makunouchi ippo's boxing career officially finished in 1998, two years after the anime hajime no ippo debuted; which showcases the first three years of his time in the ring. fighting his debut match at the age of 16 in january of 1990, his meteoric rise in the japan featherweight class came unexpectedly. his fame spread largely through word of mouth following an upset victory at the all-japan rookie king tournament, scoring a third round reversal tko against osaka rival sendō takeshi on the latter's home turf. makunouchi's loss to japanese featherweight champion date eiji was the first in his career, occurring halfway through a ten
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round bout. the result of which was cause for date to once again relinquish the belt and rechallenge the world stage before his career-end. the break between matches saw "tiger of naniwa" sendō takeshi take the belt in a controversial decision against alexander volg, "the white fang" of russia. at last a climactic rematch between makunouchi and sendō was billed: lallapalooza. both boxers continued to have prosperous careers in boxing throughout the last millennium's last decade.
hajime no ippo depicts an interiority of will inside the ring which extends throughout. the power and momentum of each action is a commentary for every other spectator, the undercurrents of boxing's metanarrative expressed in a raw and personalist manner. the rival between miyata and makunouchi is invisible beyond magazine speculation and those in-the-know, but it's an unseen force that incites each boxer to further their athletic nobility. not to win per se, but as the pursuit of the act of overcoming. from beginning to end makunouchi is accompanied by sports anime's most resonant score to date, applying incredible weight to each first step, its namesake, はじめの一歩. and this series length truly follows that as an arc for the titular character. later seasons (and the behemoth length of the manga) change this, removing focus from ippo as the man, towards the network of influences his encounters have inspired and inspire within him. but this is essentially the story of those forgotten successes in history.
the spotlights blind and the bell deafens, and everything outside is black. every boxer is an intrepid challenger, fuelled by youth and the possession of an inquisitive strength. where strength is the explosion of everything with-out, within. in the course of so-many three minute rounds where the world expands between them as they find its expression under the limitations of a moment in space. one wholly unsatisfying, that which leads to the series' original climactic ending. a stamping of feet, the witness of friends, a symbol of power in flux between the new blood of so-many challengers. ippo's entry onto the stage at korakuen hall for his second title match is a revival of an unfinished physicality between east and west, sendō and makunouchi, champion and champion. the spontaneous redevelopment of traditional skill to control and release force derives from this sense of eternal effort between defined interactions of power. the dempsey roll is part of the myth of his own history with the sport, given life in after-effects as shadows of the persona. replayed and replayed over fights like a training vhs tape. and the light in their eyes feints against the death stalking them, it paralyses history in a second of corporeal instinct.
but the domestic fullness between bouts exemplifies the weight of each situation. the break is so desired but overfills scarce time, and the depressive self-infliction of those boxers in-so-doing breaks my heart. i see the distracted faces and hidden worry that follows from a time scraping at the edge of acceptable readaptation and renewal for the following step. takamura singing the song 'champion' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSQZJ87huNU) vocalises a consistency of action, something to hold onto desperately, but take pride in. it's a shared media inspiration that requires hours of dedication to in order to appreciate fully. and it comes from every. repetitive. motion. where the weight pressing down on your face is an instantaneous force while the prolonged mental anguish beyond these moments of recognition in the ring are condensed to half a rollercoaster, zoo resemblances, going further to the bakery that's "en route". but it's so joyful. and i remember best ippo's teacher going from expressing worry over his career chouce to shouting for him to stand up again and once more. such forces bleed into each other, as the time shared in the ring is depicted asynchronously. as it is that i relate *myself* in the mind of others.
ippo was 23 when he retired, not so much older than myself, with a life before him after his opening as one mangaka's life's work. but it's what i see in him in my friends that causes as much resonance now as then. discovering this series at ippo's age, and finding myself now at the opposite end of the bracket, i'm so glad to have been able to share a love of this with people i care about, and to be able to see the relation between their accomplishments and his. the physicality of sports they pursue and the context of their character in situ. maybe there is no 'natural talent' beyond a family fishing boat rental (expressed rather gloriously), but that position kept him humble, his success brought him an awkward admiration, his pacific ability to turn those who hate into friends drives such an ethic. one of everyday courage. to be able to face the world after middling victories and crushing defeats, a daunting task that creeps up on you through the normalised labours of friends and family.
Jun 9, 2024
Hajime no Ippo
(Anime)
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makunouchi ippo's boxing career officially finished in 1998, two years after the anime hajime no ippo debuted; which showcases the first three years of his time in the ring. fighting his debut match at the age of 16 in january of 1990, his meteoric rise in the japan featherweight class came unexpectedly. his fame spread largely through word of mouth following an upset victory at the all-japan rookie king tournament, scoring a third round reversal tko against osaka rival sendō takeshi on the latter's home turf. makunouchi's loss to japanese featherweight champion date eiji was the first in his career, occurring halfway through a ten
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