In the world of anime, there exists a sub genre which is focused completely on sports. No magic or giant robots here, just a straight up sports. From basball to men’s swiming, the sports anime is one of the most unique in all entertainment. A new show focus on badminton and one young women’s attempt to get back in to the sport. This is Hanebado!, a story about what it takes to be the best and the pressures we put on ourselfs.
Incredible Talent
Ayano Hanesak has just started high school. A shy and reserved girl, she wants to join a club but is unsure which one to join. A chance encounter on tennis court shows the coach, Kentarō Tachibana, that Ayano has the skills to join the team. For Ayano, playing badminton is less about skill, and more about facing the demons of her past.
Ayano is an interesting character. This is not an unknown player who is the greatest to ever play. She is good, but this came after years and years of practice. The game is a painful reminder of an incident in her childhood that changed everything. She is good enough to lead the team, but this is about how sports can strengthen and destroy a child.
It’s Our Last Summer, You Know
The back story is important in this show, and since it is not reveled until later, I will not discuss it. I will say that the reason that Ayano stopped playing is both unbelievable and a little to close to the real world. We put so much importance on sports that we can sometimes fail to see how much it is hurting those around us.
The show looks great and the sports scenes are portrayed very realistically. Not an expert on the game, I watched some real matches and the show is true to life. Don’t expect to see power moves. The show premiered in July so hit the court on Crunchyroll to see if Ayano can put the past behind her and play the game.