Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e31 Episode Script
Traces of Intense Battles
1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
MONTHLY BOXING FAN
Why is the article a reject, sir?
It just is!
I've told you countless times the readers
don't like dry articles like this!
Write it over immediately.
I want it by today!
THE PLUSES AND MINUSES
OF THE BOXING WORLD, 1ST DRAF
Oh, brother.
I see.
The All-Japan Rookie Match
is the day after tomorrow.
The Featherweight class
is receiving lots of attention.
Word of mouth is mostly in Sendo's favor.
If the injured fist from the Mashiba
vs. Makunouchi fight recovers,
I think it will be
an interesting match, but
But to think that he made it
all the way to the All-Japan!
TRACES OF INTENSE BATTLES
After his professional debut,
he won the two preliminaries by KO.
Off to a good start,
Makunouchi proceeded to tackle
the Eastern Japan
Rookie Championship Tournament.
His first opponent was
a black boxer named Ozuma,
whose specialty is fierce hooks
from either side.
For Makunouchi, a close-range fighter,
he was a tough customer to deal with.
He's getting faster!
I don't have a chance to hit back!
Their battle turned into
a feverish knock-down battle.
The fight was so close,
either could have won.
Right there!
This is it! This is the hook!
I can't dodge it!
I've got to stop it
before the barrage starts!
It didn't hurt! It didn't
I still don't feel a
Take this!
Oh, no! I over-swung and lost my balance!
Ippo was overpowered
in the exchange of punches!
He's finally at his limit.
Kid! Now it's do-or-die!
Use willpower, and keep punching back!
Damn!
Ippo!
I have to win!
I promised Mama-san and the guys!
I have to win!
-Lash out, Ippo!
-It's no good. He's completely trapped!
Oh, shit!
This is the end.
This is the end for you, Makunouchi!
It's a direct hit! Victory is mine!
The fight was finally won
by the dodge hook
and launch barrage maneuver
that he acquired
through intensive training.
And so, Ippo Makunouchi
cleared the first round
of the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament.
I I did it.
His second round opponent was Kobashi.
He is by no means
a boxer with spectacular technique,
however, he studied Makunouchi
and pinpointed his weak points.
You look really tired.
But if he makes it to the final round,
you won't win by decision.
Just as Kobashi planned it.
That's not acceptable!
I'll do it, you'll see!
I won't give up until it's over!
He has nerves of steel!
He should have run out of power ages ago!
Fall!
I did it! He's going to fall!
Body blow!
As long as I have strength,
I'll keep punching!
Take this!
He's swinging wide!
Overpowered by points,
and at the brink of losing
by judges' decision,
Makunouchi won seconds from
the end of the 4th round
with a KO reversal.
His inexperience stood out
like a sore thumb,
but in the end he was able to show
his fearsome punching power.
Then came the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament Semi-Final.
He was up against
the MVP candidate, Ryuichi Hayami.
With his deadly punch called the Shotgun,
quick moves, and perfected techniques,
Makunouchi's odds of victory
were near zero in everyone's eyes.
What incredible strength!
This guy is a true prodigy.
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
What?! You want to learn
how to counterpunch?
Please, sir!
You fool. That is a highly advanced skill!
What if I know what punch is coming next?
What did you say?
There is a certain punch
I know he's going to use on me!
However, Makunouchi didn't give up.
He planned his counterattack
and fought until the bitter end.
I have to synchronize my right hook!
What?! A counterpunch?
Go!
I'll get you first!
I can't afford to lose
on a small stage like this!
I'm going to steamroller you!
The match proceeded under
Hayami's overwhelming advantage,
but ultimately, it evolved
into exchanging punches.
And then
Hayami sank into the mat.
It was Makunouchi's victory,
unpredicted by anyone.
He had finally advanced to the final match
of the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament.
I I did it.
I won.
All right!
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
Makunouchi was now a finalist,
and the other semi-final
would determine the other finalist.
