Sagasou Kotae wo kikanaide
Mitsuketai Girigiri no shobu de
GET LIFE Jikan wa sonna ni naize
Sorega START WAY
I WANT THIS ONLY
Sagashi motomeru
Ano giniro no hikari no naka de
Dareka wo kizutsukete
Jibun mo kizutsuite
Dakedo owarazu ni
Tada oimotome
Nani mo miete naikeredo... WHY?
Kitto konomama
NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
OSAKA NANIWA Boxing Group
Sendo! Where's Sendo?
It's time for his roadwork. Where the heck has he gone?
If you want Sendo-san, he went in the back.
The back?
Ah-ha!
You're watching it again.
Yeah. I could watch this guy fight over and over without getting bored.
I'm totally stoked that I get to fight him.
Yes, about that...
What? What the heck do you mean?!
It's like I just explained...
Hey! Where are you going?
Where else?!
To Tokyo!
KAMOGAWA Boxing Gym
Hello.
There you are. You have a guest.
Who is that?
He's been demanding to see you since he got here.
Huh?
Oh? So, you finally showed up, Makunouchi.
I've been waiting a long time.
Um, I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but may I ask who you are?
What's that? You're saying you don't know who I am?!
Well, yes.
Fine. I'll introduce myself.
My name is Takeshi Sendo!
I am the featherweight rookie champion of Western Japan!
Rookie champion of Western Japan?!
Sendo? I've heard of you.
You're the one featured in magazines...
as the Kansai region's number one rising star.
You're Rocky of Naniwa?!
People always wanna call you "Rocky" so-and so if you're a little tough.
They think the movie "Rocky" was so cool...
so I understand why they want to add the name of our town to it...
but don't get the wrong idea!
I'm not nicknamed after no Rocky Balboa.
It's Rocky as in "Rocky Marciano."
Rocky Marciano?
The only champion to retire undefeated...
in the history of the heavyweight class.
You got it!
49 matches, 49 victories and 43 KOs!
In a nutshell, Marciano was the only class champion...
without any losses or draws!
But it gets even more amazing.
Boxers nowadays tend to compete with skills alone, right?
However, Marciano was different.
He would see who was more powerful. Who could withstand the most punches!
Testing to see who was a man among men was his religion!
Don't you think that's awesome? That's how I want to live.
But I'm disgusted with the Western Japan Tournament.
Every last one of them use cheap tricks...
and they all fall on their asses after one little punch.
Just when I was bored sick of it, I saw your video tape.
My tape?
I knew you were the one. I knew that with you...
I'd be able to have real man-to-man boxing!
So, what's this crap I hear about you withdrawing?!
Don't wimp out over a little fist injury, and do the All-Japan!
T-That's easy for you to say...
Are you a man or a mouse?!
I even worked on a deadly technique to fight you with!
A deadly technique?
Actually, it's still a secret. I haven't made it public yet.
Still, my smash would knock anyone's socks off.
Smash?
What?! You can do smashes?
If memory serves, it's a three-quarter uppercut, right?
D'Oh!
Oh, nuts! I spilled the beans!
Please keep this a secret, okay?
Pardon?
Oh, well. The cat is out of the bag, so to hell with it.
The match is more important anyway.
Are you seriously going to back out of the All-Japan?
Yeah, but I can't use my right fist...
so it wouldn't be much of a match.
It'll be healed in two months, right?! You'll be in time!
Don't ask the impossible!
Sorry it's such bad news after coming all the way from Osaka...
but Ippo is in no shape to fight in the match.
I'm sorry.
Damn it all!
Oh. I need to get going.
Huh? Where are you off to?
It's time for me to do roadwork.
Roadwork?
Come to think of it...
I hopped the train when I was supposed to do roadwork.
I need to run anyway.
I see.
Dashing, huh?
What, are you through already?
Actually, I alternate between dashing and jogging.
Oh... Why didn't you say so?
You sure run a lot.
Thanks.
I can't train my fists...
so I run twice the norm, but he kept up with me no problem.
I bet he does this much on a regular basis.
Y-Yes?
So, you're really gonna back out?
I guess I should give up and stop nagging you.
I'm disappointed because I was looking forward to it.
I'm sorry.
Don't apologize. Some things just can't be helped.
This guy was seriously looking forward to fighting me.
He must really love boxing.
Um, so how did you start boxing?
Huh?
Uh, well... I was just a little curious.
You probably think I was a street brat who liked to mix it up.
Uh...
And that I started boxing because I was influenced by it.
Uh, I didn't really...
Really?
Well, maybe just a little.
I knew it!
