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Baby Steps / ベイビーステップ #1
ベイビーステップ 1 [Baby Steps 1]
マジメ少年＋美少女×テニス＝熱血スポコン!? ――成績はずっとオールA！ 几帳面でマジメな“エーちゃん”が、ちょっぴりいい加減!? でも、テニスに懸ける情熱だけはマジメな美少女“ナツ”と出会ったことで、テニスの魅力に取りつかれて人生激変!? 快感、そして悶絶のらせん……。数式じゃ表せない、衝撃的な人生の化学変化が始まった!!
207 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2008
5 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
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February 28, 2024rereading :)
September 4, 2015
Fan tenisa pa reko da probamo ovu mangu sobzirom da i ma i anime. Pocetak dosta spor i nekako dosadan. Videci jos koji volume pa ako ne postane bolje odustajem.
Art style nije los ali kvalitet nekako seta a i sami likovi su dosta bazicni, al dobro tek je pocetak.
Art style nije los ali kvalitet nekako seta a i sami likovi su dosta bazicni, al dobro tek je pocetak.
December 20, 2015
If you're looking for an epic yet realistic, and engrossed tennis manga with cute romance among its characters, stop wasting your time. Go get this manga!!
December 2, 2024
Starting a new sports manga, cause Haikyu is ending soon, and I need a replacement.
Pretty chill for an introduction, but you can see the action scenes are drawn well too.
I tried playing tennis 2-3 times this year, and it's enjoyable enough that I think this manga will entertain me, and help me move on from Haikyu faster.
I like the main character. Reminds me of Light, in a way, that he's not the usual protagonist that's dumb バカ.
But looking forward to reading the next volumes! Sana walang epal characters!
Pretty chill for an introduction, but you can see the action scenes are drawn well too.
I tried playing tennis 2-3 times this year, and it's enjoyable enough that I think this manga will entertain me, and help me move on from Haikyu faster.
I like the main character. Reminds me of Light, in a way, that he's not the usual protagonist that's dumb バカ.
But looking forward to reading the next volumes! Sana walang epal characters!
July 2, 2018
I used to play tennis when I was high school student then I thought that I should have read it when I was in highlands school. It tells how we should play tennis effectively or what we need when we play tennis. So if I have read this manga when I was in high school, I would play tennis better. People usually play tennis should read this book to learn about Tennis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2020
I really liked this!!!
My boy Ei-chan is the school’s top notch student. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to about everything: his studies, time management, and even eating the food from his bento. He takes accurate af notes on every subject and is known as the “All A” student. Judging from this you’d think he’d join a club that involves less strenuous activities right? Well, he actually wanted to try out something that would allow him to get the exercise he needed. My boy decided to try to get into shape. His mom suggested he check out the tennis club in their community, which might interest him. And so it did. That’s where all the warm-ups and tennis practices began.
I’m not going into much about the romance since I’m honestly not interested in it as much as I am to him getting into tennis. This made me realize how exhilarating reading sports manga is and I missed it. I love how Ei-chan’s characteristics reminded me of certain characters, too. Him being a top student like Shizuku (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun) and taking tons of notes, relying on them for trial and error practices like Midoriya (My Hero Academia).
My boy Ei-chan is the school’s top notch student. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to about everything: his studies, time management, and even eating the food from his bento. He takes accurate af notes on every subject and is known as the “All A” student. Judging from this you’d think he’d join a club that involves less strenuous activities right? Well, he actually wanted to try out something that would allow him to get the exercise he needed. My boy decided to try to get into shape. His mom suggested he check out the tennis club in their community, which might interest him. And so it did. That’s where all the warm-ups and tennis practices began.
I’m not going into much about the romance since I’m honestly not interested in it as much as I am to him getting into tennis. This made me realize how exhilarating reading sports manga is and I missed it. I love how Ei-chan’s characteristics reminded me of certain characters, too. Him being a top student like Shizuku (Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun) and taking tons of notes, relying on them for trial and error practices like Midoriya (My Hero Academia).
January 5, 2022
Oh boy! Never knew that a totally unknown manga which got shut down midway before completition would become one of my favorites of all time. Heck it even made me pick up playing tennis in freezing weather during the pandemic last winter! Katuski has been amazing!
