Hajime no Ippo

"The bell. The beginning and ending of a round. And it's the bell that signals the beginning and ending of a match. I am sure the bell will keep ringing..."
-Makunouchi Ippo

I believe I have just completed the best shounen anime I have and will ever see. Hajime no Ippo is truly the second to none in terms of character and enjoyment. I have never been a ecstatic about sports anime, but Hajime no Ippo is no modern day shounen which repeat, recycle and reuse the same story and scenes continuously. From episode one, the viewer is coaxed into the world of boxing along with ... Ippo, a world that is anything but predictable. The reader continues to follow Ippo make his way to the top, transforming from a pitiful wimp into a featherweight demon. Every match in this anime is top notch from the choreography of the punches to the background music. Everything falls into place and fits the mood. The music, especially the hard rock and heavy metal perfectly suits the atmosphere for all the matches. Many of you may feel that 76 episodes is really pushing it, but I assure you that you all will feel that it isnt nearly enough. I finished this anime in one week averaging about 10 episodes a day and just couldn't get enough of it. You don't have to be a fan of boxing to love this one. Overall, I highly recommend this anime to anyone who feels that shounen can no longer entertain. It made an impression on me to the point where I have written my very first review.

So what makes show this great that I am ranking it 10? Well, I don't know. A magical feeling grows inside me whenever I watch this show. This may have some spoilers. My first review so please don't complain about my grammar.


It's a classic tale 'bout a student who always is bullied. One day he found 'bout boxing, he liked it so he started boxing. So...that's it. What makes it so interesting.

The thing is that it's protagonist, it's story, it's sound, it's art, it's everything is so well connected you can't seem not to enjoy it. Whenever he fights, you also start to ... support him. You will root for him. You will act as if you are boxing with him. You will even start loving boxing. I started watching boxing due to this anime only. The true purpose of this anime is also great.

It teach us that even if people say we are useless and we cannot do anything in our life. Still, you can be anything. If people say you cannot be artist you can be the best artist even in this world.

I don't know how to really express my feeling for this anime through words, but it is a must watch. It's an anime that you must watch. If you are reading this review watch Hajime no Ippo right now. You won't regret it ever in your life.

I personally box in an amateur league. It makes boxing look glamorous. With all the neat sounds and moves. I really wish boxing was as cool as it was in the series. I really enjoyed the character development in this one. Classic storyline- wimpy, spineless kid to a guy who kicks ass. Simplicity at its best.

Honestly, if you were to ask me to watch some boxing on TV, my response to you would probably be "hell no". Fortunately, my cousin showed me this anime and I thought at first it was going to be somewhat bland because the main character, Makunouchi Ippo, does not have any redeeming characteristic about himself; the guy is just too nice. The story revolves around Ippo learning more on unorthodox methods of strengthening his body to be able to overcome his opponent through his coach's teachings.

The action on this show makes this, in my opinion, one of the best sports anime ever because the fights ... scene get so intense because Ippo can never overcome his opponent because they have a new boxing talent or trait that Ippo has to figure out through training to find a way to overcome him. But if you don't just want intense action all the time, there is a small romance that changes up the story, so it's not non-stop fighting.

Not just the story, but the characters around Ippo make you laugh hard because they do stupid stuff together that allows Ippo to open up to because he never had people who he could call friends that would hang with him.

This anime is one of my all time favorites because what it teaches people about hard work and commit can do for a person. I highly recommend this anime to everyone.

The racing adrenaline that pumps your heart while you're sweating bullets during that decisive moment. Your spine tingles, you've acquired goosebumps, and your gaze is immersed towards the screen and it's only been three episodes. An hour of your time and you've become entrapped in Hajime no Ippo. I can personally proclaimed that two of my buddies who can't stand anime and call it a waste of time watched Hajime no Ippo from beginning to end in the matter of a week.

Hajime no Ippo can turn people into anime craving fanatics in need of more face pounding action. Basically, it can ... change your religion. Excuse the overexaggerated text.

