Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e56 Episode Script

1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
FISHING BOAT RENTAL MAKUNOUCHI
Three clean blows!
Another hit that scores!
And there's the bell.
A fast three minutes
of offense and defense.
The one with the most hits
in Round Two is Makunouchi.
That was close!
If only we'd had another ten seconds.
But I'm sure it's having an effect.
The next round will be good.
-What?
-What's wrong?
-It's having no effect.
-What did you say?
Date-san has no damage.
I hit him with a full swing.
But my fist
felt no impact whatsoever.
THE POWER THAT STANDS IN THE WAY
I'm sure my punches are connecting,
but something's wrong.
Ordinarily, I feel the impact
all the way to my shoulders,
but it's like
That's impossible.
Date's neck did a huge twist.
You're doing just fine.
You were too involved
in the exchange to tell, that's all.
Yes, sir.
Have more faith in yourself. You're ahead.
You're doing well against the champion.
Yes, sir.
-Louder!
-Yes, sir!
Get close and pepper him
with small punches.
Yes, sir!
I look pathetic.
It made it look
like I was saved by the bell.
He's pretty good at close-range fighting,
damn it.
Date-san, back off for the next round
and rest up.
The odds are a little against you.
Please keep up your own boxing.
It's a downhill battle as long as
you're in his range!
Date-san.
This is also my boxing.
I bet the champ will start using footwork
in the third round.
He took some good hits.
I don't know about that.
Ippo's step-in is especially fast today.
Even if he uses footwork,
he'll take a pounding.
That means the champ
is up against the wall on all sides.
This just might mean
The belt is in sight!
Heh! Like it'll be that easy.
He's not up against just any old guy.
He's up against that old guy.
But it's true
that he screwed up his strategy.
What are you gonna do, old guy?
Seconds out!
Now Round Three begins.
The champion may still have
some damage from earlier.
It's the challenger's chance!
Will he be able to make this round
the big round?
Umezawa, this is good!
He may get him this round.
Nah, the champion is pretty tough.
We still don't know that for sure.
Finish him! Finish the job, Ippo!
If Date-san would only retreat,
I'd have my big chance.
I'll keep pushing all the way.
Oh, my! Surprisingly enough,
the champion goes in first.
Date-san!
A right! It swings through thin air!
And they take it into
an exchange of punches.
Chief, please say something to him.
Date-san is getting worked up.
Damn! He's completely into the rhythm.
Oops, it connects!
It's a fast combination!
But he doesn't flinch!
Even if it's fast,
you can't stop Ippo with a light punch.
You can go ahead
and show off your champion's grit,
but at this rate, you're just an old guy.
The challenger scores a liver blow!
And takes it into a fierce charge!
He keeps pounding
with full power at his guard.
Go for the body! Hit his stomach
to make him lower his guard.
Right here!
It happened again.
Again, there's no feeling of impact.
That's ridiculous!
It connected!
He twists his neck.
He twists his own neck
to divert the power of the punch.
That explains the huge twist.
He did it himself.
He diverted the kid's power blow
in that intense close-range fighting.
That's right. He smothered it.
It's having no effect.
Date-san
has taken no damage.
No! Don't stop!
Makunouchi touches the floor!
He's down!
I'm surprised.
He can smother punches
by twisting his neck.
I didn't think such a thing was possible.
The more contact I have with him,
the more I come to understand
how amazing he is.
Looking down on his opponent calmly
from his neutral corner.
No one suits that look better.
I can go on! I'm fine!
What am I admiring him for?
I'm the one he's looking down on.
He's okay, isn't he?
It's a flash down. He's not hurting.
Kid, don't worry about the knockdown.
Be confident and duke it out.
He has many techniques,
so all you gotta do is throw more punches
than he can handle.
-Right!
-Okay, he can still fight.
Now that you got him, push him back!
The spectators are in a stir
over the knockdown.
The name Makunouchi has
become synonymous with KO reversals!
Can he live up to their expectations?
A barrage, too many to handle.
The challenger makes his move!
A left! The swing is powerful!
The knockdown has no effect!
Watch out, Date!
He gets up when he gets knocked down.
It'd be no joke
if he got a KO reversal on you!
Keep your eyes peeled, Teacher.
-Ippo gets really tough now!
-Right.
Okay! He's got no damage! Go, go!