October 11, 2024
The clear #1 when it comes to tennis mangas. Great characters and amazing storytelling. Pulls you in and never lets go. Deserializing this manga will forever be Weekly Shōnen Magazine’s biggest blunder (other than still publishing Rent-a-Girlfriend)
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March 25, 2020I liked how her friend colled Maruo wired when she didn't notice that Maruo is in behind of her and I like the reaction when she noticed him.
June 21, 2020
Its funny to read this manga. This manga is the exact opposite of prince of tennis. The main character started from the weak one and a sciencetific fan, a trial and error man like the scientist.
October 12, 2021
Love this manga! When will the next chapter come out????
July 21, 2023
give me a physical release please, i can't read like 47 volumes in scans
July 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the series
September 15, 2025
An absolute joy, from start to finish.
Maruo is a fun character to follow — it really feels like he is alive and thinking for the entirety of the story, which is hard to pull off! But I like the supporting cast even more; they are all just as nervous and mentally active as Maruo, making Baby Steps feel like we've picked one out of a dozen possible stories to follow instead of Maruo being the obvious "hero". (And of course, no one would actually play tennis for that long, that well, without developing their own unique self-talk.)
Each time we see an opponent, it feels like they've been training and growing alongside our guy, and many of them remain threats and rivals rather than being passed in a flash by the protagonist. Some matches even cast the opponents as heroes while Maruo is the villain, or let various other players step in to be the protagonist for a bit with Maruo completely sidelined. And in the end, Maruo's final step forward is to stop being a lone protagonist and build a team around himself so he doesn't have to do all the thinking himself; most professional endeavors are like that!
The only minor flaw is that the tennis matches start to blend together in the second half of the manga (though that's also how things feel for Maruo, I'd bet). And that's more than compensated for by the way the ending subverts this expectation — in one of the best final pages I've seen in manga.
Is this better than Eyeshield 21, my previous GOAT sports manga? It's certainly a much more realistic depiction of sports and athletes (and even matches the way I feel about my time in esports). The cast of characters isn't *quite* so lovable, but frankly, if I could pick one for the average person to read, I'd make it Baby Steps.
Maruo is a fun character to follow — it really feels like he is alive and thinking for the entirety of the story, which is hard to pull off! But I like the supporting cast even more; they are all just as nervous and mentally active as Maruo, making Baby Steps feel like we've picked one out of a dozen possible stories to follow instead of Maruo being the obvious "hero". (And of course, no one would actually play tennis for that long, that well, without developing their own unique self-talk.)
Each time we see an opponent, it feels like they've been training and growing alongside our guy, and many of them remain threats and rivals rather than being passed in a flash by the protagonist. Some matches even cast the opponents as heroes while Maruo is the villain, or let various other players step in to be the protagonist for a bit with Maruo completely sidelined. And in the end, Maruo's final step forward is to stop being a lone protagonist and build a team around himself so he doesn't have to do all the thinking himself; most professional endeavors are like that!
The only minor flaw is that the tennis matches start to blend together in the second half of the manga (though that's also how things feel for Maruo, I'd bet). And that's more than compensated for by the way the ending subverts this expectation — in one of the best final pages I've seen in manga.
Is this better than Eyeshield 21, my previous GOAT sports manga? It's certainly a much more realistic depiction of sports and athletes (and even matches the way I feel about my time in esports). The cast of characters isn't *quite* so lovable, but frankly, if I could pick one for the average person to read, I'd make it Baby Steps.
July 16, 2015
I'm always scouting for a new manga series to devour. I came across Baby Steps and thought, eh, why not. So I tried it, and WOW.
I never thought I'd get into a sports-centered manga, but Baby Steps is absolutely phenomenal. The mangaka is very talented, incorporating a drawing style that is simple, refined, and realistic, and the themes presented are gripping (well, for me, at least. I found them thought-provoking and encouraging on a number of levels).
Maruo, the protagonist, is one of my absolute favorites in all the manga I've read (which is a lot). He's talented, but humble. He's sincere and polite, but he's got guts--he's quite plucky, really--and he isn't afraid to go head to head with those above him. Plus, he's always ready to learn and willing to adjust. What's not to love?!
