Spartacus

So as you can see from my profile picture, I am watching Hanebado! And as shocking as it sounds, the anime somehow convince me to try this particular sport.

Basically, I was watching it at my workplace (explaining this one will be long), then, a co-worker of mine suddenly joined in and was like 'yo, a badminton anime? Japan out did their self again.' He then impulsively suggest why not we (and the others) play badminton on friday night, there is an indoor badminton field nearby. So, why not?

Wearing my usual jogging gear, I forgot to buy my own racquet (I am very clumsy) and the place didn't have any to be rent or lent. I was already accepted that I will only play a few minutes by borrowing it from my friend, but lucky me, when I trying to buy a drink in a very weary traditional shop, they surprisingly sell cheap racquet aimed at students!

Last of the detour, I already heard back at home there is this niche sport that looks like a tennis knockoff, but it is so niche I never saw one being played unless I'm actively searching for it on the internet. But the fact that you can buy one in a traditional shop here means it most likely as popular as baseball in the US.

So of course, I already familiar with tennis rules and they are pretty similar in surface level, except the ball can't touch the ground at all, unlike tennis. The racquet is longer and smaller, the ball (shuttlecock) is very light compared to a tennis ball. Easy peasy, right?

Oh boy, this game is so intense!

The small difference makes this game plays differently from tennis. The fact it can't touch the ground at all means the pacing of the game is faster than tennis and you are forced to keep moving and moving. Because it is lighter, it takes less force for the player to do a powerful swing, meaning the player can fire off very powerful and fast smash relatively easily, so you see them more often. You are basically sprinting non-stop without break. And this is just a fun game without taking round as consideration, I'm sure the difference in round ruling gives another layer of depth too.