I'll have you know I can't stand it when people judge me like that!
Yes, sir.
Now, listen to me!
Yes, sir!
I started boxing...
because I love boxing!
That's why I started boxing!
Aw, man! I sound just like a street brat.
I know!
If you ask a mountain climber why he climbs mountains...
he'll say, "Because there are mountains to climb."
It's like that!
Pardon?
Wait, I can describe it better!
Yeah! If you're a boxer, you'll know what I'm talking about!
If there's a tough guy in the ring, you wanna fight him, right?
You want to have a ferocious battle of the fists...
and win! Then I can believe from the bottom of my heart...
that I am strong.
I love that moment!
If I could fight you...
I wasted my time.
I'm gonna catch a shower and get myself back to Osaka.
Oh, man! All that trouble for nothing!
My-y-y punches are dynamite!
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
Yo!
Afternoon!
Hello!
Where the heck is Aoki?
Oh, if you want Aoki-san...
He's in there!
He's in the washroom.
Aoki!
It... It's huge!
This thing is freakishly huge!
You! You're definitely not Aoki, so who the hell are you?!
Don't do that to a guy out of nowhere!
I thought you were gonna crush it!
What? I haven't seen you before.
If you're a newbie, you are obliged to greet me!
Hey, it's Takamura-san, the middleweight champion!
I'm a big fan of his.
I wonder if I can get his autograph?
Huh?
Don't size me up, you!
Mine has more destructive power!
What the hell are you doing?!
What's wrong, Takamura-san?!
What're you guys doing together naked?
Yeesh. I feel pathetic for rushing to your rescue.
Shut your face!
It's your fault I ended up gripping that nasty thing!
Is that Aoki guy always treated like that?
Well, thanks for everything.
What? You're going back already?
I need to train. And I already got an autograph.
"Mamoru Takamura, Champion of the World"
Besides, there's nothing left for me to do here.
Sendo-san?
What? You don't need me around anymore either, right?
Well, so long!
The guy's like a whirlwind.
Heh! I went through hell thanks to him.
What is it now?!
Now that I think about it...
I only had enough money to buy a one-way ticket.
Would you let me stay the night here?
Fishing Boat Rental MAKUNOUCHI
"Rocky of Naniwa, Takeshi Sendo"
This is amazing.
He's been in the public eye ever since his debut.
Flat-footed infighter...
6 matches, 6 wins, 6 KOs!
Wow, that's just like me!
"His defense has room for improvement..."
"but his destructive power more than makes up for it."
"He is one of the top notch hard punchers in the featherweight class."
We're the same!
Not just our match records, but the way we fight and win.
The praise in his article reads a lot like the praise in mine.
Could it be that we're the exact same type of boxer?
Come to think of it, I've never fought a boxer like myself.
I wonder what would happen...
if I fought him?
The fledglings are working hard today.
- Afternoon.
- Hello!
Is that a new trainee?
He's making sweet music with the heavy bag.
Hey, you!
You have good form, but try raising your guard a bit more.
It's Chief Kamogawa...
the genius trainer who made a boxer out of Takamura-san!
Like this, sir?
Yes... you've got potential.
Do you really think so?!
However, when you step in, it throws off your body axis.
It's slowing down your combo ever so slightly.
What? So, I should do this?
No, you should position your head like this...
Old man! Why the hell are you giving advice to the enemy?!
Huh? What are you talking about?
Oh, so you're Sendo from the Western Japan Block.
That explains why you looked so good.
Are you still here?!
It only took you a day to fit in.
What, do you really think so?
So you came to discuss the match with the kid.
I'm sorry you came all this way, but give up.
The injury to his fist is serious. If he grows impatient and strains it now...
he could be out of the game for more than just a couple months.
If you're a boxer, you'll understand that, right?
Here. It's your return fare.
I'm sorry, but I have no more time to play with you.
Let's go, Yagi-chan.
Coming.
Hey, where are you guys going off to together?
To Thailand.
We couldn't find you a challenger here in Japan, Takamura-kun.
We heard Thailand has good boxers, so we're going there to negotiate.
I'd take on the world title at the drop of a hat, y'know?
There's an order to everything. We'll bring you back good news!
So, my next victim is a Thai.
All right! Aoki, let's kick it up a notch and spar!
Who, me?! In my humble opinion, Kimura looks more Thai-like than me.
Why are you making up such a far-fetched excuse?
You do it!
I don't wanna die just yet!
- Stop fighting over me and get in here!
- Hey, Makunouchi?
Is he the only heavyweight in this gym?
Yeah. The heaviest person next to Takamura-san...
is Aoki-san, who's a lightweight.
