The synopsis makes the story sound terrible, but it's a well-executed romantic comedy (or a gag manga with romance). The story is fully aware that its various premises (the Takkoku law, the battles themselves, etc) make no sense, which results in tons of great gags. The table tennis matches are as weird as, or even weirder than, those in Prince of Tennis.

The main couple is essentially together from chapter one, which is *really* uncommon in shounen manga. The protagonist has a set of amusingly bizarre skills (e.g. he once juggles children). It's a lovely couple, enjoyable to read about.

About my only criticisms of the story are that a) while I can accept its bizarre plot, I have a harder time accepting its fake-science explanations of table tennis moves (for instance, there's a scene where a lightning bolt threatens to strike a player, so another hits a table tennis ball really fast to intercept it), and b) the Takkoku law (if you beat your opponent in a table tennis match, they have to go out with you) sounds incredibly rapey. The latter is no problem in practice, however, because any time an unwanted Takkoku confession happens in the story, the one who received the confession wins.

Apart from that, this is a wonderfully bizarre, adorable, funny romance story. Highly recommended.

... Last updated on August 21st, 2016, 6:18am

Gantz and takkoku!!!? yes i know, how can you compare these two,storyline is completely different,how are you comparing ping pong and gore stuff,but seriously just read em both,i dont wanna give away spoillers but iam sure you will get a feeling of similarity

... Last updated on March 10th, 2015, 12:11pm

why so serious?
although i've just read teh first volume, this manga got cute fun-packed and downright weird story. and because that's what's been offered, you should just read it brainlessly. its better that way!

The art is low-quality generic, the jokes are sub par, and the entire basis is completely horrible... If a country actually passed a law where a midget got to torture you every time you touched someone you liked unless you beat them at ping pong it wouldn't raise the skill level... it would just change that country's number 1 export to it's own citizens, and that's saying if the politician doesn't just get lynched by a mob of angry midget-tortured individuals. if you're going to make a stupid basis like that set it in a fantasy universe; not modern society where a random person can go postal and kill you over a diet coke. Anyone who rates this series over 3 needs to have his/her house raided by the D.E.A.

It's weird and utter nonsense but interesting and keeps me reading. This is one strange manga that I really don't feel like recommending, but the characters are just attractive enough that you might want to try out. See if you can dip yourself into it. Be warned, however, it's a folly, of you, to expect any kind of serious romance going on around involving hot-headed ping-pong match. It's a total casual reading that you won't gain that much.

... Last updated on November 30th, 2010, 1:52am

I have to admit that it's quite entertaining, however ridiculous the premise might be. It's really sweet, though, the relationship between the two main characters; though the use of a particular line by Gaku (when in a takkoku match) is slightly overkill.

And to the skeptical reviewer below, this is a fictional piece of work. It doesn't specifically adhere to the reality that we live in, as is in the case of nearly most manga universes.

The idea for this manga is absolutely terrible. It might be original but is got to have the absolute worse background story ever created in a manga. Besides that fact, the manga itself is not that bad. But seriously, just READ the summary:

"If you confess your love to someone, you must beat them at a game of ping pong; if you touch each other before the game, that person will be punished. If you win, regardless of the other person's feelings, you automatically go out."

REALLY? REALLY? I see a good manga practically ruined by this such a horrible background story. Also, I want whatever drugs the author was on when he decided that THIS was a good idea. It is not even logical. Having a law like this would further the problem that Japan is having right now in regards to the declination of their population. Logic 0; Good Storyline 0.

... Last updated on March 2nd, 2010, 12:55pm

The first chapter didn't really appeal to me, but what comes afterwards convinced me to keep on reading. The mix of components has been well done, and the romance aspect has some original, if not, rarely seen twist.

Art has changed and I didn't really realize the author was the same who did The law of Ueki (just recently found out after reading the description).

... Last updated on June 2nd, 2009, 6:02pm