Down in the forgotten slums of Tokyo, under the "bridge of tears" by a polluted river, only crossed by those that have fallen to rock bottom - the lost, the broken and hopeless - a small spark leading towards tomorrow is ignited, burning steadily through rain and darkness, a spark filled with endless dreams for the future. Here is the modest Tange boxing gym, filled with second-hand equipment, run by Tange Danpei, an ex-boxer and hopeless alcoholic, along with our protagonist - Joe Yabuki - an aspiring boxer with boundless fighting spirit.
But the story doesn't begin with Joe - the aspiring young boxer.
It starts with Joe - the rebellious and troubled delinquent who has never had a home or known love or family, a boy constantly on the run without any destination in mind, a boy grappling to simply reach a place where he can truly be free. Joe doesn't start off likeable. He is a swindler, a sarcastic jerk who only knows how to think with his fists, and prioritizes himself above everything else. He fires his mouth off to every authority figure he crosses and constantly tries to upset any sense of order or societal rules. And for a long time he seems like a completely hopeless case.
Danpei encounters Joe in the slums of Tokyo and almost immediately recognizes his boxing potential. He tries to convince Joe with every ouch of conceivable willpower to try boxing, but to no avail. And this is first thing which sets Ashita no Joe apart from a typical shonen or sports series.
Joe refuses to box. Over and over again. No matter how hard Danpei tries. No matter what motivational words or random acts of kindness he is shown. He refuses. Joe has his own motivations and rules of freedom which he abides by. He doesn't simply accept the request of a drunken ex-boxer that he happens to run into because the plot requires it. No - Joe is more than just a character. He truly feels like a living, breathing person. Its almost like Joe doesn't just rebel against the rules of society. He rebels against his own story and even the author which crafted his existence. His character refuses to bend and yield to the viewers expectations to progress the story, or even what would be the easiest story route for the author. Instead, Joe constantly lives life through his own rhythm and stubbornly lives the way he wants.
Of course, that stubbornness and egoism eventually catches up to him. The world isn't so forgiving as to allow a rebellious teen to do whoever they please forever. And now we reach the second point which sets Ashita no Joe apart - things don't go smoothly just because Joe is the main character. Sure, he can choose to act like a rebellious asshole, but then he pays the consequences for it. His actions are not forgiven simply because this is his story. So Joe screws up and eventually lands his sorry self in juvie - the place where he meets the man who single-handedly changes the entire course of Joe's life - Toru Rikishi - a pro boxer.
Joe's rivalry with Rikishi (later turned friendship) is what eventually draws Joe towards boxing. The desire to defeat Rikishi lights a fire in his heart that pushes Joe towards beginning a new journey in his life - a journey that ends up completely changing who he is.
And that's the thing - Ashita no Joe - translated as "Tomorrow's Joe" is not a typical sports series about some kid who suddenly decides to be the best boxer in the world. Its simply the story of Joe and the journey he takes - its the story of the best and worst parts of his life, his ups and downs, his regrets and ambitions, and his struggle to find where his "tomorrow" lies. Its not particularly happy, because life was never designed to be happy and easy, but you see Joe find something worth fighting for and them striving towards it with everything he has.
Throughout this journey, Joe doesn't remain "a character." Somewhere along the way, it switches from "the story of a guy named Joe" to almost feeling like you're witnessing the memories of a long lost friend. You become attached to him, because he feels so real. There were so many times while watching that I would completely loss myself in the moment, and banged my fists on my desk screaming for Joe to just stand up during a fight, "just one more time!" or when I would feel his pain while watching him go through hardship and wish I could sit next to him to give him a pat on the back. There are moments when you want to punch him for being so damn stubborn, and moments when your left wide-eyed and shocked at his endless fighting spirit and tenacity. There are moments when your left feeling a dull, quiet ache in your chest, and moments when you can't stop yourself from crying.
And this doesn't just apply to Joe (although he is the strongest example). All the characters feel realistic, and their interactions are complex. Even characters I originally was sure that I would dislike (the group of kids that always follow Joe around) eventually grew on me.
Its hard to put all my feeling about this series into words, but for me, this was more than just an anime. It transcended way beyond that.
I can only describe it as the breathless journey of watching Joe, living his life to fullest, in every moment, with all he has, against all odds and circumstances. His flame rises up and comes to life, igniting everything around him until "all that is left is white ash."
In case your still wondering, this is a masterpiece, so just go watch it already. Its worth every second.
Some small notes:
-The second season was produced about 10 years after the first, so there is dramatically improved art, animation, and even sound. The fights are completely fluid and beautifully animated. The first season also is actually quite well animated with plenty of worth while fights, but it definitely improves later.
-The last 24 episodes of season 1 and the first 12 of season 2 are essentially the same in terms of plot. However, I'm hesitant to say "yeah, just skip the last 24 episodes and move on!" because I feel the last 24 episodes did a better job of fleshing out the relationship between 2 important characters (Carlos and Robert) and explaining their motives, as well as rivalry between Carlos and Joe. However, due to running out of manga chapters, some segments might feel a bit drawn out. Season 2 reanimates everything beautifully and completely new, including increasing the epicness of the Carlos Vs. Joe fight, but at times it felt like it was missing the details I enjoyed during season 1 (such as the Carlos flashback). I think there is value in actually watching everything (both the last 24 episodes of season 1, as well as the reanimated first 12 episodes of season 2) despite there being plot redundancy.
RATING FOR SEASON 1:
Story:: 10/10
Art and animation: 9/10 (due to some occasional art errors)
Sound: 8/10 (the weakest aspect of season 1)
Characters: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
RATING FOR SEASON 2:
Story: 10/10 (with a flawless ending episode)
Art and animation: 10/10 (dramatically improved from season 1)
Sound: 10/10 (dramatically improved)
Characters: 10/10 (the strongest aspect of both season 1 & 2)
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10 - an unforgettable experience