Hajime no ippo is the Spokkon formula done right, or I'd rather say done best.

There are many great sports anime that escaoe the shounen/spokkon formula like Ashita no Joe or many others that try to deconstruct it like Ping Pong the animation or Blue lock with great results. As well, there are other good ones following this structure without that many twists (Haikyuu, Kuroko no Basket...) but they usually tend to fall flat on certain aspects as the series go by, wasted supporting characters forgotten or reduced to gag characters, excessive focus on the main protagonists, and the infamous friendship boosts and plot armor.

However ... Hajime no Ippo, while following all of the genre's tropes, expands on each of the plot points with great care and gives this stereotypes a refreshing sense of depth and nuance. One of the many examples is Umezawa, who bullies Ippo throughout the first part of The FIghting, becoming Ippo's best friend as the series goes and arguably his greatest supportes, instead of dissapearing in frustration when realizing his strength, as many characters who share his archetype do. This comes with reflection on his mistakes and the development of his own dreams (becoming a mangaka).

This is just one example of how HNI expands on these archetypes (and the one which spoils the least of the plot) making them into original much more nuanced iterations of these stereotypes.

While not flawless (almost impossible due to it's length), I'd put Hajime No Ippo among the best shounen and spokkon anime without a doubt.

Among the many genre present in the anime landscape today, shounen holds particular esteem for not only extremely popular but very mainstream as well. Titles like Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Naruto and Bleach have propelled the shounen genre to the very top of the Anime food chain. A sub genre of the Shounen library, sports shounen, however, is a completely separate matter. Far from being popular, only the most hardcore of hardcore Anime fans seems to enjoy this incredibly niche genre. It is indeed a tragedy, because with series like Hajime no Ippo, it becomes quite difficult to imagine why this genre hasn’t taken ... the world by storm.



Hajime no ippo is a sports shounen show, more specifically a show about professional boxing in Japan. The story revolves around a young man named Ippo, who starts off as an extremely weak person (bullied at school), only to be drawn to how strong and impressive the world of boxing is. Desiring a change in himself and wanting to become as strong as the boxers he admires, Ippo steps into the world of boxing, and gradually proceeds to become one of the most talented and fearsome boxers in the professional boxing circuit of Japan.

Hajime no ippo is most definitely a shounen show at heart, but simply throwing the series in that particular category is a disservice to its magnificence. The series could easily double as a slice of life, a romance comedy, a general comedy series and a full on battle shounen series. Unlike most shounen sports shows, Hajime no Ippo rides closer to the more mainstream side of things simply because of the nature of the sport it highlights, making it a great introduction to the world of sports anime.



Based off the manga by George Joji Morikawa, Hajime no Ippo is a love letter to the world of boxing. It glorifies the sport, but it also freely reveals all the dangers, sad stories and the cruelty of the sport with its head held high. Injuries, trauma and all the pain that accompany this dangerous sport are all present and shown in all their unadulterated purity. All the while, the show also highlights the pleasure, the thrill and the excitement that has kept boxing alive even today.

One of the highlights of the series, is definitely the aspect of its story’s unpredictability and high stakes. Very few shounen series can truly make viewers feel a sense of impending danger for their characters. All the matches, battles and even minor slice of life events in the series serve to surprise, amaze and excite. With all these glorious elements packaged in, Hajime no Ippo provides an almost complete story arc. The series chronicles Ippo’s entrance into the world of boxing all the way to a rather significant event in his career. There are very few series in the anime industry that are this good, and that end on a satisfying note while still leaving more further development.



And indeed, should the 76 episodes of the series not be enough, there are a ton of follow up items in the franchise to look forward to. The manga series for the franchise is still currently ongoing, having reached its 100th volume earlier this month. There are also a slew of sequel OVAs as well as a second 26 episode second series. With all the supporting material, its easy to think that the series will hardly end at a satisfying stage, but it clearly does. If there is a reason for viewers to continue, its because of how engrossing the world and characters of the series are.

