Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e66 Episode Script

1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
Good, you're all here.
Don't beat around the bush. Tell us.
Yeah. If there's a way to double
the number of punches,
we want to know about it, too.
To double the number of punches
-Kid.
-Yes?
Do this!
-You mean a feint?
-That's right.
Is that all? Everybody uses feints.
In a sense it makes it look
like you've thrown a punch.
True. But do you know
what the most effective feint is?
Effective?
Don't you even know that?
Killer intent.
Killer intent, sir?
Killer intent is always conveyed
to your opponent.
Even if it's a feint,
if it's made with killer intent,
it will look like the real thing to them.
Take a look at the photos on the wall.
Those are very old photos.
Who are they?
Me and Gen-chan, of course.
What? But you have hair!
So you really were a boxer.
He looks tough.
Pipe down!
MR. TAKAMURA'S TEARS
It was shortly after the war
Neko-chan and I were having
one of our many face-offs.
In the final phase of the match
I was dominant with a counter,
and Neko-chan had retreated to the ropes.
I was certain of victory.
He no longer had the energy
to punch back. However,
I was sure I had seen him punch.
However, Neko-chan hadn't moved.
While I was still confused,
I experienced my first KO loss ever.
I saw it that time, and I realized
a feint with killer intent can be
more effective than the real thing.
More than the real thing?
I'm sure it's an incredible story, but
I just can't visualize it
looking at them now.
Well, thanks to that, I had three wins,
two losses with Gen-chan.
Don't get big-headed
when someone offers you a little praise.
I'm the one who beat you three to two.
What are you saying?
Have you already gone senile,
you old geezer?
Who are you calling a senile old geezer?
I'll settle this right here and now!
That's fine by me!
Both of you, stop it!
Apparently it was actually
two wins, two losses, and one draw,
but neither of them
ever accepted the draw.
How many times have I saved you?
-You always made things worse.
-You're not convinced?
Watch that mouth of yours!
That you can learn to throw
invisible punches using killer intent?
Yeah. It still doesn't make much sense.
I guess I'll have to show you
how it's done, then.
I won't hit you for real, so don't worry.
Right.
I'm ringing the bell.
Come at me.
Right.
The pressure is incredible.
Hey, aren't you coming?
All right, I'll come at you.
Takamura-san is going in at full swing.
Looks like he's hitting for real to me.
A hit from one of these huge swings
could knock me out.
Right!
Left!
Is the next one a right? A left?
An upper! Block it!
What the
It was a straight, not an uppercut.
Left!
A right? That's ridiculous! What's next?
What's going on? This is really confusing.
Gotta get away!
He beat me to it! I'm toast!
And that about sums it up.
That sums it up?
Was he throwing feints?
I didn't notice it at all.
There are two advantages to feints.
One, they have the same effect
as a real punch.
Two, they make it easier to guess
where your opponent will run.
It tricks them into dodging,
thinking it's a real punch.
All you have to do is circle around
to where they dodge.
But
Come on, Ippo. I understand the theory.
If it's possible to double punch
this easily, we have to use it.
Right.
-I'm going to test it out on you.
-Yo!
Well? Can you see my Frog punch?
Of course I can't!
That was a bad example.
It is completely ineffective
without killer intent.
Also, it's impossible
to master killer intent overnight.
Like an animal in the wild,
you must keep all five senses
fully honed at all times.
In the wild?
There's definitely a wild feeling
about Takamura-san.
And about Sendo-san.
It's not something you can just pick up.
You never were the kind of boxer
to fight solely on instinct, anyway.
You're the type who builds up strength
through accumulation of training.
You can increase your killer intent
as you go along.
To do that you must train
and train and train!
Yes, sir!
-Where is everyone?
-The bath.
They're relaxing
after a hard day's training.
The Chief sure is enthusiastic
despite his age.
Man, this is revitalizing.
Still, I sure am shocked
about those photos.
If it had been the right era,
they could've gone after the world title.
Shortly after the war, huh?
You can feel the history.
Back then match intervals
were totally unreasonable, I hear.
