The story progresses too fast, one minute they meet and the next, they are competing in nationally covered tennis matches. As for the romance, it's not there. This is definitely more about a comeback for Miu. But even so, it's still grossly exaggerated, making it too shallow and lacking in substance. Therefore, it skims the surface on what could have been a really good read. But if you have the time to waste and if you are not really expecting to be impressed then this might be for you.

... Last updated on January 13th, 2012, 9:05am

Whether you like tennis or not, Smash 1 is a fun, feel-good read that had a bigger focus on the main character's development than romance (though there's a light smattering of that too, for incurable romantics). At only 6 chapters, it manages to be not only well-paced but satisfying.

The story is about Nagahara Miu, an over-achiever and tennis prodigy who not-so-mysteriously quit tennis 4 years ago because she was unable to recover mentally from a loss (this is no secret; it's revealed right away at the beginning). When she meets Issei, a guy who doesn't have any major talent but practices hard enough to make up for it, she gets dragged into being his doubles partner and rediscovers her love in the sport.

The enjoyment comes mainly from watching Miu regain her determination to win (but also realize that tennis is fun) through her interactions with Issei. They form a great pair, and there's just something delightful about watching competent people being good at what they do and winning. It wouldn't be half as fun watching under-achievers. I've heard mentions of how improbable some things are, however, and this is true - for starters, she picks up her racquet after 4 years and is able to beat an experienced team that has been continuously active, and goes on to win the first tournament. It's not just improbable; it's impossible! Forget being out of condition; you'd be striking sour balls left and right just after a few months of not practicing. Another point was the way Miu's famous smash scene was drawn... with the ball striking the top strings of the racquet, not the center. Oops! Accurate, this manga is not. However, I found it easy to ignore these issues - if I wanted accuracy and realism, I'd go watch a match.

After reading this and Crash, I've come to expect likeable female lead characters from Fujiwara Yuka's series. I love how they tend to be the smart, calm and in-control ones while the male leads are louder, more energetic and a little simple. Miu fits this mold, and she's the one giving Issei instructions on strategy during their matches. Issei, in turn, provides a good foil to Miu - he might not be a genius, but his simple way of thinking has its advantages. It's really sweet how he's really Miu's biggest fanboy and her encouragement is the reason he played tennis to begin with... and he repays her by inspiring her in return.

All in all, a rather quick, enjoyable read. Just don't be overly concerned with accuracy and realism, and just enjoy the action.