H-He falls the same time the towel appears!
The towel has been thrown into the ring!
The challenger used all of his tenacity...
but the last man standing is the champion, Eiji Date!
The match is over!
Kid!
The challenger has finally exhausted his strength!
Unable to break down the champion's stronghold...
his KO count stops at ten!
- The Japan Featherweight title match...
- Kid, pull yourself together!
Ippo-kun!
...lasted 5 rounds, 2 minutes and 32 seconds!
The champion Eiji Date has triumphed!
Date-san!
That was awesome! That was amazing to watch!
He successfully defends his title four times for a total of ten times!
There is no longer anyone to challenge him in this country!
Now the World fight the champion talks about...
is finally in sight!
I-Ippo...
Kid, can you hear me?
D-Did I?
It was a good fight.
Really, sir?
Makunouchi.
You were tough.
I think that I reclaimed my old self thanks to this.
It's been a long time...
since I've felt such satisfaction from a match.
Thank you.
Date-san.
Kid!
Thank you for the fight.
It was a heroic and moving title match!
It was a match worthy of the Champion Carnival!
Both fighters squeezed out nearly 15 minutes...
of frantic effort with many dramatic twists.
This will undoubtedly go down in the history of Korakuen Hall...
Champion Carnival Japan Featherweight Title Match the shrine of boxing, as one memorable fight.
Champion Carnival Japan Featherweight Title Match
I'm not convinced. How could you do this to me?!
"Letter of Challenge" I was going to slap this in your face when you won...
but now there's TWO stronger guys than me out there!
That idiot!
What are you lookin' at?
If you don't change the way you're looking at me...
you're gonna get hurt.
Well, you've got guts.
Hey! It's boxers Volg and Sendo!
Hey, where do you think you're going?!
Did they say Volg?
I get it. He felt the same way I did.
I can't get any peace until I repay Makunouchi directly.
Make sure you come back in form.
Date will return the belt and focus on the World title fight.
The throne is unoccupied.
Sendo and Volg will face off for the title.
Meaning it will fall to the younger generation.
He's back?
I had my hopes up, too. It was a close fight...
but he lost completely in the talent department.
The first major loss leaves a lot of damage.
Please...
Make a total comeback and return to your former...
No, to an even better condition.
'Cause if you don't...
I won't have much to look forward to.
Room C What's Ippo's damage like?!
He says it's better than what happened to him in the Volg fight.
It could've been really bad if the towel was thrown in any later.
That's a relief at least. I want to go in...
but it's kind of hard to...
Hey! Wait a minute!
Why?
I bet you're planning to be insensitive as usual...
and heckle him for losing!
You can't. Ippo's never lost before.
We have to be gentle with him.
Yeah, but...
Now, you've promised.
At the very least, please avoid kicking a man when he's down.
Fine!
I hear you with my ears...
but my brain wants to say it so bad, you know?
Don't waste your breath.
The big guy has no idea what it feels like to lose.
In an emergency, we'll jump him and clamp his big mouth shut.
Very well! I think I'll offer Ippo a word of commiseration.
I smell a lie.
A barefaced lie.
He's depressed, just as I thought.
There were too many flaws in the strategy.
I should have researched Date more.
There's no use getting upset over it...
but he really did have a chance. It was really close.
I'm sorry, Kid.
I'm the one who should apologize.
I don't remember anything from halfway in...
but I probably wasn't able to do what you told me to do.
I'm really sorry.
I promise I'll try again.
Please keep teaching me.
He isn't forcing himself to act cheerful.
Boxers aren't easily convinced immediately after losing a fight.
We aren't simple-minded enough.
He still doesn't fully understand the reality that he lost.
That many months of effort have been ruined in an instant.
Oh! Takamura-san.
- Aoki! - Right.
Um, thanks for coming out to watch me.
You really put up a good fight, Ippo.
What's with your reactions?!
Uh, no. It was just so unexpected...
See? You can do it if you try!
Unexpected?!
All right then, I'll say exactly what you expect from me!
Hey, underdog!
That guy's hopeless.
I'm sorry about this. We did warn him.
That's okay. It's more like him to act that way.
Besides, the entire time I was unconscious...
I heard the voices and applause of those rooting for me.
I think I gave them a fight worthy of their cheers.
Really, thank you so much.
Failing to take Featherweight belt KO Time: 5th round 2 minutes 32 seconds Ippo Makunouchi 11 Fights 10 Wins 1 Loss
That's Ippo's alarm clock. I'll go stop it.
Yeesh. You don't have to do roadwork for a while, you know.
Get some rest.
Oh. Good morning, Umezawa-kun.
Oh, yeah. I gotta go do roadwork.
What are you talking about? Rest.
The match only ended yesterday.
Ended?
Oh, yeah.
I forgot I lost.
