User reviews

Well what can I say? I watch a lot of Japanese anime like Bleach, One Piece, Naruto Shippudden and pretty much everything that involves fighting. Came across this, just recently and couldn't keep my eyes off it. From start to finish, it's just a trip of great training, great fights, great comedy, really great great fun. The characters are just perfect. We have Makunouchi Ippo the main character who is a shy type of lad, but on the ring... The supporting characters are awesome, all of them, Takamura, Miyata, Coach, Aoki, Kimura and all of the opponents fit in very nicely with the main crew. The interaction between Ippo and his opponents is also great! If you are not an anime fan then I assure you after watching this you will be converted. This is really great stuff and mainly for adults. Cartoons are for kids people, but this is way beyond that!!!

First let me start by saying that I'm lucky to have had the honour of witnessing the thrilling roller-coaster that is Hajime No Ippo, and I am fairly certain that a lot of individuals would agree with me if they decide to give this anime a fair shot. I am writing this review to express what I think of this anime in general and why I think a lot of people would enjoy it as well

Hajime no Ippo exists not only to thrill but arguably excite viewer to the point of no return by bringing blow after blow of jaw-dropping twists in a narrative that feels as furious as a dog fight, it is the sports anime that challenges all others of its kind to do better. Essentially the coming-of-age tale of a weakling maturing into the strongest rookie boxer in Japan, Hajime no Ippo doesn't deviate from the sports anime formula in any notable manner. Ippo discovers boxing on a school day like any other then spends numerous staged fights and training montages thereafter rising through the ranks. However, the show outshines all lesser versions thanks to its exceptional script. Simply put, it boasts a bottomless supply of twists to make every fight feel as though it were the first. That Ippo has to win his battles despite his great weaknesses is no spoiler; nonetheless the developments during the fights - their sheer visceral power - obliterate all expectations. Whenever I thought the show had exhausted its store of excitement in one episode, it delivered new unscaled heights of the stuff in the next. Aside from that, Hajime no Ippo shows that even neanderthals know how to laugh and cry through healthy doses of comedy and character development. Between the hilariously inane penis jokes and the heart-rending personal struggles, the show brings an endearing warmth to what is usually seen as the sport of humourless brutes.

There are a few negative aspects of this anime and I can sum that up to two things and that would be the animation and the pacing right at the beginning. Now let me explain why, firstly the animation in the first instalment of Hajime No Ippo I would is pretty outdated especially when compared to recently released animes. Secondly I think that the pacing of this anime right at the beginning is not up-to par mainly because it drags on a bit to much and that could potentially put of a lot of viewers.I believe that is main reason why most people drop this anime and it honestly is a real shame because if you've ever heard of the expression save the best for last, this anime truly adheres to that and then some.

Overall Few anime could rival this series in the shounen ring, but certainly none of the other sports anime on the market to date. By the end, food and sleep had become peripheral concerns - to sustain myself all I needed was to tap into the show's incredible energy, and believe me that is understatement. So if you truly feel like watching an anime that keeps you on your toes and gives you the aspirations to power through two-hundred squats and and push up's, yea maybe that was just me, but seriously I believe that this anime is truly magnificent and I strongly believe that the majority of people that watch this anime will agree!

Thank you for taking the time to read this review, and if you found this helpful or not let me know.

At first, i didn't like ANIME at all, i thought it's just for child's, but when i saw 3 first episodes of this "hajime no ippo" i knew this is the right ANIME *serie?* for me. I just simply loved it, how he trained himself + the hilarious humor the funny faces and beating up his opponents, effects were world class and when i for first time saw the famous "dempsey roll", no kidding: my hair was all electronic & stuff, we talked about this on school, with friends & stuff, if you like boxing: you will love this one! it's the best Anime i've ever seen, no kidding, beating up enemies + humor = PERFECT

10 out of 10 !

