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
KAMOGAWA Boxing Gym
Japan Middleweight Title Match Yoshiaki YAJIMA vs. Mamoru TAKAMURA
Takamura-san looks so cooooool!
Japan Middleweight Title Match!
When you see something like this, it feels so real.
We're counting on you, Takamura-kun.
Bring back the first champion belt to our gym in ten years.
In return, Yagi-chan, don't forget to plan a banquet...
to celebrate my victory.
Of course I won't!
All right!
First one in ten years?!
Do your best, Takamura-san.
I'll cheer you on with all I've got on the day of your match!
Hey, Ippo. You'll need to pour all you've got...
into this one, not cheering. See?
Featherweight Class Eastern Japan Rookie Championship 2nd Round Match Kenta KOBASHI vs. Ippo MAKUNOUCHI
It's... it's MY match.
So, Ippo's match is a curtain raiser for Takamura-san's match.
That's perfect! Your opponent is that wimpy Kobashi.
Your victory will certainly give a welcome boost...
to Takamura-san's title match!
Um... well... don't say that. There's no guarantee that I'll win.
What are you saying? You did watch that video, didn't you?
That's right. It'll be nothing but a free pass.
What you need to be concerned about is the next opponent, Hayami.
Oh, no. I can't be too optimistic! I need to do my best in every single match.
Oh, man! Give me a break!
You're way too serious!
Well, that's what's great about you.
All right. Get up in the ring.
I'll help you review what you learned at the camp.
Yes, sir! Thank you very much!
What are you doing?
Once again your left is wide open!
All four of them are looking crisp.
The results of the camp are certainly showing in their movement.
Especially the kid.
His power to kick off the ground has gotten noticeably stronger.
Shifting his weight has become extremely smooth...
compared to how it was before.
It was the right decision to make him go to the camp with the other guys.
OK. It was nice.
Thank you very much.
I need to concentrate more and more.
Hey, Ippo!
- Yes. - Here!
Ah-ha! It was a good response!
Well, thank you.
Incidentally... could you go buy me some juice?
I want some orange juice.
Five hundred yen.
It has become a habit to jump and catch when something is tossed to me.
Huh?
I wonder if he wants to join the gym.
I'm sure it's hard for him to enter.
I really understand how it feels.
I wonder if I should have stopped him and told him to take a tour inside.
Ah! He scared me! He came out so suddenly!
Please wait!
Makunouchi-kun!
Wait! Wait! This... this notebook!
You dropped it!
Ugh! Oh, man!
What am I gonna do?
Finally... I caught up with you. Here it is.
I wonder what's wrong with him?
I let you see something you shouldn't have seen.
Huh?
You must think me petty to spy on you...
while we're still in the 4-round level.
What? Spy?
I wonder what he's talking about, this guy.
Is he talking about looking into the gym earlier?
Kobashi-san!
You've JUST noticed?
Then the content of this?
NO! I haven't looked!
I see. Of course.
Otherwise, there's no way you'd go out of your way to deliver it to me.
The reputation is well founded. Your punches are incredible.
Uh... well...
I really wish I had punches like yours.
But in order to compensate for the lack of destructive power...
I need to make efforts of my own.
I've watched your videotapes until they're worn out.
I also watched your training for a long time.
This is one of the results of my efforts.
Um... well... l...
You were kind enough to deliver this to me.
But I've started in with you... Sorry.
Oh, not at all.
It doesn't mean a thing...
unless I give you a bad time in the ring.
Makunouchi-kun, I have no flashy punches...
or incredible technique that I can show off...
but still, boxing is not predictable.
What? Kobashi came to spy on you?!
He seems to be taking notes and analyzing.
He sounded really confident and now I'm a little anxious.
He's nothing but a boxer with cold feet, relying solely on clinches.
You have nothing to worry about.
He's a piece of cake!
You think so? What do you think, Takamura-san?
The only thing I can say is...
Yes!
I won't allow you to lose as a curtain-raiser to my match!
Kid!
Yes, sir!
Don't worry too much about your opponent.
Instead, think of how you can take advantage of your destructive power!
Yes!
OHTAKI Boxing Gym
Hey, Kobashi! You're doing the clinch again?
If you keep hugging me, we can't spar!
Get away from me!
You idiot!
Thank you very much.
Oh, sure.
At any rate, Kobashi...
can't you throw more powerful punches?
With the way you're punching, you'll never get a KO.
You are clinching all the time, too.
