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If you're interested in a fighting anime and have a good sense of humor, you will not regret to check this one out. Hajime no Ippo is a great mix of boxing based combat combined with a lot of humor. The fighting scenes transfer the tension and excitement to the viewer, really drawing you into it. On top of that, the anime really knows when to switch the action aspect with a lot of humor without taking away that tension and excitement of awesome fights.

The art may seem a little crude at times (which is somewhat adjusted in the sequel "Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger"), ... but the style enforces the feeling you have when watching boxers in the ring. Greatly enhancing the impact of executed moves, hits and blows. Combined with great music support at the right times, this makes up for a fighting anime you just can't afford to miss.

Downsides may be the (many) interruptions during fights to show the reactions and opinions of supporting characters. This can sometimes be rather annoying when you really want to watch the fight itself. But this doesn't change the fact that this is an anime every fighting fan must see.