Hajime No Ippo (Knockout in Philippines and Fighting Spirit here in the US)is a must for all sports fans. Heck, I recommend this series to anyone. If you like sports (especially boxing), you will love the authenticity in which the animators present the boxing concepts and realism, not to mention the gradual development of the protagonist, Ippo Makunouchi. In addition,all the other characters are well-developed, so well-developed that you might even cheer for the guy Ippo is fighting. If you just like animé in general, this series has superior animation. You could feel the punches grinding on the boxer's bodies. If you are a newcomer, fear not. This series is one of the funniest animés ever. This is an overall superior animé. If you never watched animé in your life, or just looking for a good series to watch, this is it.

Will forever be my favorite anime

Or as Ali would say: "The Greatest of ALL TIME!!!"

Must-see for any boxing fan, sports fan, love the art of fighting, the strategies that go behind competitive boxing (or fighting in general) --------

A humble kid who helps his mom at her shop and gets picked on after-school ; after seeing him in action, the kid idolizes the neighborhood boxing champ and the big guy recruits him to join the gym ... His first real taste of life and glory takes off from there

100000/100 ,, Inspirational Masterpiece

Where do I begin? I have seen the first season twice already and its still stupendous. Within the anime sports genre, this one takes the biscuit. Admittedly, I have not seen many sports anime and have missed out on some anime such as Slam Dunk and Prince of Tennis but I can assure you, based on my judgement and combining this with other people's opinions ( it is a very popular anime and widely discussed), this anime transcends the competitors. However, I have seen sports anime such as Cross Game (baseball) and Kurko no Basket (basketball). The latter is current and much talked about in the anime World. Regardless, Hajime no Ippo has greater characters, more technical insight and more credible sporting feats than Kuroko no Basket. Cross Game was a work of art and is the only sports type anime that comes close to this beauty.

So why is this anime so great and deserves my praise and on top of that 10/10? The answer is somewhat complex but bare with me.

Firstly,all great sports anime should sell the sport it represents and make it somewhat appealing even to somebody who has not invested much interest into the sport. I was not into boxing but after watching Hajime no Ippo, I felt energised and ready for action. I threw jabs in the air and was shadow-boxing. On top of that,this anime taught me about the rules of boxing and provided me with some technical knowledge. Bravo to this anime for getting me hooked on something I never previously considered.

Furthermore, the boxing matches in this anime always bring novelty to the table and are mostly technically sound. The mangaka (manga artist) is a passionate boxing fan and does rigorous research about boxing and bases some of his characters on real life boxers such as Mike Tyson. Real life technical ( not basic) boxing techniques are also mentioned and shown.

Secondly, a great anime should have elements to it that go beyond its main genre to keep other niche audiences satisfied. This anime has great comedy. Kamogawa gym members, Aoki, Kimura and Takamura bring so much life and humour to this incredible action packed show. The interaction of Takamura and Aoki is beyond funny. It is the execution of these extra elements that separates the great from the mediocre.

Thirdly, a great anime, in particular a masterpiece, should have MANY characters that are well developed, have great depth and add an extra dimension to the anime. After all, what is the point in watching anime with great visuals, sound tracks etc when there is poor dialogue or plain, predictable and annoying characters. Anime that lack great characters do not stimulate the brain. This anime nails it. The protagonist Ippo is naive and not blessed with genius fighting skills. Regardless, he learns from his peers and through perseverance, his indomitable fighting spirit and unwavering concentration, is able to progress as a boxer and more importantly a human being.

This anime has many great boxers and great dialogue. Eiji Datte's reference to Ippo's "light" fists, Takamura's great boxing advice and feats as well as Ippo's venerable coach's perspicacious boxing advice, are some of the elements this anime presents, that inspire and guide Ippo. The great dialogues and character interactions allow Ippo to mature and blossom into the wonderful boxer he is to become.

I am going to stop with the numbering now. In short, a great anime, not just a sports anime, should have: characters with depth; interesting dialogue; good voice actors; fun and/or intricate plot; good art style; extra elements such as comedy and so forth. The only criticism that I can immediately think of about this anime is the slightly dated art style. It is an old anime and therefore lacks the visual clarity and definition. However, some episodes such as episode 74 have so much detail and perfection, despite the dated animation screen quality, that one still gets totally drawn in and absorbed by the unfolding high level brawl that is presented.

