Hajime no ippo

First let me start by saying that I'm lucky to have had the honour of witnessing the thrilling roller-coaster that is Hajime No Ippo, and I am fairly certain that a lot of individuals would agree with me if they decide to give this anime a fair shot. I am writing this review to express what I think of this anime in general and why I think a lot of people would enjoy it as well

Hajime no Ippo exists not only to thrill but arguably excite viewer to the point of no return by bringing blow after blow of jaw-dropping twists in a narrative that feels as furious as a dog fight, it is the sports anime that challenges all others of its kind to do better. Essentially the coming-of-age tale of a weakling maturing into the strongest rookie boxer in Japan, Hajime no Ippo doesn't deviate from the sports anime formula in any notable manner. Ippo discovers boxing on a school day like any other then spends numerous staged fights and training montages thereafter rising through the ranks. However, the show outshines all lesser versions thanks to its exceptional script. Simply put, it boasts a bottomless supply of twists to make every fight feel as though it were the first. That Ippo has to win his battles despite his great weaknesses is no spoiler; nonetheless the developments during the fights - their sheer visceral power - obliterate all expectations. Whenever I thought the show had exhausted its store of excitement in one episode, it delivered new unscaled heights of the stuff in the next. Aside from that, Hajime no Ippo shows that even neanderthals know how to laugh and cry through healthy doses of comedy and character development. Between the hilariously inane penis jokes and the heart-rending personal struggles, the show brings an endearing warmth to what is usually seen as the sport of humourless brutes.

There are a few negative aspects of this anime and I can sum that up to two things and that would be the animation and the pacing right at the beginning. Now let me explain why, firstly the animation in the first instalment of Hajime No Ippo I would is pretty outdated especially when compared to recently released animes. Secondly I think that the pacing of this anime right at the beginning is not up-to par mainly because it drags on a bit to much and that could potentially put of a lot of viewers.I believe that is main reason why most people drop this anime and it honestly is a real shame because if you've ever heard of the expression save the best for last, this anime truly adheres to that and then some.

Overall Few anime could rival this series in the shounen ring, but certainly none of the other sports anime on the market to date. By the end, food and sleep had become peripheral concerns - to sustain myself all I needed was to tap into the show's incredible energy, and believe me that is understatement. So if you truly feel like watching an anime that keeps you on your toes and gives you the aspirations to power through two-hundred squats and and push up's, yea maybe that was just me, but seriously I believe that this anime is truly magnificent and I strongly believe that the majority of people that watch this anime will agree!

Thank you for taking the time to read this review, and if you found this helpful or not let me know.

What does it mean to be strong? How do you know when you are strong? Hajime No Ippo is a wonderful sports shonen anime comparable to Slam Dunk. It has the vibes, development, and technicality that seperates it from most sport/shonen animes.

The story is pretty good though not perfect. It has light immature comedy, and a tiny bit of romance. The directing knew how to main proper atmosphere and tone in different backgrounds such as in the boxing ring. There is seriously nothing that is flawed or something particularly bad about this anime, it a well rounded anime. The pacing is great though a tad bit inconsistent especially during matches. When you are feeling down this anime is a definite go to to bring your mood up. Most of the matches were really good, full of action and dialogue but was predictable at times. And what happpens outside the ring is just as great. Mostly focues on Ippo but some on Miyata and the group as a whole and the opponents. And themes about family and commitment, the whole story felt like a motivational video.

Ippo is the main character in this anime. Ippo's perserveance and strength are two of Ippo's most unique traits. No matter how many times you hit him he will get back right up. He is considered wimpy/weird by many of his peers and gets bullied occasionally. But one day he found his destiny(boxing) with the help of a certain person. He simply asks himself"What does it mean to be strong?". He is truly a kind hearted person and is humble and doesn't take things too personally and his development is great. Even though Takamura might seem like a bad person from the outside deep down he a good person. The enemies have their own origins and story. The supporting characters are pretty good some such as Aoki and Kimura serving as comic reliefs while others as detailed characters such as Kamogawa and Sendo and Miyata that have their own story. Overall a wide variety of characters that are solid for the most part.

Even though Ippo is like 20 years the animation is smooth with pretty good shading and the character designs are great, the only problem with the visuals is the clarity and sharpenss of the world. Ex. If they do a long shot for the camera everything seems a bit undetailed and you can't tell how the character's face looks like and etc. The close ups for the camera were great. You could tell when the boxer was in pain and what his emotion was like and you could see how poweful the punches were up close. And lastly it had hilarious icongraphy when the characters would be in awkward/funny dialogues.

The music is great and was really enchanting. Especially the electric guitar symphony which is great. The use of the violin, guitar, drums, trumpet, and paino it made such a difference in the tone and atmosphere of the story. The songs they used were pretty good also. Though there are no intro and outros. Very diverse set of instruments but mostly consisted of electronic music.

Overall a very enjoyable anime. The second anime I watched after AOT and ranks as one of my top 3 favorite animes of all time. After watching this show I can't stop myself doing jabs every once in a while. Though in my opnion it's not bingey worthy and requires some patience from the viewer every once in a while cuz it might be a bit dull or repetetive at times though near the end it does get better.

Memorable: YES Rewatchable: Yes.

Will forever be my favorite anime

Or as Ali would say: "The Greatest of ALL TIME!!!"

Must-see for any boxing fan, sports fan, love the art of fighting, the strategies that go behind competitive boxing (or fighting in general) --------

A humble kid who helps his mom at her shop and gets picked on after-school ; after seeing him in action, the kid idolizes the neighborhood boxing champ and the big guy recruits him to join the gym ... His first real taste of life and glory takes off from there

100000/100 ,, Inspirational Masterpiece

Whether you're a boxing fan or not, the sharp writing, lovable characters, and inspirational nature of this Anime will definitely be able to hold your attention. The OST is composed brilliantly and fits perfectly with a boxing atmosphere. The pacing of the Anime definitely breaks any monotony it may build up as the passage of time leads to the characters having improved so much they almost box entirely differently. The back stories are well written and hard to forget, even the filler which is extremely rare feels like a treat to watch as you wait to uncover the back story of a character you've known for quite awhile.

Ippo's story of his struggle to overcome the challenges he faces by sheer effort and willpower will inspire you, and the twists and well placed cliffhangers will keep you wanting to watch more by the end of each episode.

I strongly recommend Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirits in the US) to anyone of nearly any age.

I have watched this series countless of times, i love it, the story build up, the characters the comedy. This anime has motivated me to keep working out.

I am a kickbokser because i love to use my legs, but Ippo gave me the courage to step in the real ring. It may be a cartoon but the realism is good the dramatization is for the better and gave me goosebumps so that was a good thing.

To keep it short, If you haven't seen Hajime No Ippo, just start an enjoy, maby you will lose some weight and get fit like all the others also. And if you are a boxer, the tips givin in the series are usefull in real life.

Note, i am 34 years old and build up the fitness to train 3 to 4 hours a week with the professional kickboksers, If one thing is sure it is that Ippo can give a person so much energy they will pick up sports and go for it, Ippo = getting better by working hard.

This is no exaggeration, Hajime no Ippo changed my life, and i can't wait to watch this Anime with my kids!!