Don't give Date-san
a chance to collect himself.
The challenger punches fiercely upwards.
The champion blocks it over and over.
Whoa! That's incredible destructive power!
It's only a matter of time
until he breaks through his guard.
That's good, Ippo-kun!
He can't twist-dodge body blows.
Your punches are having an effect!
Hammer at him!
Good, good!
-Don't you get it, Yagi-chan?
-What?
At a glance, the body blows
appear to be tearing into their target,
but it's a supple block.
Instead of doing the usual
and standing firm,
he's diverting them without recoiling
from the punches.
I fear that the kid
still doesn't feel the impacts.
There's no impact. They just fizzle out.
My punches are being smothered again.
They say it takes 0.2 seconds
for messages from the brain
to reach the various motor nerves.
A boxer's punches come flying
at a speed faster than 0.2 seconds.
It's possible for a foreign fighter
with muscular flexibility
to divert a punch the moment it hits.
The only way a Japanese boxer
lacking that muscular nature
could master that skill is
with foresight.
And not just any old foresight.
I mean unparalleled "insight",
taking into account
the speed of the swing, the angle,
and even the kid's character.
He's not only predicting his every move,
but his emotional state as well.
They should be getting it about now.
I bet it's giving them the shivers.
Okita, when Round One ended,
Date acknowledged
that Makunouchi was his most
powerful challenger ever, remember?
Yes.
He was making revisions.
Makunouchi was different
from his previous impression of him.
So he was making revisions
during the fist fight.
By testing his opponent's technical
and spiritual levels.
By now he probably knows
what Makunouchi is thinking
or how he will move just as
if someone spelled it out for him.
His emotions are being predicted as well?
If that's the case,
it'll bother him that the punches
aren't impactful.
He'll grow impatient to punch faster
and hit harder.
The impatience will lead to wide swings.
The way it is isn't good enough.
I have to land a good one somehow,
or I'll be knocked down
in the blink of an eye again.
No!
The champion scores a clean right punch!
He got me! He was waiting
for a wide swing.
The champion makes his move.
He breaks the silence to launch an attack.
Makunouchi was hit
while standing stock still.
A barrage rains down on him!
He's in big trouble!
Ouch, that hurt!
He can't retaliate!
Makunouchi is being clobbered!
This is no time for a KO reversal!
His posture droops!
Will this be a knockdown?
Will he fall? Will he end up falling?
ROUND THREE
REMAINING TIME ONE SECOND
And it's the bell!
He is saved by the bell!
However, way to go, Champ!
He flawlessly outpunched
this young challenger
who thrives on close-range fighting
in this close-range game.
And look at his victory pose!
This performance practically
screams the question,
"Who's the strongest?"
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
You're awesome, Date!
You'd have a KO
if it hadn't been for the bell.
You see that, Makunouchi?
You're outclassed!
He's strong.
Date-san, this will work!
-Date-san?
-Hurry up and sit.
You can't be blamed for it.
You may have smothered them,
but you still took those power blows.
This is definitely hard work.
You don't have to talk.
At any rate, rest up for the next round.
Yeah. I'll need more energy
in the next round.
'Cause according to schedule,
this is the KO round.
-The swelling is terrible! Give me ice!
-Right!
-Coagulant!
-Right!
Keep up your spirits!
He's shaky on his feet.
Your punches are having an effect.
But I can't make a decisive punch.
The only thing I can think of
is that he's predicting my moves.
Do I have any tell-tale quirks
in the way I punch?
Or is my rhythm too monotonous?
It's nothing that simple.
It's impossible to predict everything
merely by observing quirks and rhythm.
The most important element
in a fight between two men
is reading character and emotions.
In other words, insight.
Insight?
Date is able to smother your punches
with insight that comes
with years of experience.
Only a veteran could do that.
Wisdom that increases
with every passing year.
That is Date's weapon.
However, you're young and you have
the courage to know no fear.
Use that against him.
He'll definitely try to finish you
in the next round.
Don't back off no matter what.
For you, exchange equals opportunity.
Yes, sir!
What is the rule of infighting?
Small, compact, fast!
-Again!
-Small, compact, fast!
All right, go!
Now it's Round Four.
The challenger has visible damage.
Opportunity knocks for the champion.
Will this be the KO round?
It's amazing.
