The characters all have depth and as the anime goes on the focus expands to other boxers, not just Makanouchi and Takamura. The boxing scenes are incredible! As long as you don't spoil it for yourself the matches are exciting and many times you really don't know what the outcome will be. Losing and winning are both integral in boxing and this anime does a good job of exploring both concepts.
When I went through Hajime No Ippo I couldn't stop. Episode after episode I was hooked. The rivalries are compelling and the training sequences do a great job of building up suspense for the next match. Both fighters develop a strategy and work on their weaknesses, even the press gets involved which helps you learn more about each fighter.
The music fits perfectly with the anime, but no single track stands out for me. The story and the characters have their quirky sides that make for great comedic moments and adds a touch of realism to this batch of Animated Humans ;).