The other fighters were Miyata,
who had a promise to keep with Makunouchi,
and Mashiba, who slaughtered
his competition with flicker jabs
and merciless fighting.
What a heartwarming father-son scene.
Are you going to run to Daddy
for comfort when you lose?
Comfort from a second-class boxer,
who failed to become a champion.
Don't be so hasty.
We'll settle this tomorrow.
He's so far away!
His punch is so long and fast,
it's confusing Miyata.
This time, Miyata is stumped.
What?!
Now he's assuming the hitman style!
This is an insult.
Shoulder-block!
Too slow!
It was a high-level fight,
but Miyata led the match
by a slight advantage.
His counter hit home,
and at the very moment
he was about to take the match
He's open for a counterpunch!
This is bad!
It hit his face!
Was it accidental or intentional?
His balance upset by
Mashiba stepping on his foot,
Miyata fell victim to
Mashiba's rush attack.
Miyata suffered a knockdown. However
Who the hell is this guy?!
Isn't he just a spoiled brat
who always sucks up to Daddy?!
How can he take this much abuse?!
I must win.
Miyata fought desperately,
beaten to a pulp all the way.
His fighting spirit was so powerful,
it made even Mashiba recoil in fear.
In the end, however,
that awesome fighting spirit gave out.
Counterpunch!
The timing is bang-on!
It's going to connect!
Miyata was defeated.
To Makunouchi, who had fought
his way to the top with Miyata as a goal,
it signified losing his objective.
However, Mashiba is not merely
a boxer who resorts to dirty tricks.
He is a boxer with true ability.
Master of the hard-to-dodge flicker jab,
with a finishing move
consisting of a sharp chopping right.
His one and only blood relative
is a younger sister.
Mashiba's hunger for success
is the source of his power.
If I become World Champion,
I'll make a fortune.
When that happens,
how do you think they'll see us?
I can't wait.
EASTERN JAPAN ROOKIE CHAMPIONSHIP
And finally, it was time
for the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship final.
The match between
Makunouchi and Mashiba had begun.
Now it's about to begin.
Will the Hitman use his flicker jabs?
Or will Makunouchi's dynamite explode?
The outlook is 50-50.
Either way, it should end by KO!
REMAINING TIME 3 MINUTES
Round one!
Whoa! Makunouchi has lunged out!
All right!
He's in deep!
Go, kid!
He's studied the weaknesses
of the hitman style thoroughly.
Also, if he's mastered
the timing to go in,
you'll have to change your strategy.
So, now what?
Are you going to raise your guard?
If you let him in, you'll have to deal
with his destructive power!
His destructive power?
Yeah, it's pretty good.
However, that same power
will give him hell.
The bastard will destroy himself
with his own punches.
His body's open!
Makunouchi throws
a powerful right body blow!
Makunouchi suffered from
the overwhelming difference in reach.
His daring leaps to get inside
were elbow blocked.
However, he found a means of attack
through blows to Mashiba's elbow,
and finally brought the match around
to his specialty, infighting.
I'm not finished yet!
Makunouchi throws another right,
aiming for punch-on-punch!
What's this?
Mashiba's left arm is staying down!
What's wrong with Mashiba?
This is it!
Ryo!
I can't lose!
Hitman Flicker?!
He's bluffing! Flickers are not coming!
Go!
Kid!
Mashiba wouldn't budge.
Makunouchi wouldn't budge.
It was a fight worthy of a final.
The element that finally settled the match
was Makunouchi's explosive barrage,
fearless of possible injury to his fist.
It's not enough!
It'll take more than this
to make Mashiba-san fall!
It's still not enough!
It'll take more than that
to knock me down!
I'm starting to lose feeling
in my right fist.
I must go now while he's still reeling
from the earlier damage!
No! If he takes a punch
in the face right now,
there's no way he'll withstand it!
I can't lose.
I can't afford to lose!
I can't afford to I can't afford to lose!
