Streaming giant Crunchyroll has officially expanded its sports anime offerings with the addition of English dub audio for two foundational The Prince of Tennis (Tennis no Oujisama) films: the 2005 theatrical feature The Prince of Tennis: Two Samurais, The First Game and its accompanying short The Prince of Tennis: A Gift from Atobe.
High-Stakes Exhibition Matches
Originally premiered in Japanese theaters in January 2005, Two Samurais, The First Game centers on the Seigaku middle school tennis team as they board a luxury cruise ship for an exclusive exhibition tournament. The high-profile event takes a dark turn when the players discover that a corrupt millionaire organizer intends to force them to throw their matches for illicit gambling payouts. Meanwhile, A Gift from Atobe delivers a lighthearted companion story where Hyoutei Gakuen team captain Keigo Atobe hosts a lavish, multi-sport celebration for his teammate Munehiro Kabaji.
Franchise History and Legacy
Created by Takeshi Konomi, the original manga ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2008, launching a massive multimedia phenomenon that encompasses television series, stage musicals, and live-action adaptations. The long-running sequel manga The New Prince of Tennis recently concluded its fifteen-year publication run in Jump Square, while the latest anime installment, The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Finals Members Decisive Match, continues streaming on Crunchyroll.
