Forum - View topicIs Fighting Spirit Good?
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goodwin999
 Posts: 30 |
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I notice that this ranks 31 on ANN top 50 but no one on these forums seem to talk about the series at all. I was a bit skeptical about the show when i read the summary. Now Im wondering, how can you have 70+ episodes of boxing and keep it entertaining. I was thinking of purchasing the entire series(very cheap) but i really dont know enough about this show to buy it.
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11509 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Hajime no Ippo is definitely worth watching. It's my 2nd favorite shounen series only to Kenshin. Not sure how they handled the U.S. release as I'm sort of deciding whether or not to boycott it for the stupid name change, but I might have a solution, provided that someone with the actual DVDs is willing to answer a few technical questions for me.
Anyway, aside from my little marketing/integrity tyraid, I can't recommend this series enough for anyone that's a fan of the shounen genre. Yes, it's about boxing. But to tell you the truth, I was a skeptic myself before I started watchig it: "a series about boxing? Okay, I guess it won't be too bad. At least Tsuneo Imahori is doing the music," I thought to myself. But holy moly did I ever underestimate this series. It's everything a guy likes about shounen: fun characters, an easy story, plenty of action, great music, a little crude humor (anatomy jokes  ), and no angst from any of the supporting characters!
Personally, I found the journey of Ippo's character to be very easy to relate to. Not so much that I wanted the power to not be picked on, but more so for the sheer will, determination, and endless passion he develops that you or anyone else can apply to life in general. Like a lot of shounen titles, the moral is to never give up and strive for your goals. But the difference here in Ippo is the realism of it all. There aren't any shinigami, ninjas, or giant robots to make things look cool. It's a regular world with regular people, free of gimmicks, clichés, and any kind of annoying fluff or fanservice. It's a gritty and entertaining story of a boy finding himself, growing up, and having a lot of fun in the process. Just to give you a quick summary of the production values and all of that, you can refer to this post I made few months ago. And on a final note, I mention this in that post I linked to, but I'll say it again. For you or anyone that likes shounen, I don't make a lot of guarantees, but other than GTO, this a sure-fire series for any fans of the genre. Do check it out, and anyone with the DVDs, please contact me. |
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vocab
Posts: 33 |
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imo it should be top 10, but due to /some individuals/ down voting it to make their favorite shows appear in the top 10 it is not.
Hajime no Ippo is an amazing show. Need I say more? You just need to watch it. |
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Vahn17
Posts: 21 |
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I agree that Ippo is an amazing anime. However, know this: after watching a few epsiodes, you'll want to go exercise. If you're lazy, then it's a good motivator.
Seriously though, it's excellent. Ippo himself is a great main character, but you'll come to love much of the supporting cast as well. The other boxers become well-developed characters who are easy to like. Even characters who seem jerk-ish at first become likeable once you get to know them. So go watch it. Now. |
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Clodus
 Posts: 497 Location: Kansas |
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oooo interesting, honestly its been on my want to see list for a while now and recently I've been wanting to see some adrenaline pumping action. looks like ill give it a try also. i remember seeing it on a different site also on its top 200
i've just finish watching all the current sub eps of Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi a few days ago and im still in the mood set from it with the different styles of martial arts. |
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Jedi General
 Posts: 2485 Location: Tucson, AZ |
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OK, I'm convinced now. Like Clodus, this series has been on my to watch list for a while now. Upon seeing the responses here though, I think I'm going to start renting this from Netflix once I finish Now and Then, Here and There. EDIT: No, actually I think I'll take advantage of TRSI's Geneon sale and just buy the entire series. I'm almost certain that I'm going to love it and it will become too expensive to buy later.
EDIT II: @Tony K: Since I just purchased all the DVDs (minus the TV special), I might be able to answer some questions once I receive them and give them a watch. |
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epixeltwin
 Posts: 325 Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada |
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I'm heading out to my anime rental store to get the three first DVDs RIGHT NOW. Thanks a lot, I had been wanting to watch it for a few months and you just made me go get it
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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Watching the anime first got me to reading the manga. The fights are well entertaining, and at times the outcome is unexpected, which takes you away from your typical shonen title where the main character or somebody they know makes the ultimate comeback to make the ultimate showdown.
