Love of Shooting Star is sending you
A flash of light... Yeah!
With eternal dreams
Let's roll and go
Without thinking anything
I'm just living in the Now
What keeps me going is
A street song
I want to dive lost mind, I want to dive lost mind (I want to immerse myself in my dream till I can't think of anything else)
I want feeling, I want feeling, always (That's how I want to feel all the time.)
I want to dive lost mind, I want to dive lost mind (I want to immerse myself in my dream till I can't think of anything else)
Why, why, why, why? I want to dive feeling over (I don't know why, but I want to keep feeling passionate)
Love of Shooting Star is sending you
A flash of light... Yeah!
With eternal dreams
Let's roll and go
The opponent for your debut match has been selected.
Nishikawa Gym's Yusuke Oda!
What? Did you say Yusuke Oda?!
Do you know him, Takamura-san?!
Nope.
What the heck?
- Oda? - Who's Oda?
I'd like to tell you the details...
but I don't know, either.
If you don't know, don't build up the suspense, moron!
Yusuke Oda, 21 years old. He has fought a total of 5 matches...
with 3 wins and 2 losses, and all three were won by KO.
He scored every KO using a right straight in the early rounds...
so you need to watch out for his right punches.
My debut match.
Bweet! Ippo!
A debut match? You?!
Ow! That hurts, Aoki-san!
We heard that you're gonna be fighting against Oda.
Do you know him?
Yeah. He's a boxer in junior light, just like me.
I didn't realize he was still at the 4-round level.
Junior light? That means he's one level above me!
He can't get ahead there, so he's coming down to featherweight to take the top.
Anyway, considering his record as a 4-round boxer, he's no biggie.
You'll win easy.
Don't tell me that! You'll make me feel more pressured!
Still, he's already fought five matches as a pro.
I have to stay sharp!
Oda!
NISHIKAWA Boxing Gym
Where is that blasted Oda?!
If you want Oda, he went to do roadwork.
Really?! That's good to hear!
Although it's been nearly three hours.
That bastard! I bet he's loafing around somewhere as usual!
And do you know who that policeman was?
It was Yuji! Remember him from high school?
Can you believe that hooligan is a policeman? Isn't that a hoot?!
So, I said to him...
Yusuke, shouldn't you be heading back to the gym?
Huh? Why?
You have a match coming up, don't you? Won't seeing me like this...
when you should be training affect your condition?
Why would my condition be affected by something minor like this?
But you'll be fighting in featherweight class this time, won't you?
Don't you need to control your weight?
I'll pass their silly weight check by sweating a little. Don't worry.
Or is it that you think I'm gonna lose or something?
Not at all! Still...
I'm telling you. I'll win for sure!
That's true. You'll win for sure.
No duh.
Dad!
Oda, you bastard! What are you doing in there?!
I'm coming in there right now, so don't try to run!
Oh, man! Mikami-san is gonna ream me out inside the restaurant.
Whatever happened to the roadwork you were supposed to be doing?!
The Chief was gracious enough...
to give you a chance to start over in the featherweight class...
but here you are, dilly-dallying in a place like this!
Dad, please don't yell.
Reiko! I can't believe you, either! Secretly meeting with this slob!
There's nothing secret about it. I did my roadwork.
I just ran into Reiko down the street, and we've only been here 10 minutes.
You bastard. You have a lot of nerve.
Are you still upset about that last match?
I feel I should mention that even though I lost the match...
I don't believe for an instant that I lost the fight!
That coward bobbed and weaved me out of points.
When it comes to exchanging blows, I'm confident that I can win...
with a smooth KO no matter who my opponent is! With my right hand!
Is that all you have to say for self-promotion?
Win with a smooth KO?! The reason you lost is obvious!
Stamina! Stamina! Stamina!
With your skill, he should have been easy for you to beat...
but you got weak in the third round because you didn't do enough running!
Do you understand even a little bit of my frustration?!
You're not the only one who's frustrated.
If I had landed even a single punch with my right, I would have won!
