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While the idea to have this specific OVA focused on another character was full of potential, I feel like it was not done as well as it could've been. Getting to experience the story through Kimura's perspective was interesting but the changes made on the typical fight preparation on top of that made the episode fall a little bit flatter than it could've been, especially in exploring Kimura's side of the relationship with the rest of the gang (the relationship with Aoki being a bit of an exception), which made the first half of the episode feel a bit disjointed.

Furthermore, what really brings this OVA's ... rating down for me was the ending, that basically invalidated a good chunk of the emotional weight of the episode, that could've been used to add an interesting twist in the Kamogawa's Gym dynamics.

On the positive side, the fight in itself was one of the best so far in the anime series, and the animation felt more on par with the original Hajime no Ippo series, which I personally prefer.

It feels like just another Hajime no Ippo arc, in the best way possible. The pacing works well, all the favorite characters are in and it delivers another straight to the point satisfying story, this time a bit more focused in the relationship between Ippo and the Chief which was interestingly developed.

I give it a rating of 7/10, one point lower than the rating for the first season of the anime, mainly due to not reaching the highest of highs that the original anime was able to do so and also due to some scenes were the animation felt a little bit more "plasticky" than ... before. Still, if you're a fan of the original story, you will enjoy this.

What a great little show that completely took me by surprise. Although it was widely regarded as one of the best sports animes of all time, I still didn't have my expectations sky high, mostly because other experiences I had with fighting and/or sports animes tend to falter due to overly drawn out and repetitive fighting sequences. Hajime no Ippo excels in doing the exact opposite: the fighting sequences are exciting and unique, if somewhat unrealistic.

Every fight has real odds, every fight tells a different story that is able to deliver in progressing the overarching journey of the characters. And speaking of characters, this is ... where the show shines, with a charming cast of supporting characters that, while mostly serving as comedy relief early on, truly has a remarkable evolution in their dynamic and turns into a gem that ties the show together.

A point is knocked down in my overall score due to the fact that one specific story thread, heavily teased throughout the show, one that has a giant impact in the first half of the show, doesn't end up having a resolution in the series. I am aware that there are further OVA's, but still...

A good not great anime that I would still recommend as both a satisfying series for anime-veterans and also as a decent entry-level anime for those starting their journey in the world of Japanese animation. Personally I would recommend just watching the first 25 episodes and then stopping.

It has an interesting plot hook and, for the most part, achieves a good balance between letting the characters and their actions/choices breathe and not drag down the action. There are some very interesting and well developed characters (namely Light and L) and there are a handful of episodes that are very very strong, two of which I ... do consider being on par with the very best I've seen in anime (episodes 7 and 25).

The overall rating would jump to an eight or maybe even nine if the series was finished after roughly the midway point, but the latter half of Death Note drags the rating down with it. It has too many rehashed dynamics and/or story beats, but with different (and in my opinion weaker) characters.

Other glaring issues with the series are the tendency to overuse the internal monologue which leads to many instances in which the show tells something to the audience instead of showing; and the very poor representation of women in the show that are pretty much a prime example of "Men writing Women".

On perhaps a more personal note, and trying not to spoil anything specific, there are two concrete things that really bring down the overall enjoyment of the series for me: a lack of exploration of the a certain dynamic between two realities that I feel would be interesting; and a choice to have a time jump that is basically pointless in my view and could've simply been avoided without compromising the integrity of the story and/or its characters in any way.