Episode 74's dialogue, pacing, music, fighting choreography etc is otherworldly. Given that there are 76 episodes in the first season, this anime ends on a positive note and packs a punch. The other episodes are vital for character development and are also incredibly fun to watch. The boxing is captivating. The training and normal life of Ippo and the others are also refreshing and makes us hunger for the next big fight.

Having seen many renown anime I can safely say that this anime deserves to be ranked with the best and deserves the praise and attention it has and is been receiving.

On top of all this, this anime has great soundtracks and offers above average opening songs/credits. There is not much more one can ask for. It was an exhilarating watch. Please give this anime a go. For an anime lover, it should be a must. Oh and by the way, watch this, and any anime, with your native subtitles whenever possible (avoid dubbed versions). I find English dubbing horrendous. Japan's voice artists are usually on point and are PROPERLY trained in the arts of speaking. The voice intonation in Japanese suits the characters and is more natural.

I have watched this series countless of times, i love it, the story build up, the characters the comedy. This anime has motivated me to keep working out.

I am a kickbokser because i love to use my legs, but Ippo gave me the courage to step in the real ring. It may be a cartoon but the realism is good the dramatization is for the better and gave me goosebumps so that was a good thing.

To keep it short, If you haven't seen Hajime No Ippo, just start an enjoy, maby you will lose some weight and get fit like all the others also. And if you are a boxer, the tips givin in the series are usefull in real life.

Note, i am 34 years old and build up the fitness to train 3 to 4 hours a week with the professional kickboksers, If one thing is sure it is that Ippo can give a person so much energy they will pick up sports and go for it, Ippo = getting better by working hard.

This is no exaggeration, Hajime no Ippo changed my life, and i can't wait to watch this Anime with my kids!!

Fighting Spirit is better than the Dragon Balls Z or most other famous and popular TV anime shows about fights because it is more matured and realistic in its drawing style, plot, characterization, and animation technology.

Animes like the Dragon Balls and most Hayao Miyazaki works are intended for little kids, at least in Japan, but the Flighting Spirit was late night show, intended for older teens and adults.

It should also appeal to the female audience who get turned off by silly fantasy girls with gross body shapes or stupid voices in typical anime.

I don't care about most anime shows, but I love this series. Try it and judge for yourself!

Whether you're a boxing fan or not, the sharp writing, lovable characters, and inspirational nature of this Anime will definitely be able to hold your attention. The OST is composed brilliantly and fits perfectly with a boxing atmosphere. The pacing of the Anime definitely breaks any monotony it may build up as the passage of time leads to the characters having improved so much they almost box entirely differently. The back stories are well written and hard to forget, even the filler which is extremely rare feels like a treat to watch as you wait to uncover the back story of a character you've known for quite awhile.

Ippo's story of his struggle to overcome the challenges he faces by sheer effort and willpower will inspire you, and the twists and well placed cliffhangers will keep you wanting to watch more by the end of each episode.

I strongly recommend Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirits in the US) to anyone of nearly any age.

This anime series has jaw dropping fights and the training is just straight up motivational and fun to watch it even made me get up the bed and do some shadow boxing. Overall the actual boxing is somewhat realistic. The characters are very likeable and seeing them have fun and mess with each other is very fun to watch also. I think everyone should see this anime in their life. 10/10.

I hold any work that can force emotion in extremely high regard; The camaraderie, empathy and resolve we hope for in Leon (a protagonist that in society would be disregarded and ignored).

The sheer horror from the inability to comprehend non existential thoughts/beings and the ultimate influence and motive in The Shining.

Hajime no ippo manages to force emotion in almost every genre. I cried with laughter, I gritted my teeth with painful restraint, I shared their friendship, I accepted loss, I celebrated wins.

The best part about all of this is you can share these emotions with near most all of the characters introduced.

Most of all this taught me to respect and appreciate a sport I previously thought was barbaric.

The soundtrack is incredible and the art style and direction is bursting with passion and empathy, you can feel every punch and relate to the hard work and drive that goes into every fight and training regime.

Absolutely incredible anime that I cannot recommend enough (also nearly every boxer has a real life counterpart to some degree).

