Fighting Spirit (2000) s01e68 Episode Script

1
ORIGINAL WORK BY GEORGE MORIKAWA
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
A counter from Kimura!
Nefuma oversteps his mark and sways back.
Good, it was effective!
This is your chance! Whale into him!
He can't escape from rope-side!
Rush, rush!
The referee stops the match!
The match is over!
Right on!
Kimura-san had a satisfying match.
From the looks of it,
we can expect a lot from Aoki as well.
THE CHIEF'S PERIL
It's an explosive exchange of blows.
Neither fighter backs off.
Kumi, I can't watch!
Don't be like that.
We have to keep cheering for him.
I can't!
Come on, you have to keep watching.
This is bad.
His opponent has better punches.
Keep him at a distance!
No, don't!
Overwhelm his punches with numbers!
Show your guts!
Out-hit him with intimidation!
Please cheer for him in my place.
Tomiko-san, I can't see.
-It connected!
-That's the way!
Good! Now Aoki-san
is in charge of the pace.
It's the towel!
Aoki wins an overwhelming victory!
Yes!
-He did it!
-That's amazing!
He did it! Hey, don't do that!
You have to keep watching!
I'm sorry.
Well, that sure was amazing.
Very impressive.
That advice you gave him
was right on the mark.
You really do have a good eye
for boxing, Nekota-san.
Nah, I just sort of blurted it out,
that's all.
It's been a long time since
I've visited such a thrilling place.
He was still very accurate.
Boxing has been
scientifically interpreted,
but ultimately, it comes down
to state of mind.
May I sit next to you?
Sure, it looks empty.
Your seniors fought excellent fights,
Makunouchi-kun.
Oh?
Well, this is a purty young filly!
There's more to you than meets the eye,
Makunouchi, my boy.
Where are you from, Nekota-san?
Um, have we met somewhere?
I came to your gym
for an interview the other day.
You were too absorbed
in training to notice me
but I'm interested in you.
Huh?
-Tomiko! I won!
-Congratulations, Masaru!
Did you see me?
Congratulations to you, too, Kimura-san.
Did you run into Ippo?
That's all right. I came here
to cheer for everybody else today.
What are you talking about?
He'll be glad to see you.
Let's see
Is he over there?
Want me to get him for you?
Never mind.
The hall is still buzzing.
The guys boasted they'd drown out
Takamura-san's match,
and they just might be right.
We'll see about that.
Come to think of it, that large bag
we delivered to his green room
What was inside it?
Not so fast. Just look forward to it.
Right.
Now, the challenger is fully prepped
in the Blue Corner.
The throng of spectators presses forward
for a glimpse of the fists
said to have brought down a bear,
waiting expectantly for
Takamura's entrance.
It's a bluff! A man can't defeat a bear
with his bare hands.
Yo!
Now the champion enters!
It's a bear!
A bear's in here!
Run! It'll eat us!
Let me out!
Everyone, please calm down!
It is not a bear! Please calm yourselves!
It's getting into the ring!
What? Don't tell me
It's Takamura!
He got us.
I doubt anyone even remembers
we fought now.
A bear
He certainly did something unbelievable.
All right, all right!
Now the party's started!
So that's what was in the bag.
The bastard is mocking me.
This feels like a scam.
I bet he lied about killing a bear.
I had respect for you until now.
What are you doing pulling
such an empty threat in a title match?
I'll put you to shame
when that bell rings.
Hey, look at that scar!
It's from a bear!
It's a scar from a bear's claw!
It's a bluff! Don't lose your nerve!
Yeah, but, sir
It certainly is causing an uproar.
Looks like he got the desired reaction.
What do you mean, desired?
I was totally against it!
I only went along with it
'cause he said it was your idea.
What? I was told it was your idea.
What?
Takamura-kun said that.
Enough gabbing already.
The bell's gonna ring.
Why, you
Seconds out!
That means you.
Damn it!
Well, now
This is only the beginning.
Now, the bell rings!
Will Ito beat the most powerful champ
in the land?
Will Takamura crush him
with his bear-killing punch?
He used a right straight.
Will he try to finish it
in under a minute?
Challenger makes the first move!
He moves in throwing lefts!
The champion retreats slightly.
Rhythm. I'll set up a rhythm
with my left and seize the pace.
He throws a pretty good left.
Good! Keep those arms moving!
It's a left!
However, the challenger
also moves fluidly!
It's a showdown of lefts!
The fighters exchange lefts
in center ring.
It's a battle for control of the pace.
What the This is unlike him.
What's wrong, Takamura?
Don't make wimpy left jabs!
Pin him down with brute force!
It's an advanced rush of lefts.
But what's wrong with the champ today?
His usual dynamic moves
are nowhere to be seen.
Ito's left is preventing that.
A left from the champion!
He continues to score precision lefts!
