Hajime no Ippo - Rising

[Buffalobiian]

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/4905/7wd6.jpg

Alternative title:
はじめの一歩 Rising (Japanese)

Themes: boxing, sport

Plotline:

-Sequel to Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger

Makunouchi Ippo is an ordinary high school student in Japan. Since he spends most of his time away from school helping his mother run the family business, he doesn't get to enjoy his younger years like most teenagers. Always a target for bullying at school (the family fishing business grants him a distinct odor), Ippo's life is one of hardship.

One of these after-school bullying sessions turns Ippo's life around for the better, as he is saved by a boxer named Takamura. He decides to follow in Takamura's footsteps and train to become a boxer, giving his life direction and purpose. Ippo's path to perfecting his pugilistic prowess is just beginning ...
-ANN

Links: ANN (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=15542), AniDB (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=129), MAL (http://myanimelist.net/anime/19647/Hajime_no_Ippo_3)




HorribleSubs - Episode 01 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=479932)

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For a good part of the episode I thought we wouldn't get any actual boxing done, but I'm glad that was wrong.

[David75]

Yeah, it was hard to get back to Ippo in such a way.
Everything happening in the ring was so obviously scripted, that it left no room for surprise.
I will not comment on the rythm or atmosphere/tension, as usually it get some eps to come back.

[MFauli]

solid first episode, i guess.

but someone needs to explain boxing to me: so ippo is the champion, as is one of his team colleagues. different weight classes, i know that. but do they mean champion of japan, .... or worldwide? the latter would be ridiculous and remove any sort of exciting expectations. i mean, its just no fun having a main character who´s already at the top, is it.

[fireheart]

Ippo is the Japanese feather weight champion, Takamura on the other hand is a worldwide champion.

[Belial]

Terrible first episode, the pacing was all wrong and there was no build up for the fight, made me not care at all... also do we really need a flashback episode after 100 episodes and 4 years of waiting ....

[Buffalobiian]

Terrible first episode, the pacing was all wrong and there was no build up for the fight, made me not care at all... also do we really need a flashback episode after 100 episodes and 4 years of waiting ....

Well to be fair, the bigger the wait and the further down the story we are.. the more appropriate flashbacks become.

[David75]

Not as more than half of the first ep in 4 years, I agree with Belial.

[Buffalobiian]

Oh, I didn't like it either but I can see the necessity. It's not even that much of a flashback, right? I don't remember seeing his dad's death being explained. At the same time, I'm not surprised if we've covered it before though.

I blame it more on execution and my expectation. Flashback or not, it was rather bland. Expectation-wise, I wanted blood-pumping boxing that didn't deliver.

And what do you guys mean by "in 4 years"? You think a flashback like this should only happen after a haitus of 8 years? Or do you think that after 4 years of waiting, they should get back in as soon as possible instead of wasting time?

If the latter, that's seeing flashbacks as being time-wasters/fillers instead of actual reminders - hence why I said that the longer waits should demand more thorough flashbacks.

[David75]

Well flashback isn't the right word. More like Ippo's past.
I guess we were waiting for either comedy/training, or some tension building and start of the match.
Ippo's past would have been great inside the match, to show how strong his resolve has always been and why his will is strong enough to beat the Okinawaïan sea troll.

[DarthEnderX]

Hmm. I wonder what's happening there. Is he having some kind of airflow problem from squatting down the whole match?

[Buffalobiian]

Hmm. I wonder what's happening there. Is he having some kind of airflow problem from squatting down the whole match?
I think what they're going for is Exercise Induced Arterial Hypoxemia (EIAH). Realistically I think it limits performance instead of making you sick like that (cyanosed). It's like the concept where you can't drown yourself.

The diver is supposed to be better since he dives and has developed higher oxygen efficiency or something like that.

I'm not sure how it works exactly. Here's a book by people trying to find out though (http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-0-387-34817-9_3). I can send someone the pdf if they really want to read it. :p

[David75]

Hmm. I wonder what's happening there. Is he having some kind of airflow problem from squatting down the whole match?