It is the best sports anime I have ever seen and it is my best anime.

Pros: Decent story Nice backgrounds for characters Some character growth Animation is really nice Easy to relate to the characters

Meh: Fights are somewhat predictable.

I really liked this anime because it had a decent story with nice animations. I am not a sports fan, so the story just wasn't for me, and i ended up dropping the series after about 12 episodes. Nonetheless, i felt i had to remark on its quality. The characters are likeable, the fights are fast paced, and you almost being to feel for the characters being punched. The animations really do communicate well, and is worth watching an episode or two just for that.

If you are not a sports fan, it's less likely that you will enjoy the story. Then again, there is a lot to relate to. I only dropped it because boxing rubs me the wrong way, and even then, i just had to watch a good few episodes first. So, from me, i have mixed feelings about the anime. But if you're looking for a decent story, you might just find it here.

What does it mean to be strong? How do you know when you are strong? Hajime No Ippo is a wonderful sports shonen anime comparable to Slam Dunk. It has the vibes, development, and technicality that seperates it from most sport/shonen animes.

The story is pretty good though not perfect. It has light immature comedy, and a tiny bit of romance. The directing knew how to main proper atmosphere and tone in different backgrounds such as in the boxing ring. There is seriously nothing that is flawed or something particularly bad about this anime, it a well rounded anime. The pacing is great though a tad bit inconsistent especially during matches. When you are feeling down this anime is a definite go to to bring your mood up. Most of the matches were really good, full of action and dialogue but was predictable at times. And what happpens outside the ring is just as great. Mostly focues on Ippo but some on Miyata and the group as a whole and the opponents. And themes about family and commitment, the whole story felt like a motivational video.

Ippo is the main character in this anime. Ippo's perserveance and strength are two of Ippo's most unique traits. No matter how many times you hit him he will get back right up. He is considered wimpy/weird by many of his peers and gets bullied occasionally. But one day he found his destiny(boxing) with the help of a certain person. He simply asks himself"What does it mean to be strong?". He is truly a kind hearted person and is humble and doesn't take things too personally and his development is great. Even though Takamura might seem like a bad person from the outside deep down he a good person. The enemies have their own origins and story. The supporting characters are pretty good some such as Aoki and Kimura serving as comic reliefs while others as detailed characters such as Kamogawa and Sendo and Miyata that have their own story. Overall a wide variety of characters that are solid for the most part.

Even though Ippo is like 20 years the animation is smooth with pretty good shading and the character designs are great, the only problem with the visuals is the clarity and sharpenss of the world. Ex. If they do a long shot for the camera everything seems a bit undetailed and you can't tell how the character's face looks like and etc. The close ups for the camera were great. You could tell when the boxer was in pain and what his emotion was like and you could see how poweful the punches were up close. And lastly it had hilarious icongraphy when the characters would be in awkward/funny dialogues.

The music is great and was really enchanting. Especially the electric guitar symphony which is great. The use of the violin, guitar, drums, trumpet, and paino it made such a difference in the tone and atmosphere of the story. The songs they used were pretty good also. Though there are no intro and outros. Very diverse set of instruments but mostly consisted of electronic music.

Overall a very enjoyable anime. The second anime I watched after AOT and ranks as one of my top 3 favorite animes of all time. After watching this show I can't stop myself doing jabs every once in a while. Though in my opnion it's not bingey worthy and requires some patience from the viewer every once in a while cuz it might be a bit dull or repetetive at times though near the end it does get better.

Memorable: YES Rewatchable: Yes.

Best series ever how is redacted i have gotten really into it you should give it a chance, I'll give it 10/10 for an anime series.

This is just awesome. I am thoroughly disappointed with myself for not watching this sooner and feel sad that, a masterpiece like this is underrated.

I have never been a fan of a sport other than cricket, but this show has made me a Boxing fan.

What I enjoyed the most about this is, unlike most shounen anime, where there are sudden power ups making the characters stronger, this one shows real development of the character in terms of strength, determination through intense training and constant hustle.

