What a bunch of weaklings you people are!
Is there not one strong man in this country?
I demand to be entertained!
Gum and chocolates!
Grab 'em, Japs!
I'm sorry the meal's so meager today.
Blame Kamogawa for not bringing in enough money.
Shut up and eat, freeloader!
Stuck in my throat...
Here's some water!
Thanks...
What's wrong with you?!
The Courage to Live
Hey, I've been meaning to ask. Where are you from?
You're not from Tokyo, right?
Uh... should I not have asked?
It's okay...
Hey, what's wrong?!
Wh-What's going on?
My hand's all numb.
What's happening to me?
Yuki-san... are you...
from Hiroshima?
I didn't want you to find out.
I came to Tokyo seeking the strength to carry on.
If I'd stayed there, I'd just keep reliving what happened.
I'd spend the rest of my life looking down, not up.
I don't know what will happen to my body, or when...
So, by being around the people of Tokyo and their drive to rebuild...
I wanted their spirit.
I wanted their hope.
That's enough. You don't have say any more.
I came to Tokyo and saw your fight.
As you two fought your hardest, you gave me some of your strength.
You gave me the courage to keep living.
I was so happy to be able to live with the men who gave me that.
Watching you both argue and train was so much fun.
Both of you do so much to make me happy.
So I want to be your strength, too.
I didn't want you to find out.
I didn't want pity or special treatment.
I just... want to live like we have been...
For however long I have left.
Nothing will change.
I never heard a word of it. I don't know a thing.
If you like it here, you can stay as long as you want.
Nothing will change.
She's one tough little girl.
If I were in her shoes, could I have put on such a happy face?
She's strong.
Good morning!
Beautiful day, isn't it?
Yup!
I need to train harder.
Where's Nekota-san?
I haven't seen him since last night. He's slacking off on me.
I'm back, you betcha!
Welcome home...
What happened? You're all beat up!
Yuki-san, I got you a present.
Clothes?
Are you sure?
But are you...
You're flat broke. Where'd you steal that from?!
Here!
Now you can't call me a freeloader.
A pedicab, huh?
Neat!
So this is how you made the money.
But how'd you get all banged up?
Ouch!
Are you all right, sir?!
What made you wreck when there's nothing here?!
Forget it. I'll walk! And I'm not paying!
Apologies....
I know I'm pedaling straight. Why does this keep happening?
Well, anyway, I need to make a ton of money and get Yuki-san a gift!
M-More clothes for me?
You're sure?
You betcha!
Hey, why're you wearing the same dress I just got you?
You got this for me, Nekota-san!
You must like this outfit. You've bought it twice now!
I gave her that?
No way... I don't remember that at all!
Again...
This numbness hits me from time to time...
My sense of balance is off. I'm getting headaches.
Is this all just temporary?!
No... I can feel it.
Slowly but surely,
something's chipping away at my nerves.
Ever since then...
No! The cause doesn't matter!
What's happening to my body?!
And what's... going to happen to me?!
That's three minutes!
Shit! I can't land one punch!
Gotta train harder, you betcha.
Good... I'm fine. It was temporary.
Damn it. I'm off to work.
Now then...
U-Um, Yuki-san!
Yes?
Working the pedicab, I've learned about lots of places.
Wanna take a ride, and I'll show you?
We'll go sightseeing in Tokyo!
I'd love to!
Please stop!
Do you always drive like this?!
No wonder you keep having accidents!
Sorry. I got carried away.
Tokyo's amazing! It's thriving this much already!
I grew up in the sticks, so it shocked me, too.
What was your hometown like?
As boring as it gets.
The only nice thing about it was the nature.
I bet it was lovely.
I... I hope, someday, I can take you there!
To the place I was born!
That American...
Not enough.
Entertain me more!
Let's go. I don't like his kind of fighting.
He's nothing but a bully.
There's no hope or dreams there.
Yuki-san, I don't like want to see you looking down.
Do you want to see one?
A fight that will give you strength?
N-No! It's too dangerous!
Don't tell Kamogawa.
He'd be against it. Plus, I want all the glory for myself!
Kamogawa.
Who's that? Dankichi?
Another Japanese went down.
That makes six sent to the hospital now.
Aren't you one of them?
Does this mean nothing to you?
It's got nothing to do with me.
If someone wants to fight him, let them.
I think it's ridiculous to go into a fight against the odds
and then run around complaining about it when I lose.
So you can turn a blind eye just because the odds are against us?!
Have you lost your pride as a Japanese man?!
That's ridiculous, too.
Fights have weight classes.
A fair fight where men of equal size and stature trade blows
is the real way to measure your skill and your mettle.
That American is way out of my size range.
I can't properly test the results of my training against him.
Fine, fine. You're right about everything.
I was hoping to light a fire under you, but no dice, I guess.
Sorry.
You and Nekota are the only ones who could put up a good fight.
Actually, he kicked both our asses at once in an alley one night.
What?!
He fought like a pro.
You're right about that.
He targets vital spots with uncanny accuracy, like a well-oiled machine.