Date-san is the strongest
I've ever seen him!
I've gained new respect for him.
Yes, the champion moves in!
The challenger also steps in!
It's an exchange! Nice fight!
An uppercut from the champ!
Whoops, that hurt!
Damn it! Small, compact
VICTORY
It's only a matter of time now.
We can't hope for a KO reversal this time.
I guess miracles can't happen every time.
What are you saying?
He always responded
to your expectations, didn't he?
There will be another miracle!
What are you doing, cheerleader?
Your classmate is doing his best up there!
You're right!
Let's hear a shout, Year Three Division B!
You can do it, Ippo!
You can still do it!
Makunouchi-kun, don't lose!
Makunouchi!
Desperate cries for Makunouchi
erupt from a corner of the stadium.
He really sticks to his guns.
He's gonna block more?
He's diverted. Now!
Small, compact
My swing's slow.
I won't be in time to block.
However, I can smother it.
Fast!
A left from Makunouchi!
Yes! An impact from my best punch.
The champ goes flying!
Good! Now turn it around!
Good job following my directions.
This is your chance.
Followed by a hit from his liver blow!
He took it! All right, then
Go!
All right!
A clean hit from a Gazelle Punch!
Good! It's the same impact I felt
when I knocked down Volg-san.
He can't possibly endure this.
He's still standing?
But that's the punch
that defeated Volg-san.
Your punches are light.
You'll need to do better to defeat me.
My punches are no good?
That's an incredible punch.
I thought my wits
would be ripped right out of me.
However, those are the fists of a guy
who merely loves boxing.
There's no way I'm gonna fall.
Have a taste!
This is the weight of a champion's fists.
I stopped him!
-He pried right through
-his blocked gloves!
Oh, no! Ippo's got a concussion!
He'll whale on him!
Sendo-san and Volg-san
have superior destructive power.
But the nature of this man's punches
is different.
Each and every punch is packed
with the tenacity of a refusal to lose.
Are these the fists of a champion?
The champion attacks!
He doesn't flinch whatsoever
from Makunouchi's finishing blow
that had sent ten men into the canvas.
I can't believe this.
How could he take punches
from Ippo and still punch back?
I didn't know Date-san
could take punches so well.
The old guy lost a World match
in two rounds by KO.
He is not a boxer who takes punches well.
He's compensating for it
with perseverance.
A minute ago
when he partially knocked out Ippo,
he faltered.
He's taken a lot of damage.
The kid missed seeing it happen.
At this rate, he'll be hypnotized
into believing
that nothing he throws has any effect.
My combination from liver
to Gazelle was perfect.
So how can he be hitting back
with this much force?
Aren't my punches get through to him?
What can I do?
What can I do?
He sees the old guy's face
distorted with pain
and mistakes it for the face of the devil.
How dare you get freaked out, you idiot?
This is your chance!
The challenger loses his balance!
Corkscrew!
It's a powerful right!
But it's narrowly blocked!
He's aiming for the heart!
He's going for the finish,
just like he said.
We still aren't at the stage where
he can complete the heartbreak shot.
That last Gazelle punch hurt him so bad
he can't determine that for himself.
Block that punch carefully!
You're all studied up
on the Heartbreak shot?
You study hall nerd.
He went to finish and it went wide.
If I lash out, I'll hit him.
But But
What should I use on him?
The champion scores a full left hit!
The challenger's knees are giving way!
He withstands it!
What should I do now?
How should I fight him?
The champion rushes!
The challenger can't move!
He's so different from his videos,
it's almost unfair.
How am I supposed
to fight someone like this?
This is real bad.
He's getting hit nonstop!
It's dangerous for him
to take hits this way!
Chief, this is bad!
Should we stop them?
Should we throw in the towel?
What's wrong, kid?
Where's that spirit
when you're driven into a corner?
What happened to your courage
from the Volg fight?
He takes a hit to the body
and starts to sink!
Is he finally down?
How am I supposed to fight
someone like this?
Challenger.
The challenger in a title match.
Boxers vie over that right,
and the one who rises to the top
challenges the champion.
Heavy punches come raining down on him.
The expectations pile on
to defeat an incredible opponent.
I'm standing in this ring now.
So I'm going to use
everything I've got on him.
If I can raise my arms
and my body can still move
I can't stop just yet!
Next time, "Conclusion."