Hajime no Ippo Anime Review

Written by: Enishi on 10/16/2004

Introduction

Hajime No Ippo is a series about boxing. But then again, its much more than that. It is a series that involves everything that makes anime great. It has the depth to continue forever (as seems to be the case, since the manga is on Volume 70+ in Japan). From the superbly conceived characters, to the hysterically funny moments that are widespread throughout, this anime gets a number 1 ranking in my book.

Review

At first glance, the main character, Makunouchi Ippo, doesn't look like much. Indeed, after the first few episodes, you might even get a bit annoyed with him. But you will be surprised at how fast your opinion of him changes. It is a complete turnaround. This turnaround is the theme throughout this series.

The story follows Ippo as he begins his long walk down the path of a pro boxer in Japan. Ippo starts out as a weakling who doesn't seem to be able to stand up for himself. However, this changes one day when Ippo meets a pro boxer. Ippo is in awe of the power and confidence he sees within this boxer, and so he chooses his path to become one. Along his way, Ippo picks up friends, and the list of his opponents grows. One of the really cool things about this anime is that it introduces a pretty large cast of characters that really grow on you. You gotta root for Ippo, but at the same time, you will end up rooting for even his opponents.

The fights are typically better animated then the non-fight scenes. You notice this phenomenon a lot in series like DBZ and even Naruto. Ippo typically stays the same, and the only changes come noticeably half way through the series. The animation takes a turn for the better, and the coloration of each panel is improved. Overall, character designs rock in my opinion. This is perhaps the best "funny face" anime ever, with GTO following it. Just remember this: A-O-KI!

This series has some great intro songs, but at the same time, it has some really lame ones. The opening song for the last part of the series is pretty lame, but Ippo's theme is pretty cool. Takamura's champion song is perhaps the funniest thing I've ever heard. The sound effects during the fights are great, and give each punch thrown their own personal dimension.

I have seen a good amount of anime in my life. I consider myself a pretty big fan of anime, and this is one of the few series that I have seen literally 6+ times. I enjoy this series so much that I have just seen it again in its entirety to write this review. This series has so many good points that I really just want to say that much. But since James Lin wants some substance, I will say that the fight scenes are great, the humor is topnotch and the few songs that have recurring roles in the series are composed very well. The TV series is also so well done that I would recommend it over the manga for the up to where the anime ends. Until the rest of the fights get turned into OVA's, the manga is all we Ippo fans have. But, don't get me wrong, the manga is well done, and really shines now that the mangaka can focus solely on the manga and not both. I am rambling now. Ippo is great.

Conclusion

Come on, if you can't figure out what I think about this series, then you must have been hit one too many times. Hajime No Ippo is perhaps one of the greatest anime series I have encountered. It ranks up there with Rurouni Kenshin, Evangelion, and I enjoyed watching and reading it as much as I enjoy watching/reading Naruto and Full Metal Alchemist right now. Now if you will excuse me, I think I hear the sound of the gong.