Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi (KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple)

Whenever he is not getting pummeled in the karate club after school, high schooler Kenichi Shirahama can be found with his head buried in one of the many self-help books he carries with him every day. One day, on the way to school, Kenichi accidentally frightens the new student in his class, leading her to throw him down onto the ground. After apologizing for her violent reflexes, she introduces herself as Miu Furinji and asks Kenichi to be her friend.

Later that day, after karate club practice, Kenichi is given an ultimatum by one of the other club members: they will fight next week and the loser has to quit the club permanently. While lamenting his imminent defeat in the upcoming fight, Kenichi witnesses Miu fend off three thugs easily. Fed up with being perpetually bullied by those more powerful than him, he asks Miu for tips on how to become a better fighter. She directs Kenichi to her grandfather's dojo, Ryouzanpaku, where several skilled—albeit strange—masters of extreme martial arts have gathered to hone their abilities. Miu promises that Kenichi will become significantly stronger, but only if he manages to stay alive.

With those ominous words looming in his mind and the appearance of a criminal martial arts gang known as "Ragnarok" threatening the safety of those around him, Kenichi takes the first step on his journey to become a world-class fighter and a defender of the defenseless.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Adaptation:	Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi
Sequel:	Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi OVA
Other:	Shounen Sunday CM: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Shirahama, Kenichi

Main

Seki, Tomokazu
Japanese

Fuurinji, Miu

Main

Kawakami, Tomoko
Japanese

Hopachai, Apachai

Supporting

Ishimaru, Hiroya
Japanese

Kousaka, Shigure

Supporting

Noto, Mamiko
Japanese

Koetsuji, Akisame

Supporting

Kosugi, Juurouta
Japanese

Niijima, Haruo

Supporting

Yamazaki, Takumi
Japanese

Tanimoto, Natsu

Supporting

Horikawa, Ryo
Japanese

Sakaki, Shio

Supporting

Ishizuka, Unshou
Japanese

Kugenin, Hibiki

Supporting

Madono, Mitsuaki
Japanese

Nanjou, Kisara

Supporting

Takayama, Minami
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Cook, Justin

Producer

Harp, Clarine

Producer

Kamegaki, Hajime

Director

Tanaka, Akiyoshi

Sound Director

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Opening Theme

	1: "Be Strong" by Kana Yazumi (eps 1-25, 50)
	2: "Yahoo~" by Miho Morikawa, Akira Asakura (eps 26-49)

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Ending Theme

	1: "Kimi ga iru kara" by Issei Eguchi (eps 1-15)
	2: "Catch Your Dream" by Koike Joanna (eps 16-25)
	3: "RunOver" by Koike Joanna (eps 26-45)
	4: "Kokoro Kara no Message" by Sakura (eps 46-49)
	5: "Be Strong" by Kana Yazumi (eps 50)

Reviews

Apr 3, 2024

Praug

Recommended

The story is pretty predictable but still had some moments surprise. It started out pretty annoying but it gets better after the first few episodes.

Good art style the anime was definitely better drawn then the manga. The visuals were probably the best part of the show.

The characters were pretty well rounded although they seem pretty one dimensional at first most come and join the good side eventually. Most were pretty predictable because they all had some core principles they would not compromise on.

This series really draws out some parts story. The last fight scene was like 5 episodes ...

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Mar 25, 2023

MeanEYE

Mixed Feelings

This show is a weird one to review. Story is very good but animation is a joke, at least in some shots. In others it's half-decent. At the same time main character is as annoying as shounen anime main character can gets. He is constantly screaming and overreacting to everything making whole thing near-impossible to watch. Characters are in general very well designed and unique, funny in their own individual ways. All except main character.

If you can stomach Kenichi from first few episodes, you'll probably have fun watching the rest of the show because he never changes. Even after so much training and so many ...

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Nov 23, 2015

lebannen

Not Recommended

shit. i don't even know why i'm writing this but i'm going through benzo withdrawals and other stuff and as long as i write something i feel like my anxiety eases up a little bit.

the first time i watched this anime was about 4-5 years ago, when i was 16-17 years old. at the time i thought "huehue awesome, underdog, can relate, omg cool fighting scenes" when watching it and would have most likely given it a 9/10.

just about a month ago i rewatched this anime and part of me regrets it but at the same time it's kind of fun to laugh at how ... retarded you used to be and crush your angsty teen dreams.

the first thing that hit me about the series as a whole is that any sane, rational adult should be able to see that kenichi is the bad guy.

let me break it down to you: (spoiler warnings)
1. kenichi has a childhood friend
2. they play and get toy badges from a vending machine
3. kenichi trades his friends badge for a girls badge (the main heroine)
4. his friend now wants that badge that he traded, and rightfully so since he was literally the one who bought it.
5. kenichi insists on keeping the badge and goes as far as to beat his friend up, and then even pouring salt on his friends wounded pride by letting him have it. in other words the situation is basically the same as if i would randomly go out in the street, snatch the phone of any random stranger, then beat him up just to give it back to him later.
6. odin (the childhood friend) was obviously traumatized by this experience, so he sets out to get his revenge, and rightfully so. he even states that he wants kenichi to realize that his naive sense of justice will hurt people, and wants to stop him to save others from having to experience the same trauma that he himself went through, in other words he does not only act for revenge but also partly for altruistic reasons.

and then kenichi's outsidership is as overblown as in naruto, we never actually get to see any flashbacks from his upbringing where he was bullied, and we don't really even see him get bullied at all. all we get to know is that people basically called him "weak" and that he didn't have any friends.

kenichi is in other words extremely delusional and subconsciously uses his naive sense of justice to justify beating people up to "blow off steam" from his oh so tragic childhood that we know nothing about.

the ending scene is also extremely rushed and just generally feels braindead.

kenichi: "omg i'm so sad that my childhood friend is gone again"
his grandmaster: "eh fuck that guy, look over there, you have friends already so why care about him"
kenichi: "makes sense, now i'm genki genki again"

that is all i really have to say about this show, to sum it up, if you want some cool action scenes and training montages and you are below the age of 18, then by all means give it a try.

this is all written very hastily but idgaf right now. sue me.

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Poll: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi Episode 41 Discussion edythemighty - Jul 31, 2007	28 replies	by souledge94 »» Apr 21, 5:51 PM
Poll: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi Episode 40 Discussion Trie - Jul 23, 2007	25 replies	by souledge94 »» Apr 21, 4:24 PM
Poll: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi Episode 39 Discussion Trie - Jul 20, 2007	28 replies	by souledge94 »» Apr 20, 4:28 AM
Poll: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi Episode 38 Discussion edythemighty - Jul 19, 2007	26 replies	by souledge94 »» Apr 19, 5:25 AM
Poll: Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi Episode 37 Discussion Zerachroma - Apr 21, 2008	15 replies	by souledge94 »» Apr 19, 5:04 AM

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