A challenger is one thing...
but he doesn't even have a sparring partner?
Excuse me!
I need to borrow your spare gym shirt.
Sure. Help yourself!
If you're cool with it, I'll help you out.
What?!
You're gonna do it?
You're a featherweight, aren't you?!
Do you realize how many classes are between you two?
He gave me so much money, I should at least offer my services.
Besides, it means I'll get to spar with my hero, Takamura-san.
It'll make a great story to tell the guys.
Ooh, you're a smooth talker!
Not everyone gets the opportunity to spar with a guy like me...
so make sure to take lots of notes.
Yes. I fully intend to.
Listen. One round only, okay?
One round and no more, okay?
It'd really suck if we hurt an outsider while the Chief is gone.
Yeah, yeah. I know.
Aoki is a total worrywart. There's no way he'd take him full-on.
And Sendo is just curious. He won't try to incite him.
I only hope you're right.
Damn. No matter what happens, I'm not responsible.
Hey, that's unusual.
Takamura-san is in a tight fighting pose.
He usually has his guard lowered to focus on offense.
He's trying to give Sendo a lesson.
Oh, right!
He's intimidating all right.
This is a great experience for me.
He's fast!
There he goes.
What heinous jabs for 16-ounce gloves!
So, that was his firing range.
It comes as no surprise that he can't touch Takamura-san...
but still, his moves are pretty sharp.
Yes.
Hey, look! Isn't Sendo getting a little too worked up?
Don't worry. They're on totally different levels.
Dodge with your upper body, then as the opponent withdraws...
dive in for the punch! Rock-away!
Counter a counter with a counter... Crisscross.
Whoa! High-level techniques on parade!
This sure is educational.
Yeah.
Look how good he is without going all the way.
What? Did he hit him?
N-No.
Hey, you used your elbow. Watch it.
I did it on purpose.
What?
W-What's going on?!
He got mad all of a sudden!
This is bad! Let's stop them!
Enough, Sendo! You can't touch him anyway!
That's true... if I was going to throw a normal punch at him.
A hook! No... An upper?!
What an ill-defined stance.
No way!
A smash!
- Takamura-san's body...
- moved!
That was a tricky little punch...
you little shit!
Hey, Sendo!
Sendo-san!
Is he dead?!
Damn, that hurt!
If you knew he had a smash up his sleeve, ya should've said so!
It was so unexpected that I took one.
Didn't I ask you not to go nuts?!
It's his fault!
He had the balls to say it wouldn't make a good story...
for the guys unless real boxing was involved.
So that's what he said!
I don't know whether that was brave or just plain stupid...
but either way, it's impressive that he made Takamura-san go all-out.
Hey, someone get some water!
I'll go!
Real boxing, huh?
Different class levels don't mean anything to Sendo-san.
He does it because he wants to fight someone strong, that's all.
If you're up against a tough guy, you wanna fight him...
and win!
I love that moment!
He really loves boxing.
I don't want to lose.
You sure bought a lot!
Yeah, I just took off...
so I needed some souvenirs to schmooze it over with my trainer.
If you ever come to Tokyo again, drop on by.
And next time, I'll spar with you.
Thanks.
Sendo?
I'll be waiting for you in Osaka!
Sendo-san.
So, he'll be waiting in Osaka, huh?
The All-Japan R.C.T. Alternates between the east and west.
This year's will be in the west, at the Osaka Prefecture Gymnasium.
It doesn't look like he's given up on his match with you.
He's not the only one.
My passion for boxing is no less...
than anybody else's.
I want to fight him.
I don't want to lose!
Takamura-san really is powerful.
I'd been working on my smash to be a single, fatal blow.
It's a do-or-die kind of punch, so if you fail to knock him down...
the first time, there's the danger of a revenge hit.
I need to iron the bugs out the moment I get back to Osaka.
What a great souvenir that was!
Souvenirs!
"Tokyo"
Nani wo yattemo onaji yoni
Nando to naku machigai wo kurikaesu
Nani ga honto ni hitsuyo na mono?
Ashimoto kinishite
Shitabakari miteshimau
Sonna toki wa, hora
Ue wo muite miru
Tooku wo mite miru
Itsumo towa chigau kakudo mitsukete
Semai torimichi kao wo agetanara
360do hirogaru sekai
Hard puncher.
A boxer with a superior punch.
While his destructive punches could result in dramatic victories...
he is prone to injuring his fists from his own destructive power.
I know full well that a fist injury could mess up my hand.
But I don't want to use that as an excuse to give up!
If I can be in the match, I don't want to run away!
The next round is, "To Enemy Ground."