Seek... without asking for the answer
I want to discover in the match on the edge
GET LIFE... not much time is left
That is the beginning
I WANT THIS ONLY
I will continue to seek
In the midst of that silver light
I may hurt others
As others may hurt me
But it doesn't end there
Keep seeking single-mindedly
I still don't see anything... WHY?
But I still keep seeking
NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
Yikes! Makunouchi can't stand up! The blow was that powerful!
Will this decide the match?!
The guy is too much for me!
No, it isn't me!
It's having an effect!
His last attack used up his last shred of strength!
But he still managed to squeeze out that much power.
Yeah!
Even Miyata-kun fought way past his limit!
I can't cop out just because my right fist hurts!
How can I expect to defeat this guy if I'm that weak?!
Six!
Seven!
I have to do better!
Kid!
I can't possibly beat this guy if I'm that weak!
He's up! Makunouchi has risen to his feet!
You bastard! You should've stayed down.
I was naive to believe I could fight fully without my right fist!
There's no way I could defeat him like that!
I cannot afford to lose.
I will win! I'll beat you down as many times as it takes!
I don't care if it costs me my right fist!
I'm fighting against an incredible boxer!
I'm going to fight until I'm satisfied!
Now the match is about to resume.
Mashiba slowly walks in front of Makunouchi.
Now they face-off!
Box!
I'll finish you!
Kid!
It's not enough!
It would take more than this to make Mashiba-san fall!
Two reps from the right! That stupid kid...
He's placed the last glimmer of hope on his right fist!
It's still not enough!
He keels over!
Makunouchi's three great consecutive hits...
makes Mashiba's tall frame capsize!
Mashiba's legs are buckling!
His knees could touch canvas at any moment!
Will he fall?!
It... It'll take more than that to knock me down!
I'm starting to lose feeling in my right fist.
I must go now while he's still reeling from the earlier damage!
No! If he takes a punch in the face right now...
there's no way he'll withstand it!
I can't lose.
I can't afford to lose!
Good! Anyway, stay in there!
I can't afford to... I can't afford to lose!
Break it up! Step back!
Mashiba! Let go of him!
This guy has no intention of letting go!
If that's the case, I can also play dirty!
I'm not about to lose!
Why, you...
Neither is compromising! Both boxers display great tenacity!
Who in the world will fall first?!
Ippo! Keep punching, keep punching!
You're getting to him!
Stick to it, Mashiba!
Boxing isn't all fists!
Shake him off, Makunouchi!
I can't... afford to...
Oh, my! Is Mashiba losing his grip?!
Just a little more! Just a little more!
It's coming undone!
Mashiba's clinch is gradually coming undone!
GET...
OFF...
OF...
ME!
He's off!
Mashiba has released his grip!
Go, kid! It's your chance!
Show him how you feel about him!
Watch out, Mashiba! Look down!
Dammit!
Ryo!
HE'S DOWN!
Mashiba falls!
He did it!
Mashiba truly persevered, but he finally falls for the first time!
And in all likelihood, this will be a reversal KO!
One!
Two!
Don't bother counting. There's no way he'll get up!
Don't stand up. My right fist has gone dead.
Three! Don't stand up. My right fist has gone dead.
Four!
I can't punch any more!
My strength is gone.
So, don't get up! Please don't get up!
Five!
Six!
H- Hurry!
Seven!
Hurry up and count!
Eight!
S- Stay back!
Nine!
I-I don't wanna... lose!
Ten!
Mashiba exhausted his strength!
He literally sank into the canvas!
I did it.
I won!
I DID IT!
The match is over!
And at this very moment, the featherweight class Rookie King...
of the Eastern Japan Rookie Tournament has been determined!
That was great! Of the Eastern Japan Rookie Tournament has been determined!
- His name is Ippo Makunouchi!
- Yagi-san, you're crushing me!
I can't believe he took Eastern Japan!
He did great!
That took a lot of guts.
Reckless idiot.
Who knows what damage you did to your right fist?
Right now, it's in one ear and out the other.
Anyway, you've done a good job so far.
Mashiba!
No! It's not over yet!
Come on, you bastard!
Stop it, Mashiba! It's over!
- Shut up!
- Come on...
It's not over yet!
There's no way I'd lose to someone like him!
Uh, excuse me...
How should I say it?
Thank you for the fight.
Let's go, Mashiba.
Damn it!
Mashiba! You did great!
Yeah, you've got guts!
Next time, win by KO!
Come back to Korakuen Hall someday!
Shut up... Shut up!
He certainly was a fearsome opponent.
Yes.
When I knocked him down at the end...
I was convinced he would get to his feet again.
So I started chanting, "Don't get up! Don't get up!"
The countdown felt like it took forever.
I was the one standing over him...
but I was scared to death.
But in the meantime, you beat the guy you were so afraid of.
For you're the Rookie King of Eastern Japan!
Chief...
Now, go on and salute them.
Right!
Makunouchi! Nice fight!
You always reverse the match for the win!
That's what's great about you!
Don't make us so nervous!
The Eastern Japan Rookie Championship Tournament...
was fought in a total of eleven classes.
The rookie champions from all classes are here tonight!
The fight for each class...
was full of invigorating matches worthy of fresh fighters.
And now, the awards ceremony!
This is nerve-wracking.
I had no idea there was a ceremony following the final match.
And next, the award given to the most impressive boxer of the tournament...
the MVP Rookie Award goes to...
Makunouchi in the featherweight class!
Huh? What?
Y-You mean...
I'm the MVP Rookie of the Year?
Uh...
Thanks.
4th Floor Emergency Exit
Medical Room Entrance Keep Door Shut At All Times
Ryo...
