This manga is so underrated. Maybe it's due to people not appreciating short, lighthearted romances? (That can't be, but I really thought this was a nice romance, so idk... I guess people just disagree...)
Or perhaps people compare it to other boxing manga like Hajime no Ippo? I don't have any other boxing manga to compare it to -- at the time of writing, I haven't read any others, or even seen any boxing anime -- but, even if I were to grant you that the boxing in this series wasn't good (I can't grant you that), the boxing isn't all that was here anyway. Even
...
so, personally, I cannot even admit that the boxing wasn't good; it was quite intense!
Meanwhile, Sister Angela and Kosaku's budding romance was so sweet, and that was the main draw to this manga for me; I didn't start reading this with any expectations to enjoy boxing; I just thought I'd bear through it in order to enjoy a romance between a man and a nun. So, imagine my shock when I enjoyed the boxing a lot more than I thought I would! The action was easy to follow; it was dynamic and a real page-turner. Each opponent had unique personalities and twists that they brought into the ring (and outside the ring!). They were comedic insofar as many of them were "pathetic" boxers, and yet, still, they also posed as a genuine threat to Kosaku, always upping-the-ante, getting you excited for the match to begin. It kept me on the edge of my seat.
And it all tied beautifully into romance; Sister Angela's support of Kosaku during his training and boxing matches only added to my desire to read and warmed my heart. The way Angela would have faith in Kosaku when no one else would. Shockingly, romance and boxing really went together quite well, huh?
Also, I loved how even though Angela is a demure and pious woman, she feels very human, and has her flaws. There's more to her than being a one-dimensional saint. She can get angry, she can get jealous. (This seems basic, but it's really shown well and played for comedic and dramatic effect). She has a gentle maternal side as she takes care of children, and that maternal side also has a tough "mama bear" aspect to it, too, as shown when she protects the children from the "vampire" guy and holds up a cross to him. That was so endearing. None of this takes away from her pious side either; when she is led astray, she is shown to feel embarrassed and guilty as she prays for forgiveness. Sister Angela feels authentic in her desire to stay true to the Lord. No joke, she has become one of my favorite characters!
In terms of Kosaku's character, he was pretty stupid and immoral, always going with instinct (gluttony and lust) above all else, but he has his own strengths too and I liked how he matured especially in volume 4, to realize that, in the end, he just wants Sister to be happy, even if he can't be with her. He discovers that he really does love boxing and disciplining himself too over just being a total glutton. And he realizes that Sister Angela's support made his passion for boxing that much greater. He boxes for her, and for himself. He surprised me with this pretty decent character development.
I mentioned Angela and Kosaku. But one other character I have to pay respects to is the Coach. This dude was the funniest guy in the manga and has a lovable fatherly, tough-love aspect to him. He made this manga just that much more endearing.
Now, I want to say that I'm not usually a fan of "Comedy" as a genre, but the pseudo-slapstick, lighthearted comedy here was actually charming to me. Perhaps I should check out Rumiko's other works, huh? Maybe I just like her brand of comedy.
And despite not having "Drama" listed as a genre here on MAL, I was pleasantly surprised to find some good drama in this manga too. Every boxing opponent brought his own drama subplot (if I went into each of them, this would truly be a novel-length review, but many of them were truly touching, with great resolutions to boot), and there was even a decent amount of romantic drama. I like it when the romance is a little rocky and has its own trials that the two lovers have to overcome; if a couple is too happy-go-lucky, it isn't believable. Thankfully, the romance had some tension here, as Kosaku and Sister Angela had arguments (the biggest one being Kosaku yelling at her, which totally shocked her), but it made their bond all the stronger because of it.
I haven't read too many manga, but so far, this relatively short yet sweet story is one of my favorites. A romance between a fallen boxer and a graceful nun... it's such a beautiful concept, with a hint of spice, as a nun can't fall in love! The underlying romantic drama is baked into the cake, and this "romcom" delivered on that aspect too. I am very pleased to say it was all executed wonderfully. Other than Kosaku being a bit too immoral at times (I was pretty angry with his infatuation with Kana... although I liked her sassy personality btw). Truly, my only other complaint I have with One Pound Gospel is that it isn't longer!
Well... I have one other complaint/question: why is Sister Angela called "Angela", if her real name is "Marie"? That was pretty confusing for me... Japanese people don't have middle names, so "Angela" being her middle name is out of the question, huh? Unless she's mixed race? Well, whatever. Both Angela and Marie are pretty names, but "Sister Angela" as a name grew on me. And so, to have her "real name" being "Marie" threw me off guard... It doesn't impact my enjoyment or score, but I had to throw that out there.
(EDIT: Apparently, a nun will adopt a new name upon entering a convent. Whoops! I should have looked this up before finalizing this review. Very interesting!)
So yeah, anyway... TL;DR: One Pound Gospel had a wonderful mix of romance, action, comedy, and a little drama. A story with a nun as the main female lead drew me in and I was not disappointed by how it turned out. Thank God! I really enjoyed this series, and am baffled at its fairly low score. Perhaps I'm not being "objective", but most people aren't, are they? One Pound Gospel gets a 9/10 from me.
***
The review section has "Tips for New Writers" : "The best reviews use pronouns (I, me, my, you) very rarely." Hah, oh well.
Oh, and here's a doozy, in bold, no less: "READERS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HOW YOU CAME TO WATCH THE WORK OR HOW THE ANIME MADE YOU FEEL." Lol. Sorry, but I read for enjoyment and feelings. That's what I care about, that's what I am reviewing. I can assure you that if you enjoy romance and good action, you will FEEL satisfied with One Pound Gospel.
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Sep 16, 2024
1 Pound no Fukuin
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This manga is so underrated. Maybe it's due to people not appreciating short, lighthearted romances? (That can't be, but I really thought this was a nice romance, so idk... I guess people just disagree...)
Or perhaps people compare it to other boxing manga like Hajime no Ippo? I don't have any other boxing manga to compare it to -- at the time of writing, I haven't read any others, or even seen any boxing anime -- but, even if I were to grant you that the boxing in this series wasn't good (I can't grant you that), the boxing isn't all that was here anyway. Even ... |
