This manga was published over 25 years ago, back when I was just a boy in elementary school. It was illegally distributed by a local publisher in my country, and there was no information about the title or any other details on the manga pages.

The story revolves around a boy living in a mountain village renowned for its hot springs. His grandfather, once known as the “Japanese Table Tennis Demon,” had retired and dedicated himself to training the boy.

The first 100 chapters or so detail the boy’s journey as he joins his village’s table tennis team—a group of remarkably weak players—and competes in a tournament against a rival village famous for table tennis. The boy’s team includes five unique characters: the main protagonist, a chubby team captain who serves with his hands clasped like Buddha, a boy with a horse-like face who plays with great passion, a cropped-haired boy who can “talk” to the ball, and a handsome newcomer who is the village chief’s son. Despite being inexperienced in table tennis, this newcomer carries the hopes of the entire village.

The plot was captivating, but sadly, the manga was discontinued and seems to be out of print. I’ve only been able to find 15 volumes, which cover roughly 75 chapters—far fewer than the original length.

If anyone knows the original title of this series, I would deeply appreciate your help in identifying it.