The legendary boxer, Piston Horiguchi,
has a record of fighting four matches
in a single day.
The Chief is probably so strict
because he survived that kind of era.
I see. Instead of seeming strict,
it probably seems natural to him.
Looking at this brings back old times.
My feelings haven't changed since then.
I still feel the bitterness
left from our draw match.
The feeling is mutual.
If a bell went off now,
I'd settle the damned thing right here.
Wanna try?
Shall we?
That was a pretty good bath.
We're out! Chief, Nekota-san?
Yeesh, where are those old farts?
Neko, Geezer! We're out!
I reacted to the bell without thinking.
Your right cross hasn't dulled at all.
Oh, boy, let's turn in.
It happened decades ago,
but I guess the Chief and Nekota-san
still can't accept it.
I can understand that.
I don't think my match
with Sendo-san is over just like that.
It isn't over!
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
Last 50! Once you're done,
we're going running.
Good. Take five and we'll jump rope.
Damn it.
I can't stand up anymore.
Don't pause! Throw them back-to-back!
Your hits end too weak.
-Don't drag your feet!
-Yes, sir!
Even the great Ippo
doesn't have much force.
He's at the peak
of muscle-training fatigue.
Muscle training is kind of
like planting seeds.
It takes three months
from planting to germination.
That's when he has the match with Sendo.
It's up to the individual
how strong the sprout will be,
but it's also possible to try
the Dempsey Roll on Sendo
if he develops more power.
You want to duke it out
with Sendo with this weak finish?
Don't make me laugh!
He does that the moment
Sendo's name comes up.
With concentration on the Sendo match,
plus the tenacity towards victory
he learned in the Date match,
the Chief believes he has more than enough
necessary elements to gain killer intent.
Another!
You still don't have enough power
to fight Sendo!
-Chop wood, then come back!
-Yes, sir.
Well, guess I'll jump rope.
Yeah, gotta train.
Good, let's go for another ten reps.
Wait up for a moment.
I'm wiped out from the heat.
Takamura's stamina is inhuman.
I'm afraid this training camp
has fully perfected me.
There is no longer a man on this earth
who can pose a challenge to me.
Therefore,
whip me up a bear stew tonight
to finish up the camp.
Don't ask the impossible.
So, I guess the camp is ending.
Everyone's leaving tomorrow.
It's hopeless! I can't do it
like Nekota-san.
No, you've made good progress.
No, this just isn't good enough.
I need to produce results.
You're more impatient than you look,
Makunouchi.
To be honest, I feel rushed.
No matter what I do,
I can't finish it satisfactorily.
My match with Sendo
is still a long way away,
but I'm full of anxiety.
You fought the Chief five times, right?
How does it feel to have a rematch?
Well
It was the fifth and final showdown
after two wins, two losses.
We fought with our eyes locked,
without looking away.
I felt I would lose
if I averted my gaze, you see.
You'd lose if you averted your gaze?
There's no real reason for it.
But in the last round,
when my left-right hook connected,
and I went in for the win
If I hadn't looked at his eyes when I did,
I would definitely have taken
his right cross.
I get it.
You can tell whether your opponent
is desperate from the light in his eyes.
Oh, but I guess stories like this
aren't too helpful.
No, it was incredibly valuable to hear.
Well, guess I'll get things ready
for supper.
Hachi! Hachi?
Takamura-kun took him along.
He was going
for his last round of roadwork.
What? Is he carrying
a bear-repelling bell?
Oh, yeah. Well
I doubt he'll run across a bear
that easily.
Actually, I did.
Hey! How the hell
did your master train you?
Damn it, I'm in no situation to run.
There is only one way.
I have to fight it.
It's huge.
Scoop throw or overhand won't work.
I'll have to resort to blows.
Here it comes! It's fast!
What destructive power!
The strength of this thing.
He's treating me like a child.
And that consecutive attack.
I can't see the surroundings!
No! I have no time to whine.
It's do or die!
You're wide open! Eat this!
How'd you like that?
What?
My right punch
My best shot doesn't work on it!
