Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e37 Episode Script

1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
NAKADAI BOXING GYM
Got you!
It's the corkscrew!
I got hit!
His left follow-up is coming!
I have to raise my guard!
I must raise my guard!
What am I doing? I have to raise my guard!
What? What happened?
A THING TO STRIVE FOR
Sempai!
That was intense! Date-san scored
a knockdown in a sparring match.
Yeah, but wasn't something weird
about Makunouchi's movement just now?
Did Date-san do something to him?
That was flawless, Date.
The experiment is a success.
Yeah, although there's room
for improvement.
Anyway, it was adequate for a trial run.
I feel a little sorry for
Makunouchi having to act as a guinea pig.
Whoa! He got up!
Ten seconds haven't gone by yet, right?
Sempai!
That was an amazing left.
If not for the headgear, I wouldn't be up.
But the thing is,
I knew a left was coming.
For all that
it was like time had stopped for me alone.
No, I need to think calmly.
Time-stopping punch doesn't exist!
I must have been paralyzed
as a reaction to something.
What on earth did Date-san do to me?!
I'm ready. Please continue!
But still, Makunouchi-kun
I need to burn more calories.
That would be a great help.
Hey, Date!
This is a rare encounter
with the champion!
It would be wasteful to
let it end like this!
Go ahead.
This isn't about winning or losing.
I came here to learn!
He still has plenty of pep!
I'm being led into a corner again!
The corkscrew!
This is the punch!
I remember it up to this point!
Where did he hit me last time?!
This trajectory His target
isn't my face, it's my body!
I contained it!
I'm wrong! It isn't my body!
Date-san is aiming at my
heart!
I can't move!
I never knew.
When you get punched in the heart
it totally paralyzes you!
Sempai!
That's Date-san for you.
Amazing.
Heartbreak shot!
I've heard of this.
If a strong blow nails the heart bang-on
you can momentarily
paralyze your opponent.
It stops your heart, even for a second?
What a dangerous punch!
It's one of the most difficult of
all the pinpoint blows.
If the speed, intensity,
and angle of the punch are not aligned,
it's impossible to produce
this phenomenon.
This technique is only possible
through Date's control and corkscrew!
I've started to grasp the gist of it.
Now all I need to do is
Sempai!
Are you all right?!
Did you see that, Yamada-kun?
That's an amazing punch.
I never imagined you could pinpoint
the heart with a corkscrew
to paralyze your opponent.
What an incredible guy!
The deal was for three rounds, wasn't it?
Please proceed!
‪NAKADAI BOXING GYM
The bell rang.
Thank you for the fight.
I really learned a lot today.
Please call me again any time!
Well, I'll be going now!
What was that all about?
He got knocked down six times,
but he left like there's nothing wrong.
When he first got here,
he was cowering with his buddy.
He learned that he was too inexperienced.
After all, not even one
of his punches hit home.
And what about you, Date-san?
You pulled out a punch
that you wouldn't even show us.
You took that "hammer the nail
that sticks up" proverb a little too far?
Listen.
At Shigeyo Nagashima's
professional debut match,
you know what Kaneda commented
when he struck out
all four at bat, don't you?
But maybe I'm over-praising him
by comparing him to Nakashima?
I was wondering
where you were going with that.
SHOWER ROOM
Damn. I can't lift my arm to wash my head.
Still, he made some great swings.
Ippo Makunouchi
Japan featherweight class ranked tenth.
Tenth, huh?
Six knockdowns in three rounds.
If that had been a real match,
I would have lost by KO.
The champ really is strong.
I was overconfident
after taking Rookie of the Year.
I really learned a lot. Yeah.
Uh, Sempai!
I knew something felt prickly.
I must have really cut up
the inside of my mouth.
Are you all right?
Don't worry, I'm totally used to this.
Sempai, you really are amazing.
‪Huh?
Sempai
I'm an easy target for bullies.
My family moves a lot
and I'm always switching schools.
Besides, I'm the way I am,
so everywhere I go,
I'm always everyone's errand boy.
When I saw you fight on TV
for the very first time,
I was terribly impressed.
No matter how many times you fell down,
you would keep getting
back up to fight back really strong.
Nah.
I knew
I wanted to be just like the guy on TV!
I wanted to be strong like you!
But after seeing Aoki-san
and the others fight at that match,
and watching you fight today,
I couldn't get over my fear.