This guy has no intention of letting go!
If that's the case, I have my own plan!
I'm not about to lose!
Why, you
Neither is compromising!
Both boxers display great tenacity!
Who in the world will fall first?!
Ippo! Keep punching!
You're getting him!
I can't afford to
Just a little more!
It's coming undone!
Mashiba's clinch is
gradually coming undone!
Get
off
of
me!
He's off!
Go, kid! It's your chance!
Pour your heart
and soul into your punches!
Ryo!
He's down! Mashiba falls!
He did it!
Mashiba truly persevered,
but he finally fell for the first time!
And in all likelihood,
this will be a reversal KO!
I don't want to lose!
Mashiba exhausted his strength!
He literally sank into the canvas!
I did it.
I won!
I did it!
And that is how Makunouchi conquered
the Eastern Japan Rookie Tournament.
It was a time that witnessed a clumsy
boxer blossom into a seasoned fighter.
However, Makunouchi's battle
is far from over.
The defeated Mashiba,
and Miyata, who didn't get to fight,
are working towards their next goal.
ROCKY OF NANIWA
And the Featherweight Rookie Champion
of Western Japan, Takeshi Sendo.
You can't beat this fighter
who won his way through
with overwhelming punching power,
without the proper amount of care.
On top of that,
Makunouchi's fist is damaged
from his fight against Mashiba.
Will he be able to fight?
Will he heal in time for the match?
Sendo vs. Makunouchi
A clash between two natural-born fighters.
It will definitely be a fight not to miss.
As a reporter, and as a boxing fan,
I'm looking forward to it Makunouchi!
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
Slugger.
A boxer who combines
fighting instinct and attack power.
A boxer who chooses to be hit
over not being hit, and seeks to
knock down opponents
instead of winning by points.
I can't protect it forever.
Unless I throw
my first right punch solidly,
that moment will seal my fate!
I don't care if that's how it has to be.
I still want to stand in the ring!
Next time, "Throw Your Right!"
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
MONTHLY BOXING FAN
Why is the article a reject, sir?
It just is!
I've told you countless times the readers
don't like dry articles like this!
Write it over immediately.
I want it by today!
THE PLUSES AND MINUSES
OF THE BOXING WORLD, 1ST DRAF
Oh, brother.
I see.
The All-Japan Rookie Match
is the day after tomorrow.
The Featherweight class
is receiving lots of attention.
Word of mouth is mostly in Sendo's favor.
If the injured fist from the Mashiba
vs. Makunouchi fight recovers,
I think it will be
an interesting match, but
But to think that he made it
all the way to the All-Japan!
TRACES OF INTENSE BATTLES
After his professional debut,
he won the two preliminaries by KO.
Off to a good start,
Makunouchi proceeded to tackle
the Eastern Japan
Rookie Championship Tournament.
His first opponent was
a black boxer named Ozuma,
whose specialty is fierce hooks
from either side.
For Makunouchi, a close-range fighter,
he was a tough customer to deal with.
He's getting faster!
I don't have a chance to hit back!
Their battle turned into
a feverish knock-down battle.
The fight was so close,
either could have won.
Right there!
This is it! This is the hook!
I can't dodge it!
I've got to stop it
before the barrage starts!
It didn't hurt! It didn't
I still don't feel a
Take this!
Oh, no! I over-swung and lost my balance!
Ippo was overpowered
in the exchange of punches!
He's finally at his limit.
Kid! Now it's do-or-die!
Use willpower, and keep punching back!
Damn!
Ippo!
I have to win!
I promised Mama-san and the guys!
I have to win!
-Lash out, Ippo!
-It's no good. He's completely trapped!
Oh, shit!
This is the end.
This is the end for you, Makunouchi!
It's a direct hit! Victory is mine!
The fight was finally won
by the dodge hook
and launch barrage maneuver
that he acquired
through intensive training.
And so, Ippo Makunouchi
cleared the first round
of the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament.