My guess is that the sea troll keeps pressuring Ippo so much he has to attack at a very high pace and his cardio/pulmonary functions can't follow that high output rythm.
If you think about what you've seen, everytime Ippo has been slowing down for any reason, the sea troll placed a very dangerous attack and even connected.
So Ippo reacted by increasing the rythm of his attack, which was the exact purpose of the sea troll.

For the sea troll, this is a gamble, because he still takes strong hits. But my guess is his stamina is enough to sustain enough damage and then attack right when Ippo can't react anymore.
After all, they implied that guy can swim under cold waters at high depths for 13 minutes, without insulation suit. Of course, the way they showed that, you could always say he was gone for 13 minutes of which less than 5 were underwater... but this is anime ;) and to my knowledge, getting such a fish is only possible at high depths and you need time.
So 13 minutes, actively swimming, high depth, cold water no protection. When the world record seems to be 11'30" static and with protection against cold.

[Buffalobiian]

Did they say it was cold water? Okinawa is hot, but I don't know how cold water gets when you go deep.

[David75]

Did they say it was cold water? Okinawa is hot, but I don't know how cold water gets when you go deep.

To my knowledge, it goes cold very quickly.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 02 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=482318)


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INTENSE, gripping.. you name it. Makunouichi is back! It felt just like the good days where I watched Ippo (or whoever) exchange blows, hoping with each punch that the opponent would go down and Ippo won't. Calling the episode "Dempsey Destroyed" certainly helps.

This isn't the first person to try countering the Dempsey. I remember a Thai guy from last season who missed Ippo's head because the Ippo's first punch grazed his chin. I also can't remember who it was that made Ippo realise the inadequacies of the Dempsey, since he then had to develop the Liver -> Feint-stare-> Gazette -> Dempsey combo. Maybe it was the Kyoto guy..

[David75]

Felt intense yup, but the coach is right. Ippo's career won't last long if he has to go near his physical limits everytime.
I'm a little surprised they never ever mentioned a control by a neurologist.

[Buffalobiian]

What do you mean by "a control"?

Ippo had that doctor from last season, but she hasn't played a bit role overall.

[David75]

What do you mean by "a control"?

Ippo had that doctor from last season, but she hasn't played a bit role overall.

Brain control, X-rays or anything.
He takes a lot of strong hits in the head, always finishes matches losing consciousness or near losing it.
I thought regulations were quite strong regarding boxers, at least it did become stronger, because after all they really risk their health/life in the ring.

[DarthEnderX]

Brain control, X-rays or anything.
He takes a lot of strong hits in the head, always finishes matches losing consciousness or near losing it.
I thought regulations were quite strong regarding boxers, at least it did become stronger, because after all they really risk their health/life in the ring.I really hope they don't get into ANY of that, because the depressing realities of being a boxer would absolutely ruin this series.

It's basically the reason I hate the later Rocky movies.

[David75]

But the second's remark was like some grim prophecy.

[DarthEnderX]

Episode 3. Funny.

[neflight86]

I laughed aloud when I noticed fat Aoki's rear end exposed during his window prophecy.

[Belial]

Now this is the Ippo we know and love, so many funny moments :)

[gos27]

Latest episode was v. funny. The part when Aoki told Kimura to call him ''Sir'' when he becomes champion cracked me up and the champions first encounter with Aoki in the changing room was just hilarious.

[DarthEnderX]

What was with all the gratuitous face sweat in this episode?

[MFauli]

LOL, that new move of Aoki´s is the most hilarious thing I´ve seen in anime in years :D omg, it´s so absurd, but so awesome, too.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - ep 3 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=484820), 4 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=486950), 5 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=489264)


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That really shouldn't have worked for a 2nd time. It's not a "quick reflex" that he's trying to get from you either. I'm pretty confident that if someone tried to do that to me the 2nd time I'd zoom in to punch their face.

[David75]

HS - ep 3 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=484820), 4 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=486950), 5 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=489264)


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That really shouldn't have worked for a 2nd time. It's not a "quick reflex" that he's trying to get from you either. I'm pretty confident that if someone tried to do that to me the 2nd time I'd zoom in to punch their face.