I couldn't help thinking
I could never be like you.
You're so strong that
you probably have no idea
where I'm coming from.
Has anyone ever told you
you smell like a worm?
Every day, they told him
he smelled like earthworms,
and kicked him once.
When he insisted it was lugworms,
they slapped him three times.
They bullied him for 11 years,
from elementary school all the way
to his second year of high school.
Eleven years?!
Do you really know someone that miserable?
But it stopped in
the second year of high school?
Do you mean that something changed then?
He was able to do something
he wanted and devoted himself to it.
And that was the end of the bullying.
He stopped focusing on other things.
Before he knew it,
the things around him had changed.
Do you mean he stopped being bullied?
Yeah.
What on earth did he devote himself to?!
Boxing.
Do you mean the guy you're talking about
Yeah, although I really
don't like remembering it.
That's ridiculous!
You? Ippo Makunouchi,
with the punches of dynamite,
was called a worm?!
Takamura-san knows all about it.
It was nice of you to say you were my fan,
but you change your mind now, huh?
I'm impressed! I never knew!
I thought that you had guts and muscles
from the very beginning.
Please keep fighting.
I'll cheer you now and forever!
Thanks.
You're the hope of
every bullied kid across Japan!
Great.
I don't know whether to be happy or sad.
Well, I have to be going now!
-Uh, Yamada-kun?
-Yes?
Let's both keep fighting.
Right!
I wonder if I sounded anything
like a role model?
Yamada-kun complimented me on my strength,
but I still don't fully understand
what true strength is.
Date-san probably knows.
There's still a world
of difference between us,
but the next time the next time we fight
I'll be more!
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
Hello!
Hey.
You had a tough time yesterday, huh?
Oh, did Yamada-kun tell you about it?
-No, Takamura-san did.
-What?
He says you got knocked down
ten times in one round.
You fainted and he had to carry you
all the way home?
I already got the full deal from Takamura.
I never thought you'd be a match
for him, but
It was a good learning experience.
Yes, sir.
It was a good learning experience, but
What?
My punches are dynamite!
Ippo got here sooner than I planned.
I was going to grab him first
and make him go along with my story.
I hope he hasn't spilled
what happened yesterday.
Yo!
Oh, Takamura-san.
You had a lot of trouble
escorting Ippo yesterday, huh?
He hasn't spilled the beans.
So, he's finally learned to play along.
Well, the little guy gave it
his best, sure,
but look who he was up against.
What was that for all of a sudden,
you old man?!
So, did you keep your date?
You ratted me out!
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
Be quiet! Step into my office!
You'll pay for this, Ippo!
Come back here!
He must've gotten dumped.
He wouldn't lie otherwise.
Oh! That reminds me.
-Did you see this, Ippo?
-What?
WILL THE JAPAN FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION
DATE RETURN THE TITLE WITHIN THE YEAR?
Return the title?
Does that mean that
Date-san won't be champion anymore?!
If he defends his title a few more times,
he'll fight as a world ranker.
So, he'll take the fast track
to world ranking,
and then take on the world.
You lucked out.
If you rise in the ranks without a hitch,
he'll be leaving.
It'll make the belt easy pickings.
It can't be like that!
I can't fight Date-san?
But I have to!
What do you mean?
He just put you in your place yesterday.
It has nothing to do
with winning or losing!
It's not that.
I hear what you're saying, but
You need a higher ranking
to do anything about it.
This can't be.
I thought I had a new goal to strive for.
Oh? Where's the chief?
He went out to chase down Takamura-san.
What?
That young shit.
He's horrifically fast on his feet
when he wants to be.
Chief!
We just got a phone call from Nakadai-san.
What? Does he want
another sparring session?
No, it's a request for Ippo-kun to fight.
Who's his opponent?
Fifth in featherweight, Keigo Okita.
I know who that is.
It's the guy who was standing
next to Date-san yesterday.
Last year's All-Japan Rookie of the Year.
Fifth in featherweight?
If I win, I'll become
What should we do?
Chief!
Please accept it!
I would like to fight that match!
But he's a powerful enemy,
and there's hardly any time to prepare.
Time?
Okita-kun's opponent for
the semi-final is blank, do you see?
Filipino boxer suddenly couldn't
make the trip.
In other words,
this match is in one month.
That's rather sudden.
