ベイビーステップ (2015)

Baby Steps is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hikaru Katsuki, which was adapted into a television anime series. The story centers around Eiichiro Maruo, an honor student who leads a structured life until he realizes he lacks exercise. To change this, he joins a tennis club and becomes captivated by the sport. Despite having no prior tennis experience or physical conditioning, he embarks on a tennis journey using his intelligence, dedication, and work ethic. Eiichiro applies his studious nature to develop a strategic approach to tennis, taking notes on his opponents' habits and tendencies to predict their shots. The manga was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 2007 to 2017, and won the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2014. The anime adaptation was broadcast in two seasons, the first from April to September 2014, and the second from April to September 2015. It's an inspiring story about an ordinary student's journey to success in tennis through hard work and intellect.