The first episode of the anime The Prince of Tennis U-17 World Cup Semifinal, titled "Germany’s Strongest: The Night Before the Showdown!", aired on October 2, and it has already become a hot topic online.

In this episode, Japan’s national team advances to the semifinals after defeating France. Their next opponent is the world’s No. 1 powerhouse, Germany, which features their former teammate, Tezuka. Before the match, Ryoma watches the USA vs. Switzerland match and learns that Ryoga has disappeared from the team. Meanwhile, Atobe visits Tezuka to offer to be his sparring partner. When Kirihara happens to see Atobe entering the German facility, he witnesses Tezuka and Atobe together, sparking suspicion that Tezuka might be a spy.

Kirihara sneaks into the German village but is caught by a security guard, leading to a scene where he utters the iconic lines, “Akaya Kirihara, 14 years old, currently in trouble,” and “Help me!” (voiced by Shotaro Morikubo). This scene, which has been teased even in the official manga, became an instant hit among fans.

Fans reacted enthusiastically: "How long have Kirihara fans been waiting for this... Thank you, Prince of Tennis anime! I'm overwhelmed," "Hearing Kirihara’s voice saying '14 years old, currently in trouble' is just perfect," "Akaya Kirihara, 14 years old, currently in trouble! So cute!" and "Is he the heroine?"

New Prince of Tennis U-17 World Cup Semifinal Official Web SIte

Source : ORICON NEWS