I was deceived by your right punch.
When you won your debut match with a single KO punch from your right...
I was honestly blown away.
It made me believe that both the Japan and World titles were not a dream.
But in reality, you got a swelled head and turned into a dumb boxer...
who just swings his arms around like an ape!
You seem to believe anything but a KO is a loss.
But you will experience humiliation in your next match.
Gimme a break. My opponent is just a greenhorn...
on his debut match. Besides, he's one below me.
Rumor has it that he's talk of the town for performing a spectacular KO...
at the pro certification exam.
I'm sure his punches will overcome any differences in weight class.
This is a great chance. Get him to smack you into shape...
along with your rotten spirit.
Also, if you lose this match, it'll be your last!
The gym says they won't sponsor any more matches for a bonehead like you!
I'm getting tired of it, too! Oh, and one more thing.
I have no intention of leaving my girl with an irresponsible bum like you!
If you don't show grit in the next match, I'll make sure you never see her again!
Let's go!
That all ya got?!
I can take more! Again, please!
Another!
Jeez, it's disgusting how much he loves to train.
If it were me, I'd slack off the moment I found out I was up against Oda.
I can take more!
Another!
What's wrong, Reiko?
Your noodles will get soggy.
Oh, yeah. That's true.
Are you worried about something?
No, it's nothing.
Welcome!
Hi there!
Hey, you're all here!
I'm treating him to noodles to cheer him up before his debut match.
Give us a freebie, okay?
Yeah, yeah.
Like I'm telling you, you don't have to be so worried.
What's up?
You know, the kid's such a worry wart.
Anyway, Oda's famous for being gutless. You know, Yusuke Oda.
Maybe, but he's one rank above me.
I'm sure one of his punches could really do damage.
A sporadic right punch won't connect no matter how much he flails it around.
Either way, when the third round comes, he'll run out of gas and plotz out.
Here you go!
I hear that he calls himself a KO artist or something. What a clown!
He only has 3 wins and 2 losses in the 4-round level...
but he goes around bragging that his right punch will take over the world!
It's pretty pathetic when someone is that wrong, huh?!
Uh, but...
If you're that worried about it, I'll tell your fortune.
Whoa, there he goes!
Uh, is he accurate?
Yeah. I don't know how he rigs it...
but he's never been wrong.
It's your lucky day! This is the best card you can get!
Your fortune for the match is extra lucky!
What? Really?!
Huh? What?
What's so funny?
NISHIKAWA Boxing Gym
Hey, you waited for me.
Is your training already done for the day?
Everyone else still seems to be at it.
Oh, those guys are making the futile effort...
to compensate for their shortcomings.
A natural such as myself, on the other hand...
What do you think you're doing, Reiko?
Are you really a bum like my father says?
Why, you!
You're always all mouth. You're making me lose faith in you!
You're not making any sense!
I'm breaking up with you.
Actually, I've been considering it for a while.
If you lose in the next match...
I decided that I'd break up with you.
I don't know what to believe in you anymore!
I've had it!
Dummy! I told you I'd win, remember?!
You'll understand when you see my next match!
Your next match?!
Earlier, I happened to hear your opponent's friends talking about you.
Do you know what they're saying about you?
They called you a clown! And pathetic!
What?!
Yusuke, what happened to you?
You didn't used to be this way.
You used to be the last one to return from practice...
and though you've always had your flaky moments...
but when you spoke about boxing, you were so serious, it was scary.
That's the Yusuke I fell in love with.
I want...
I want to see the Yusuke I used to know!
Uh, hey!
Get him to smack you into shape along with your rotten spirit!
They called you a clown! And pathetic!
Goddamn them!
Why were you laughing so hard when Aoki-san told my fortune?
It doesn't make sense, 'cause I got the best card.
It's true that Aoki's fortune telling is 100% accurate...
but the result is always the opposite of the card he draws!
You idiot! Don't step back!
Step forward more! Then jog!
What're you doing here? You're done training, aren't you?
Take your sorry ass home!