I I did it.
His second round opponent was Kobashi.
He is by no means
a boxer with spectacular technique,
however, he studied Makunouchi
and pinpointed his weak points.
You look really tired.
But if he makes it to the final round,
you won't win by decision.
Just as Kobashi planned it.
That's not acceptable!
I'll do it, you'll see!
I won't give up until it's over!
He has nerves of steel!
He should have run out of power ages ago!
Fall!
I did it! He's going to fall!
Body blow!
As long as I have strength,
I'll keep punching!
Take this!
He's swinging wide!
Overpowered by points,
and at the brink of losing
by judges' decision,
Makunouchi won seconds from
the end of the 4th round
with a KO reversal.
His inexperience stood out
like a sore thumb,
but in the end he was able to show
his fearsome punching power.
Then came the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament Semi-Final.
He was up against
the MVP candidate, Ryuichi Hayami.
With his deadly punch called the Shotgun,
quick moves, and perfected techniques,
Makunouchi's odds of victory
were near zero in everyone's eyes.
What incredible strength!
This guy is a true prodigy.
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
What?! You want to learn
how to counterpunch?
Please, sir!
You fool. That is a highly advanced skill!
What if I know what punch is coming next?
What did you say?
There is a certain punch
I know he's going to use on me!
However, Makunouchi didn't give up.
He planned his counterattack
and fought until the bitter end.
I have to synchronize my right hook!
What?! A counterpunch?
Go!
I'll get you first!
I can't afford to lose
on a small stage like this!
I'm going to steamroller you!
The match proceeded under
Hayami's overwhelming advantage,
but ultimately, it evolved
into exchanging punches.
And then
Hayami sank into the mat.
It was Makunouchi's victory,
unpredicted by anyone.
He had finally advanced to the final match
of the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship Tournament.
I I did it.
I won.
All right!
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
Makunouchi was now a finalist,
and the other semi-final
would determine the other finalist.
The other fighters were Miyata,
who had a promise to keep with Makunouchi,
and Mashiba, who slaughtered
his competition with flicker jabs
and merciless fighting.
What a heartwarming father-son scene.
Are you going to run to Daddy
for comfort when you lose?
Comfort from a second-class boxer,
who failed to become a champion.
Don't be so hasty.
We'll settle this tomorrow.
He's so far away!
His punch is so long and fast,
it's confusing Miyata.
This time, Miyata is stumped.
What?!
Now he's assuming the hitman style!
This is an insult.
Shoulder-block!
Too slow!
It was a high-level fight,
but Miyata led the match
by a slight advantage.
His counter hit home,
and at the very moment
he was about to take the match
He's open for a counterpunch!
This is bad!
It hit his face!
Was it accidental or intentional?
His balance upset by
Mashiba stepping on his foot,
Miyata fell victim to
Mashiba's rush attack.
Miyata suffered a knockdown. However
Who the hell is this guy?!
Isn't he just a spoiled brat
who always sucks up to Daddy?!
How can he take this much abuse?!
I must win.
Miyata fought desperately,
beaten to a pulp all the way.
His fighting spirit was so powerful,
it made even Mashiba recoil in fear.
In the end, however,
that awesome fighting spirit gave out.
Counterpunch!
The timing is bang-on!
It's going to connect!
Miyata was defeated.
To Makunouchi, who had fought
his way to the top with Miyata as a goal,
it signified losing his objective.
However, Mashiba is not merely
a boxer who resorts to dirty tricks.
He is a boxer with true ability.
Master of the hard-to-dodge flicker jab,
with a finishing move
consisting of a sharp chopping right.
His one and only blood relative
is a younger sister.
Mashiba's hunger for success
is the source of his power.
If I become World Champion,
I'll make a fortune.
When that happens,
how do you think they'll see us?
I can't wait.
EASTERN JAPAN ROOKIE CHAMPIONSHIP
And finally, it was time
for the Eastern Japan Rookie
Championship final.