Yeah, thought the same too.
They are veterans, they are trained to be able to resist to feints and the likes, so it's a little strange he would fall for the same trick twice.
Worse, he even wasn't able to stop himself.

I guess the second time, a veteran boxer would fix his eyes on the waist/feet/gloves or his oponent. Anything but the face/eyes, so that he can follow him and counter/guard if necessary.

[DarthEnderX]

Oh man, funniest episode ever.

The second time he looked away, I just completely lost it.

1589

If I was ever going to switch to a new avatar, I think that'd be it.


...I'm not though.

[gos27]

Oh my god I was in bits laughing throughout this episode, Aoki's way of fighting is highly amusing. And when his special move with the risk turned out to be 'that', well, I just couldn't cope, too funny.

[Belial]

Funniest episode in any anime in a while

[Killa-Eyez]

In agreement with most of the people here, I have little to add. It was indeed funny as hell. Plus the fact that Takamura and the rest fell for it twice makes it even funnier.

But I srsly doubt Aoki'd able to defend the title this way for an extended period of time. If he's won that is.

[MFauli]

lol, I actually liked how much they portrayed Sawamura Ryuhei as a villain ... up until the street fight. Lol. Then it become just too comical, with him licking off his victim´s blood from his hand. Just lol.

[DarthEnderX]

With this notion of moving up in the Weight ranks after you've been champion, I get the distinct impression that the final fight of this series might be Makunochi vs. Takamura. :p

[David75]

Takamura is already classes higher than Ippo. Ippo is small fry to him.

Regarding the new title challenger, he feels pretty similar in the way his character is built, to the guy Takamura had to take the world title from. Feels like they took the script and only edited it to match Ippo's scenario...

[DarthEnderX]

Takamura is already classes higher than Ippo. Ippo is small fry to him.Well no shit. Ippo wasn't even a boxer when they met.

Ippo has progressed a hell of a lot further than Takamura has over the course of the series though.

[David75]

I was mainly refering to the weight category

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 06 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=491424), 07 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=493736)

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*Takamura looked away and got punched in the face*

^ now that's what should be happening! I'd be so pissed if that worked. His opponent's head hunting was stupid though. Should have just gone for a body shot after missing a handful.

With the talk about weight class transgression, I hope we'll get to see a fight against death-saw again. His fights were always pretty gruelling.

[DarthEnderX]

I was mainly refering to the weight categoryOkay, fine. But if Takamura really intends to move up through 6 weight classes, isn't HE going to be a small fry to the guys he's fighting towards the end?

[Buffalobiian]

I assume he's going to bulk on his way up, or does that not really happen in boxing?

[David75]

Takamura doesn't have much fat, does he?
He probably has stopped growing a long time ago.
So he can only gain weight through fattening/muscles the latter being almost impossible as we are talking about 46 lbs or almost 21kgs

[DarthEnderX]

I assume he's going to bulk on his way up, or does that not really happen in boxing?There's got to be a limit though right? I don't know what the weight difference is in different weight classes, but I don't think he'd be able to go up 6 classes without getting fat or something.

[David75]

There's got to be a limit though right? I don't know what the weight difference is in different weight classes, but I don't think he'd be able to go up 6 classes without getting fat or something.

Just before your comment:

So he can only gain weight through fattening/muscles the latter being almost impossible as we are talking about 46 lbs or almost 21kgs

[DarthEnderX]

Is that all? 46? What are weight classes? Like...5 pounds apart?

[David75]

If wiki is right :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_weight_classes

Then his current class (Junior Middleweight) is 154 pounds and the heavyweight is anything above 200.

When you do not grow up anymore and you're as lean as he's portrayed, I really think gaining at least 46 useful ponds is going to be difficult.

[Buffalobiian]

Wiki says that in pro boxing you can challenge higher classes than your own, so you don't have to gain that weight if you don't want to. You just have to be good enough to beat someone who is bigger than you.

[David75]

Talented as he is, there's still a limit to what you can do.
He seems to be tall, so maybe he always had to prioritize weight over muscles.
But even then, it seems like a stretch.

[DarthEnderX]

Wiki says that in pro boxing you can challenge higher classes than your own, so you don't have to gain that weight if you don't want to. You just have to be good enough to beat someone who is bigger than you.Ah, that takes care of that then.