This is the kind of development pros like.
Takamura! Throw out a right, a right!
You can't beat him with just lefts!
One-two! The champion calmly dodges them.
Still, he sure is good.
The big guy is surprisingly good
at the basics.
Another left!
What's going on?
He had several good chances
to throw his right.
Left, left, left!
The champion sticks to lefts all the way!
Hey, his jabs are evolving
Into straights.
Could it be that he's trying to
What are you doing? That was your chance!
Maybe you did lie about killing the bear!
You gotta use your right!
Your left can't do it all!
Give more than your left
More than
He knocked him down.
He only used his left.
He really did defeat him
only with his left.
It means he performed according
to the old saying.
The old saying?
Those who rule the left
will rule the world.
So he did it with only his left to
To appeal to the world.
The challenger cannot stand!
Defeated by one left hand!
He was pinned down with one hand!
The champion Takamura
scores a complete victory.
He's really done it now.
Tell me about it.
Amazing.
Looks like I took care of him
faster than I thought.
-Old man!
-Yeah, what?
I honestly went overboard
with the bear pelt.
I'm ready to be lectured,
so say what you like. Come on!
Shut up! And get out of the ring already.
How could I lecture him
after that perfect match?
Takamura successfully defends
his title for the fourth time.
Japan is too small for this champion.
This was a fight
to convince anyone of that.
HAJIME NO IPPO: THE FIGHTING!
FIVE DAYS AFTER THE MATCH
-Good afternoon.
-Yo.
Hey, you're all here.
We need to start training soon.
-Have you rested up?
-Completely.
More importantly, isn't Shinoda-san
here yet?
I want to do mitt-punching.
Come on!
Is Nekota-san still here?
He's been staying in the Chief's office.
For five whole days?
I'm ready for ya!
Please think of your age, Nekota-san.
You'll get hurt.
I can handle a little mitt-punching.
Gen-chan's doing it, too.
The Chief does it every day.
It's fine!
Do it for him. A few punches
will get him off your back.
Oh, all right.
Okay, all done!
This isn't good enough for training.
Hit full-on! Come on, whack it!
Don't blame me if anything happens.
Fine!
Come on, one-two me!
Follow with a left immediately!
Gimme a body blow! Your guard is weak!
-What's this?
-He's not bad.
Again!
All right, take a break.
Right.
Amazing!
Kimura-san looks more tired than you do.
Oh, I'm not that great.
The way you taught the combination
was amazing.
Please teach it to me, too.
Well
I warn you, I'm strict.
He's flawless.
It's been over 30 years
since he actively boxed,
but that's Neko-chan for you.
This is great,
since we're short on trainers.
Perhaps I should keep him
around a little longer.
Well, I'm going out for roadwork.
Let's go, Hachi.
Hey, Ippo-kun!
Tomiko-san, Kumi-san.
Is Masaru here?
Yes, he's inside.
Thanks.
Um, I'll come with you.
You have something to
say to Ippo-kun, don't you?
Hey, wait
Um, you're training right now, aren't you?
Yes. But it's just roadwork.
If you're not busy, would you like
to come along on your bicycle?
Sure!
It's amazing.
Boxers, I mean.
They hold down other jobs in the meantime
and work out everyday.
Mashiba-san is the same, isn't he?
Haven't you ever watched him?
He always tells me not to come along.
He won't even tell me
when his matches are.
I check magazines
and get my own tickets to them.
Wow.
I can always tell when a match
is coming up because he's so irritable.
It's really incredible.
He'll flip the table over.
The table?
That does sound incredible.
That reminds me!
Were you really at Takamura-san's match?
Yes.
If you would've let me know,
we could have watched it together.
That's true.
What's wrong?
You're such a popular boxer,
it's hard to get your attention.
That's not true.
When I'm in the spectator stands,
nobody ever realizes I'm there.
I wonder. I suppose
you're very popular with the girls.
I'm not, really.
I've been asked for my autograph before,
but only by other guys.
Really?
Yes.
All right, if I asked,
would you give me your autograph?
You mean mine?
An autograph is just me writing out
my name after all.
That would be fine! That's a promise now.
Uh, right.
Right on!
I'll be the first girl
to get his autograph.
He repeats this hard training
day in and day out,
takes a beating in the ring
for all his effort,
and the salary isn't that good.
Is boxing really that attractive?
There's still so much I don't understand.
-Um
-Yes?
Why did you start boxing, Makunouchi-san?
Huh?
Just curious. There are
all kinds of other sports,
so I was wondering why you chose boxing.
The reason I started boxing? Well
It's all right.
It's because you like it, right?
That was a silly question.
I'll go buy a sign board and a marker,
so please head back without me.
KAMOGAWA BOXING GYM
-I'm back!
-Good afternoon.
Oh, Iimura-san! What brings you here?
