Baby Steps (ベイビーステップ) is a Japanese manga series by Hikaru Katsuki. It was serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 2007 to November 2017, with its chapters collected in forty-seven volumes. The story is centered on Eiichirō Maruo, a first year honor student who one day decides that he is lacking exercise. He then joins the Southern Tennis Club (STC) where he begins his tennis journey. The manga was adapted into a twenty-five episode anime television series by studio Pierrot, which was broadcast on NHK-E from April to September 2014. A twenty-five episode second season was broadcast from April to September 2015. In 2014, Baby Steps won the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the category.

Story

Eiichirō Maruo, a first year honor student, one day decides he is unhappy with the way things are and lacks exercise. He finds a flyer for the Tennis Club and decides to check it out. He is instantly captivated by it. With no prior experience and poor physical conditioning, he embarks on a tennis journey using his smarts, dedication and work ethic. He uses his inherent studious nature to develop an extremely strategic approach to tennis, taking notes on the habits and tendencies of his opponents thus allowing him to predict their shots before they make them.

Characters

Southern Tennis Club

Ōsugi High School

Kanagawa Prefecture Junior Players

Kanto Regional Junior Players

All-Japan National Junior Players

Florida Tennis Academy

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Hikaru Katsuki, Baby Steps was serialized for ten years in Kodansha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 17, 2007, to November 1, 2017. Kodansha collected its chapters in forty-seven volumes, released from February 15, 2008, to December 15, 2017. Kodansha published the series in English on their K Manga service.

Volumes

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced in November 2013. Animated by studio Pierrot, the series was broadcast for twenty-five episodes on NHK Educational TV from April 6 to September 21, 2014. Mao Abe performed the opening theme "Believe in yourself" and Babyraids performed the ending theme "Baby Steps" (ベイビーステップ). A twenty-five episode second season was broadcast from April 5 to September 20, 2015. Mao Abe's "Believe in yourself" was used again as the opening theme for the second season, while Ganbare! Victory performed the ending theme "Yume no Tsuzuki" (夢のつづき).

Reception

In 2014, Baby Steps won the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in category.