"Eiji"

I gave a "Good" 7 out of 10

A quite entertaining OVA with some decently funny moments, something you'd expect from an early 90's Japanese show. Tells the story of a young rebellious kid who doesn't seem to have yet found a way in life. Interesting the relationship between the brother and father within boxing highlighting how they've grew up differently to the image of the father being a boxer to then shape their view of the sport and life in general. I believe it's not something that everyone may enjoy since the predictable and maybe "borderline" stereotypical nature of the show, but It's a good ... casual watch.

Rate a 5
English Subtitled

Story
High school is a roller coaster of events. We have a tendency of wanting to taking multiple paths for only a short amount of time. Luckily thanks to aid of the young and old the main character gets off his coaster only to walk to his true enlightened path. Where he steps he takes will be long but will build him up to what he needs to become. Questions being will there be conflict? Who will get in his way if anyone? As for the ending it is a nice light comedic romance.

The most entertaining aspect of the story was the ... underlying message. Where there is one there is another. Alas, one must step aside to make room for the next up and comer. In other words say you were a champion in your area of expertise. It will never stay that way. Someone else will come along better and stronger. For that to happen certain things have to happen. Such as opening position to the lower position of the totem pole of your area. In a more clear insight to how this message is kind, love who you are for no matter what changes await you there is a better future ahead.

Artwork
Given the context this good have been a blood bath of sorts. I am glad it wasn't. For in this scope the audience won't be steered away from the main events. For face it while gore does make certain aspects more entertaining most find it hard to stomach and thus look away.

Overall: I would say this show is similar to the television series of Rocky(boxer). The main difference is position in life. In Rocky he is in prime and has the cameras/audience's attention for this show the main character is not the 'main' but learns he can be. Too many show exist of godlike main characters. Rare is it to see what came before.

A classic 5/10 but I wanted to make this review so people learn a little about how a 5 occurs. First of all, half the movie, 20 minutes, introduces the main character and how he's a punk kid who lives by his own rules. Classic setup up and while it could go in a lot of interesting directions in does the most basic thing in the world, it makes his want to become a boxer because his dad and brother became one. Now I was already more interested in the plot when it was more about music or the punk lifestyle, so ... it falling into one of the most boring tropes in anime was very disappointing. The music has plenty of good moments, and the animation was mostly flawless. Character designs were definitely too old fashion though. It's just following the manga I guess but if you told me this was Ashita no Joe I'd believe you without hesitation, which is not good at all. There was hints that a decent love plot could happen, but then becomes stereotypically "Japanese". Women just want ambitious strong guys, the guys are interested in women but show interest in awkward or just plain bad ways, and the girls have no real personality of their own.

It could've been about a punk using his street fighting to get a leg up on traditional boxers. It does not. It could've been about the main character having something no one else has. It does not. It could've had someone have a unique goal, method to achieve a simple goal, or unique locations. Nothing. It's as standard as it gets. But those first 20 minutes when I didn't know this was a boxing story were ok. At that point it was at least a 7/10.