One of the definite selling points of this show is the wealth of amazing characters it has. Ippo himself, is an extremely relatable and loveable underdog that you can’t help but root for. Surrounding him, is one the most diverse and interesting group of boxers, trainers and people that can only be found in some of the best romance slice-of-life anime of the 1980s. Whether its Ippo’s older brother figure Takamura, or the extremely strict and wise trainer “Kamogawa Gen”, or the more senior boxers Aoki and Kimura, Ippo’s supportive mother, his crush Kumi, the bully turned staunch friend Umezawa, or his many boxing rivals, none of these characters fail to leave their mark.



The attachment that viewers will feel to these characters is immense, as they undergo some truly life altering journeys and some truly touching moments. Yes, Hajime no Ippo has enough emotional omph to rival some of the most engrossing slice of life anime series to date.

If there is one strike against Hajime no Ippo, especially in this day and age of truly jaw dropping animation and artwork, its that it definitely looks a bit dated. Not as bad as say Maison Ikkoku or even Slam Dunk, but Hajime no Ippo is a somewhat old year 2000 series.



The series gets progressively better with time (as budget and popularity probably increased), but it can be off putting to some people at the very start. Studio Madhouse, while definitely not knocking everything out of the park in the visual department, manages to craft a series that can hold its own despite being more than a decade old at this point.

The sound work though, is quite impressive, particularly the japanese voice acting. The characters are brought to life by extremely impressive performances by their seiyuu. The music and Sound track for the series, while not the most memorable, is definitely all about crafting an unforgettably atmospheric experience.



What it all boils down to, is that Hajime no Ippo is an amazingly engrossing experience, and one of the best series to come out of the anime industry. It is definitely worthy of being known as one of the best sports shounen series, and will likely convert many a viewer into a diehard fan of a currently niche genre. Hajime no Ippo, despite being over 12 years old, receives a grade of A+ from us. Rock on and punch hard champion!

story: 10/10


hajime no ippo is just like some other stories in the combat sports genre. A shy kid who is bullied until he is saved by a martial arts teacher, just like the karate kids movies of the 80s. But the story that Hajime in Ippo follows is totally different and absolutely majestic, ippo's maturing process in relation to the boxing world, how he deals with his career, how he reacts to his first defeat and so on... The plot building before the fights leaves you excited and encouraged to keep watching the anime.

The characters: 9/10

it is very rewarding to follow the evolution of ... all the characters during 75 episodes, at the beginning when Ippo decides to be a boxer and from the moment he enters the gym kamogawa you can already imagine the maturation process he will have to go through, after all he is a 17 year old boy. Not only does Ippo have impressive development, but Takamura-san can seem playful and a bit cruel when he actually cheers, cares and celebrates for and with them. The rest of the characters also take an important interest in the process for Ippo to become an experienced boxer.

Animation: 9/10

The studio did a good job in both the visuals of the characters and the fight scenes. The impact of each punch managed to convey the emotion and the feeling that the blow was extremely strong and powerful.

soundtrack: 10/10

we come to my favorite part, I absolutely fell in love with the main soundtrack that plays in the fights both in Ippo's main entrance, both later in his victory and in some moments when the music fits perfectly. Taking pride for its creation is a great reference to "Going to Fly Now" from Rocky Balboa, another great boxing movie franchise. The opening and closing are all wonderful, especially the second opening of the anime.


Enjoyment: 10/10

I was totally fascinated by Hajime in Ippo from the first episode I watched to the last. Absolutely the best boxing anime I've ever seen.

