The show is set in a futuristic almost post apocalyptic Japan where combatants box using cybernetic limbs and our MC is a boxer named Joe who has thrown every fight he's been in trying to survive in the underground fighting circuit.
However a man comes along who changes that and brings Joe to the big leagues where everything is different.
What makes Megalobox so great? It's the sheer beauty of it. The animation is incredibly fluid and gorgeous. Breathtaking at times. The fight scenes are energetic and tense. You can't look away from just how eye watering and visceral the animation is.
Joe as a character is really interesting, he starts off as a violent bum but ends up becoming a true hero to all by the end. He's a lone wolf and somebody you'll learn to love.
The plot is very serious with little to no moments of respite. Joe is battle worn and he endures a lot though the course of it..This is a very graphic show and contains a lot of blood, including scenes of Joe pissing blood (commonly happens to boxers) and situations that reflect real world problems such as substance abuse.
The other members of the cast are based off their Ashita No Joe counterparts. You have the rag tag group of kids and Nanbu who is based off Danpei.
Nanbu is a great character and you really learn to like him by the end of the show. He is sleazy but he is sleazy for a reason as you'll learn.
Unlike ashita no Joe, you don't watch the kids grow up. The show takes place over several months rather then years.
There's the antagonist Yuri who is the champ whom Joe is trying to climb the ladder to beat.
And several others whom Joe has to fight thoughout.
Joe is not a young kid aspiring to be the best. He is a battle worn man in his prime who just wants to punch Yuri. He overcomes many obstacles that seem impossible during his rise to the top.
This isn't like Ashita No Joe where Joe has a heart of gold and becomes BFFs with Danpei
This version of Joe is cold, tough and distant and he doesn't like Nanbu. He and Nanbu both know they're doing this because their lives depend on it. They don't have a choice.
This isn't a cute heartwarming anime. Megalobox is a serious dark and heavy drama with very serious situations implicating life or death.
If you liked Ashita No Joe, love boxing or just want to see some violence and a really good story.
Please watch Megalobox. You won't regret it
Megalobox is a work of art.