I have no chance of winning.
I underestimated it.
I was arrogant to believe
I could defeat a bear.
No! Like hell I'll cash out
in a place like this.
The peanut gallery in Korakuen Hall
is waiting for me.
They're waiting for me!
How's that? I got you with a counterpunch.
It didn't work?
It did work? Is that your weak spot?
I'll risk it!
Fall over!
Fall over!
Fall over!
I did it.
I did it!
Yeah! I did it! Did you see that?
What? Are you still breathing,
you bastard?
You, you, you
Shut up, dumb Hachi! Huh?
So what?
I was forced to fight for my life,
too, you know.
I ain't gonna show no mercy!
Let's go, Hachi!
I told you, it's true.
I KO'd the bear for dear life.
That's a little hard to believe.
I'll bet you ran from it for dear life.
That's not true! I have a witness!
Damn it.
You've got a match soon
and you're a bloody mess.
What will you do about this?
I'll fight the match.
So what if I got lacerated, gouged,
and bled like a stuck pig?
I'm saying you lack professionalism.
I fought to save my life, you bastard!
Not enough blood. I feel dizzy.
Gen-chan, give the boy a break.
I was able to meet Takamura's request
for the final night of training camp.
Request?
Bear stew.
Incredible!
You can't eat this in Tokyo.
It looks delicious.
That's downright thoughtful of you, Neko.
I need lots of meat
to replenish the lost blood.
Thank you for the food.
It's quite rich, isn't it?
It has a unique odor to it,
but it's pretty good.
I couldn't care less about the flavor.
The meat is fresh,
so it's packed with nutrition.
Fresh? Are you saying
this was alive up until recently?
When did you bag this?
Well, actually, it was
a complete coincidence.
I spotted a dying bear
while I was climbing up the mountain.
I knew it was my chance.
I leapt in front of it and bang!
With one shot?
Incredible!
Boy, I wish I could have seen that.
Hey, did that bear
have an injury to its forehead?
Who knows? Maybe it did
and maybe it didn't.
Did you happen to see
two bear cubs nearby?
Let's see, two cubs?
Now that you bring it up, yeah.
I did recall seeing two cubs
run from the sound of the gun.
You idiot! I spared its life
and this is what you do to it?
What'll happen to the cubs now?
What? I bagged it because
you said you wanted to eat bear.
Goddammit.
Just look at what you've become.
If I'd known this would happen,
I would've finished you off instead.
Looks like what he said was true.
Did this guy seriously defeat a bear?
What's so What's so great
about bear stew?
He's crying.
I can't believe it.
I didn't know he was an animal lover.
What's wrong? Isn't anybody hungry?
Well, uh
I'll eat it!
Since it's already dead, the best way to
honor its sacrifice is to eat it all up.
Be thankful for this bounty.
Damn it Damn it
Damn it!
Thank you for all of the experiences.
I also enjoyed myself. Take care.
-Yes, sir!
-We'll be back.
I'll be waiting.
Well, that's over.
Boy, this training camp was tough.
Yeah, but this outing will be
unforgettable for all its events.
Nekota-san sure looked lonely at the end.
It was probably a lively week for him.
Hey! It's Nekota-san!
Hey, guys! Take care!
Stay healthy!
Thank you, sir!
You, too, Neko!
He probably hates being left behind.
He sure is peppy to come running after us.
-He's still following us.
-It's amazing.
I'll send you tickets to my next match,
so please come watch.
We'll see you next in Tokyo!
How long are you gonna follow us,
you old geezer?
Knock it off!
Just go home and rest!
So, you're lonely, too, huh, Hachi?
It's been a long time
since every day was so exciting.
I'm grateful to you guys.
Don't go and lose now.
Give it your best, Kamogawa Corps.
The gym.
A place where those who strive
to become boxers gather to train.
Those with the same purpose get intensive
training by fighting one another.
It's true that boxing
is an individual sport,
but when I see my seniors
fighting their hardest,
it motivates me to try harder.
It gives me strength.
Next time, "The Kamogawa Gym
Swings Into Action."