As Chinese, we have all been waiting for a long time to see this blade, Butterfly Harimoto Tomokazu Innerforce ALC.
But it is also due to the special identity of Harimoto, a Japanese Chinese player whose parents are both Chinese table tennis players and who likes to shout (wah wah wah wah) whenever he wins a match. So these two facts have made people pay quite a lot of attention to him.
Overview of Butterfly Harimoto Tomokazu Innerforce ALC
The designer has put a lot of effort into this product. The handle is in his favorite color, blue, and the bow-shaped element of the logo is also derived from his family name in the Chinese character.
The Harimoto alc is a blade with built-in fiber, which is not easy for players who play close to the table.
The handle is in his preferred shade of blue and his final request was for a gold element on the handle, a request that was undoubtedly a sign of his desire to win and his determination to aim for the top.
After much revision to meet his request, the designer expressed this symbolism with a golden circle with three bows and arrows.
It is clear that Harimoto and Butterfly Company share the same passion for this blade.
Features of Butterfly Harimoto Tomokazu Innerforce ALC
Structure
The size of the Harimoto Innerforce ALC has been adjusted slightly from 157*150mm in the INNERFORCE LAYER ALC to 158*152mm, with the consequent reduction in vibration characteristics from 9.4 to 9.2, so the hand would have a slight feeling of vibration more than before (the larger the value, the less likely it is to vibrate the hand). As the board surface increases, there will be better ball holding.
The blade consists of 5 layers of wood + 2 layers of fiber (0.5mm) on the surface.
In physical terms, Harimoto Alc is a combination of two layers of lymphatic surface material, two layers of ayurvedic material, aromatic carbon, and an ayurvedic core. The best comparison is the DHS Long V. The difference is that Long V uses yellow aromatic carbon, while Harimoto Innerforce ALC uses blue aromatic carbon.
The yellow carbon is tougher and has better energy storage, meaning that the Long V has a spring motor, which gives it more power and longer storage time, making it suitable for loop drive from the middle or back court. Blue carbon is more brittle, more explosive, and has better speed than yellow carbon on the short court.
According to the technical characteristics of Harimoto, who emphasizes the “short game” along with “short court attack and defense”, blue carbon is undoubtedly a better choice.
Weight 4/5
The thickness of the blade is about 5.93mm. While the weight is 91 grams. It’s quite heavy, honestly speaking, but the bouncing performance is better than the Long V.
Attack 4.2/5
The feel of the Harimoto ALC is relatively soft and seems like a pure wood blade under small forces.
The speed and power of the Harimoto ALC are quite normal under small power, without any special feeling. But the loops and drives after retreating to the middle court are unexpected, the speed is not particularly fast, but it is very stable with great power and consistency.
When attacking the ball close to the table, the power is not very prominent, but it is very good at controlling the ball. It’s not very friendly to girls with less strength, as you may not gain the feeling of penetration if you lack enough power.
However, if the ball comes with great power or spin, you can bounce the ball back easily.
Defense 4/5
Physically speaking, a blade with a larger size gives you a better feeling of holding the ball, and indeed in defense, it is very stable and makes you feel like the ball hitting a thick wall. Faced with the incoming ball with great power or spin, you can control placement easily.
What’s more, it is suggested that you add more force and hit the ball earlier just when it’s about to jump while blocking. So the ball will be returned relatively fast. Actually, this blade is more suitable for active defense, but this requires some basic skills and is more suitable for intermediate to advanced players.
Control 4.5/5
The feel of Harimoto ALC is also fabulous when it comes to pushing and dropping shot.
It is easy to control the placement of the ball precisely because of the soft feel of the blade. It’s really suitable for players to deal with the balls in the net zone.
The Harimoto ALC is not very explosive when it comes to flicking, and it often requires more power.
Speed 4.3/5
The speed of the blade is quite normal, at least not as fast as many players have imagined before. There are misconceptions about the speed of this blade.
The reason why people feel that Harimoto plays so fast is that he hits the ball at an early moment, just when the ball jumps up, not because of the speed of the racket itself.
And the fact that Harimoto dares to hit the ball quickly also comes from the great control of the blade. So overall this is not a blade specialized in speed.
Spin 4.2/5
With the built-in fiber structure, players can have more time to drive or loop the ball and it creates tons of spin, especially in those topspins. Players have a better feeling of “grasping the ball” and it’s great for aggressive forehand and backhand play.
Who is it for?
As we can observe from its playstyle of Harimoto, this blade is ideal for those players who are looking for stability and variation in fast strokes, or those who prefer to play near the table. It requires really great table tennis techniques. Those with insufficient power are not recommended to try this blade.
Recommended match
1. Stable Version
Forehand: DHS Hurricane 3 (39 degrees), Donic Blue Fire M1
Backhand: Donic Desto f3, Butterfly T05FX. It is more suitable with some softer rubbers in backhand.
2. Offensive Version
Forehand: Butterfly T05HARD, Andro Rasanter R50, XIOM Omega VII PRO
Backhand: Butterfly T05, Donic F1(Also used by Harimoto)
Of course, these matches are not the standard answer, they are just a reference for you.
Softer rubbers are recommended when you lack sufficient confidence in your control. But if you feel you have really great control, then just give it a try to those hard rubbers.
Conclusion
This is a very stable blade, so it can give enough support to the fast and versatile play of Harimoto. Power is not the strength of this paddle and it is slightly inferior to Long V, which also has a similar built-in fiber structure.
In terms of spin, the feeling of grasping the ball is marvelous, and loops or drives can create beautiful arcs. The control is the highlight of this blade, which make opponents couldn’t stand up to the varied and fast-changing tactics.