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Ningensei
 Posts: 333 Location: Seattle, WA |
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I must agree with pretty much everything said here. Hajime no Ippo is absolutely my favorite shounen anime. And manga as well (It's even better!). I really love sports type shounen and this definitely tops the list. There is just something about the characters, fights, and music that is just utterly incredible goodness.
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I just finished the Thailand episodes with Ichiro and found them the best so far. Part of the problem for me with this series is that spoiler[I've come to expect Ippo to get into a match only to pull through at the last minute with a surprise KO] I didn't have this problem with Miyata at the end of volume 8. I also get frustrated by the "novice spunky kid who beats the cooler kid who has dedicated their entire life to their sport" formula. I had the same problem with Hikarui no Go, and kept hoping that Akira would expose Hikaru as a fraud. I tend to sympathize with these "rival" types in sports anime. This actually goes beyond sports anime and I can actually trace the origins for me back to the early 80s when I watched the First Gundam series and would root for Char! I just feel that there is a cosmic injustice in it all.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11509 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Randall, concering the one-way rivalries, I actually feel the opposite. When you first see these eventual rivals of the main character, they appear to be near-flawless and pretty much unbeatable. But in losing, it exposes them as "not so perfect" as well, and thus we see the strive to better themselves. Akira and Miyata were just too cocky and underestimated their opponent, something every bratty kid needs to realize every now and then.
Granted, Ippo has a lot of natural strength and stamina, but that's a big advantage in boxing and he earned it all himself. Hikaru, on the other hand, spoiler[ had the ghost of probably the greatest Go player in history whispering over his shoulder (yeah, that's just unfair), but he comes to acquire his own strength later, which is essentially the central theme in all shounen titles anyway]. But mark my words, these main characters are not invincible. That's all I'll say. I won't tell you when, why, or how. But in knowing this, I hope it gives you a little something to look forward to now  . No one's perfect, including Ippo or Hikaru.
Both endings for Hajime no Ippo and Hikaru no Go are not absolute at all, so don't go thinking it's going to be all smiles and sunshine. I'm not sure what happens in the manga as I've read neither of them, but the anime endings are better than say... DBZ where everyone just kinda lives happily after, but it's certainly no Zeta Gundam either, if you get my drift... EDIT: Added some stuff, fixed some spelling. Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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Oh yes, along the way things happen that you don't expect, and somewhere along the way spoiler[someone has to lose. I remember when I read the part where Ippo actually lost a match, ]unlike "typical" shonen series this series brings out that kind of outcome. Which is what makes it a really good series.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11509 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Yeah, I think in contrast to a lot of other shounen series that tend to use fantasy or supernatural elements as a way of enhancing the action, in Ippo it's nothing but physical prowess and skill. No superpowers, no reiatsu, charka, ki, chi, or anything of the sort. In a lot of these other cases, I think the nature of their "powers" or whatever usually lead more so to "do or die" situations. If they lose, that's it. They're dead and the bad guys win. In the very few titles I've seen that don't rely on that aspect so much (Ippo, Hikaru, or Yakitate!!), it seems that because we realize things are a little more realistic, it's okay if absolute victory isn't achieved 100% of the time. Of course there are exceptions, pending on one's own personal tastes and preferences, but that can vary... a lot. |
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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I think that there comes a point to when a series is will over use its fantasy elements or not. Then there's those series that bring in reality, but the situations that occur in them would be highly unlikely. Like if you take One Piece for example, it's set up in an unrealistic, fantasy world. But in a way I feel that they don't overdo the fantasy part, they bring some reality in it as well as dramatic themes. What does Ippo have? Over time I have seen how certain situations within the series seem highly unlikely, but not impossible. What happens within the matches is more about heart and guts. Just like in a wrestling match. You know what you have to do in order to be able to beat your opponent. Use your technique, and make sure you have more stamina to outlast the guy. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11509 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Eh.. if you mean pro wrestling, that's a little different since it has to do with a lot of non-physical factors too like, "the story," the wrestler's popularity, and so on. Granted, you can't get anywhere in that business without some amount of physical ability or stature, but it's not always a case of heart, guts, and stamina. |
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