Overall: 10/10

a masterpiece that everyone, being a fan or not of the sports genre, should watch. Now on to season 2 :D

Have you wondered what to watch next?
I have, I been ignoring this anime for so long, you can say that I`m not really a type person who can enjoy boxing and how can an anime be so joyful when there just in a ring? I was an idiot, you must watch this anime because I wasted my whole life ignoring it and there are 76 episode and you think it weird, but you will get hooked on it without a doubt and the character is so likable (even if some of them are rival) it so originally and you can tell the character ... are fully develop and you end up getting attached to them and I`m not even half done with it and I am not the type of person to review anime but this one need to be said and don`t waste your time looking for another anime and you guy know the feeling were you get excited and scream and jump around even if it late at night, because that what I been doing last night (everyone was already asleep) I was screaming and laughing and squeal and I couldn`t control myself and these anime are full of excitement and I even wasted some of my data just to watch one episode when we were outside ( and I didn`t have unlimited data) and don`t ignore this masterpiece and WATCH WATCH IT! and you know you love this anime when you decide to give it a review seriously I`m a girl and I`m very much into this and I even told my brother about it more than once ( I think tenth times) you know you love the anime and when you imagine yourself being in their world and cheer for them and you know you love the anime when you said that your boy has grown! and you can`t help yourself

I got hook on the first episode not even halfway on it and I think it was around 8;45pm to 4;45am(well I keep rewinding haha because I love to do that) and I told myself just one more episode but you can see what happen, I watch more than I wanted and do I reject this? and no way and it was worth it and after I write this review and I will be continuing without and I can`t wait to add to my finish watch list soon and this one of my most favorite anime now and it not like other anime you see and every character is being used not only the main one and this will rock your world!
Don`t waste any more time watch this anime!
(Completed this anime and it is in my top 30 :) )

NOTE: I just have to say I personally loved this series and I'm going to try and be impartial but I honestly think that this is one of the few series everyone needs to at least try.

So the story is great first off. Now to some it may seem generic since it is a sports series and for the most part all the cliches are universal. The OP beginner, his rival, supportive friends, and his hero. The dynamic of it is a formula that has worked for decades so why change it. So I really like boxing, that might not be true for some people ... but it is for me so that was a score. Its a unique sport that hasn't been done before as far as I know. Ippos personal progression is the best I have ever seen as a shounen character. He begins neither as an OP character or a useless hero who needs his friends support to carry him. Now he uses his "Guts" so basically he has an iron will, which is a huge growth over the series from the beginning when he is a weak bullied kid. The basic story is Ippo and his group of friends climb the ladder of the professional career getting stronger and placing higher, its tons of fun watching these guys progress and their comedic friendship.

The art is older being from the early 2000's, but being from that era the characters look quite realistic. Having preferred the human look over the cartoon look, but that's madhouse for you, making top tier story and animation. The fights are smooth enough and well lighted. Background characters look pretty awful, but that's about what you can expect form anything. As the series advances the art improves drastically, but this isn't a series you watch for the art.

The music isn't entirely memorable, other than like hyped up fights. I would call it average mostly because, I don't review music I review shows.

The real success of this story is here in the characters. A true gem of a series lies with the characters. I touched on this at the beginning, but this is one of the series that carries a true character progression and actual learning of skills. And this affects all of the characters in the series. No one is left to gain a new ability and use it once like in other shounens. Each person in the show actually has a unique backstory that is not absolute garbage. The guys of the gym, while none of them are anywhere near as relevant as ippo or takamura, but their comedic relief and background filling is all they are meant to do. However even as background characters they are fully fleshed out as characters. The series attempts to touch on romance, which honestly did not quite succeed.

Closing out I have to say this series is one of my favorites of all time, favorite sports anime.

This has to be the most outstanding anime I have ever since; as if to prove that I've watched it three times first in Japanese and then in the next two times in English. This anime has everything you could desire and steadily improves never dropping in quality however by this I don’t only meant the animation art I also mean the fight scenes, dialog, humour, keep you on the edge of your seat excitement and pump your fists in the air. This anime also has a relaxing element much like a cool down period after training.

This anime is one of the only sport anime’s ... that is realistic as possible without diminishing the quality of the anime itself. The characters and the story of the anime can be highly motivating for anyone that is undergoing any physical training whether is running, gym workouts or martial arts. The music used in this anime is quite exciting and really helps get into get into the anime not much more can said without there being spoilers.

I plan to watch this anime again within a year as it never gets old.

