Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e14 Episode Script

1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
MONTHLY BOXING FAN
Once again, it is time for this year's
Rookie King Championship Tournament.
This tournament has produced
many promising boxers,
and any boxer who wins this title
will most likely go on to become
a world champion.
The level of competition in Eastern Japan
is extremely high this year.
Hayami, champ of the Interscholastic
Yoshida, the runner-up
Mashiba, who fights
with a high-level of perfection
and Miyata, who is widely viewed
as a boxing prodigy.
No matter who wins,
he will surely make the future world
of boxing his stage.
My own attention is on Makunouchi
of the Kamogawa Boxing Gym.
He has two wins out of two with two KOs.
His dynamic punching style fills
this reporter with big dreams.
His first match opponent is Jason Ozuma.
I look forward to the exciting
clash of sharp hooks and punches.
These are battles of
rookies striving to reach the top.
There may be a future boxing champion
among them.
We can't use this, Fujii.
Write about Hayami or Miyata.
Who's Makunouchi?!
This is why I can't leave
the opening article to you.
I knew he'd say that.
POWERFUL ARMS! HOOK VS. UPPERCUT!
KOURAKUEN HALL
Makunouchi, you are within
the featherweight class weight limit.
Next, Ozuma. Step up.
He has a wiry physique.
His muscles look like springs.
Ozuma has passed the weight limit.
Kamogawa-san,
I'm looking forward to the match.
Same here.
I'm not comfortable
having my weight checked.
Everybody glares at me.
Hi, Makunouchi-san!
Uh What?
I hear that you are a strong fighter.
I will give our match my very best.
Let's have a good fight!
Huh?
You know, as in first step,
second step. "Ippo."
-Is this embarrassing or what?
-I agree.
You idiot.
What do you mean, "Yes, yes!"
I'm sorry.
It's just that all my opponents
so far tried to intimidate me,
so I was surprised by his friendliness.
Yeah, but don't you think
Ozuma-san is a gentleman?
All right, I'll give it my best too!
He's as cheerful as ever.
But don't you think
he's at his most relaxed yet?
Yes. He's at his best condition.
The question is, how far will he show
the result of his intensive training?
FISHING BOAT RENTAL MAKUNOUCHI
Thank you for the meal!
-Hey, Mom?
-Hmm?
Can you make it to watch me tomorrow?
I don't want to go out
only to see you get hit.
I can't bring myself to go.
I'll come see you
when you can promise me you won't get hit.
That's impossible.
Whether you win or lose,
don't get hurt, okay?
Here you go.
Okay!
SAKURA PARK
I'll dodge his hook
and deliver a short uppercut to his chest!
That will trigger a barrage of punches.
That's what I'm aiming for!
KOURAKUEN HALL
ROOM D
Listen, apparently Makunouchi
is a typical in-fighter.
The match will probably turn
into a close proximity free-for-all.
The ability to focus
is the key to victory.
Good.
ROOM B
Makunouchi, please get ready.
Right!
Excellent.
-Let's go, kid!
-Right!
Finally, it's Ozuma's turn.
You idiot! What's the point
of you getting nervous?!
I know, but his opponent, Makunouchi,
won both of his matches with KOs.
I'm thinking he's pretty strong.
What are you talking about?!
No rookie is stronger than Ozuma!
Next is the much
talked-of Ozuma, isn't it?
Yeah. I heard he incapacitated
a Nerima Boxing Group boxer
to the extent he can't participate
in this tournament.
Really?
Makunouchi's punches
are also quite something,
but it seems he had bad luck in the draw.
Hey, the guys talking in front of us
are affiliates from some boxing gym.
That Ozuma guy sounds really strong.
Heh, why don't we wait
and see how tough he really is?
TOURNAMENT RING
Ozuma!
We came to support you like we promised!
We're behind you all the way!
Give it your best!
They're here.
It's okay. I will win.
Is this for real?
Ippo's going to fight that guy!
Ippo actually came out!
You idiot! Of course he came out!
We're counting on you, Ippo!
Don't lose your first match!
Wow. He's in the fighting spirit.
In the red corner,
from the Hachinohe Boxing Group,
three of three with three KOs,
weighing at 125 and three-quarter pounds
Jason Ozuma!
In the blue corner,
from the Kamogawa Boxing Gym,
two of two with two KOs,
weighing in at exactly 124 pounds
Ippo Makunouchi!
Go Ozuma!
Round one!
Ozuma, go for it!
We're here for you!
Go for it, Ippo!
Lose, and you'll pay!
I can't let him control the pace.
The first to make a move wins.
He was thinking the same thing!
I'll keep attacking
until I create a window!
His jabs are so heavy!
Right on! The kid forced it to go
at his own pace!
Give him a barrage of punches!
Don't give him a chance to counter!
Damn, he got control of the pace.
Ozuma, get away from Makunouchi!
Regain your balance!
Got him!
It's working?!
The idiot got hasty and took a big swing.
Oh, no!
Damn! It's a right hook!
Got him!
He dodged!
The intensive training
has achieved fruition!
Now it's my turn!
What the?!
He dodged me!
Unbelievable!
Who could dodge from that position?