See? You do THIS to support it with your hip...
- Hey, what is it? - Uh... nothing.
The motion is too big. It's easy to dodge.
What did you say?
Um, nothing.
Kobashi!
Kobashi, come over here.
Let's do some mitt punching.
Yes, sir!
Hey, Kobashi! Don't get too serious!
Yasuda-san is old. You don't wanna break his bones!
Don't worry. That's not gonna happen with HIS punches.
Well, I guess you're right. They are a good match for each other.
Don't let them get to you. Now, give it a try.
Yes, sir.
Listen, Kobashi, powerful punches are one's natural talent.
You can train to some extent...
but only the ones with natural talent can excel beyond that.
Unfortunately you are not one of them.
Here... this side.
Long ago, there was an American boxer...
by the name of Maxie Rosenbloom.
If I remember correctly, he won 209 times, but...
only 19 KO victories were recorded.
He won 209 times, but only 19 KOs?
His punches weren't powerful?
Well, back then, there was no TV or anything like that.
Since I've never seen him myself, I'm not sure...
but at least it is a good indication that powerful punches...
are not everything in boxing.
Believe it or not, he defended the light heavyweight world title...
six times.
Six times?!
Certainly, a KO is the grand finale in a boxing match...
but a KO is not everything in boxing.
What's wrong?
Uh... well, I'm happy.
Knowing that there's someone who acknowledges the way I fight.
You don't need to worry about how people perceive you.
It will change eventually if you keep winning.
Yes!
Phew...
Are you all right? Did I make you strain too much?
What are you talking about? I can still manage.
By the way, why don't you come with me to have soba just down the street?
Yes, yes! Of course!
Thank you for the meal!
Sure!
When I was a boxer...
I used to go spy on my opponents quite often.
What?
There was no such thing as a VCR back then.
So, I would go there and intensely study my opponent.
Whoa.
So, what do you think? Do you think you can conquer Makunouchi?
Conquer?
Honestly speaking, it'll be hard.
His strong punches swing so fast...
that they will easily break through my guard.
Indeed, there aren't very many guys with that level of punches.
Oh?
I don't know what to do.
When I think of Makunouchi, this has been happening lately.
But I do believe there is a way.
He is still an imperfect boxer.
Even I can find many shortcomings.
Is that so.
Knowing your opponent and knowing yourself...
are important principles in the art of war.
And you know yourself very well.
This is just my hunch, but in the upcoming match...
the outcome may just surprise everyone.
I'll do my best.
Wow, what a long line.
If I lose before Takamura-san's match...
it will dampen the victorious atmosphere for him.
I need to give it my best!
Room D
Yasuda-san, the third match is over.
Please get Kobashi ready.
Sure. Koba...
They're not making chattering sounds today.
Well, I'm just taking a "so-what" attitude.
Then shall we go see the outcome?
Yes!
Room B
You seem to be moving sharply.
Right. It's not bad at all.
All I have left to do is get up in the ring.
So he says.
It's unusual for him say something with such confidence.
He must be in super great condition.
Makunouchi for the 5th match, please get ready.
All right. Let's go, kid.
Yes, sir!
I'll be watching on the monitor in my greenroom.
To celebrate my victory in advance, show me a flashy KO!
Yes! Takamura-san, good luck to you, too.
Mind your own business! Hurry up and GO!
Ooh-yeah!
All right!
Watch out for head-butting and low blows...
and fight fair and square with each other.
Boxing is not predictable.
I shouldn't get distracted!
All I need to do is play my own boxing!
Now I see him at such close-range, I can see he is well-built.
He must have real destructive power.
No, don't chicken out.
Calmly... I should fight the match calmly.
Now, go back to your own corner.
Listen, your opponent is a passive boxer.
The match is not gonna go anywhere if you keep staring each other.
Be aggressive from the get-go!
Pull him into the exchange of punches!
Yes!
Seconds out!
What is THAT?
I've never seen such a pose.
What shall I do? I wonder what kind of attack...
is coming out of that pose.
Hey, don't let him mislead you, kid! Go forward and punch!
That's right! There is no use contemplating.
- I should just go forward! - Coming!
Whoa! Awesome!
The other guy put up his guard, but he lurched!
What a guy!
All right! He's in tip-top shape!
Keep showering him with punches!
All right! I'm going all the way without stopping!
Incredible. The power of his punches and dash and dart...
is far beyond what I imagined!
Kobashi... Calmly... calmly...