Hajime No Ippo is an anime series that stands out for its simplicity and captivating characters, especially the protagonist, Ippo Makunouchi. Ippo is a straightforward and humble young man, making it easy to root for his success throughout the series. His journey as a novice boxer is filled with challenges and personal growth, which makes his story engaging and inspiring.

One of the most intriguing dynamics in the series is the relationship between Ippo and his gym mate, Takamura. Takamura serves as a mentor and father figure to Ippo, bringing a unique humor to the series with his extravagant and sarcastic personality. The interaction between these ... two characters is both funny and touching, striking a perfect balance of comedy and character development. Aoki and Kimura are also super funny and likeable characters.

The anime excels in balancing different narrative elements. The transition between episodes focused on the characters' daily lives, intense training and buildup for fights, and the actual boxing matches is well-executed. The slice of life moments add depth to the characters, while the buildup to the fights creates anticipation for the main confrontations.

Moreover, Hajime No Ippo skillfully blends lighthearted moments with more serious themes. The humor in the series is well-placed and never feels out of context, "anatomy" jokes inclusive. On the other hand, the series also realistically and emotionally portrays the challenges and hardships faced by a boxer, adding layers of depth to the narrative.

Another notable aspect of Hajime No Ippo is its ability to develop even secondary characters in a captivating manner. Ippo's opponents are more than just adversaries; they are well-developed characters, each with their own motivations and background stories. It's surprising how the series manages to evoke empathy for these opponents, and often we find ourselves rooting for them even when they stand on the opposite side of the ring. When some of these opponents face defeat, it's not uncommon to feel a pang of sadness for them, witnessing the temporary end of their own aspirations.

This ability to humanize even the most peripheral characters is a testament to the creators of Hajime No Ippo in building a rich and engaging world where every character, regardless of their role in the main plot, contributes significantly to the emotional experience of the audience.

Overall, Hajime No Ippo is a series that captivates audiences not only with its thrilling action scenes and drama but also with its knack for developing genuine and engaging characters, making it an exciting and memorable experience for anime and sports fans alike.

MASTAPIECE.

When I watched the first episode, I told my brother I was watching this anime. He was excited to hear, and said it was his favorite anime. I took his word but took a small hiatus before continuing to watch it. But when I picked it back up, I got more than I expected. Seeing Ippo's story as well as the amazing main side characters with him was beyond enjoyable. Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura are probably gonna be some of my favorite anime characters for a while. The art in every fight is beyond what I expected, especially how it illustrates how powerful each ... punch and movement is, accompanied with the sound design. The fights are definitely the Big Thing in this anime and I found myself watching every fight again. Every fight has something different in them, although Ippo has the same pattern when he fights. (He gets knocked down, he gets back up, and he hits hard) However, whenever someone gets hit or knocked down in this anime. They don't just get knocked down. THESE NIGGAS DIE. The way every knockout and punch is illustrated just looks so devastating for the characters. And because of this, it made every fight worth waiting for.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys boxing or sports anime's. Ippo is a must watch even if you don't enjoy boxing or sports anime's.

Story
I'm lucky to be male because Hajime no Ippo exists to thrill a viewer's nuts off. 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.

Few anime could rival this series in the shounen ring - the Kyoto arc of Rurouni Kenshin, probably; the first half of Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, maybe; 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.


Animation
Anyone visiting a boxing gym in the hopes of meeting attractive, charming young gentlemen is laughably deluded. In the same way, those hoping to find svelte character designs in Hajime no Ippo should book an eye test as soon as possible - the bishounen checked out long ago. In fact, with a pug-nosed, grotesquely muscular protagonist who looks like a bulldog at best, anyone can be forgiven for thinking the show is a lost cause in the style department.

Luckily, the boxing subject matter means what counts are not the looks, but the moves. And on that front Hajime no Ippo delivers! All fights come complete with spectacular effects - rings of smoke, torrents of wind, claustrophobic closeups - to grab the senses by the scruff and haul them through a powerfully kinetic experience. The action is so absorbing that when a rib cracks, viewers are likely to feel it.