What an amazing hook!
In terms of sharpness,
he's definitely in the same class
as Takamura-san!
That air slicing sound is not normal.
If I took an uppercut like that,
there would be hell to pay!
He dodged my left hook too!
This time, to the body!
What an incredible sound.
That's no Japanese uppercut!
Yeah! And if you took a hook
like that to the body, you'd be done for!
Wow! This is exciting!
They're fighting at such close range,
but nothing connects!
What?
This is an unbelievable series
of killer blows!
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
What an incredible sound.
That's no Japanese uppercut!
Yeah! And if you took a hook
like that to the body, you'll be done for!
Wow! This is exciting!
They're fighting at such close range,
but nothing connects!
What?
This is an unbelievable series
of killer blows!
He's fast!
A double right hook.
That was a perfect swing.
Another left!
He's getting faster!
I don't have a chance to hit back!
He can't dodge them continuously.
Unless he cuts his way out of there,
he has no chance of winning!
Speed, technique
Ozuma is one notch above in everything.
Another double right hook!
No, a triple!
That was close!
Left?! No! I don't have time!
He's strong.
He did it!
Ippo!
Don't be hasty, kid!
Rest until he counts eight!
He's right. Calm down.
Calm down. I need to rest
as long as possible.
He's going to get to his feet.
He ducked slightly before contact,
lessening the damage.
-Are you all right? Can you continue?
-Yes.
That hit hard.
That's more than enough time.
I won't let you get away!
Damn, that bastard is nerve-wracking!
But it left a lot of damage. This is bad.
Ozuma will probably try to finish him.
He's getting into position to rush.
A four-round match
only allows two knockdowns.
I have to avoid being knocked down again
for the remaining time!
I'll finish him in one blow!
What incredible mental strength!
But my punches have to be working!
This will finish you!
Oh, no!
At any rate, I have to stop him!
Whoa! In his desperation,
he threw a counterpunch!
But it was mutual.
No, they were both
shallow, ineffective blows.
However, it struck a mental blow.
I know they weren't perfect
but he still took my three best shots!
I felt that.
If he closes in now,
it'll definitely be the end of me.
He still has life in his eyes.
If I jump in without thinking,
who knows what he'll do.
Stay back!
REMAINING TIME - 2 SECONDS
He got through the first round!
I thought it was hopeless halfway through!
You've got guts, little guy!
That was a long first round!
I was having a hard time breathing
just watching that.
They make me feel tired.
Damn, he couldn't finish him all the way.
I was so sure he'd finish him too.
That Makunouchi guy is pretty tough!
I'm saved!
I'm sorry, sir.
We did all that practicing
and I took a hook anyway!
Actually, you faced off equally.
You're doing a good job.
No, I'm not. I fell down too.
Ozuma's hook just happened
to hit you first, that's all.
If your uppercut had landed first,
the flow of the match
would have been the reverse.
The difference was paper-thin.
Go into the second round
using the same strategy.
Exchange blows!
But his barrage of hooks is so fast.
With the way I duck,
I'll be caught eventually.
To exchange blows,
I have to stop his barrage.
Idiot! You just did
that in the last round!
Oh, we hit at the same time!
Did you see how petrified Ozuma looked
when you did that?
That's how extraordinary your punches are.
Have confidence,
and challenge him fair and square!
If you take Ozuma's hook
when you connect with him
without a doubt,
you will also be hurt severely.
But you can't be a boxer
if you're afraid of the risk.
Yes, sir!
Makunouchi has a punch up his sleeve.
If you let it drag on,
you'll never know when
he'll use his lucky punch again!
Fortunately, he hasn't been able
to fully respond to your rapid hooks.
The next round is key.
Catch him in a barrage
and finish him fast!
All right.
Now go, Ozuma!
Seconds out!
Kid!
Even if you get punched,
don't let it show on your face.
No matter how bad it hurts, keep telling
yourself you didn't feel a thing!
That's the secret to survival
in a smack-up rally!
Yes, sir!
You're finished!
The guy is trying to knock him down
from the get-go.
Right there!
Argh! This is the same as before!
The barrage will start!
This is it! This is the hook!
I can't dodge it!
I've got to stop it
before the barrage starts!
All right! He stopped Ozuma!
My God! He stopped
the barrage with a counterpunch!
You idiot. That's the worst counterpunch
I've ever seen!
He took the full damage!
They hit each other again!
I didn't feel a thing!
His strategy was to hit simultaneously!
They did it again!
No number of bodies
is enough for that strategy!
Still, the same can be said for Ozuma.
Counting on your own guts
may be a primitive strategy,
but to combat Ozuma's superior
speed and technique,
this might be the best strategy
for Ippo to put his power in play.
What a punch!
This match won't be decided by points,
no matter how it ends.
Which fighter will survive?
This is definitely worth watching!
Short range.
The distance in which both boxers
can reach each other.
The distance in which mutual damage
will be done if the punches hit.
That's right, the damage is mutual.
That's why I won't give up!
It didn't hurt!
I have to stop his barrage!
I have to make a stand and fight back!
This is the only place I can fight!
This is my distance!
Next time, "Test of Endurance."