I have an interest in you, remember?
Today I'm here to ask you
a few questions, if you don't mind.
So, to date, which fight
left the greatest impression on you?
The greatest?
That'd have to be
the fight against Date-san.
-What?
-What? Is that strange?
It was a little unexpected.
I was sure he would choose a fight
he won hands-down.
Well, I guess it's like him to say that.
All right, the final question.
Why did you start boxing?
-What, again?
-"Again?"
Uh, no. I was just asked
the same thing earlier.
Well, if you've been interviewed
about it so many times,
I don't need to ask.
It wasn't an interview, actually.
I'm back, Hachi.
Oh, that woman
Oh, I forgot. Could I get you
to autograph this?
What?
You might become famous someday.
Early autographs are very valuable.
I'm not that great.
That's it, Makunouchi-san.
Please decline it!
Don't be that way.
Just scribble it down. Come on!
Really?
But you promised me.
Be a man and turn her down.
Actually, I'd rather not.
Way to go, Makunouchi-san.
Oh, don't be shy.
Don't you think you're a little pushy?
But it's really embarrassing
to actually write it down.
Don't! Turn her down!
I'm not used to this.
Don't!
JAPAN FEATHERWEIGHT IPPO MAKUNOUCHI
This is the best I can do.
Thanks.
Aw, shucks!
I'll be back.
Bye!
Well, now
What is it?
IDIOT!!
What's this?
THREE DAYS LATER
Left! Bring it back
and strike again quick!
It's a double left.
The textbook one-two is fine,
but this is a barrage
at a different angle. It'll score.
Let's see
You deliver the second shot
to the body or other areas.
Nekota-san sure is a hit.
He's really good.
His teaching is detailed and considerate,
and they are punches
that work in real fights.
I'm too busy for anyone else
when I'm taking care of the kid,
so it's a great help.
Next is a right!
Like this!
That's right!
I can't hear you!
Yes, sir!
It looks like he's getting more disciples.
Were there that many guys in our gym?
You probably feel mighty confused,
having everyone latch on to him like that.
That doesn't bother me.
He holds review meetings
every day after practice.
It's supposed to be good for improvement.
A review meeting?
I never thought
of communicating like that.
DAY SIXTEEN
Uh, nothing.
Strange.
The trainees have been acting
standoffish towards me lately.
DAY TWENTY
What the
Say, how about some mitt-punching?
Nekota-san, please help us
with mitt-punching.
All right, line up and wait your turn.
Right on!
Thank you!
It feels like I'm gradually
losing my place in this gym.
Why is that?
Does this mean that my method
of guidance doesn't suit today's boxers?
Come to think of it,
I was too harsh with them at times.
I always brushed them off and
neglected communication with my boxers.
The review meeting?
Perhaps I can use it to revise my methods.
They sound like they're having fun.
Gen-chan would always fall
for a woman so quick.
He acts so mature now,
but when he was young
he was out of control.
Every time he was dumped,
he'd force me to drink with him.
He was a real handful.
-That uptight Chief, huh?
-What a surprise.
I wish you could have seen Gen-chan crying
with his nose running everywhere.
We'll be going now, sir.
Hey, wait for me!
Now I remember.
You've always been like that.
You'd use me to get everyone to like you.
I meant it to be a review meeting,
but my tongue slipped slightly.
What do you mean, slightly?
You showed no restraint.
I'll throw you into a delivery box
and ship you back to the mountains.
I was jealous!
Jealous, you say?
I'm jealous of you,
always surrounded by young folks,
living life to the fullest in a big city.
I was jealous.
Compared to you, I'm nothing but a hermit,
living all alone in the mountains,
getting older, just waiting to die.
Please forgive me.
No, I overreacted.
If you want to, you can stay here.
Gen-chan
Special delivery!
What? I just said that in jest.
Who's the bozo who called delivery?
-Me.
-What?
RABBIT COURIER
A special delivery guy
I know was heading up the mountain,
so I decided to hitch a ride with him.
Neko-chan.
Do you have to leave so soon?
There's a reservation for a group
of college girls, so I have to get going.
What do you mean wasting away on your own?
The next time we meet,
we'll settle it once and for all.
That's fine by me.
You take that title, Makunouchi!
Thank you, sir! I'll give it my best!
Take care!
Summer is gone
and now autumn is here.
THE 6TH DYNAMITE GLOVES
EVENT TAKESHI SENDO VS AKIRA SHIGETA
Southpaw.
A boxer who fights with a left posture.
He puts his right foot in front
and jabs with his right.
Because all of his attacks
come in reverse,
it's hard to determine
the distance and timing.
But it's strange.
It might be hard for someone
fighting a Southpaw
for the first time,
but why is Sendo-san's destructive power
so stifled?
Next time, "The Trap of the Southpaw."