So like I said, end of the series, Makunochi vs. Takamura. Because once Ippo becomes world champ, he's going to do the same thing. Start working his way up the weight classes.


Talented as he is, there's still a limit to what you can do.Yeah, and in this series it's somewhere past "beat a bear to death with your bare hands".

[David75]

True that...

[LaZie]

Episode 10 is out.

Can't wait for the next!!

[DarthEnderX]

Soooo boring!

At least what's-his-name with the stupid swinging arm stance made an appearance!

[MFauli]

so, um, wheres the next episode? it has been at least 2 weeks since the last one :/

[Buffalobiian]

so, um, wheres the next episode? it has been at least 2 weeks since the last one :/

Next week (6ish days)

[yapchagi]

Next week (6ish days)

wow so they're taking a break for 3 weeks?

[DarthEnderX]

They are taking two weeks off, yes.

Naruto is doing the same thing.

[MFauli]

nobody cares about naruto, though

[DarthEnderX]

nobody cares about naruto, thoughLies. All lies.

[MFauli]

hm, he´s less scary than i expected him to be from all the build-up. Sure, some dumb tricks in the first round, but then he did some good, intelligent, skilled boxing. I guess that´s gonna change and things´ll get nastier. For now, though, he´s simply better than Ippo. Can´t hate.

[David75]

Well, that match is going to last another 2 or 3 eps, maybe even with some fillers.
But I'm quite tired of having Ippo getting a beating à la Rocky and winning in the end with no brain damage.

I won't deny that I didn't see time fly during that ep and I was on the edge though.

[DarthEnderX]

But I'm quite tired of having Ippo getting a beating à la Rocky and winning in the end with no brain damage.If they start going that route I'm seriously done with the series.

Any time any boxing story tries to show the real long term effects of being a boxer, it's the worst thing ever.

[LaZie]

Double episode this week. 12 and 13 are out!

HorribleSubs - 12 1080p (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=508550)

HorribleSubs - 13 1080p (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=508570)

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 12 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=508546), 13 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=508557)

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ROARRR!!!

At least they explained why Ippo got punched the first two times he used the Dempsey. Both times I was raging "wtf? Wasn't he training so that it wouldn't happen? What gives?"

I'm trying to imagine Sawamura coming back as a recurring character without his killing intent and starvation? Perhaps he'll even go vegetarian? I have no idea what to make of him after you take away the most defining aspects. Takamura's up next, right? I'm ready.

That said, it's been aaaages since I've seen Miyata fight.

[MFauli]

Damn, had teary eyes towards the end and was cheering for Sawamura. As much as he was built up as this super unfair, super brutal boxer, he never used any too cruel tricks as he did in one of his previous fights (the one Ippo and co. watched on tape). When it counted, he was using his magnificent boxing skilled, his natural talent.
He´s kinda the Gaara of this anime. Such a poor guy, having been turned into a brutal street fighter by societal circumstances. At the end, I was thinking about how he could win, yet still grow a change of mind. Well, it didn´t happen.

What I had really wished for, though, was one last standing up of his, after Ippo´s super dempsey roll-combo. Should have been kinda like Rock Lee, when he got up again whilst being unconcious. Hm.

On another note, I wonder if it´s even possible to show an Ippo-fight that doesn´t end with him being totally beaten up. Guess that wouldn´t be exciting. Still lol.



At least they explained why Ippo got punched the first two times he used the Dempsey. Both times I was raging "wtf? Wasn't he training so that it wouldn't happen? What gives?"

This, though Im still angry that he didnt use it instantly. He couldnt have known for sure to live through those successful counters. Ugh,

[David75]

The explanation was clear.
His anti-anti-dempsey roll needed real fight tuning. And the first 2 times, the tuning was far from perfect, but allowed him to escape most of the damage.

Then, in his beaten up state, à la Rocky, he was still able to time correctly first try the anti-anti-anti-dempsey roll............

[Buffalobiian]

When it counted, he was using his magnificent boxing skilled, his natural talent.


