| The Prince of Tennis | |
| Season OVA, Episode 1 | |
 | |
| Air date |
March 24, 2006 |
| Episode Guide | |
| previous Band of Princes |
next |
| Arc Guide | |
| previous arc Prince of Tennis Specials~arc |
next arc |
Return of the Prince is the 1st episode of the Nationals OVA and 1st episode of the Higa arc. It originally aired on March 24, 2006.
The opening song is "Flower-Saki Midareshi Hana" by GIGS and the ending is "Hello & Goodbye" by Kondou Kaoru.
Summary[]
First match of All-Japan National Tournament: Rokkaku vs. Higa. Oji explains the Shukuchi Method, and Ryoma comes back from America!
Synopsis[]
It's the first day of Nationals and it's Rokkaku vs. Higa Chuu
The members of Higa Chuu verbally abuse the members of Rokkaku and in the end, all of the matches are easily won by Higa Chuu.
Higa Chuu members manage to play their tennis by incorporating into it Okinawan martial arts, which allows them to move quickly backwards and forwards around the court. When Rokkaku's old coach, Oji, explains this, the Higa Chuu member who was playing the match at the moment purposely hits the ball into Oji's eyes, knocking him unconscious. This angers the Rokkaku and Seigaku members, however the Higa Chuu member who hit the ball couldn't care less and yells at someone who picked up the ball to throw it back. The person hits the ball back with a Twist Serve and to the Seigaku member's great surprise, it's Ryoma, who has returned from America after the US Open.
The Seigaku members then enter into the court and cheer for the Rokkaku members.
Characters Introduced[]
Tennis Techniques Introduce[]
Manga Chapter Equivalents[]
- Genius 248: The Curtains Rise for the Nationals
- Genius 249: Return of Tezuka
- Genius 250: Oishi's Decision
- Genius 251: Curtains Rise for the Nationals!!
- Genius 252: The Skill of Okinawa's Higa Jr. High
- Genius 253: A Lone Man's Battle
Anime and Manga Differences[]
- Shitenhōji is not present during the lot drawing for the tournament in the anime.
- Ryoma is absent in the anime due to the previous series leaving off with him in America.
- Due to Ryoma's absence in the anime, Inui and Kaidō explain the new tournament rules to Momoshiro instead of Momoshiro to Ryoma in the manga.
- Ryoma makes his reappearance in the anime by serving a tennis ball at Kai during the match between Saeki vs. Kai.
- Oishi challenges Ryoma in the anime to a match to determine his right to play in the Nationals. In the manga Oishi originally challenges Tezuka due to his return from rehabilitation.
- During the anime only match against Oishi, Ryoma reveals his COOL Drive/Drive C.