What's with you? You wanna take me?
Mikami-san!
Uh, what?
Teach me a way to sink my right into Ippo Makunouchi's face!
Wh-What?
I'm talking about my right straight you said blew you away.
How can I take advantage of it?!
Anything I tell you will be useless as long as you keep relying on your right.
A skilled fighter also needs to know how to use his left.
Th-That's it! Tell me more! How do I use my left?!
If you want, I don't need to knock him down, I just need a way to win!
It's a bit late for that.
You were so hung up on winning with KOs!
I still feel the same about that.
But things are different this time!
I don't care if I only win by one point!
I want to win at any cost!
Well, I am your trainer.
If that's what you wanna do, we'll start tomorrow.
No, we'll start now.
Start now? Are you nuts?
Teach me what you just mentioned. It was something about left punches.
Just a minute. Hey!
It's great that you're so eager to train and all that...
but don't you think you've been overworking yourself lately?
Not really. I don't feel tired because I'm looking so forward to the match.
To tell the truth, I'm a little anxious.
I feel better when I'm training.
I guess it's easy to tell what I'm thinking.
Well, I don't quite understand the mindset of a small-shot like you...
but it'll do more harm than good if you ruin your health.
I know.
But this is all I have.
Don't drag your feet! Dash! Dash!
Where have you been?
Idiot. Oda's roadwork, of course!
I told him he needed stamina most, so I got stuck training him personally.
Did he come up with the idea?
I didn't think he would last three days, but it's been a week today.
By the way, I heard you guys haven't been seeing each other lately.
Yeah. Yusuke said we shouldn't see each other until the match.
I see! He came up with the idea, did he?
He always had the gift.
His rusty right punch just might come back to life in this match!
What's wrong, kid?! Raise your guard!
You'll take Oda's right straight in your chomper!
Force yourself close into him!
Give him a barrage of body blows!
All right! Remember that combination of punches to the body and face!
Yes, sir!
Those were great body blows! You're pretty good...
if you can maintain that kind of attack against a 6-rounder like myself.
Thank you so much!
Sure!
What are you doing?! Get over here!
Uh, right!
124 pounds. Makunouchi has passed the weigh-in.
Next, Oda.
124 and a half pounds.
Oda has also cleared the limit for the featherweight class.
This is the first time you've entered a match looking so lean.
You've got a chance.
Why are you getting afraid? Go and greet him!
He's your senior in this world, you know.
Uh, right.
Excuse me...
P-Pleased to meet you. I'm Ippo Makunouchi.
I'm glad to make your acqu...
I'll let you judge whether I'm a clown.
Huh?
Ch-Chief, are you sure he's gutless?
He's nothing like you told me!
A man without a spine wouldn't be able to build that kind of body.
Well, your match starts tomorrow evening.
Make sure to get plenty of rest until then.
Yes, sir!
Yusuke ODA 4R Ippo MAKUNOUCHI
My debut match. The day has finally come!
You wanna be like me, don't you?
If so, you at least gotta try this.
Let's see here. You should be able to grab at least 10 leaves.
Room B
Match #1, Makunouchi-kun. It's time.
Right!
- Let's go!
- Right!
- Oh! - Here he comes!
Give him heck, Ippo!
Go throw those punches!
Damn!
How can I be so nervous after all I've done to get here?!
I must focus on the match!
Match One of the 4-round featherweight class is ready to begin!
Reflecting on Today
That's coming to an end
I try to search for what I can do
I might have thought too hard
If I can tell myself "I'll be fine,"
That would be the first step
A paper plane is flying away
Hopefully it will make it to Tomorrow
Forever, forever, forever, forever
I'll keep believing
That's why... forever, forever, forever, forever
It will keep flying
Cuts. Blood spewing from wounds.
The cornerman has the techniques to stop the bleeding like magic.
But the magic is wearing off.
At this rate, I will lose!
No! It's my debut match! I've worked so hard for this day!
I won't accept defeat like this!
The next episode is "Obsession for Victory"