Ugh. My arms are feeling numb.
I can't fend off his punches only with my guard.
But now I have a good grasp of the speed of his punches.
Good! He dove in!
Ouch!
Good!
Damn!
Ippo, don't strain too much!
Your swings are getting too big! Swing small! Small!
That left hand is tricky.
I need to step in deeper before his left hand comes over me!
Just ignore it and step in!
I'm IN!
That's good!
- Oh, man! - It was getting exciting!
It's a clinch!
Otherwise, Ippo's uppercut would have connected for sure.
Break up! Step back!
Ah! You idiot! What were you day-dreaming about?
Right after separating from the clinch is a dangerous time!
Damn! He is connecting so well.
Those are not exactly jabs. They're rather like swing punches.
I wonder if that's why Ippo's having a hard time dodging them.
Something... something is wrong. I'm in good shape, though.
If I could connect only once... just once...
What a powerful attack!
When a barrage starts, it's hard to stop it!
It's not good!
I've cornered him!
Very good.
Break it up! Step back!
Round 1 Remaining Time
Oh, come on! Break it up!
Kobashi, break it up! Step back!
We're not here to see you guys hug!
Trade punches!
I've got booing going.
But if I trade punches with him head-on...
I'll be gone in a flash.
His every punch is incredible...
but the power of his entire body is just amazing.
That was fine. Don't pay attention to booing.
You boxed according to YOUR image and YOU controlled the first round.
Makunouchi has completely lost sight of his own rhythm.
Yes. But I have a long way to go.
So I can't slack off.
Indeed, he cannot afford to slack off...
because he is producing such incredible punches continuously.
This kid must be under tremendous pressure...
He's doing a great job.
Hang in there, Kobashi! Hang in there!
You idiot! You allowed him to disrupt your rhythm completely!
You were swinging so wide no wonder what's supposed to connect couldn't connect!
My body feels great, but something...
was awkward.
With a clinch and stuff, I was evaded at a crucial moment.
And I found myself swinging very wide.
Right. He seems to be good at evading during crucial moments.
Since he took the time to come spy on you...
he did a good job analyzing your moves!
However, the fact is that his analysis is coming before his boxing...
and his style is ever more passive.
It definitely proves that he's afraid of your powerful punches.
Don't do the wide swings, but be aggressive again in the second round!
Keep putting pressure on him!
When he can't take it any more, there'll be an unguarded moment!
Seize that moment!
Round 2 Remaining Time
Seconds out.
Don't forget, don't lower your guard!
Yes!
How is he? Quite a few punches landed on him...
Kobashi doesn't have single-punch knockout power.
They didn't cause much damage to Ippo at all.
That's all the more reason why we should be concerned.
If the opponent's punches are mediocre...
Ippo may lose sight of the importance of a tight guard.
Right. If he could just capture him...
and drag him into an exchange of punches...
Could we be falling into his trap?
I need to be aggressive and gain the initiative!
Box!
What?
Kobashi is the one who took the initiative!
This is not good!
Very good, Kobashi!
Hey, kid! I told you not to swing wide!
This is not good! He can't hear me at all.
Kobashi's preemptive attack crushed Ippo's chance to recover his confidence!
Damn it! Just connect once somehow! Then you'll get hold of your own pace!
Well, it might be hard to connect even once.
Though very awkward, Kobashi is sticking to the textbook-perfect "Hit-and-Away."
Even WE are intimidated by Ippo's powerful punches from time to time.
Kobashi is amazingly calm. Unlike what we thought...
he could pose danger.
Whoa! Ippo forced himself in!
To the corner! I should force him to the corner!
Then he won't be able to use his footwork!
Hang in there, Kobashi.
Ippo led him to the corner by force!
Good job! Don't let him get away!
I won't let him get away! I'll nail him this time!
Good job! Punch through to the end!
Kobashi, hang in there.
Man! A clinch again?!
Break it up! Step back!
Don't let him rest, kid! Go all the way at once!
Huh?
Chief...
This is not good, Yagi-chan.
This is not good at all.
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
Knockout. A spirited and powerful punch...
shatters the obsession for victory of a boxer who trained long and hard...
and it sinks him deeply into the floor.
It is spectacular. And in boxing...
it is the most clear-cut form of finality for anyone to see.
That's all the more reason why it is difficult to aim for it.
But I have no choice but to aim for it. No matter how painful it is...
I have no other choice than to keep punching...
to capture him and knock him down.
The next round is "Dream of KO."