▪	RELEASED BY:		VIZ MEDIA
		▪	ASPECT RATIO:		4:3 FULL SCREEN
		▪	AUDIO:		ENGLISH AND JAPANESE DD 2.0
		▪	RUNNING TIME:		275 MIN
		▪	RATING:		A
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		10/23/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		10/09/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

SYNOPSIS:
Ryoma and the Seigaku tennis team have reached the Metropolitan Tournament, the pinnacle of youth tennis. First up, the “golden pair” doubles team of Oishi and Kikumaru are forced to resort to the unusual Australian formation to throw off their opponents. Then Ryoma faces the “Lefty-Killer”, who uses a dangerous and devastating twist spin. To fight back, the Prince of Tennis must resort to amazing acrobatics and outrageous innovations.

Contains episodes 27 to 38 on 3 DVDs.

REVIEW:
After the dramatic last episode of the previous box set, this one starts off with a light episode showing the fun side in the day in the life of the Seigaku members and their friends. It’s only a brief break before the team heads off to compete in the Metropolitan Tournament. There’s a bunch of tough teams to beat. There’s the ominous St. Rudolph who’ll do anything to win. And they’re the first team Seigaku will have to face!

A vicious doubles team is on court and the coach makes the unlikely pairing of Momo and Kaido the “Viper” to play in the doubles match. St. Rudolph has done their homework though, and this unlikely pairing will have to pull out all the stops to try to hold their own against St. Rudolph’s brutal team. Fudomine wants to get their team to the Nationals, and they’re wiling to walk over Seigaku to do it.

The next bout sees the Golden Pair of Oishi and Kikumaru up against a team that might just break them! You’ll find out just what makes them the Golden Pair. A big upset might be in the making and the malevolent looking Mizuki of Fudomine might be behind a larger master plan to send Fudomine to the top – no matter what or how! The big match for Ryoma is with none other than his teammate the “genius” Fuji’s younger brother. Yuta, known as the “Lefty-Killer” has a lot of pent up anger and frustration over trying to break out of his older brother’s shadow and he’s about to take all that bitterness and rage out on Ryoma with his killer twist-spin-shot!

Ryoma is really put up against the wall this time around but it’s a match that is very personal for Yuta and makes for great dramatic action during the match.  Even though nothing can compare to the suspense of a real live tennis match (I remember being on the edge of my seat watching Wimbledon), this anime does an immense job of getting as close to that feeling of suspense as possible.  This box set has the Fudomine challenge heat up to a personal match between the ruthless Mizuki and Fuji, who doesn’t care for how Mizuki used Fuji’s younger brother. He doesn’t like it one little bit. However, even if Fuji beats Mizuki, Fudomine will still be a force to content with as they have an ace in the hole, the former Nationals tennis talent Tachibana.

The final episodes however, wind down from the intensity of the arc to have some fun. At least that’s how it first appears. First Ryoma helps out Sakuno and Tomoka with their tennis game and at the same time has to fight off some bullies. By using tennis of course. Then Inui steps up the training for the Seigaku team and comes up with a secret power drink that no one’s brave enough to try! Will the Seigaku players hold it down and make the grade? It’s not quite all fun and games though with a sneak peek at the violent bully named Akutsu, a vicious player who has his eye on Ryoma

EXTRAS:
Bonus features include original Japanese promos, original Japanese opening and ending animation, an ad for Shonen Jump magazine, and previews of other Viz Shonen Jump anime titles. Like the previous box set, this is done in the same glossy and appealing format with a slip cover and fold-out disc holder. It also includes a mini-poster insert that has the episode listing on one side and an art image on the other.

IN SUMMARY:
The tennis matches get more heated than ever as Prince of Tennis begins the Metropolitan Tournament! It’s sports action at its most suspenseful.