The other characters are equally lovable, each with their own distinguishing quirks and goals/dreams, and the plot is genius--full of tension/suspense, obstacles, and victories. Seriously. I could not get enough of this manga!
If you're hunting for a compelling manga, read Baby Steps!! You will not be disappointed. (Ok, so I can't guarantee that, but you get my drift.)
I never thought I'd get into a sports-centered manga, but Baby Steps is absolutely phenomenal. The mangaka is very talented, incorporating a drawing style that is simple, refined, and realistic, and the themes presented are gripping (well, for me, at least. I found them thought-provoking and encouraging on a number of levels).
Maruo, the protagonist, is one of my absolute favorites in all the manga I've read (which is a lot). He's talented, but humble. He's sincere and polite, but he's got guts--he's quite plucky, really--and he isn't afraid to go head to head with those above him. Plus, he's always ready to learn and willing to adjust. What's not to love?!
The other characters are equally lovable, each with their own distinguishing quirks and goals/dreams, and the plot is genius--full of tension/suspense, obstacles, and victories. Seriously. I could not get enough of this manga!
If you're hunting for a compelling manga, read Baby Steps!! You will not be disappointed. (Ok, so I can't guarantee that, but you get my drift.)
June 29, 2013
Lumayan sih. Somehow saya langsung keinget "Prince of Tennis" pas baca manga ini. Karakter utamana pendek gitu, mirip sama tokoh utama di "Prince of Tennis" (namanya siapa yah? Lupa X3). Gaya bermainnya juga mengingatkan tokoh di PoT yang pakai kacamata dan main mengandalkan data. Walau di sini dia lebih mengembangkan diri dengan data, ketimbang melawan orang dengan data.
Tapi, ini komik yang sepenuhnya berbeda dengan PoT sih. Soalnya tokoh utamanya di sini masih pemula dan baru mulai belajar tenis.
Cukup lucu dan menghibur. Menantikan jilid 2 untuk melihat kira-kira ceritanya mau ke mana.
Tapi, ini komik yang sepenuhnya berbeda dengan PoT sih. Soalnya tokoh utamanya di sini masih pemula dan baru mulai belajar tenis.
Cukup lucu dan menghibur. Menantikan jilid 2 untuk melihat kira-kira ceritanya mau ke mana.
December 3, 2013
This is a great read, I've been reading sports manga or watching sports anime, and this is probably one of the best. People wil compare this to Prince of Tennis but this felt like more realistic, having an A student discovering tennis. The main character is a devout note taker that makes him a superb student, the notes just helps him be prepared in class, and his actual "gift" is his eyesight and calculated intuition from his notetaking. This is a good read and I highly recommend if you are not familiar in manga and don't want to read supernatural/science fiction manga.
March 24, 2015
I'm a big fan of Prince of Tennis, but I liked Baby Steps better because it's actually realistic. Characters look their age and their techniques don't try to break the laws of physics, so it feels easier to empathize with them. Also the main character is adorable? It feels nice to have a decent focus on the female character too, and she's strong and dependable and not there just to be a love interest!
April 22, 2016
An absolutely phenomenal manga that not only incorporates my favorite Japanese manga qualities (which come down to the two principles: 1) you should pursue what you love, 2) you should put 100% of yourself into it) but is also one of the few realistic sports mangas that can inspire and entertain you in the best possible way.
July 10, 2012
It's actually pretty good, a little bit like the "Prince Of Tennis" series, only this time it's a beginner with super fast reflexes and a very keen mind, but either way, it's a fun way to spend time and nurture my manga obsession.
July 15, 2013
Satu lagi Komik yang menceritakan tentang sebuah perjuangan. Kali ini tokoh utamanya adalah Eichiiro yang pintar namun lemah dalam olahraga , suatu saat ikut Klub Tenis. tapi dia tidak bisa main, malah permainnya lebih jelek dari anak kelas 2SD.
September 7, 2015
Suka banget sama komik ini, yang saya kenal lebih dulu justru dari adaptasi animenya.
Review lengkapnya silakan dibaca di:
http://orangesorange.blogspot.com/201...
Review lengkapnya silakan dibaca di:
http://orangesorange.blogspot.com/201...
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews