Ippo Makunouchi (幕之内一歩, Makunouchi Ippo) is a Japanese fictional character, a retired pro boxer who fought in the Featherweight category, and the owner of the Makunouchi Fishing Boat rentals, from the famous anime and manga series, Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirit), written and illustrated by Japanese Manga author, George Morikawa and published by Kodansha. He was the former featherweight Champion, the “unofficial champion” of the OPBF, and the reigning champion in the JBC Featherweight Championship.
Wiki/Biography
Ippo Makunouchi was born on Friday, 23 November 1973 (age 26 years old; as of 2023 in Manga edition) in Tokyo, Japan. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius and his blood type is O.
Ippo during his childhood
Ippo’s dad died when Ippo was very young because of a boat accident during a storm. Ippo used to wait by the sea every day, hoping his dad would come back. His dad had promised to always be with Ippo and his mother. Ippo found his dad’s cap and felt his dad kept his promise. After his dad’s death, Ippo helped his mother with their fishing business. In school, if something bad happened, he’d tell his mother he was okay, even if he wasn’t. He was a student at Shiritsu Zōshirushi High School. One day he was bullied by Masahiko Umezawa, one of his classmates, along with his friends. Mamoru Takamura, a boxer, saved Ippo and scared the bullies away. Takamura then took Ippo to the Kamogawa gym to help him recover. There, Takamura asked Ippo to hit a bag with Umezawa’s face drawn on it. Ippo hit it so hard that his hand skin peeled. Takamura saw Ippo’s strong body and told him to stand up to the bullies. When Ippo was leaving, Takamura gave him a video of Mike Tyson’s best fights.
Ippo got bullied by other students
After watching the videos, Ippo wanted to be a boxer and asked Takamura to train him. Takamura didn’t believe Ippo could do it. He gave Ippo a challenge to catch ten falling leaves with his boxing jabs in one week. It was hard, but Ippo did it on the last day using one hand. This impressed Takamura, who then agreed to train him.
Ippo practising leaf catches
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 57 kg
Hairstyle: Spiky
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Gender: Male
Family
Parents & Sibling
Ippo’s father was Kazuo Makunouchi, who founded the Makunouchi Fishing Boat. On a fishing trip, a storm hit and the ship started to sink. Sakuma, a crew member, got trapped under something heavy. Sakuma told Kazuo to go and save himself, but Kazuo helped him. He lifted the heavy thing and got Sakuma to a safe boat. But this meant Kazuo was left on the sinking ship. People looked for Kazuo for weeks but couldn’t find him. They said he was dead. Later, Ippo found Kazuo’s hat near the water. Ippo thought this meant Kazuo kept his promise to come back.
Ippo and his father
Ippo’s mother is Hiroko Makunouchi, Makunouchi Fishing Boat is owned and operated by Makunouchi. She is a kind and hardworking woman. After the tragic death of her husband at sea, she single-handedly raised Ippo and managed the family fishing boat business. She’s always been supportive and caring towards Ippo, even when he decided to pursue a career in boxing. Her strength and dedication greatly influence Ippo’s determination and values in his boxing journey. Her resilience and unconditional love make her a pillar of strength in Ippo’s life.
Ippo looking at his mother
Ippo has no siblings and is the only child of the family.
Love Interest- Girlfriend
Ippo has liked Kumi since the Rookie Kings. He first saw her at her shop. After Ippo fought her brother, Mashiba, they didn’t meet for a year. They met again when Ippo was in the hospital after another fight. After that, they spent time together and went on some dates. But Ippo is shy, and Mashiba sometimes gets in the way. Kumi hasn’t said she likes Ippo, but it seems like she does.
Ippo and Kumi
Background
Inspired by/Based on
Makunouchi Ippo, a character in the series, takes inspiration from real-life boxers like Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, Ray Mancini, and Jack Dempsey. Ippo’s fighting style is very similar to Mike Tyson’s, especially the way he stands in the Peek-a-Boo position, dodges punches, and uses strong close-range punches. His powerful punch, called the Megaton Punch, also reminds us of Tyson. Ippo uses a move called the Dempsey Roll, which is like the signature move of a famous boxer from the past, Jack Dempsey. Tyson admired Dempsey and also used his fighting style. Ippo’s “Gazelle Punch” move is the same as Floyd Patterson’s. Patterson, a heavyweight champion, was trained by Cus D’Amato, who was also Tyson’s mentor. Mike Tyson often used a punch called the “Liver Blow” because he was shorter than other heavyweights. This technique helped him against taller fighters. It’s said that Ippo’s character is a mix of Ray Mancini, a world champion, and Mike Tyson, a well-known heavyweight champion.
Mike Tyson’s Peek-a-Boo stance
Creator
George Morikawa is a famous manga writer from Japan, best known for his series “Hajime no Ippo”. He was born on January 17, 1966, in Tokyo. When he was in primary school, he read “Harris no Kaze” by Tetsuya Chiba, and this made him want to be a manga artist. Before he became famous, he worked with Shuichi Shigeno. Later, when he became more successful, other manga artists like Kentaro Miura and Kaori Saki worked for him. By March 2022, “Hajime no Ippo” had 134 books. It also became an anime TV show. The first show started in 2000 with 76 episodes. A second show started in 2009 with 26 episodes. In 2013, a third show called “Hajime no Ippo: Rising” came out with 25 episodes. In 1991, Morikawa got a prize called the Kodansha Manga Award for “Hajime no Ippo”. Apart from writing manga, Morikawa also owns a sports gym in Tokyo called JB Sports Gym.
George Morikawa
Development
Scared young boy to a passionate boxer
Ippo Makunouchi’s journey from a scared young boy to a passionate boxer is a central theme in “Hajime no Ippo.” Initially timid and lacking self-confidence, his encounter with boxing ignites a transformation. Through rigorous training, he not only becomes physically strong but also gains mental toughness and self-assuredness. His quest to understand true strength leads to valuable life lessons. Relationships with his coach, gym mates, and opponents shape his character. Ippo’s evolution is marked by a desire for self-identity and unwavering determination in the face of challenges, making him a compelling and relatable protagonist in the series.
Rookie boxer to a Champion
Ippo Makunouchi’s remarkable journey in “Hajime no Ippo” takes him from being a rookie boxer to achieving the status of a champion. Starting with no prior boxing experience, he enters the ring with determination and learns the ropes of the sport under the guidance of Coach Kamogawa and his fellow gym mates. Through relentless training, countless matches, and unwavering perseverance, Ippo steadily climbs the ranks. His evolution is characterized by honing his skills, conquering formidable opponents, and achieving various titles. Ippo’s transition from a novice to a champion showcases his growth as a boxer and the compelling narrative of his rise in the world of professional boxing.
Story/Mission
Beginning of a journey to Boxing
Ippo was introduced to the boxing coach, Genji Kamogawa, who didn’t think Ippo could box. So, he had Ippo fight a skilled boxer, Ichirō Miyata, to test him. Ippo was scared but used tips from Takamura during the match. He did well until the third round when Miyata knocked him out. Still, Ippo’s effort made Kamogawa respect him and accept him. Kamogawa saw Ippo’s talent and set up another match with Miyata in three months. To prepare, Ippo learned a new move and planned a strategy against Miyata’s strong move, the counter. But after talking with Miyata, Ippo changed his mind. He didn’t want to avoid the counter but face it. With Kamogawa’s approval, Ippo trained hard for the match.
Ippo asked Takamura for training
Ippo and Miyata had a rematch. Miyata was shocked to see how much better Ippo had become in just three months. Both of them had moments when they fell during the fight. In the last round, Ippo used his new move, the uppercut, and it looked like he missed. But he actually hit Miyata just a little, causing him to fall and not get up. Ippo won because of this small hit. A man named Minoru Fujii explained that Ippo’s tiny hit made Miyata’s legs stop working, even though he was still awake. After this fight, Miyata left the gym. He wanted to train elsewhere so he could fight Ippo again later as a professional. They both promised to meet again in a big tournament called the East Japan Rookie King Tournament to decide who was better.
Ippo’s sparring session with Miyata
Debut as a Boxer
After Miyata left, Ippo felt lost and wasn’t as excited about boxing. To help him, Coach Kamogawa made him follow the tough training routine of Takamura. By watching Takamura train hard, even when he was tired from keeping his weight down, Ippo realised how hard a boxer’s life is. Feeling inspired again, Ippo decided to become a professional boxer. He passed the written test easily but was very nervous about the test fight. The boxer he fought wasn’t as good as Miyata, so Ippo won easily. Another new boxer, Ryō Mashiba, warned Ippo they might have to fight in a tournament. But Ippo was determined to stay in his weight class because of his promise to Miyata. Umezawa, one of the bullies, took Ippo’s boxing license. But Ippo quickly got it back, making the bully respect him.
Ippo’s debut match
Once Ippo got his boxer’s license, Coach Kamogawa said he would fight Yūsuke Oda in his first professional match. In the beginning, Ippo was doing well. But in the second round, Oda hit Ippo near his eye and made a cut. The doctor almost stopped the fight because of the cut. In the third round, Oda tried to hit the cut again. But Ippo changed his boxing stance to southpaw and beat Oda with many jabs. Ippo won the fight. To celebrate, Coach Kamogawa gave them money. Ippo and his friends used the money to have a good time at a place called Sugar Ray.
Ippo’s match at Sugar Ray
Rookie King Tournament
Ippo had a second fight, this time against Yoshio Fujiwara. In the first round, Fujiwara used his head to hit Ippo, which is not allowed. Ippo realised Fujiwara was doing it on purpose. When Fujiwara tried to headbutt again, Ippo was ready and used an uppercut to knock him out. So, Ippo won again. After school, Umezawa, who used to bully Ippo, introduced him to some tough boys. But now, Umezawa called Ippo his friend. Ippo celebrated one year at his boxing gym at a place called Chūka Soba. At his gym, the coaches, Yagi and Kamogawa, told everyone about a big tournament for new boxers. Ippo’s first opponent in this was Jason Ozuma. Ippo heard Ozuma had a strong right punch, so he practised dodging punches like that. Takamura helped him train. When Ippo and Ozuma met before the fight, Ippo discovered that Ozuma was a very nice person. Ippo’s fight with Ozuma started. In the first round, they both dodged each other’s punches. But then, Ozuma hit Ippo with his strong hook and Ippo fell down. In the second round, Ozuma’s hook made Ippo fall again. They both hit each other with many punches. Ozuma threw a big hook, but Ippo dodged it and hit Ozuma in the body, making him fall. After standing up, Ozuma hit Ippo with many punches and won. But when Ippo was trapped near the ropes, he saw a chance. He dodged Ozuma’s hook and used an uppercut and some other punches. This knocked out Ozuma and Ippo won the fight.
Ippo vs Ozuma
After school, Ippo went to see Miyata’s boxing match against Teruhiko Takada. At the match, a girl dropped her ticket near him while looking for a seat. Miyata won, and Ippo was amazed at how much better he had become since they last sparred. Later, Ippo visited a bakery and saw the same girl from the match working there. At his gym, Fujii brought a video of Ippo’s next opponent, Kenta Kobashi. While watching, Ippo saw that Kobashi often held his opponents and didn’t have strong jabs. Ippo also watched another boxer, Ryūichi Hayami, who had a powerful punching technique called “Shotgun”. Soon, Ippo got invited by Takamura to a training camp. At the camp, Ippo did many exercises like running on sand, practising punches, sparring, and dodging tennis balls. After the camp, back at the gym, they told Ippo he would fight Kobashi before Takamura’s own match. When Ippo was leaving the gym, he saw someone looking inside. That person ran away but dropped a journal. Ippo caught him and realised it was Kobashi, his next opponent. Ippo then started watching more videos of Kobashi’s fights to prepare.
Ippo vs Kobashi
Ippo’s fight with Kobashi was tough at first. For the first three rounds, Kobashi kept using his left arm in a way that Ippo couldn’t hit him. Kobashi also kept holding onto Ippo, which made Ippo tired. In the last round, Kobashi tried to hit Ippo more to knock him out. After Kobashi landed two punches, Ippo saw a chance and hit him hard in the face. This made Kobashi fall and he couldn’t get up. So, Ippo won. Afterwards, Ippo watched a match where Takamura was fighting Yoshiaki Yajima. At one point, Takamura was knocked down. Ippo and his friends cheered loudly, helping Takamura find the strength to get up. In the end, Takamura won the fight.
Rookie King Tournament: Finals Arc
In Ippo’s school, he had a meeting about his future, where his teacher wanted him to go to college, but Ippo chose boxing instead. Later, he met Kobashi, who said he didn’t know how to beat Hayami and his strong punch called Shotgun. At Ippo’s gym, the coach thought Hayami must get tired using Shotgun and that’s when Ippo should hit him. Ippo trained to avoid Hayami’s punches. Miyata came to the gym and told Ippo he’d see him in the finals. Ippo also learned that Hayami usually ends his Shotgun with an uppercut punch, so he trained with Aoki to defend against it. When Ippo fought Hayami, he began by dodging well. But Hayami surprised everyone by not doing his usual uppercut. Hayami hit Ippo with many punches and Ippo fell. When he stood up, he felt better and hit Hayami harder. They both tried to hit each other, and Hayami got hurt. Ippo then hit Hayami with many strong punches and Hayami couldn’t stand up, and Ippo won in the first round.
Ippo vs Hayami
Ippo watched Miyata fight Mashiba. Miyata lost and sent a message to Ippo saying sorry. Upset, Ippo hit a bag at the gym so much that his fist bled. Takamura stopped him. Coach Kamogawa said Ippo shouldn’t use his hand for two weeks, and Ippo trained to get faster. Later, Ippo visited a bakery and saw a girl named Kumi. He learns that Mashiba, the boxer he just fought, is Kumi’s brother. Back at the gym, Fujii told Ippo and his friends about Mashiba’s family story. Coach Kamogawa found a weakness in Mashiba’s fighting style called the Hitman Style. But he wanted Ippo to face it directly. When the coach saw that Ippo’s hand was better, he let two boxers, Aoki and Kimura, practise fighting with Ippo.
Ippo met Kumi for the first time
Ippo fought Mashiba. At first, Ippo had difficulty with Mashiba’s long-range punches called Flicker Jabs. In the second round, Ippo attacked more, but he hit Mashiba’s elbow three times. This hurt Mashiba’s arm, and it dropped because of a bruise on his elbow. Before the third round, Coach Kamogawa saw Ippo’s right hand was bleeding. He told Ippo to only use that hand for a final hit. In round three, Mashiba hit Ippo many times, and Ippo fell down. But Ippo noticed Mashiba’s legs were shaky, so he stood up again. He threw many punches at Mashiba. Even when Mashiba held onto him, Ippo kept hitting. Finally, Ippo hit Mashiba so much that Mashiba couldn’t stand up. Ippo won the fight and later got an award for being a very good new boxer.
All Japan Rookie King Tournament
Two weeks after his last match, Umezawa told Ippo about the next boxing event, the All Japan Rookie King Tournament. But Ippo said he couldn’t join because he broke his right hand, and it would take two months to heal. That’s the same time the tournament starts. He didn’t want to risk hurting it again right after it got better. Ippo started to think about his future in boxing and what his next goal would be. When Ippo went to his gym, he met Takeshi Sendō, a top boxer from West Japan. Sendō told Ippo not to drop out of the tournament. But Ippo said no and started his running training. While running, Ippo learned why Sendō boxes: he likes to fight strong people and win to feel strong himself. Ippo watched Sendō practice fighting with Takamura and saw Sendō’s special move, the Smash. Later, Ippo and Sendō went to the airport because Sendō was going back to Osaka. Before getting on the plane, Sendō told Ippo he’d wait for him in Osaka. Sendō accidentally left his gifts at the airport.
Ippo and Sendo
After hearing what Sendō said, Ippo wanted to box against him. He visited a doctor, Tomoko Yamaguchi. She said Ippo could fight but needed to do special exercises for his shoulders and cool his hurt hand with ice. Later, Ippo returned Sendō’s gifts with a note saying he might be ready to fight. Two days before the fight, Ippo’s team went to the Ishino Boxing Gym in Osaka. Ippo had a practice fight with a boxer named Komori. But Ippo realised he was scared to use his right hand because he didn’t want to hurt it more. The next day, Ippo couldn’t hit his coach’s hand pad right. The coach thought about giving up and going back to Tokyo. But Takamura told Ippo a story about when he hurt his wrist before a match. It made Ippo think about what would happen if both he and Sendō used their best punches. The coach told Ippo to cool his hand so he could at least throw one good punch. On the day of the match, they were at the Osaka gym. In the waiting area, Ippo couldn’t make a tight fist. So, Dr. Yamaguchi, who came to Osaka, gave Ippo a shot to numb the pain. In the ring, the coach asked Ippo about the shot. Ippo said he couldn’t feel his hand.
Ippo got the shot to numb the pain
The next day, Ippo was at the Osaka Gym for his fight. In the waiting room, because Ippo couldn’t make a tight fist, Dr. Yamaguchi gave him a shot to lessen the pain. When he was in the ring, his coach Kamogawa asked about the shot. Ippo said he couldn’t feel his hand. As the match started, Sendō quickly hit Ippo with strong punches. Ippo felt pressured and moved back. He knew he couldn’t just defend, so he tried to punch Sendō but got hit again. Ippo came close to Sendō, thinking he needed to use his right hand to win. He tried to set up a punch with a jab, but Sendō hit him first. After a few more hits, Ippo noticed a chance and landed a right punch on Sendō. He realised his right hand was okay. Now confident, Ippo began attacking, and Sendō defended. Ippo hit Sendō with an uppercut, and then the first round ended. Ippo was surprised by Sendō’s punches. His coach told him Sendō was probably surprised too, because Ippo’s right hand was fine. At the start of the second round, Sendō quickly hit Ippo with a powerful left Smash. Sendō then bent low and gave Ippo an uppercut from below. Ippo avoided another Smash and got close to Sendō. This stopped Sendō from using his Smash since it needed some distance to work. After a short break from close fighting, Sendō stepped back and prepared to use his Smash again. Ippo tried to hit Sendō as he thought Sendō was going to use his Smash, but it was just a trick. Ippo managed to block another of Sendō’s punches with his shoulder. But then Sendō used a low Smash that nearly took Ippo down. Just as Sendō was about to hit Ippo again, the round ended. Back in his corner, Ippo told his team that if he sat down, he wouldn’t be able to get up. He said he still had something to do, so he couldn’t sit.
Ippo vs Sendo first time
As the third round started, Ippo changed his usual stance to match Sendō’s. This made Sendō angry. He didn’t like someone trying his special move, the Smash, without much experience. Sendō attacked, but Ippo dodged and judged the right distance. Ippo then gave Sendō a very short but powerful punch. It felt like Sendō’s Smash. Both fighters then threw punches at the same time, making each other lose balance. They punched again, but this time only Ippo’s strong short punch hit Sendō, knocking him down. Sendō got up but looked hurt. After a few more exchanges, Sendō landed a big body blow on Ippo. They kept trading punches until Ippo hit Sendō hard on the side of the head. Sendō looked unaffected and started hitting Ippo many times. The round should have ended, but the referee and Sendō couldn’t hear the bell because of the loud crowd. After an extra ten seconds, the referee realised and stopped the round. After the fight, Kamogawa made Ippo sit down. Ippo was confused. He couldn’t understand why Sendō was still standing after his strong punch. But Ippo still felt he hadn’t lost and wanted to keep fighting. He was surprised when the referee stopped the match. It turned out that Sendō couldn’t move because of Ippo’s powerful punch, so Ippo was declared the winner. He felt like it was a dream and imagined Sendō still ready to fight. But when Ippo heard Sendō admit his defeat, he started to believe he really won. The same night, they had a party to celebrate. But it ended quickly when a drunk Kamogawa and Takamura got into a fight. After that, the group decided to go out, but Ippo wasn’t happy about where they were going.
Ippo won against Sendo
Two Rookie Kings Arc
After finishing school, Ippo met Umezawa who arranged for him to take photos with fans. After the photos, Ippo said goodbye to Takemura and Matsuda and walked with Umezawa. Umezawa tried to say sorry for past wrongs, but Ippo brushed it off, thinking he was just curious about his next match. On his way home, Ippo bumped into Miyata. Miyata said he was leaving Japan to fight strong boxers in South Korea and Thailand. He wouldn’t return until he felt he was on the same level as Ippo. When Ippo came back to his gym, there were many new people there because Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura all had a match on the same day. After training, only one new person, Naomichi Yamada, stayed. He was a big fan of Ippo. Ippo then helped teach him the basics. Later, at the Kōrakuen Hall, Ippo went to watch his friends’ matches. Before watching, he met the featherweight champion, Eiji Date. Date asked Ippo to visit his gym when his hand was better, so they could spar. After the matches, Ippo realised he had nine fights before a chance at the championship. Kamogawa told him to be eager because nine fights weren’t that many and he could face the champion that year.
Ippo met Eiji Date for the first time
A month later, Ippo visited Dr. Yamaguchi and found out his right hand was completely healed. He tested his fist on a sandbag and remembered Date’s invitation to spar. Date’s gym called Ippo for a sparring session. At the spar, Ippo was pushed back by Date’s strong presence. Ippo managed to land one good punch on Date, but the round ended before he could do more. Date then decided to use his “Magic Punch”. In the next round, Ippo tried to stop Date from using his special move, the “Corkscrew Blow”. But, he was cornered. Suddenly, Date hit Ippo directly in the heart with this move. Ippo felt like time stopped and he fell down. After getting up, Date used the move again and Ippo fell once more. Ippo realised Date’s target was the heart. Even after this, Ippo continued sparring till the end and thanked Date when they finished.
Ippo’s sparring session with Eiji Date
On the same evening, Ippo and Yamada chatted about their sparring session. Ippo learnt that Yamada admired him and had faced bullying as Ippo did. Ippo shared his story of being bullied for 11 years and how boxing changed his life. This story inspired Yamada, who assumed Ippo was always strong. Ippo mentioned he was still searching for true strength and wondered if Date had found it. When Ippo got back to his gym, he found an article saying Date was aiming for world title fights soon. This upset Ippo because he wanted to challenge Date himself. But soon, there was good news. Ippo’s gym got a fight request from Nakadai gym for Ippo to face last year’s Rookie King, Keigo Okita, who was ranked fifth. If Ippo won, he’d be ranked fifth. Kamogawa agreed to the match, seeing it as a great chance for Ippo. When Ippo fought Okita, they began with an intense exchange. But Ippo forced Okita to step back with a strong hit. Okita then used a powerful move called the Corkscrew Blow, breaking Ippo’s guard. Okita tricked Ippo with fake moves and landed a solid body blow. But Ippo’s coach, Kamogawa, reminded him of his strengths.
Ippo got hit by Corkscrew Blow
Struggling with Okita’s tricks, Ippo got trapped in a corner. Just as Okita was about to use his Corkscrew Blow again, Ippo dodged and landed a powerful uppercut. This hurt Okita’s legs. Both fighters were showing signs of damage, but Ippo managed to knock Okita down. When Okita got up, both threw punches at the same time. Ippo’s landed first. Ippo then countered Okita’s Corkscrew Blow with his own strong punch, knocking Okita out. Ippo won the match, but Okita warned him that fighting Date wouldn’t be so simple. After seeing Date win against Suzuki, Ippo watched Date’s post-match talk. When asked if he’d give up the belt to fight globally, Date said no. He mentioned unfinished business in Japan, looking directly at Ippo. Ippo first felt nervous, but then stared back at Date. With his recent win, Ippo now had eight knockout victories and was ranked fifth.
Ippo knocked out Okita
Class A Tournament: Speed Star Arc
A TV station came to Kamogawa gym because boxing was becoming popular again. They brought an idol, Kumiko Morita, to interview the boxers. After the boxers showed their skills and talked about their dreams, the TV crew left. When this was shown on TV, everyone saw that Ippo challenged the champion, Date, on national TV. Later, the TV show featured Kumiko at the Otowa Boxing Gym. There, a top boxer from Russia, Alexander Volg Zangief, said he also wanted to fight Date for his belt. This surprised Ippo. After Ippo and Yamada sparred, they went for Yamada’s Pro Test. Yamada won and Ippo was very happy. Back at the gym, Kamogawa and Yagi showed a list of upcoming matches. Ippo would be fighting a top boxer, Takuma Saeki. Takamura then suggested a training camp to prepare. Ippo told his mother about everything and asked to go to the camp for a week. She agreed. Later, while Ippo was training, Yagi suddenly told him that his mother had fallen ill and was in the hospital. Ippo quickly went to the hospital after hearing his mother had collapsed. There, Miyazaki told him that she had fallen from the boat and had anaemia because she worked too much. She had to stay in the hospital for a month. Ippo felt bad because he hadn’t realised how hard she was working while he was boxing. He started working on the family’s fishing boat and saw how tough it was. In the hospital, Hiroko told Ippo they could close their fishing business for a month or sell their boat space so he could keep training. But Ippo didn’t want to because the boat was a memory of his dad. He decided he could still do some training while working on the boat.
Ippo left boxing for a while to work at Boat Rentals
Ippo decided to focus on the family fishing business to support his mother, Hiroko, who had collapsed. At the hospital, he saw she was trying to leave early. Worried she’d overwork again, Ippo said he’d treat boxing as a hobby and work on the boat full-time. Fujii, a friend, visited Ippo and gave him videos of Saeki, a boxer. He tried to persuade Ippo not to quit boxing but Ippo wanted him to understand. During a storm, Umezawa came to Ippo’s house. He wanted to help with the fishing business. He was planning to create a comic about a boxer inspired by Ippo. If Ippo quit boxing, Umezawa’s story wouldn’t work. After a few days, Umezawa promised to help with the business so Ippo could return to boxing. When Ippo’s boxing friends saw him at the gym, they were surprised. Takamura had a practice fight with Ippo. Ippo was so happy to be back, he cried.
Ippo gets a Manga about himself
Ippo trained with Kamogawa using a sandbag. Kamogawa felt pain from Ippo’s body blows even through the sandbag. Discussing strategies, Ippo mentioned he planned to use body blows against Saeki, his next opponent. Kamogawa was surprised but let Ippo join the Class A Tournament. Kimura advised Ippo that speed was key against out-boxers. So, Ippo practiced to be faster than Saeki. A week before the tournament, Ippo tried out-boxing in a practice match with Yamada but struggled. They later discussed a plan. When Ippo’s mother left the hospital, she gave him boxing trunks she made. Umezawa gave him new shoes. At home, Umezawa saw Ippo making holes in the shoes to reduce grip. Ippo said this would help him win. On the tournament day, Ippo met Saeki, who commented on his strong fists and told him to give his best. In the waiting room, Umezawa tried to take a photo of Ippo for his mother, but the camera broke. Soon after, Ippo was called for his match. Before the fight started, Ippo told Kamogawa his plan: to wait for Saeki to come to him and then attack. As the match began, Ippo used his Peek-a-Boo stance, while Saeki moved around him. Saeki then confidently opened his guard, inviting Ippo to take a shot. Ippo threw punches, but Saeki dodged them all. Ippo managed to push Saeki towards a corner but couldn’t land a hit. Saeki showed his speed by dodging Ippo and quickly moving behind him. The round ended shortly after. Back in his corner, Ippo felt stuck as his strategy to corner Saeki wasn’t working. Kamogawa told him to continue waiting and focus on the body blows when Saeki was trapped.
Ippo vs Saeki
In the second round, Ippo tried to trap Saeki in a corner but Saeki cleverly used the ropes to dodge Ippo’s punches. Soon, Ippo found himself at the receiving end of Saeki’s quick Flicker Jabs which caused swelling in Ippo’s right eye, affecting his vision. Saeki used this to his advantage, delivering punches from Ippo’s blindside. At the break, Kamogawa realised the extent of the injury. He motivated Ippo by asking what he wanted to prove in this match. Ippo said he wanted to reassure everyone who was worried about him. In the third round, Ippo tried to minimize his blind spot by getting closer to Saeki, but Saeki maintained distance and landed more punches from Ippo’s blind side. After a series of hits, Ippo leaned on Saeki to prevent himself from falling, recalling Umezawa’s advice not to fall on the boat advertisement. At the end of the round, Ippo told Kamogawa he found a way to catch Saeki. In the fourth round, Saeki started strong, hitting Ippo with several punches. However, Ippo managed to figure out Saeki’s strategy and successfully landed a punch even with his limited vision. Saeki tried to take advantage of Ippo’s blind spot again but Ippo anticipated his move and landed another punch, knocking Saeki down. When Saeki managed to stand up, Ippo continued his assault, landing multiple powerful blows. Eventually, Ippo knocked Saeki down again with a strong uppercut. Although Saeki tried to get up, he couldn’t, leading the referee to end the match. Ippo was declared the winner and moved on to the Class A Tournament.
Ippo barely managed to win
In the dressing room after his match, Ippo spoke with Umezawa. Saeki then visited and asked Ippo how he managed to hit him despite Saeki being in his blind spot. Ippo explained it was due to Saeki’s perfect rhythm. After Saeki left, Umezawa tried to take a photo of Ippo but the camera broke again. Later, Ippo watched Volg’s match. Volg, known as the “White Fang”, showed a powerful technique and won. Ippo noticed that Volg didn’t seem happy despite winning, making him wonder about Volg’s reasons for boxing. To celebrate the victories of the day, the boxers went to Gaiant Echo, a karaoke place. There, Takamura sang a song called “Champion”. To Ippo’s surprise, the video playing with the song featured Hayami, a boxer he knows. Joining in the fun, Ippo sang along with Takamura.
Ippo and his friends celebrating
Class A Tournament: White Fang Arc
Ippo visited Takamura’s house and found out that Yamada was leaving Tokyo soon. Upset, Ippo wanted to throw him a goodbye party. At the party, Yamada sparred with Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura. After those fights, Ippo sparred with Yamada and used a liver blow, Yamada’s favourite move. After the party, Yamada left and Ippo said goodbye. Later, Ippo helped Aoki and Kimura prepare for their big fights by mimicking their opponents during sparring. However, both Aoki and Kimura lost their matches. Ippo was surprised and sad, but Takamura reminded him that in boxing, there can only be one winner. Ippo came back to the gym and talked with Coach Kamogawa about struggling to find a way to beat Volg. This upset Kamogawa because of what Volg’s coach said in an interview. Kamogawa then told Ippo to train hard by doing lots of squats to make his legs as strong as a gazelle. After training at a pool for a week, Kamogawa taught Ippo a new powerful move called the Gazelle Punch. Ippo was unsure about the move because it was a big movement. But Kamogawa explained that his fight with Volg would be about who could last the longest in close-range fighting. If Volg got tired first, Ippo could use the Gazelle Punch. So, Ippo had to train to have better endurance than Volg. Later, to help with the tough training, Ippo got a massage from Yamaguchi. He then continued his hard work the next day.
Ippo helped to Yamada in training
Ippo watched Date’s boxing match and then met him to say well done. He found out that Volg, another boxer, was also watching the match. Later, at the train station, Ippo heard people talking about a “strange foreigner”. It turned out that Volg was having trouble because he didn’t know how to use the train system. Before Ippo helped him get a train ticket, they had a chat. Ippo learnt that Volg boxes not because he likes it, but to help his sick mother in Russia. He felt a connection with Volg because they both box for their loved ones. At the final match of the Class A Tournament, Ippo felt trapped and overwhelmed by Volg’s intense presence in the ring. As the match started, both fighters exchanged fast punches, but Ippo struggled to land any. Soon, Ippo got hit by three powerful uppercuts from Volg, which made him lose consciousness for a brief moment. Even though he was unconscious, Ippo instinctively defended against Volg’s punch and then started attacking Volg. By the time he regained his senses, the round had ended.
Ippo learned a new move, Gazelle Punch
In the second round, Ippo managed to knock Volg down using the Gazelle Punch. However, when Volg got up, Ippo faced challenges. He tried to land another Gazelle Punch but Volg defended well and countered. Volg then unleashed his signature move, the White Fang. Ippo was taken by surprise and was knocked down by the two-part attack. Despite the tough situation, Ippo managed to get up before the round ended. Back at his corner, rather than giving a detailed strategy, Kamogawa simply motivated Ippo to give it his all. In the third round, Ippo was determined and decided to face Volg head-on. Despite facing intense punches, Ippo was reminded of his training with Kamogawa, which boosted his morale. Even though Ippo was knocked down, he stood back up, and both boxers continued trading blows. In the fourth round, both fighters were exhausted. Ippo managed to exploit Volg’s reduced stamina and landed significant hits. Volg tried to trick Ippo with a feint, but Ippo saw through it and successfully countered with a powerful Low Gazelle Punch. Ippo continued to pressure Volg, but the resilient Volg held on, even clinching to buy time. The round ended with both fighters still standing, displaying their tenacity and spirit. In the fifth round, both Ippo and Volg were tired and started with a defensive stance. Ippo managed to avoid Volg’s powerful White Fang move. Spotting that Volg was struggling to breathe, Ippo seized the moment to hit him with a Gazelle Punch. This knocked Volg down, and he couldn’t get back up. So, Ippo won the Class A Tournament. But, due to his exhaustion, Ippo fainted and had to be taken to the hospital.
Ippo defeated Volg
The challenge for the Throne Arc
Ippo woke up in a hospital and saw Kumi, a nurse there. He learned both he and Mashiba won the Class A tournament. Later, Ippo and his friends celebrated. They played bowling and the winner got to choose a girl to spend time with. Ippo chose Kumi. After taking her home, they talked briefly. But when Mashiba appeared, Ippo got scared and left. Back at the gym, Coach Kamogawa announced Ippo’s next fight – against the champion, Date Eiji. Ippo struggled to plan for the fight. He visited Takamura for advice but decided he’d just give his best as the challenger. Takamura then had a match against Tamaki. At the venue, Ippo met Date who said Ippo’s punches were weak. After the match, Takamura explained that Date’s punches were strong because of his strong feelings. Later, Ippo found out Mashiba was now a junior lightweight champion. Kumi invited Ippo to Mashiba’s celebration. After the party, Ippo sparred at his gym for reporters against a boxer from the Philippines. He won and then practised with Kimura to prepare for his match against Date.
Ippo went on a group date
In the second round, Ippo tried to dominate Date in close combat. Eiji Date had difficulty as Ippo’s punches kept coming. Ippo made Date think he was going for a liver blow, but it was a trick. Ippo then landed many punches on Date’s face. After the round, Ippo told Kamogawa that his strong punches didn’t seem to hurt Date. But Kamogawa told Ippo to stick to the plan. The third round saw Date rushing to Ippo again for close combat. Date managed some light hits, but Ippo was the one landing more punches. However, Date used a technique where he rotated his neck to lessen the impact of Ippo’s punches. Suddenly, Date’s left jab knocked Ippo down. Ippo stood up, still shocked that his powerful punches weren’t affecting Date. Ippo then tried body blows, but Date shifted his guard, making Ippo’s punches less effective. Ippo thought he was becoming too predictable. When he tried a big punch, Date countered it with a combination. The round ended, and Ippo was left wondering about Date’s years of experience and skills.
Ippo vs Eiji Date
In round four, Ippo was hit many times. But after a special move by Date, Ippo managed to hit him twice. Even though Ippo used two of his best punches, Date didn’t fall. Date then hit Ippo hard, making Ippo feel the real power of a champion’s punch. Before the round ended, both fighters exchanged strong punches. In a break, Ippo, even though he was very tired, told his coach he would keep fighting with all he had because he wanted to challenge the champion. In the fifth round, Ippo managed to defend against Date’s strong punches because he trusted his coach, Kamogawa. The two boxers exchanged blows, but Ippo was very tired and leaned on Date. When they separated, Ippo fell due to exhaustion. After he stood up, Ippo tried to attack Date, but Date landed a powerful punch called the Heart Break Shot. Before Date could hit Ippo again, Kamogawa threw a towel into the ring, signalling that they had given up. This meant Ippo lost his first-ever match. After the fight, in the locker room, both Ippo and Kamogawa apologised to each other. Ippo thanked everyone for supporting him.
Ippo took his first loss against Eiji Date
Road Back Arc
Ippo found out that Date gave up his boxing belt and Sendō and Volg would fight for it. He was told to take a break from boxing for three months. This made him sad, especially after he watched a replay of his lost match. He went to Osaka to watch Sendō and Volg’s fight and met Miyata there. Sendō won the match, but some people disagreed with the result. After the match, Ippo learned that Volg’s gym didn’t want him anymore and he was leaving Japan. Ippo rushed to the airport to say goodbye. Volg thanked Ippo for showing him the joy of boxing and gave him his old gloves. Volg then said “Sayonara”, a Japanese word for goodbye, and left. Ippo cried as he watched him go.
Ippo said farewell to Volg
After seeing Miyata’s match against Li Chon Pir, Ippo talked to Date. Eiji Date said he was going to fight a top-ranked American boxer. If Date wins, he’ll go for the world title. Date warned Ippo not to waste time and keep boxing, or people would forget about him. When Ippo went to his gym, he found out that he and two of his friends had upcoming matches. Ippo only knew the name of his opponent, Ponchai Chuwatana, but nothing else. His coach, Kamogawa, focused on teaching Ippo about defence. However, during training, Kamogawa got sick and went to the hospital. There, he told Ippo the key for the next match was to attack without getting hit. Ippo studied videos of Mike Tyson to learn more about defence. When Kamogawa got better, Ippo went to check his weight before the fight and met his opponent, Ponchai, for the first time. After checking his weight, Ippo and Umezawa discussed his opponent, Ponchai, and Ippo felt nervous. Before the fight, Ippo trained one more time. Umezawa saw that Ippo was moving differently than before. On the day of the fight, after watching Aoki and Kimura win their matches, Ippo stepped into the ring. He thought about how things changed since his first defeat. In the ring, his coach told him to start with his left hand and watch Ponchai’s moves in the first round. The match then started.
Ippo vs Ponchai Chuwatana
Ippo started the match by holding his fists out, but Ponchai quickly hit one of his fists and landed a punch on Ippo’s guard. Ippo defended himself and managed to dodge two big punches. He then landed a strong one-two combo on Ponchai, pushing him back. But Ponchai, using a technique to spin his neck, reduced the impact of Ippo’s punches. Ippo remembered how he handled this move before by throwing smaller, precise punches. Soon, Ippo saw an opening and landed a powerful punch to Ponchai’s liver followed by an uppercut to his face. The round ended with Ippo in the lead. Back in his corner, Ippo told his coach he’d win in the next round. In the next round, Ippo dodged Ponchai’s attempt to counter him. Using a weaving motion, Ippo started moving side to side in a figure-eight pattern. He attacked Ponchai from different angles, landing several hits until Ponchai fell. Kamogawa recognized Ippo’s technique as the famous Dempsey Roll used by Jack Dempsey. The referee stopped the match seeing Ponchai couldn’t fight anymore, making Ippo the winner of his comeback match.
Ippo won his match after using Demsey Roll
Ippo won his fight and Kamogawa told him he used the famous Dempsey Roll technique, but Ippo didn’t know what that was. During Ippo’s interview after the match, the champion Sendō was spotted in the audience. Sendō came to the ring and said he didn’t care about titles but wanted a rematch with Ippo because he felt he owed him. Ippo agreed to the challenge. After that, Ippo felt great walking out of the ring as a winner.
Aoki and Kimura’s Delinquent Youth Days Arc
Ippo saw magazines about his comeback match at his fishing boat, but they talked more about Sendō wanting a rematch than the actual fight. Takamura visited and found Ippo’s old-school album. They saw a girl Ippo remembered as the first one who talked to him in school. They also found leaves Ippo caught as his boxing test, which then fell apart. Next, they visited Aoki’s house and found a photo of young Aoki and Kimura as delinquents. At Kimura’s house, Ippo accidentally fed a fish with medicine, making it faint. Kimura told the story of his and Aoki’s past as troublemakers until their first boxing wins. Takamura teased them, causing a funny fight between the friends. In the end, they noticed the fish was okay.
Ippo learned about Aoki and Kimura’s past
Mountain Training Arc
Ippo saw Sendō’s match on TV and was amazed at how he seemed to predict Saeki’s moves. Kamogawa visited Ippo and told him he would be fighting Sendō next for the championship. Ippo felt he just wanted to finish their last fight, not caring about the title. He also thought that his special move, the Dempsey Roll, might not work on Sendō. Kamogawa told him to just rest and not overthink. At the Kamogawa gym, Ippo got to know that he would be fighting Sendō after two months, after Sendō’s next title defence. The gym also planned a training camp. Later, Ippo and Takamura watched Date’s match, which Date won. Date hinted to Ippo that his Dempsey Roll might have a flaw, especially against Sendō’s forward-pressing style. The training camp location turned out to be in the mountains, not the beach as expected, which annoyed everyone except Ippo. They were staying at Pension Yoshio, owned by Kamogawa’s friend Nekota. Nekota knew Ippo from sports magazines. Before Ippo and the others went running, Nekota warned them about bears in the area.
Ippo began training at Mountains
While jogging in the forest, Ippo thought about improving his Dempsey Roll. Suddenly, he saw a bear and ran back to the house, warning the others. Later, Nekota gave them bells to scare off bears. Ippo had a chat with Kamogawa about perfecting the Dempsey Roll. The next day, while running with the bells, an animal jumped on Ippo. Aoki and Kimura panicked, thinking it was a bear, but it turned out to be Nekota’s white dog, Hachi. Kamogawa told everyone their tasks for the week. He asked Ippo to chop logs. While doing this, Nekota visited and showed Ippo how to do it correctly. Nekota warned Ippo about the dangers of relying too much on power in boxing, explaining how he retired due to brain damage. Despite the warning, Ippo still wanted to face Sendō. Nekota mentioned a technique called “Sakki”, which intrigued Ippo. Inside, Kamogawa explained more about “Sakki”. Not understanding the concept fully, Ippo sparred with Takamura to experience the difference between Sakki and a regular feint.
Ippo sparred with Takamura to learn about feint moves
Ippo and Takamura started sparring outside. Ippo tried a regular feint on Takamura but ended up hitting him hard by mistake. During the spar, Takamura demonstrated the Sakki technique which confused Ippo, as he saw a punch coming but it never did. This showed Ippo what Sakki felt like. After understanding Sakki, they stopped sparring. That night, Ippo thought about his unfinished match with Sendō, comparing it to Kamogawa and Nekota’s past rivalry. On the last training day, Ippo trained hard with Kamogawa. Nekota visited Ippo and gave him advice about rematches. That evening, everyone was worried when Takamura didn’t return from his exercise. When he came back injured, he said he had fought a bear. Ippo helped treat Takamura’s injuries. Later, Nekota served bear stew. Takamura was upset after realising the bear he had encountered and left alive was the one in the stew. This confirmed to Ippo that Takamura’s bear story was true.
Ippo and his friends heard about Takamura’s story
In the morning, Ippo said goodbye to Nekota and went back to Tokyo. At the gym, Kamogawa agreed to let Ippo spar with a boxer named Shigeta, who is Sendō’s next opponent. Ippo struggled against Shigeta because he fights in a different style, called southpaw. After the spar, Kamogawa told Ippo that he might fight Shigeta for the title in the future. At home, Ippo gave his friend Umezawa a bear bell as a gift. Umezawa asked if the story about Takamura fighting a bear was true. Ippo said it was. Later, Sendō called Ippo to ask about the bear story. Ippo warned Sendō about Shigeta, but Sendō said he was only training for Ippo. Sendō offered Ippo tickets to his match but said he had to buy them. Ippo was at his home chopping wood when he later went to the gym. There, Takamura was telling reporters a story about fighting a bear. After the reporters left, Fujii revealed that Takamura might fight in a world-ranked match. Ippo got excited thinking the gym might have its first world champion. Later, Ippo went to watch Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura’s boxing matches. Outside the venue, he saw Nekota arguing about bringing his dog, Hachi, inside. Once inside, Ippo was curious about a big bag Nekota had. He watched Kimura and Aoki win their fights. Mari Īmura, a reporter, then approached Ippo and showed interest in him. When Takamura’s match started, Ippo was surprised because Takamura wore a bear’s skin and showed a scar from a bear on his chest. This bear skin came from Nekota’s bag. Takamura won his match using only his left hand. Nekota explained that it’s an old saying: “He who rules with his left, rules the world.” After, they all celebrated at the Sugar Ray bar.
Ippo faced Shigeta in a sparring match
After a night of heavy drinking, Kamogawa and Nekota were passed out. With the main guys gone, Ippo became the focus at the gym. When he left, he met Tomiko and Kumi. Tomiko was looking for Aoki, but he wasn’t there, so she left Kumi with Ippo. They spent time together and Ippo promised Kumi his first autograph. When they separated, Kumi went to buy paper for the autograph. Back at the gym, a reporter named Mari wanted to see Ippo spar, but he couldn’t. Instead, she interviewed him. He said the match that impacted him the most was against Date. She also got his autograph. Leaving the gym, Ippo found a sign saying “baka” (fool), not realising Kumi put it there because he broke his autograph promise. Later, the guys returned to the gym. Nekota was training students, impressing Ippo. Ippo and Takamura chatted about Takamura’s upcoming match. Nekota then left for his home, and Ippo said goodbye. Ippo got tickets to watch Sendō’s match against Shigeta.
Ippo went to watch Takamura’s match
Lallapallooza Arc
On the way to Osaka by train, Ippo and Kamogawa talked about Sendō’s chances against Shigeta. At the Osaka Gymnasium, an old woman met them, who turned out to be Sendō’s grandma. When Sendō’s match started, Ippo had to help the grandma to the toilet. Coming back, he was shocked to see Sendō struggling in the match. Kamogawa discussed the fighting styles and why Sendō was having difficulty. But Sendō managed to win in the third round. After the match, in an interview, Sendō announced his rematch with Ippo. Ippo, despite pressure from Sendō’s fans, confidently talked about his upcoming birthday and his wish to win the title as a gift. Later, they visited Shigeta, who seemed okay. But Kamogawa noticed that Shigeta was scared of fast movements, a sign of boxing trauma. Kamogawa told Ippo about the danger of fighting someone like Sendō, who could put deep fear in his opponents.
Ippo challenged Sendo for the title match
Ippo was thinking about his fight with Sendō when Kumi called him. They decided to meet up, so Ippo checked a magazine for date ideas. They went to Shimono Zoo. At the zoo, they compared animals to people they knew. When they saw a tiger, Ippo thought of Sendō. But, the tiger sprayed on him! After changing, Ippo said sorry for thinking about boxing during their date. Kumi understood because he’s a boxer. To make it up to her, Ippo promised that his first autograph as a champion would be for Kumi.
Ippo made his promise to Kumi
Ippo visited Yamaguchi Chiropractic. Yamaguchi noticed Ippo’s back muscles grew but warned him about the risk of injuring his fist because strengthening bones is harder than muscles. She gave him a rubber pad for protection. Following Kamogawa’s orders, Ippo sparred with boxers from different weight classes for five days. He knocked out five opponents from different weight classes. Back at his gym, Aoki was the first not to get knocked out by Ippo. Later, Fujii came and told Ippo that Mari had gone to Osaka for work. Ippo talked with Mari about her magazine article on his upcoming fight with Sendō. After reading it, he felt that Sendō’s new stance would make it tough for him to use his signature move, the Dempsey Roll. Ippo believed that their upcoming fight was more personal than just about the title. Later at home, he gave a match ticket to Umezawa and set aside tickets for Kumi and Nekota. That night, Ippo was so excited about the match that he couldn’t sleep.