Genres: Animation, Anime, Anime: School, Anime: Shounen, Anime: Sports, Comedy, Romance
Keywords: tmdb.sports, tmdb.tennis, tmdb.anime, mdblist.has-trailer, imdb.based-on-manga, imdb.tennis, imdb.anime-animation + 7 more, imdb.teen-sport, imdb.shounen, imdb.shonen-anime-animation, imdb.school, imdb.racket-sport, imdb.teen-romance, imdb.teen-comedy
Production Companies: Pierrot, NHK, NHK Enterprises
Network: NHK Educational TV
S1E1 - Tennis and Notes
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 decides to participate in a free trial at South Tennis Club (STC) because he needs some exercise. There, he meets school idol and sweetheart Takasaki Natsu. Eiichiro has taken his first step into the world of tennis
April 6, 2014, midnight
S1E2 - Methodical and Unorganized
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.
April 13, 2014, midnight
S1E3 - 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.
April 20, 2014, midnight
S1E4 - Face of Conviction
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 basics, he can do nothing against one of the strongest serves in the country.
April 27, 2014, midnight
S1E5 - A First Match Full of Surprises
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 called to the tennis court.
May 4, 2014, midnight
S1E6 - Diamond in the Rough
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.
May 11, 2014, midnight
S1E7 - Nine-Square and Reality
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.
May 18, 2014, midnight
S1E8 - One Year and Twenty Notebooks
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 is spending too much time on tennis when he drops out of cram school to practice more.
May 25, 2014, midnight
S1E9 - Diligence is My Style
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.
June 1, 2014, midnight
S1E10 - Unease on the Edge
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 lead he plans on making his move in the eighth game.
June 8, 2014, midnight
S1E11 - Risk and Possibility
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 to use his full stroke and steal a point.
June 15, 2014, midnight
S1E12 - Improvement by Memory
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.
June 22, 2014, midnight
S1E13 - Art and Technique
The match between Hiromi and Eiichirō begins. Everytime Eiichirō tries to go on the attack, Hiromi hits a shot Eiichirō can't reach.
June 29, 2014, midnight
S1E14 - Putting the Pieces Together
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 cramp up, allowing Eiichirō to get two easy aces and win the match 6-4.
July 6, 2014, midnight
S1E15 - Plan to be Forceful
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 Eiichirō Araya's weaknesses.
July 13, 2014, midnight
S1E16 - Beast and Initiative
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 punches himself in his face to eliminate his emotions from the game.
July 20, 2014, midnight
S1E17 - Pro At My Age
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 bounce proves to be the end for Eiichirō as he loses 6-1, 6-4. The finals are held between Araya and Takuma.
July 27, 2014, midnight
S1E18 - Determination and Presentation
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.
Aug. 3, 2014, midnight
S1E19 - Resolve and Hell
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 brutal practice regimen that will recondition his body into that of a pro's.
Aug. 10, 2014, midnight
S1E20 - Meat Buns and Yakisoba
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.
Aug. 17, 2014, midnight
S1E21 - Consistency and Change
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, but what he finds is a highly adaptive style that could easily beat him if he doesn't come up with a few tricks.
Aug. 24, 2014, midnight
S1E22 - Fundamentals are the Weakness
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 like himself, and after losing the first set Nabae begins to pull away and goes up 5-2.
Aug. 31, 2014, midnight
S1E23 - Reckless 100-Square
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.
Sept. 7, 2014, midnight
S1E24 - Duty and Desire
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.
Sept. 14, 2014, midnight
S1E25 - Eiichiro and Natsu
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.
Sept. 21, 2014, midnight
Watch Trailer
NHK Educational TV
25 min/ep
1250 min
April 6, 2014
Sept. 20, 2015, midnight
Ended
PG
Action
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