You missed the parts where he elbowed Ippo's back and tried to trip him up again then, as well as clinching him when things got tough (Clinching's a weird one thing. It's legal and Ippo's done it in the past as well).


On another note, I wonder if it´s even possible to show an Ippo-fight that doesn´t end with him being totally beaten up. Guess that wouldn´t be exciting. Still lol

There was a Thai fighter some time ago. It was he who first tried to counter the Dempsey. It was the first match that had Ippo declare his victory before he actually won. Ippo then broke out the Dempsey and smashed him. The coach reprimanded him for his carelessness because despite it looking like an easy victory, the counter only missed because Ippo tapped the Thai's chin earlier.

That was an "all or nothing" type of match where Ippo came out unscathed.

As an infighter though, I don't think you can make a match seem interesting/tense without seeing him being pounded.

[DarthEnderX]

I'm trying to imagine Sawamura coming back as a recurring character without his killing intent and starvation? Perhaps he'll even go vegetarian? I have no idea what to make of him after you take away the most defining aspects.He'll just do the exact same thing every other character does, hang out in the audience during Ippo's matches and make commentary.


Damn, had teary eyes towards the end and was cheering for Sawamura. As much as he was built up as this super unfair, super brutal boxer, he never used any too cruel tricks as he did in one of his previous fights (the one Ippo and co. watched on tape). When it counted, he was using his magnificent boxing skilled, his natural talent. Oh bullshit! He spent the entire match cheating, and you want to give him a pass because there were a couple rounds where he DIDN'T cheat? Fuck off.

[MFauli]

Again, in that videotape-fight, it almost looked like Sawamura killed his opponent with his gruesome cheating-attack. He never did anything like that during his fight with Ippo. The most brutal thing he did was the elbow into Ippo´s back, but that didn´t really feel that impactful. Really, from how things had been hyped up, I expected Sawamura to go all-out-Mike-Tyson on Ippo. Instead, he gave us some real superb boxing with his bullet-fast, yet also strong punches and his pinpoint-accurate counter-style. Ippo didn´t struggle because of any tricks, he struggled because of the honest-to-god boxing skills of his opponent.

[MFauli]

ugh, 90% of this episode felt like filler.

but im curious what ippo does about his fighting style. shorten his career or coming up with a new technique?

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 14 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=511009)


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He'll definitely need a new technique. He's young too, so he's got the time and everything to learn one. There's no point retiring early from injury like that. At the very least, he needs to try learning something new. The Dempsey can be his fallback technique for when he really needs it. He just needs to appreciate its long term effects and really see it as a last-line attack.

[DarthEnderX]

Sooooooo boring.


I will say one thing though, every time this series makes it seem like it's about to introduce some sort of of real life drama to Ippo's life that I'm going to hate, it gets neatly resolved immediately in a positive manner.

I kept thinking "Oh, this guy's quitting, which means his mom's not going to have the help she needs, which means Ippo is going to have some crappy conflict between helping his mother and training or something." But nope. Resolved in 2 minutes. Awesome.

[David75]

There's something about the improved Dempsey Ippo needs to realize:
He's got incredible speed*timing*control*power*stamina.
He's just too incredible to be true. But he doesn't know yet. Being able to master all of those 5 traits to those heights in a single attack means he's strong in each of these separately.
It just means that when he realizes this, he'll be able to improve all of the weapons he can use, when and for what purpose.

As of yet, his fights are:
Ippo takes a pounding, quite a hard one, but he can take it (nothing on the brain MRI...)
His body learns of the speed/control/timing of his oponent.
He starts landing heavy body/liver blows. Not that many. But with his incredible power, it really takes a toll on his opponent who slowly loses either speed or control. Most of the time both.
Combat drags on, Ippo slowly takes the edge thanks to his incredible stamina and the fact that his qualities remain strong even after taking a beating and a long fight.
Then comes the Dempsey becomes effectives and he usually wins.


With his qualities, he really could do something with the beginning of his fights.

[DarthEnderX]

17













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I find it unlikely that those two would have become national champions with such huge weaknesses.

[MFauli]

And I found it very frustrating to so both of them lose. Yeah yeah, it was a tie, but still. Those guys´ victoy-loss-record must be shit for a boxer, sigh.

