Ping Pong Chapter Seven

The seventh chapter of Ping Pong by Taiyou Matsumoto is interesting because it's the first one, over one hundred pages into the story already, where you really get a feel for the two main characters and how they're different from each other. Interesting how the book seems to be balanced between two different approaches to life. Makoto Tsukimoto (Smile) is the more naturally talented ping pong player, but he has come to feel that he doesn't want to make anybody else a loser by beating them. However, his friend, Yutaka Hoshino (Péko), who is less skilled, only dreams of being recognized as the best ping pong player in the world - he says for him it's simple, he doesn't like to lose and doesn't care what happens to other people, "the only thing that counts is that I win." Two opposing ideas about how to move through the world, but still, these characters seem attached - they seem to care about each other, and like hanging out together - discussing their differences.

I feel like I'm moving beyond an interest solely in Matsumoto's drawing - and finally getting into the story - which is a good thing when there remains nearly nine hundred pages left to read.