Sound
An instant way to deflate the tension during a fight or cheapen the character developments is to watch the American dub. Stick to the Japanese dub, however, and the rewards are plenty.

Aside from the decent original voice acting, the show delivers blood-pumping electro beats, cool rock riffs, and a ditty that's a cheeky herald to the Rocky theme (it had to be done!). At its best, the soundtrack offers excellent opening themes, in particular the outstanding third instrumental theme 'Tumbling Dice'.


Characters
With seventy-five episodes to fill, Hajime no Ippo comfortably handles a large cast of macho men. (What about the women, you say? You mean those ugly things they occasionally bring out to cook and clean and generate fanservice? Yes, there are some.) At the forefront, Ippo's personality from meek door mat to sporting icon develops in a compelling, accumulative manner - once at the end, his beginnings as the worm his bullies once called him are difficult to believe but easy to retrace. Then, at a count, there are half a dozen memorable fighters apart from Ippo who deliver such outstanding performances that they sometimes outshine the titular hero. Whilst their punches hurt, it's their aching backgrounds that inspire tears; moreover, when two of them fight, be prepared not to know who to root for.


Overall
"You don't get to see a match of this calibre every day. As a journalist, I wish I could have seen these two fight on a larger stage." - Fuji, on Ippo's final battle

You don't get to see an anime of this calibre every day. As a life-long anime fan, I wish I had watched Hajime no Ippo much sooner. From its butt-ugly head to its brawny toes, the series packs such intensity that my poor monitor emitted not sparks but vapours of sweat. It is the kind of rare event that inspires anyone to power through two-hundred squats and step out into the street asking random strangers to punch them in the stomach... or was that just me?! In any case, watch with a heart bypass surgeon at the ready because this show promises the full workout from your seat!

9/10
story
7.5/10
animation
8/10
sound
8.5/10
characters
9/10
overall

Disclaimer: this is my first review

Today I  want to talk about the show that changed the way I look at anime and made me understand what I like and dislike a little better this show of course is hajime no ippo.

(Bad Punctuation alert)as in no Punctuation.

Ok know picture this I watched 150 shows and 80% of them I scored above 7(this will change soon) But after watching this amount I discovered that I only like 20 of them and then it hit me I am not enjoying watching anime.

I stopped watching whatever series I was watching but that didn't mean I stopped watching ... anime I was just getting tired I was only watching shows from studios I like or a sequel to a series I enjoyed occasionally I would watch 2 or 3 shows from the current season and then drop the around half way through and this continued until the 26th of may where I finally started watching hajime no ippo.

Up until that point I wasn't interested in any sports anime in fact I thought they were bad before even watching them so you need to understand how desperate I was because at that point I thought that i watched all the good shows(I was wrong).

when I started watching ippo something changed I was feeling something for the first time in my life watching a show made me feel stuff(unless you count the time that I was a 9 years old and watched free Willy and cried at the end)I felt this way because the show is fun every aspect of it is fun from the Goofy faces of the characters to the most exciting fight scenes in all of anime(except the hugging match) ippo is most relatable character out there he isn't a superhero he doesn't get superpower he is just a normal guy who can punch really good(I lied he does have a super power he loves boxing and can somehow go from complete despair to idiotic hopefulness In a record time of beating the referee before he can count to ten with one too many flashbacks).

You thought I was done didn't you(ha fooled them again) this isn't even the tip of the iceberg let me tell you something do you know that this show actually has the worst villains of all time(don't argue with me) that is because they are not villains they are rivals okay let me break it down to you you will love all of ippo's rivals especially miyata because  every singel boxer in this anime is written with the same care and attention as the main character this an anime were the only rule is don't judge a book by its cover what i mean is this show will surprise you and make you feel sad for some of the boxers that ippo beats(and I think at some point in the show I will start rooting for the rivals).

