8.724 minSeason 3 • Episode 25
LatestKamogawa resorts to pounding a log with his bare fists as he trains to face Anderson and avenge Nekota. Anderson rediscovers his pride as a boxer and brings Miguel along as his cornerman. Everything comes down to this!
Makunouchi Ippo is an ordinary high school student in Japan. Since he spends most of his time away from school helping his mother run the family business, he doesn't get to enjoy his younger years like most teenagers. Always a target for bullying at school (the family fishing business grants him a distinct odor), Ippo's life is one of hardship. One of these after-school bullying sessions turns Ippo's life around for the better, as he is saved by a boxer named Takamura. He decides to follow in Takamura's footsteps and train to become a boxer, giving his life direction and purpose. Ippo's path to perfecting his pugilistic prowess is just beginning...
Direction
Madhouse turns a jab into geometry porn—every fist has weight, every frame crunches.
Acting
Kohei Kiyasu's wheeze-scream as Ippo gets up? That boy DID the push-ups for real.
Writing
76 episodes before a title fight and you'll thank them for the wait. Patience: rewarded.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Dempsey Roll is based on real heavyweight Jack Dempsey, but the anime exaggerates it into a spiral punch tornado that would snap a human spine.
Hajime no Ippo revitalized boxing manga in Japan and inspired actual pro fighters; featherweight champ Takashi Uchiyama cited it as his reason for lacing gloves.
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