Season two of Hajime no Ippo perfectly transitions from a boxer's humble beginning into the more intense world of professional boxing. After the rookie championship ends, Ippo interacts with more people who make up the world of professional boxing, such as other trainers, reporters, boxers from different regions of Japan, and various worldwide boxers. Audiences are also treated to different facets of the boxing world as the series sometimes takes the spotlight off of Ippo to highlight the changes with other characters.

Everything in the series still revolves around Ippo, but it's nice that much of the cast gets some breathing room to feel like real human beings, not just dominoes for Ippo to knock over. A couple of episodes are strictly about Miyata learning boxing in another country. This part of the show builds off of the loss he suffered at the hands of Mashiba as he tries to find new ways to raise his ranks. I hope this fabled match setup at the beginning of the series gets paid off soon! (No, I'm not bitter)

Speaking of setup, Hajime no Ippo was able to organically build up matches as a part of the larger narrative. The show is no longer just randomly throwing people at us, as every opponent serves a larger purpose. Ippo has a sparring match against the Japanese champion, which serves as a glimpse into higher-level boxing. It also foreshadows their potential upcoming match. As Ippo continues to make a name for himself, he has a big target on his back. Not only do we get more of the training that goes into these matches, but we also get some information about physical aftercare.

This is what I love about Ippo; while the series is still animated, it feels like I'm watching a believable glimpse into the real boxing world in a genuine way. There are moments of angst and inappropriate humor that might feel dated, but I can't bring myself to dislike the show because it wears its heart on its sleeve. Ippo is such a genuine character, and seeing how his nature positively affects others is heartwarming. Even the bully that jump-started this whole series believably turns into one of Ippo's best friends and an exemplary pillar of support for him.

Still, just because I said this show feels like I'm watching a live-action series does not mean I don't appreciate its animated format. This series still looks incredible by today's standards. You could argue that the art style and use of cell animation make it dated on arrival, but every match still carries an intensity unlike most modern sports anime today. Jabs feel fast, whizzing by characters who swiftly dodge out of the way. Punches still have a nice crunch behind them as they smash into an opponent's ribs, and even subtle details like the squeaking of the shoes rubbing against the floor make you visualize a character's movements when they are not shown on screen. There are some notable creative directing choices, such as when Miyata's hearing is affected during a match, and his entire background turns into white noise.

The soundtrack is still excellent, with a new opening that hits that electric guitar so hard that I can feel my heart rate increase as I listen. A more extensive cast also means more actors in the dub with an occasional double casting like Mona Marshall. While some of the characters sound exaggerated, I still find many of the performances solid during genuine moments despite being decades old. I am a little mixed about Volg's Russian accent as it feels a little too cartoonish, but you can also tell the actors put their heart behind the performance.

Overall, everything I liked about the first twenty-five episodes of the series is still present. There are more characters to explore, new techniques to play around with, and a world that continues to widen with each passing episode. Now, the question is, will the final twenty-five episodes of this series continue to keep the quality up while also paying off every foreshadowing in this season? Well, I already know the answer, but you'll have to wait until my next review because it is worth your time.