No let's talk about the main cast except ippo(why is this review so long) we will start with takamura he is like a big brother to ippo and also not a mentor(that's all I have to say go watch the show I have rambled about this show enough)and the others are the duo of infinite fun( I didn't say too much about the characters because I can't explain it but you just have to see the show to understand)

Ok I am not done yet there is one thing I dislike about the show it is the fights while some of them are good alot of them come down to luck(maybe this will change remember I am on still on episode 23) especially the first three matches but even with this somehow the matches are still exciting for some reason when ippo falls you just find yourself rooting for him to get up and deliver the final blow(still plot armor) it makes you feel like part of the action and when he punches his opponent you get this rush of adrenaline as opponent begins to fall you get this rush of excitement as if you were the one fighting.

In a land filled with many too deep so no one can understand shows ippo for me is a breath of fresh air(never heard any one use this term in a 20 year old show) because it is simply fun it doesn't try to f**k with your mind or toy with your emotion or take you on any grand journey it is just a show about people who love boxing and now more than ever I know that a show doesn't need to be smart or dark or philosophical or have some kind of grand mystery all a show really needs to be good is to take the viewer on a ride it doesn't need to take it too seriously or have too much fun it needs a mixture of both the be good sometimes the direct approache is the best approache.
And that's what I learned from this show and will score all the shows I watched on this scale(how much fun did I have).
If you feel the same way drop whatever your doing and start watching this show I guarantee that this show will surprise you from the very first episode.

Holy shit, it was sooo good. the characters were so funny I would burst out laughing a lot, the plot is realistic, the mc loses and struggles with his fights. Takemura is my favorite character in anime as a whole. Ippo is also the perfect mc, no real flaws, a little cliche; that's about it, the creative use of real boxing technique, as a boxing enthusiast my self was incredible. the combination of anime coolness and the groundedness of using real techniques and the logical decision was indeed amazing
I loved the animation and the voice, every fight was so enjoyable and perfectly animated. The ... sound effects were also perfect, ya'll got to try this shit asap.

Hajime no Ippo is in my opinion one of the most under appreciated series out there. This anime has a great main character and a great supporting cast. This series is also one of the funniest i have ever seen. I prefer to watch it in subs than dub, it just seems alot funnier. The series is pretty long but don't let that stop you from wanting to watch it, its ranked highly on this site for a reason. This anime is the type that will have you rooting for the main character Ippo and his friends in their boxing matches, and you wont want ... to stop watching until your finished. I would recommend this series to anyone who appreciates a good series. You'll be hooked after the first few episodes guaranteed.

Story: 7/10

What does it mean to be strong? Thats one of many questions Hajime no ippo goes into. This show starts oof with Ippo and his school life and he gets bullied by some goons. The proboxer Takamura sees that and intervenes. And there Ippo decides to become a proboxer and to find out what it means to be strong. After that The story remains very simple. He trains then gets to fight his opponentl. Than he loses or wins and then again trains and so on. You might think after the 10th fight it would get boring but that wasnt the case. Every ... opponent was interesting and the execution was good and always motivating to watch more. What suprised me was the development with Ippos mother and the boot hire business.

Character: 8/10

This Show has great Characters. They are really funny and enjoyable to watch. Every character gets backstory even some of the opponents get well characterised. Ippo as the main character is very likeable. i love that even the side charcters get fights. Best boy is umesawa.

Animation: 8/10

Hajime no ippo is an older series but the animation is very good especially some of the punches are very fluid, smooth and intense. i like the character designs.

Sound: 5/10

OP and ED are okay. Nothing really memorable and the osts also isnt that special, There is some drum ost which was fitting.

Enjoyment: 8/10

At first i thought it would get boring after some fights because it repeats the same formula but in reallity it was the opposite. it was an enjoyable expirience.