Hoping that Takamura at least wins. He´s been presented as the aggressive one for this fight, which usually means he´ll lose. Hope that doesn´t happen. Cut down that prince charming, Takamura!!

[Buffalobiian]

HS Episode 17 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=518765)
HS Episode 18 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=521054)

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Those punches! Feels like I just watched DBZ. :3 (Not an insult)

I was looking down on the guy after I thought his pride took priority over his daughter's life, but then we learn that half the pay was enough to heal her anyway. That took away the emotional conflict, but also reduced the fight so a normal display of outboxing goodness, albeit an enjoyable one.

Animation-wise, the short hooks didn't even look like they'd be in range of Miyata's face, but instead just hitting the gloves in front of them.

The bit at the end where nobody realised Ippo was watching was pretty funny. "What? Who the fuck are y-.. HELL YEAH!!"

What's with Maria's eyes though? Her pupils are twice the size of anyone else's and it's creepy. They'd fit right in in any of Matsumoto Leiji's works, but not here.

[DarthEnderX]

What's with Maria's eyes though? Her pupils are twice the size of anyone else's and it's creepy. They'd fit right in in any of Matsumoto Leiji's works, but not here.I know right! She had like, no white in her eyes at all! Like an alien.

I guess "anime slanted Thaiwanese eyes" aren't compatible with "anime huge childlike pupils".

[MFauli]

Damn, this new trailer for Super Smash Bros 4 for Wii U/3DS is so awesome. It feels so much like Ippo when watching Little Mac´s reveal :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV82qq30Cfk

[DarthEnderX]

Now they just need to add King Hippo as Mac's rival.



Then Eggplant Wizard as Pit's rival.

And Simon Belmont as a guest character.

Captain N reunion baby!

[MFauli]

They´d need to add Captain N first and foremost :P

@episode 19:

I loved the end of this episode. The Golden Eagle might look unshaken and confident to the audience and his opponent, but he´s actually losing his composure and is just as scared as the challenger. That is something that I oh so often wish to see more of when watching any kind of show, anime or playing a game: The villain is always portrayed as perfectly cool, relaxed and perfect in skill. But that is bullcrap. Even when you´re Madara, Itachi, Hisoka, Crollo, Freezer or whoever, even when you´re super powerful, you are not invincible. You have to make proper use of your abilities, and if you fail to pay attention to the hero´s actions even for only a split second, you´re dead.
But we rarely get to witness that sort of pressure. Because we take it for granted that villains are perfect, always.

But damn, detached retina. I´m on my way to become an optician and that´s not funny. One "wrong" hit and Takamura could easily go blind on his right eye. Though Miyata is an asshole for waiting until minutes before the start of the fight to mention this to Ippo. Why not mention it right after getting suspicious?

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 19
(http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=523465)


-----------------------------------





Maybe he's only come to the conclusion now after thinking about it for so long? Unlike you, he's not becoming an optician. :P

[DarthEnderX]

They´d need to add Captain N first and foremostWhat...no. That would make it lame. It's only cool getting the real game characters together. You don't actually take anything original from that awful show.


But we rarely get to witness that sort of pressure. Because we take it for granted that villains are perfect, always.That's exactly it.

Eagle knows his plan will work, but it has to be executed flawlessly. And while he's great, he has to be perfect at every second, because one slip-up and it's gonna cost him.

And the pressure of maintaining that perfection is costing him mentally.

[MFauli]

episode 20:

Fantastic fight! Without any gimmicky special-moves, this is just pure, raw, awesome boxing. And it´s still super exciting. I love how Takamura gave no shit about some perceived fairness. He´s doing what a pro is supposed to do. And Eagle realized that then, too.

I have no idea who´ll win this fight, but I hope it´s Takamura. Let him have that belt!

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 20 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=525700)

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That detached retina thing would kick in soon I think. It could have been just a little build-up for tension (or perhaps a foreshadowing to mark the end of Takamura's run for a while).

[DarthEnderX]

It's kinda awesome how Takamura is a protagonist but he's pretty much a villain by every definition of a story like this.

