Kenichi is picked on by literally everyone at school. The story starts with this weakling attempting to protect a girl (that really doesn't need his protection at all) from a few thugs. In his attempt to "save" her, she sees something in him and they become friends. The synopsis is right on about the karate club, and Furinji Miu (the girl he befriends) teaches him his first basic moves so he doesn't get destroyed. He has no talent whatsoever (this is key) but his hard work and practice pays off. Now he's in over his head and Furinji Miu takes him to her father's dojo where the strongest fighters in the world have gathered. He begins his intense training one style on top of another, but he doesn't realize the world he's just fallen into. His driving motivation is to surpass Miu so that he can be strong enough to protect her.
This story is filled with so much comedy, and the fighting scenes are great. The manga is a must read, and this is a great introduction to the manga. It's hard not to respect Kenichi, he has an incredibly strong character when the chips are down, but in daily life he still cowers from delinquents (though he could easily mop the floor with them thanks to his training). There are a lot of valuable lessons of friendship, doing the right thing, standing up for what you believe in, and more.
I passed over this series many times without giving it a look, and when I finally did I regretted not giving it a try sooner. It's introduced me to the manga series that I religiously read week to week. This is a must watch so don't delay like I did.