Overall: 7.2=7/10

A lot of people who don't regularly watch sports-based anime, or have not done in the past often overlook this underdog with beast-like strength.
Hajime no Ippo took me personally by surprise because I am one of many who did overlook it, and I have nothing but regret for doing so. On the exterior, this anime depicts a young man who is pushed around and seeks out boxing as a way to escape his weakness. This being inspring as a set up for a character, with plenty of room for development, it does tend to fall toward being cliche at times, and typically adhering to the ... Shounen virtues of "never giving up will usually win your fight",
however the biggest punch that this anime packs is in the pure excitement.
The fights are refreshingly edge-of-your seat, to the point where you feel like you are transported to the ringside itself. There isn't an incredible amount in the way of twists and dramatic turns outside the ring, but it doesn't matter really.
If pure, unadulterated emotional energy is what you want to have milked out of you at every given opportunity; then watch this.
Laughs are abundant.
Tears are unavoidable.
For what it is, Hajime no Ippo is perfect.

I've often wondered what possesses a man to pursue a career of getting hit in the face. Doesn't seem particularly glamorous, very few make a self-sustainable salary and the long term effects can range from loss of vision to brain damage.

After watching Hajime no Ippo I've arrived at the answer that perhaps was staring me in the face all along: Boxing is not a mere bloodsport. It's a means of survival for disparaged individuals with not much else to live for. A way for them to channel their frustrations into lifelong passions, enabling their growth as human beings. Hajime No Ippo opened my eyes ... wide to a new world that I didn't know existed before it, and is much more of a brilliantly written coming of age story as it is a sports shonen, tying together heartfelt emotional messages together with some of the best fight payoffs in shonen history.

Every character has an endearing story about why they wanted to become a boxer. Whether it being bullied in school, providing for their families, gaining independence or getting away from a life of crime, they have realistic motivations that that are easy for viewers sympathize with. Hajime No Ippo handles its characterization so well that by the time a major fight takes place one may be left completely on the fence on who to root for. 

Even with its fair share of heavy handed emotional scenes during matches where literal life and death are hanging in the balance, Ippo uses the time in between bouts to have moments of comedic relief to keep the tone from becoming too stressful. This anime wants you to have fun while watching, knowing these fighters aren't too consumed by the pressure to become great. Ippo manages to be an extremely funny anime, having many moments of outright hilarity entirely engineered by the chemistry and sheer likability of the main cast.

Arguably the most impressive aspect of Hajime No Ippo lies in its stunning realism. It's common for sports anime to embellish their sport in order to appeal to more casual fans, but Ippo instead opts to accurately portray the day to day life of a boxer and what it takes to rise to superstardom. It sugar coats nothing and exposes the viewer to the harsh realities of financial backing, a multitude of different fighting styles and techniques, the hell one must go through in order to meet weigh ins, how much strain it will put on ones family to watch you get hit...Ippo provides an insightful look into the world of a professional in a way that I've never seen before in this medium.

The animation is outstanding when it needs to be - every single match is fluid with rich blow by blow details with excellent fight cinematography. It's rare that I notice the SFX in an anime but its hard not to with Ippo. The sound of a punch connecting to the jaw of an opponent is one I'll never forget. Every blow is crisp, every step is well defined, a lot of effort was put into making sure the viewer feels as though they are a spectator sitting in the crowd of matches.

Perhaps most important of all, Ippo is one of the best self motivating anime out there. It will literally make you want to pump some iron and run a mile. Sitting still while watching isn't really an option when all of these fighters with problems so similar to our own are busting their ass to become a better version of themselves. "If they can do it, why can't I?" is a question that will persist in the mind of all viewers, especially those who have the desire to to achieve but not yet the confidence. Some people say Welcome to the NHK is a good anime for depressed people. I say that's silly talk, NHK will just make you more depressed. Hajime No Ippo will make you want to grab a hammer and shatter that depression for good.

If by any chance you're like me and on the fence about watching Ippo because it involves a sport you don't care about, or because the animation looks dated, don't let that prevent you from watching one of the greatest anime this industry has to offer. If nothing else it will make you appreciative of a new arena of entertainment and is the kind of anime I can't imagine many people disliking, and just about everyone loving. It is without any doubt the best anime I have ever seen, and it's hard to imagine anything else topping it in my lifetime.