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Listen I am not a fan of sports anime, I have tried watching shows like Haikyuu, Kuroko no Basket, and Ace of Diamond however I have never been able to enjoy the shows. So with the belief that I did not like sports anime did I enter Hajime no Ippo


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Story 7/10

So I will be honest this story has almost no surprises, and I say almost because for me there was one surprise. The story of Hajime no Ippo is a very simplistic sports story. everyone knows it, the MC enters a sport, learns sport, plays in a lot of matches, then eventually becomes the ... best in their respective region. Ippo follows this formula very well, however even with the semi predictable plot line the show still has a good level of enjoyment.

Art 9/10

If you have dropped this show due to the old style of art please give it another chance. I have meet a lot of people who don't like Ippo's art style, but I for one saw it as a breath of fresh air. While you can tell the show is old and the art style strange, it breaks the mold of what anime characters are supposed to look like, and while some want it to look more normal I like the art style because it differs from the large majority of anime.

Sound 9/10

I don't know much about sound design and will most likely say that in every review I write, however I have always believed that if I don't notice any horrible, revolting sounds the sound is very good. That said as a musician I do always take time to think about the music in shows, and Ippo's music fit the show so well. The OP's really get you pumped up for the exciting episodes. The music that plays during the matches will make you feel like your right there, ring side, at the match. And the ED's are very emotional and convey a feeling of success birthed from struggle, and during one scene near the end of the show with one boxer (once you watch the show you will know what scene I am talking about) the ending playing over it makes you want to cry.

Character 9/10

The characters in this show are all very well built. First of all the main cast is built very well, from the timid Ippo, the over the top Takamura, to the the two comic relief characters in Kimura and Aoki, all were designed with care. And one of the reasons I love the characters in this show is that the author took time to get us to know each and every one, I can't think of a single character from the show that I hated, or even mildly disliked. If there is ever a character you dislike during this show, give it a few episodes and you will probably learn too like them. I would say that this happens because each character has relatable challenges and character flaws which make them easier to like.

Enjoyment 10/10

Remember when I said that I didn't like sport anime, well I really like Hajime no Ippo. I can't pin point every reason why I enjoyed the show as much as I did, but I can tell you that Ippo has a riveting story, that will draw you in within the first few episodes. I can't really review enjoyment since it is a very personal thing, but I can assure you that the large majority that ends up watching this show will enjoy it.

Final Score 9.25/10