[MFauli]

Oh, btw I loved it when Takamura was comparing Eagle´s textbook style to Ippo. Made it sound like some future rivalty was incoming ... that is if Takamura continues his career and doesn´t go blind :/

[DarthEnderX]

I told you man! Takamura will eventually work his way up to Heavyweight champ! And Ippo will work his way up behind him. And then series climax is a fight between them!

Granted, it'll take another 50 years for the manga to reach that point at the rate it's going. But whatever man!

[Buffalobiian]

I looked up the treatments for detached retinas and it seems that as long as you get in quick and it's not completely screwed, it responds rather well to treatment, which was why I revised my previous opinion and didn't think that it would cut Takamura's career off permanently.

[David75]

Takamura is already a middleweight when Ippo is only a featherweight. That already means a 15kgs difference.
To my knowledge, their growth is already over. And Takamura is 20cm taller than Ippo.
I do not see them in the same weight class ever, even more now that Takamura wants to go all the way up to Heavywieght.
I don't think it's possible to be 91kg with little fat, fully boxing efficient muscles, while at the same time being only 165cm tall.

[DarthEnderX]

To my knowledge, their growth is already over. And Takamura is 20cm taller than Ippo.
I do not see them in the same weight class ever, even more now that Takamura wants to go all the way up to Heavywieght.As we discussed earlier in this arc though, when you're a world champion, you're allowed to challenge a higher weight class even if you don't actually weigh that much.

So Ippo doesn't have to gain weight to catch up to Takamura, he just has to defeat every world champion between him and Takamura.

[MFauli]

oh fantastic, a flashback AND a love triangle. someone please shoot me lol

[DarthEnderX]

Lol, what's with the Nazi helmets on those American soldiers?

[David75]

So they impose fillers on us on a backstory that has been hinted 2 or 3 years ago, around the Takamura/Bear incident.
Great...

[Buffalobiian]

What's wrong with this? Seems pretty good so far, even if the guys suck.

[MFauli]

Episode 23 - HS (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=532863)
--------------------

I still don´t see the point of this flashback, but I have to say: Crazy good animation. The scene where Nekota was alone in the preparation room, staring at his shaking fingers ... made me feel like I was watching some BERSERK. The ending was fantastic, but come on, it´s so obvious that the he won´t be the winner. That´s like Krillin winning before Goku gets the chance to do so.

[DarthEnderX]

That´s like Krillin winning before Goku gets the chance to do so.Meh. As far as the series is concerned, they're both Master Roshis.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 24 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=535007)

--------------------------------




I really do like Showa period shows. Perhaps it's just because it's refreshing and not very common, but it's also the perfect setting to have these motivational fights and hardship living.

Too bad Nekota's retired like that now.

[MFauli]

I wanted to talk about the awesome fight and all, but ... was that the biggest bullshit-scene in anime-history? WHAT EXACTLY was Yuki-chan gonna say when Kawogama interrupted her?

As I see it, she was going to confess to him. So then he interrupts her, telling her he´s dedicated his life to boxing. So then she returns to Nekota and falls in love with him.

Wat

Super-bitch

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 25 (END)
(http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=537407)
I think she could be genuinely in love with Nekota to some degree. When you see someone sacrifice a lot for you, you can start feeling appreciative and moved but it can also develop into something more. Kamogawa was her "first" love though and I'm not sure she could move on without that part resolving. She would be happy with either of them*, but at the same she was tied to both of them.

* - maybe that's a definition of bitch.. but monogamy is a human construct anyway. If we think about scenarios where widows remarry, it's not as if they love their previous husband any less. The human heart just has room for more than one person.

So Ippo is over again for now. Quite the way to finish.

[DarthEnderX]

Holy crap, that fight was straight up gruesome. Those rib breaking shots...yeesh.

That was some crazy swelling music in the train station there too.

I can't believe they're ending it on a flashback arc though. As I was watching the first ending with him making the promise I was thinking "Shouldn't they have shown this BEFORE Takamura's fight so we'd have this extra narrative weight for that fight?" But then when they got to the 2nd ending in the present, it made more sense, because he doesn't consider Takamura to be the resolution of that promise.