Look what you did to yourself for me.
It must have hurt all this time.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!
That last punch...
That last punch... really hurt.
The guy definitely had a crushed fist...
but he still delivered a horrific punch with it.
I was so sure this was my chance to climb up to the top...
but it's all over now.
Ryo...
Ryo? Maybe boxing isn't...
Maybe you should...
I have to start over.
After all, the best thing about boxing is that it's all fair.
This world is pretty comfortable.
It's too good to quit.
That's true. When you get better...
you can try for it again.
I never expected Ippo to make MVP!
I can't believe it!
Really. We didn't predict that in the slightest.
What's your damage, loudmouth?
M-My dark horse came in first!
Remember?! We bet on it before!
We bet on who would win, Ippo or Mashiba!
I was the only one who bet on Ippo, so...
Right, Takamura-san? You took notes, right?!
Hey, isn't this a little too forceful?
I hope that'll shake him out of his alcohol stupor!
Alcohol?
What are those guys doing?
Ozuma-san...
Kobashi-san...
Hayami-san...
Mashiba-san...
They all did themselves proud.
Miyata-kun...
In the end, I didn't get to fight you.
But I'm sure the way I fought today would make you proud.
So I'm the Rookie of the Year for Eastern Japan.
Eastern Japan Rookie Championship Tournament
KO time: 3 Rounds, 2 minutes and 13 seconds Ippo Makunouchi, Eastern Japan Rookie Championship Tournament Featherweight Winner!
New Eastern Japan Rookie of the Year Awarded MVP Rookie Award!
KAWAHARA Boxing Gym
Monthly Boxing Fan
"MVP Goes to Featherweight Ippo Makunouchi!"
"Ippo Makunouchi (Kamogawa Gym) Conquers the featherweight class..."
"and secures record of 6 matches, 6 wins, and 6 KOs."
Ooh, he's in here! He's in here! Let's see...
He conquered featherweight with his dynamite punches!
The other time he was in here, it was a tiny write-up.
But now that he's rookie champ, he gets the star treatment!
Oh! Hey, Ippo!
Oh, Umezawa-kun!
I haven't seen you since the end of last semester.
Yeah. Anyway, congratulations...
Rookie Champion of Eastern Japan. I was moved!
What? You came to watch?!
Of course! I've been there for all your matches.
- Yeah!
- Thank you!
I'm totally looking forward to the All-Japan Tournament.
Yeah! We'll definitely be there to root for you!
I hate to say this when you have such high hopes for me...
but it looks like I'll have to withdraw from the All-Japan.
W-Withdraw?! How come?
I fractured my right fist.
It'll take two months to heal.
The All-Japan is in February.
My fist will just be healing up by then, so...
I see.
Besides, it'll take a while to recover from that last match.
And the Chief said I should focus on running for the time being.
Which means, for the time being, we won't get to see you fight.
I'm sorry.
Hey, don't sweat it!
Tell us when you get your next match.
We may be working full-time by then, but we'll be there to cheer you on.
Sure!
For you, this is the last semester of your high school career.
Oh, yeah. My high school days are almost over. Because of the weather, it's easy to catch cold...
Umezawa-kun and the others will go find work...
and I'm sure everyone else has decided what they want to be.
I told my teacher I was going to keep boxing, but I wonder.
That's why...
whether you are going to seek employment or go on to college...
I would like you to fight hard for your goal. That is all.
My goal?
The Eastern Japan was my goal.
I don't know when my next match will be.
I need to find a new goal.
I wonder how Mashiba's little sister is doing?
Please stop badmouthing my brother.
I haven't been to that bakery since.
I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I was his opponent.
She probably came to the match, so she must have been surprised.
There's no way she feels good towards me.
I have to say a word of apology!
All right, here goes!
But how do I apologize without sounding like I'm making excuses?
What should I do? I can't turn back now.
At any rate, I have to go!
Well, take care.
I will.
Welcome...
Um, hello.
Huh?
Please, come in.
Uh, sure!
I mean, uh...
We have some freshly baked pastries.
What? Uh, no... That girl!
I mean, I would like some yakisoba buns.
Pardon?
Thank you, come again.
Do you need anything else?
Um, about that girl who was just here...
when will she be working next?
What? Oh, do you mean Kumi-chan?
Actually... today was Kumi-chan's last day here.
What? H-Her last day?
She says she's going to be a secretary at her brother's place of work.
She was a good girl and the customers really liked her...
so I'm sorry to see her go.
That can't be.
For some reason, it doesn't taste as good...
even though it's the same old yakisoba bun.
I guess I'll never get to see her again.
Although she didn't do it directly, she completely broke my heart.
So, that was the last "welcome."
NANIWA Boxing Group
Is Mashiba losing his grip?!
Mashiba's clinch is gradually coming undone!
Those are good uppercuts.
I can't wait. I'm so excited!
Finally. I've finally found someone...
I can fight fair and square.
I can't wait!
I can't wait for the All-Japan Rookie Championship!
I'm waiting for you, Makunouchi!
No matter what I do, it's the same
I keep making mistakes
What is truly important?
Weary about what's under my feet
I can't stop looking down
When that happens
Just look up
Look far into the distance
Find a new perspective from a different angle
When walking down a narrow path, look up
You'll find the world has a 360-degree view
The smash.
A punch thrown in an upward slant...
that uses a well-trained body like a giant spring.
It is powerful enough to knock down an opponent with a single blow.
It is a weapon that was prepared by someone...
who's been looking forward to fighting with me.
I'd love to fight him if only I didn't have an injured fist!
I love boxing, too!
The next episode is, "Rocky of Naniwa."