Hajime no Ippo (2000)
Animation Production: Madhouse Production
Episodes: 76
By Ashsura

Introduction

Normally, a person my age would enjoy shows such as the WWE, boxing competitions & championships and many others. I myself never actually bothered watching these seriously, but then one day I got a hold of an program entitled “Hajime no Ippo”, a boxing-themed anime similar to the classic Ashita no Joe series and which like Initial D, changed my view on the sport of boxing.

The Story

The series centers around Ippo Makunouchi, a typical well-mannered Japanese high school student, who, although isn’t a “dork” isn’t the most popular person at school. He is very passive and doesn’t have that much self-confidence. Since he seems like a pushover, a trio of bullies usually target him as a victim of their intimidation, however, one day, when Ippo is being beaten up, a jogging boxer named Takamura decides to step in and stop the fight (Well…more of beating them up actually). Since Ippo was injured, Takamura decides to take him to his boxing gym. There, Ippo is amazed by what he sees. This is the beginning of the story of a boy whose dream is to become a boxer, and how that dream pushes him to accomplish amazing things.

Review

If you are interested in a fighting anime that is realistic and doesn’t contain people using weapons at an extremely fast speed, this is a show you might want to watch.

Like other series this one has its roots in manga and like its printed-form counterpart, it evokes a realistic depiction of the sport of boxing. Not only does it contain matches that are amazing and well choreographed, the story is different and makes you want to keep watching to see how a shy boy like Ippo turns into a fierce fighter in the boxing ring.

The characters in Hajime no Ippo make this anime special. Each boxer Ippo faces is different and uses a different style or technique, but just because Ippo defeats them doesn’t mean they don’t have a good background. For instance, one boxer Ippo faces uses “clinches” (Which is like hugging the opponent so he can’t attack) because unlike other boxers, he wasn’t born with good punching skills, so he has light jabs. However, in his match against Ippo, he almost knocks him down with a punch. The feeling of knocking down Ippo instead of winning by points made the match really interesting.

The main theme of the story seems to be “Stick to your dreams, and anything can be possible”, personified by Ippo’s dream to become a boxer and being able to go the distance to accomplish this goal.

The music of Hajime no Ippo is also an important part of the series, especially the first ending song, “Yuuzora no Kami Hikouki” which fits perfectly after a hard match. The song starts off calm and a bit sad, but eventually the melody fills you with hope, which I think is how a boxer would feel after a hard match. At times, you can even hear familiar songs; even the Ultraseven theme song was used in this anime!

By delivering a great storyline with a healthy serving of great fighting scenes Hajime no Ippo turns out to be a very enjoyable anime TV series, even if you don’t like boxing.

Conclusion

Although this anime might not be for everyone, the original story combined with realistic boxing matches might appeal to people who like boxing and other fighting anime. The story isn’t about a hero who’s fighting to save mankind, it’s about a boy who wants to live his dream: To be a boxer.

Ashsura