Wouldn't it be hard
to fine-tune for it in time?
Huh?
What?
Kid, what's your current weight?
126,1 pounds.
All right. Yagi-chan,
we're going to accept that challenge.
Should we be making
that decision so easily?
Someone with a higher rank nominated him.
It doesn't get juicier than this.
It's settled! Stop standing around
and do roadwork!
Yes, sir!
What are you doing?! That means you too!
Yes, sir!
Don't you think it's unreasonable
to get him into condition in one month?
Don't worry. The kid ran his legs off
for the three months
he couldn't use his fist.
He's always kept fully prepared
to climb into the ring.
But Okita is a powerful boxer.
If he loses
In his case, he's built to lose more
momentum losing a goal
than he would if he lost a match.
The look in his eyes has changed vastly
since he sparred with Date.
His willingness to take the Okita fight
is probably his way of
furthering his challenge towards Date.
It's a path he was bound
to tread sooner or later.
The kid has already taken his first steps
towards the highly-contested
featherweight front line.
NAKADAI BOXING GYM
Hey, Okita!
Yes, sir?
We just got an answer from Kamogawa-san.
He says they accept.
I see.
Date-san.
What's wrong? Keep going.
Right.
How's that?
Good rotation. It's hard
to get near you through that.
However, that won't stop Makunouchi.
Why did you nominate him?
After watching that sparring session,
I felt like challenging him myself.
I know you're not a stupid boxer who
can't tell there's more to him than that.
I did it because
I watched you spar with him.
I don't want to say any more.
All right. I won't ask.
Here.
I won't run from his power.
However, there's a definite gap.
How do you think this
would fare against him?
I will win. Count on it.
KOURAKUEN HALL
Today's Featherweight class
semi-final of ten rounds
is about to begin!
Still, do you think
he perfected himself in just a month?
He was in good condition
when he sparred with us.
No, that's not where the problem lies.
If he wins this,
Ippo will be able to line up with us.
Aoki, you're in 5th place,
and Kimura, you're in 4th.
Oh, well. I can't be expected
to understand
how it feels to be overtaken
by one's junior.
He always goes for the guts.
Go, Ippo!
Fifth rank is nothing!
Take down that lousy fifth ranker!
What?
Listen, don't get distracted
by his boxing career.
He's sure to use subtle techniques.
Attack him at your own rhythm.
Yes, sir!
I can't lose this.
If I don't hurry,
I won't be able to fight Date-san!
I can't take the long way around.
Champion how's Okita-kun doing?
He's a boxer with good sense.
He's completely duplicated
your boxing style.
And his strong point is
that he will fully utilize his knowledge.
Although that's something
you can't do with power alone anyway.
Don't underestimate Okita.
I'm sure this will be
an interesting match.
Seconds out!
In that sparring session,
why did you use a punch you kept secret
on a guy from another gym?
Did you find him more useful than me,
even though I'm in the same gym as you?
I joined Nakadai gym
because I looked up to you
and caught up to you,
all the way to 5th ranking!
It's no joke that I'm useless to you now!
I'll never accept that!
Never!
If I beat this guy, I'll be ranked fifth!
I have to win and challenge Date-san!
Oops! They begin the jabs
without waiting for the referee's signal!
The two fighters are
already making fireworks!
To start, I need to control the pace!
I can't let him get control of the pace!
It's a battle for control!
So the first attack is key!
He's using straight infighting
on Makunouchi.
I got a body blow!
I can't let him hit me!
He's fast.
I'll hold him and strike from above!
I stopped him!
What?!
Now!
Right!
There it is!
Makunouchi's power blow
that sends them flying, guard and all!
All right!
We have control of the pace!
Whale into him!
His punches aren't as powerful
as Sendo-san's!
I'll go forward prepared
to take a few hits!
Don't pull back.
Oh, my! This time Makunouchi's guard
is blown away!
Okita hammers an intense right straight!
This punch!
It's a corkscrew! Just like Date-san's!
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
Ranking. Something that was originally
set to act as an order of priority
of challenge rights towards the champion.
At present, lower ranked fighters
can become challengers
if the champ nominates them.
But it's true that
the possibility of a challenge grows
the higher your ranking is.
That's right. Fifth ranking
is much closer than 10th,
closer to the ring
where the champion awaits!
Next time, "Two Rookies of the Year."