The match between
Makunouchi and Mashiba had begun.
Now it's about to begin.
Will the Hitman use his flicker jabs?
Or will Makunouchi's dynamite explode?
The outlook is 50-50.
Either way, it should end by KO!
REMAINING TIME 3 MINUTES
Round one!
Whoa! Makunouchi has lunged out!
All right!
He's in deep!
Go, kid!
He's studied the weaknesses
of the hitman style thoroughly.
Also, if he's mastered
the timing to go in,
you'll have to change your strategy.
So, now what?
Are you going to raise your guard?
If you let him in, you'll have to deal
with his destructive power!
His destructive power?
Yeah, it's pretty good.
However, that same power
will give him hell.
The bastard will destroy himself
with his own punches.
His body's open!
Makunouchi throws
a powerful right body blow!
Makunouchi suffered from
the overwhelming difference in reach.
His daring leaps to get inside
were elbow blocked.
However, he found a means of attack
through blows to Mashiba's elbow,
and finally brought the match around
to his specialty, infighting.
I'm not finished yet!
Makunouchi throws another right,
aiming for punch-on-punch!
What's this?
Mashiba's left arm is staying down!
What's wrong with Mashiba?
This is it!
Ryo!
I can't lose!
Hitman Flicker?!
He's bluffing! Flickers are not coming!
Go!
Kid!
Mashiba wouldn't budge.
Makunouchi wouldn't budge.
It was a fight worthy of a final.
The element that finally settled the match
was Makunouchi's explosive barrage,
fearless of possible injury to his fist.
It's not enough!
It'll take more than this
to make Mashiba-san fall!
It's still not enough!
It'll take more than that
to knock me down!
I'm starting to lose feeling
in my right fist.
I must go now while he's still reeling
from the earlier damage!
No! If he takes a punch
in the face right now,
there's no way he'll withstand it!
I can't lose.
I can't afford to lose!
I can't afford to I can't afford to lose!
This guy has no intention of letting go!
If that's the case, I have my own plan!
I'm not about to lose!
Why, you
Neither is compromising!
Both boxers display great tenacity!
Who in the world will fall first?!
Ippo! Keep punching!
You're getting him!
I can't afford to
Just a little more!
It's coming undone!
Mashiba's clinch is
gradually coming undone!
Get
off
of
me!
He's off!
Go, kid! It's your chance!
Pour your heart
and soul into your punches!
Ryo!
He's down! Mashiba falls!
He did it!
Mashiba truly persevered,
but he finally fell for the first time!
And in all likelihood,
this will be a reversal KO!
I don't want to lose!
Mashiba exhausted his strength!
He literally sank into the canvas!
I did it.
I won!
I did it!
And that is how Makunouchi conquered
the Eastern Japan Rookie Tournament.
It was a time that witnessed a clumsy
boxer blossom into a seasoned fighter.
However, Makunouchi's battle
is far from over.
The defeated Mashiba,
and Miyata, who didn't get to fight,
are working towards their next goal.
ROCKY OF NANIWA
And the Featherweight Rookie Champion
of Western Japan, Takeshi Sendo.
You can't beat this fighter
who won his way through
with overwhelming punching power,
without the proper amount of care.
On top of that,
Makunouchi's fist is damaged
from his fight against Mashiba.
Will he be able to fight?
Will he heal in time for the match?
Sendo vs. Makunouchi
A clash between two natural-born fighters.
It will definitely be a fight not to miss.
As a reporter, and as a boxing fan,
I'm looking forward to it Makunouchi!
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
Slugger.
A boxer who combines
fighting instinct and attack power.
A boxer who chooses to be hit
over not being hit, and seeks to
knock down opponents
instead of winning by points.
I can't protect it forever.
Unless I throw
my first right punch solidly,
that moment will seal my fate!
I don't care if that's how it has to be.
I still want to stand in the ring!
Next time, "Throw Your Right!"