Baby Steps
Baby Steps

Baby Steps

2014 2 Seasons 50 Episodes ⭐ 7.5 Animation Comedy

Eiichirō Maruo (nicknamed "Ei-chan" for his grades being straight "A") is an honor student, bookworm, and is not interested in anything other than studying. In order to solve his problem of lacking physical strength, he enrolled a tennis school and soon found the fascinating side of tennis. Being a tennis newbie lacking physical strength, he supplement his shortcomings with his excellent observing and analyzing skills.

Eiichirō Maruo (nicknamed "Ei-chan" for his grades being straight "A") is an honor student, bookworm, and is not interested in anything other than studying. In order to solve his problem of lacking physical strength, he enrolled a tennis school and soon found the fascinating side of tennis. Being a tennis newbie lacking physical strength, he supplement his shortcomings with his excellent observing and analyzing skills.

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Seasons & Episodes

EP 1

Tennis and Notes

Maruo Eiichiro is an honor student in his first year of high school. He's a very methodical person who keeps two sets of

EP 2

Methodical and Unorganized

Eiichiro is unable to answer Natsu when she asks him what he enjoys doing most. He becomes interested in tennis and retu

EP 3

The Contest Is a Fight

Eiichiro is unable to forget how good it felt when he successfully returned Takuma's serve, and he spends all of his tim

EP 4

Face of Conviction

Eiichiro finds himself in a contest with Takuma. Eiichiro has fifty tries to return Takuma's serve. One successful retur

EP 5

A First Match Full of Surprises

Eiichirō is about to play his first match. He receives advice from the other STC members, but it only makes him more ne

EP 6

Diamond in the Rough

It is down to the final match of the set. Eiichirō trails 5 games to 1, but with a determination to stay on the court a

EP 7

Nine-Square and Reality

In order to improve Eiichirō's playing, Coach Miura has him learn control on a 9-square court. After getting the basics

EP 8

One Year and Twenty Notebooks

Maruo Eiichirō continues his training at STC as he tries to master every shot. At smaller tournaments he begins advanci

EP 9

Diligence is My Style

Eiichirō returns to the Kanagawa Junior Circuit. His first match is up against fellow high school student Koshimizu Nar

EP 10

Unease on the Edge

The match between Eiichirō and Miyagawa begins with each holding serve. However Eiichirō feels that something is off.

EP 11

Risk and Possibility

After managing to hold serve Eiichirō starts looking for an opportunity to break Miyagawa. Both hold serve and force a

EP 12

Improvement by Memory

After defeating Miyagawa, Eiichirō returns to STC for some training that will make him better in 1 day. Eiichirō is te

EP 13

Art and Technique

The match between Hiromi and Eiichirō begins. Everytime Eiichirō tries to go on the attack, Hiromi hits a shot Eiichir

EP 14

Putting the Pieces Together

It is match 10 of a 1-set match, and Eiichirō leads 5 games to 4. Eiichirō begins to up his speed against Hiromi, and

EP 15

Plan to be Forceful

Eiichirō overhears Araya telling Takuma that if he loses to him this tournament, he will retire from tennis. His plan i

EP 16

Beast and Initiative

After going up Love-15, Araya uses a number of service aces to go up 3-1 in set 2. Eiichirō holds serve, and as he gain

EP 17

Pro At My Age

Araya and Eiichirō end up at deuce after neither player can gain an advantage. An ace end up being huge for Araya give

EP 18

Determination and Presentation

Eiichirō investigates going Pro, but his reaction from his parents is less than he expected. Eiichirō joins Natsu at t

EP 19

Resolve and Hell

Eiichirō manages to steal 1-point in the 10-minute match with Ike before his coaches reappear and make him stop playing

EP 20

Meat Buns and Yakisoba

Eiichirō participates in a tournament after 3 months of hellish training. He learns about active rest while participati

EP 21

Consistency and Change

Eiichirō continues his practice and gets his next tournament schedule. As the last player to qualify he is placed up ag

EP 22

Fundamentals are the Weakness

Yu Nabae matches up with Eiichirō and realizes they really are two players that are virtually the same. He realizes tha