Each and every character in this show is likeable because of their unique ways of fighting and for their unique beliefs about fighting.

The icing on the cake here is the wonderful soundtrack and BGM which makes the show when more captivating and interesting.

I would highly recommend this show because it has everything, action, drama, comedy, rivalry, camaraderie (little bit of love also..) 75 episodes of sheer power, motivation and friendship. Truly the most inspiring anime I have ever watched.

After watching rocky Balboa I liked boxing. Man this anime is something. Anime is the best. It's very motivating and exciting. Man there are scene which I wanted to see more n more like the dancy roll something that was something to watch.

This anime is truly great from plot to background osts , everything is good..its like the artist has put his own soul into this..there are not many shows which gave as thrill as this.At first I thought it would be like any other sports Anime where it is all about sports..but eventually it proved me wrong as I went on watching where they show how hard it is to be a boxer where you earn very little money for getting beaten so badly..it focuses on the reality of how boxers lives ..this anime deserves to be the best sports Anime...at least to me I was glad that I got to watch this sports masterpiece..no one would regret watching it!!

Hajime no ippo is about a guy named (ippo) who goes from being bullied by his classmates to become one of the best fighters in the world. The best thing about this show is that this doesn't only revolve around boxing but also shows you the hardships along the way while purusing a dream and shows the obstacles that we face in doing that and how to overcome it. It's a perfect blend of sports and comedy. This is totally worth watching OST'S are really good.

Arigato:)

I'm not a sports enthusiast in real life or in entertainment media; however, one of my favorite series is an anime about boxing. Its name is 'Fighting Spirit' or 'Hajime no Ippo', which literally means 'First Step'. It's the most motivating and inspiring story I've watched.

'Hajime no Ippo' is a Japanese boxing-themed manga and anime. It's categorized as a 'spokon' or sport genre anime. 'Fighting Spirit' is the adaptation of the manga with the same name written and illustrated by Jyoji Morikawa since 1988. The anime was produced by MadHouse studios between 2000 and 2002. The story shines because of its knowledge and adaptation of the boxing sport, the charismatic cast, excellent animation, and soundtrack.

The story is about Ippo Makunouchi. At the beginning, he is a high school student with a huge heart. He helps his mom in the early morning with her fishing boat business and is a bullying victim because he is unable to hurt another person or make them respect him. But one day, while he was being insulted and hit by some bullies, he was saved by a professional boxer, who shows Ippo the world of boxing and discovers in him an amazing talent and physical aptitude due to his activities on the fishing boat.

The anime imparts life lessons related to the importance of effort, discipline, sacrifice, and many other topics, with a main character who is a noble protagonist, with some self-esteem issues, but who shows character and heart in what he is truly passionate about. Watching 'Fighting Spirit', you will enjoy a lot of action and fights, training sequences that motivate you in whatever activity you do, simple or silly jokes, and even romantic drama at some moments. Ippo Makunouchi has taught me that there are no unattainable goals as long as I give my heart and discipline with total conviction.

I don't usually like anime but this is another level. If someone tried to make a parody video of what a boxing anime would look like, they wouldn't even come close to this whateverthisis. Each episode is just exposition and more exposition and a little more exposition, followed by a lot more exposition. It has no character development, and nothing happens at all, ever. I regret the time I invested watching it (the few episodes I did watch) and I want it back. Probably one of those things that should have remained a manga.

I've seen this series as Hajime no ippo(in India) in Japanese language. If you love martial arts and anime then you'll totally love this series, more over this series has explained the minutest boxing techniques in most detailed manner. I've been a student in a boxing club in teenage and this anime was an opportunity to remove the nostalgia of those days. Dempsy roll, twisting shoulder to generate extra reach & power, playing as a south paw player, everything is taught to a boxer.

The fear of heavyweight senior Takamura san is funny but real too. All clubs/arenas have this one senior who is experienced, powerful and cocky 😁😁. Also the journey of Ippo from a rookie to his weight category champion is beautifully shown in this series. About how a boxer feels, how his mind works, how his body reacts inside the ring, everything is beautifully shown in this series.

Conclusion - a must watch if you love sports anime.