Baby Steps

Baby Steps is such a great and frustrating manga, as there’s so much potential, yet Jump editorial failed this series. If I were to compare it to other sports manga, it’s like what Slam Dunk did for Basketball, Haikyuu for Volleyball, Major for Baseball and Hajime no Ippo for Boxing. What Baby Steps nails down is similar to its contemporaries, which gives you a new sense of respect for the sport it is portraying. You feel like you have an understanding of what these athletes go through by following Maruo's journey so intimately. I think what it portrays well is akin to Major, that overall sense of grit. It’s like being on the ground level and witnessing how chaotic a match of tennis can truly be (that sense of unpredictability). I think one reason I love sports manga is that it can portray the perfect underdog story like it does with Major and Ippo.

One aspect I love about Baby Step is its sense of realism. It feels more like Ippo and Major than something like Kuroko no Basket or Prince of Tennis. Even during the matches, there are visible signs of fatigue, muscle ache, adrenaline, and a more accurate depiction of the Zone than I’ve seen in a lot of sports manga, in which Kuroko no Basket makes it seem like a sort of superpower. I loved learning new techniques of tennis and old techniques, appreciating that sense of culture, and realising why sports can unify people and be so multi-cultural. It really helps that what Baby Steps depicts is not just solely Japan but the global scale, like what Major did for Baseball. From ITF Future Series, ATP Challenger Tour, ATP Tour 250, ATP Tour 500, ATP Tour Masters to the Grand Slam. I think it at least gives you a sense of what players go through when they have to go to a higher level. Not being the usual best in Japan which is more typical for sports manga.

Eiichirou Maruo is a refreshing protagonist. He’s definitely a highly gifted person going through so much in such a short time span, his resolve and his remarkable memory and eyes. However, he doesn’t overcome easily, quite the opposite, he loses a considerable number of times. How he becomes so good at tennis in such a short time span seems ridiculous and probably unrealistic to a certain degree, yet the author makes it feel believable. He’s the type of dude you want to root for, you understand his frustrations, which makes those heavy emotional moments hit hard.

There's something special about an incredible match. Where both parties learn and grow in the process. In a nutshell, it's character growth through action and even the opposite, a regression. There’s so much that can be said, but it’s best just to experience it. Another element a sports manga needs to execute is interesting side characters and opponents. Hikaru Katsuki does this in spades. There are a lot of interesting and compelling characters that Maruo meets and befriends. However, this is not an ensemble like Ippo; it’s closer to Major, which is Gorou’s journey. From both Japanese and foreigners, she does a very good job of fleshing them out while keeping the central focus on Maruo.

The romance between Natsu and Maruo was surprisingly handled very well. It’s not the stereotypical childhood friend; it’s not rushed into a romance so quickly; nor is it dragged for hundreds of chapters; it’s just well-paced. You get to care about both of these characters considerably. Natsu is a very good character who has her own goals and aspirations, and the two on-screen are wonderful to see. It might be because a female author wrote this series, but whatever the case, both sexes are well represented.

I should state that this manga isn’t flawless; sometimes she leans into shounen aspects, and even as a novice, I could tell that certain techniques seem higher level than they actually are. And if you're unwilling to accept the idea of a sports manga dedicated to tennis and coming of age, then it’s probably not for you. I adore it, but I'm pretty open when it comes to sports manga. I think you should at least give it a shot, even if it's not a sport that you enjoy. Maybe you will appreciate it more as you read the series or watch the anime.

The art style is very nice, and the author clearly evolves as she continues the series. There are beginner hiccups, like the character design for Maruo, but she progressively gets better. The dialogue is kept to a minimum, the panelling is very well done, and the pacing for the matches is slow but very deliberate and well-timed. The art when it comes to actual matches is fantastic; I very much love those spreads, and she always does a good job at making them feel impactful. Especially when she conveys a sense of momentum, but even during the emotional elements, it’s very well handled.

In conclusion, Baby Steps has been a series I’ve been following for at least a decade. I can’t recall if I read it after the anime or just before it, but immediately it captured my eyes. I’ve been following the fan translation scene for a long time, but at a certain point, it became complete radio silence. Only recently did I discover it had been officially translated, so I reread 300 or so chapters and then progressed through the new content. In this reread, I recall those old memories; it’s truly a journey. It’s sad to hear about the cancellation of this incredible manga. Jump editorial couldn’t appreciate it, and I knew this before undergoing this reread and finishing the series. It’s still sad to see potential just wasted in that fashion. It could have been an extra 200–400 chapters pretty easily; however, the 464 chapters that we have are definitely worth it. I have a feeling the author knew well beforehand, so she was able to scrap something up. The ending that we got didn’t feel like an ending, more like a beginning of a new arc. I’m glad it didn’t get cancelled earlier because here it feels like a decent compromise considering the circumstances. As a whole, I would highly recommend this manga.

8.5-9/10 (if the series didn’t get cancelled)

7-7.5/10 (however will be the final result taking the ending into account)