EP 23

Reckless 100-Square

In an effort to try and reverse the tide, Eiichirō decides to go back to his idea of having 100-squares to aim for inst

EP 24

Duty and Desire

Eiichirō runs to watch Natsu's match when he learns she is in danger of losing. Afterwards they return to STC where he

EP 25

Eiichiro and Natsu

Eiichirō and Natsu go out on their first date. When Eiichirō asks Natsu what she thinks about him, she tells him he is

EP 1

The World and the Wall

Eiichirō arrives in Florida, and Coach Mike introduces him to Marcia, an upcoming junior whose older brother just made

EP 2

A Vicious Circle is Lucky

Eiichirō begins closing the gap on the others at the Florida Academy, but during everyone of his matches he has one mom

EP 3

Data for the Future

After winning his first match in America, Eiichirō finally gets to play Ike in a one set match. Ike gets it approved at

EP 4

Awakening to Simplicity

In his final day in Florida Alex agrees to play a best-of-3 match with Eiichirō. Alex realizes that Eiichirō's notes c

EP 5

Takuma's Decision

Eiichirō returns from Florida and is given a day off to adjust his body to the time difference. After the day off Eiich

EP 6

First Encounter by Scouting

Coach Aoi explains to Eiichirō that he stopped the match against Takuma because his body wasn't developed to serve like

EP 7

Revenge at the Critical Moment

The Kanagawa Prefectural begins as Eiichirō faces off against Araya's new underclassman Nishimura. Araya has told Nishi

EP 8

The Speed of Evolution

Eiichirō and Miyagawa face off in the second round of the tournament for their second match. If Eiichirō loses he know

EP 9

Baffled by Intuition

Coach Ryuhei Aoi decides to teach Eiichirō the importance of relying on instincts during a match instead of relying sol

EP 10

Start With a Roar

Araya and Eiichirō begin their match in the Kanagawa Prefectural Final. At first both are holding serve and the score i

EP 11

Choices and Explosive Power

Eiichirō throws out a couple of unexpected dropshots in set 2 and begins to alter the speed of his game. After trailing

EP 12

Full Force Toward Adversity

Araya and Eiichirō prove to be even and are both unable to break each others serve. Making things worse is there will b

EP 13

Gathering of Rivals

The gang begins their third and final year of high school in different classes. Eiichirō and Natsu both realize their c

EP 14

Moonlight and the Sound of Waves

The final door on the way to the All-Japan Junior, the Kanto Junior Tournament, is just around the corner. Eiichiro psyc

EP 15

A Hero and Loud Cheers

The Kanto Junior Tennis Tournament begins at last, and Eiichiro is facing Yakabe Tadanori in his first match. Although h

EP 16

Whish, Then Fwoom

Eiichiro is stunned by all the cheering Ide receives as their match begins. He struggles with the unpredictable plays of

EP 17

Dramatic by Nature

Ide's remarkable ability to adapt instantly to everything has Eiichiro struggling, and reads his notes again to regain h

EP 18

Visualize the Pressure

Eiichiro thought he was successfully ignoring the crowd's roaring cheers for Ide, but his body was reacting to it more t

EP 19

A Rude First Meeting

Eitaro, upon winning spectacularly in his fight against Ide, decides to go to the National Junior's. Coach Aoi explains

EP 20

Psychological Warfare and Self-Control

The match against Takagi begins. Just as Yukichi warned, Takagi's style is unique.

EP 21

Good, Evil, and Rules

Even if it seems to lack etiquette, Takagi's play style continues to work in his favor by disupting his opponent's pace.

EP 22

Existence is the Driving Force

After beating Takagi, Eiichiro moves onto the semi-finals as does Natsu in the women's division. Eiichiro becomes aware

EP 23

Aggressive is Ideal

The match has just begun and Eiichiro is already close to being in the zone. His excellent condition is reminiscent of h

EP 24

Recklessness and Surprise

The match between Eiichirou and Nabae finally reaches its thrilling climax, and the former risks losing to envision his

EP 25

Final Set

The game finally reaches its final stage. Eiichiro who desperately envisions a vision to win Nambae and is ready for a n

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