If anyone could counter him, it'd be...
Nekota.
I hate to admit it,
but of the three of us, he's got the most talent by far.
Maybe it's because he was raised way up in the mountains,
but he's got unique instincts, like a wild beast.
If anything can disrupt that well-oiled machine,
it's that wild nature of his!
Don't talk to Nekota about any of this.
The way he is, he's sure to jump on board.
Even if he could disrupt that machine,
actually winning is still next to impossible.
A man is easily broken when someone that much bigger
starts landing blows.
I want him to stick around
as a rival who'll continue to help me improve.
Plus,
for certain reasons, the three of us are living together.
Things aren't so bad.
Just come out and admit you enjoy it.
What's wrong, driver? Are you okay?
What happened?
Uh, the driver just vomited all of a sudden...
It hurts, it hurts... it hurts!
My head is splitting apart!
He's having convulsions!
Someone call a doctor!
No!
No... No doctors.
Shit...
It's happening more and more frequently...
And the symptoms are getting worse...
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Welcome home!
H-Hey.
Is Kamogawa still out?
Yes.
Well, I'll go ahead and eat first.
This is delicious!
They're just potatoes.
So is Kamogawa still out?
Huh? Yes...
I see, I see... still not back, huh?
N-Nothing!
This happened before.
Doing the same thing twice...
I know Nekota-san's kind of scatterbrained, but this...
I'm back.
Welcome home.
You're late. I was about to polish off the whole meal!
Sure is noisy around here these days.
It's fun that way, you betcha!
My ass. It messes up my training schedule!
A-Am I in the way?
How the hell could you say that?!
Why don't you leave instead?!
This is my house!
Yuki-san's gonna cry!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
Damn it!
Yeah, it's not so bad.
It'd be nice if we could stay just like this...
What is it?
The sunflowers...
Oh, yeah. Summer's almost over, huh?
I guess it's kinda sad to see such vibrant flowers wilt away.
But they leave behind lots of seeds,
so they can make people happy again next year.
I hope... I'm here to see them.
You will!
Guaranteed.
Don't ever say such weak-willed things.
There's someone who'd be crushed if he heard you talk like that.
Someone who'd be crushed?
Surely you've noticed.
You see him every day, so you must know how Nekota fe—
Don't say it!
I...
I'll ask you the same thing.
Have you noticed, Kamogawa-san?
How... I feel?
I...
Come inside. You'll get sick.
Damn it! What am I all worked up for?!
Why'd I open my big mouth?!
You know how Nekota feels!
You can't betray him, you idiot!
Kill your emotions!
You've trained your mind, haven't you?!
Don't betray him!
Nekota is...
your best friend!
Welcome back, Kamo—
I want to tell you something.
Wh-What is it?
I made the arrangements in secret.
I want you there, Yuki-san.
Tomorrow...
I fight the American.
I will win.
I'll put up a fight that will give you strength, and I'll win.
Nekota-san...
But it'll be my last time in the ring.
After this fight, I going to retire.
I have no more reason to stay here.
I was thinking of going back to the mountains.
Will...
Will you come with me? Will you stay with me?!
The air's fresh and clean. It's a great place!
A perfect place to rest and recover!
It's sure to fix you up too, Yuki-san!
You knew about my...
I'll be waiting for your answer after the fight.
Nekota-san!
Kodan Gym
The Next Day
Special 10-round exhibition Ralph Anderson vs. Nekota Ginpachi
I can't even tape my hands right.
The headaches and numbness keep coming back like clockwork.
I... I'm scared... I'm terrified.
Not of getting punched,
but of losing before I manage to accomplish anything!
Please!
Just for this one fight.
Let me fight at my best this one time.
Please!
I don't want her looking down at the ground.
I want to give her strength!
She's... like a sunflower to me!
Yuki-san...
Yuki-san, Yuki-san...
Yuki-san!
Nekota's fighting the American?!
He can't be! I didn't know!
He said to keep it a secret.
That idiot. Whatever happens, he's on his own.
But...
Something's wrong with him.
That was... But...
No...
He's punch drunk.
That would explain everything.
But he dodged your punches so easily when you sparred.
It's like a switch in the brain that gets flipped on and off
at regular intervals.
It's time, Nekota. Let's go.
A little more... It'll stop in a second.
Please! Please stop!
Come on, Nekota!
Time for the match!
Time for the match.
The match is starting.
It's time to fight.
That moron!
He knew about Yuki-san's body and his own,
and he's still getting in the ring!
You're a noble man, Nekota, but...
If you really are punch drunk,
this fight is a matter of life and death!
There he is!
It's Nekota!
You're the only one we can count on!
Hey, look at the marks on his trunks...
It's the number of Japanese that have fallen before me.
Just a little souvenir to take home with me.
Come on... Get here fast.
I can only fight for a short time,
but I'll finish this before it runs out.
So please hurry.
This'll be the last time you can see me fight,
you betcha!
Nekota!
Nekota-san!
You came...
Iron Fist