I'm sorry. And you came out to cheer for me, too.
Eiji Date, The Pride of a Champion!
I fell in Round Five?
Eiji Date, The Pride of a Champion!
Date-san says there's no more competition left in this country...
and that he's gonna focus solely on the World title.
He's returning the title.
I won't be able to fight Date-san for the belt ever again.
But, you know, it was an incredibly good fight.
Some of our old classmates cried, they were so moved.
Uh, that sort of includes me.
Thanks.
So, I guess I fought a good fight.
Rising Hopeful Makunouchi Unable to Break Down Champ's Defenses
I got this far with Date-san as my goal...
but I couldn't reach him.
D-Don't let it bother you.
It's my own fault that I lost.
Yeah, but I was right beside you...
watching you do your absolute best.
It really sucks.
Thanks for saying that for me.
Come to mention it, the article below it...
is pretty big news.
Below it?
Wolf VS Tiger Showdown
Sendo and Volg are facing off for the title.
What an incredible match-up. I wonder who's stronger?
It's in two months? I can't wait to see that.
I'm relieved you're in good enough spirits to appreciate it.
You have a doctor's appointment this afternoon, right?
Yeah.
Well, I'm heading out to work now.
Yeah. Thanks, Umezawa-kun.
Kamogawa Boxing Gym
The doctor told me I'd be fine.
That's good news after taking all those hits.
I can't believe how tough you are.
However... you are suspended from boxing activities for now.
The Date match was no exception. All of your matches have been harsh.
I don't want you to come anywhere near the gym for three months.
Th-Three whole months?
You cannot underestimate accumulated damage.
In your case, three months are almost insufficient.
Yes, sir.
What are you doing?!
You fool! Go home and rest!
Yes, sir!
At least that's a relief.
He doesn't appear to be too depressed over it.
This is only the beginning.
The reality of losing will soon begin to feel like a noose...
slowly tightening around his neck.
Whether he can regain his footing remains to be seen.
I'm so bored.
The phone doesn't ring.
When I win, it practically rings off the hook with interviewers.
Hello? Makunouchi residence!
Excuse me, is Ippo-san there?
Oh! Is this Kumi-san?
Yes! It's been a long time.
Is it okay to talk right now?
I was worried you were resting.
It's totally okay!
Um... It's a shame about the match.
I couldn't get away from work to see it...
but I saw it in the newspaper.
Thank you so much for worrying about me.
It said that you would be resting for a while...
but are you doing anything?
Huh? No, I'm bored out of my skull.
I need to thank you for coming out for my brother the other day...
If it's okay, would you like to...
Y-Yes?
Would you like to go out with...
Who are you talking to?
It's got nothing to do with you, Ryo.
Hello, Kumi-san?
What are you being all sneaky for?
Hello?
Gimme the phone.
No way!
Just hand it over.
Knock it off!
What's wrong, Kumi-san? Kumi-san?!
It's nothing. I made him back off!
Back off?
Uh... It's nothing.
Kumi-san?! Kumi-san?!
You're Makunouchi, aren't you?
What?
I'm amazed you've got the guts to make phone calls...
after what happened yesterday.
You underdog!
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry! I have the phone back!
I'll just get to the point!
R-Right.
Would you like to go out with me this Sunday?
I was hoping it would make you forget your troubles.
Yes, I'd like that.
I'm not speaking to you anymore, Ryo!
Sunday, huh?
And don't you dare come along!
Makunouchi-san, you have a strong stomach for roller coasters.
It was really fun.
I haven't been to an amusement park since elementary school.
I bet you're so popular, you must come to places like this a lot.
Not really.
I think it was middle school. I got someone I had a crush on...
to walk me home after school, and we ran smack into Ryo.
Th-Then what?
He glared down his nose at the guy and time went by...
and before long the boy was overwhelmed and ran away.
I totally understand how he feels.
That happens a lot, so I've never had a boyfriend.
But he's a really great big brother to me...
so when he took up boxing, I was so worried.
I wanted to help him out any way I could.
And that's how you became a nurse?
Yes.
I guess you don't have to worry about that anymore...
because he's the champ now.
Just because he's the champ doesn't mean an end to the worry.
Oh?
I still think it's strange how guys can beat up each other...
and find it enjoyable.
I'm still finding it hard to understand.
But I think I've grown to understand it more than before.
I'm grateful to you for that.
Let's go into the Haunted House next.
Sure!
HAUNTED HOUSE
It-It's okay!
It's all fake, so there's nothing to be scared of!
Were Haunted Houses ever this GOOD?!
You're definitely a boxer.
Well...
Um, about what you were saying...
Huh?
How you ran into him in front of your house...
on the way home from school.
I doubt it was an accident.
I think he was probably waiting for you out of worry.
I'm sure that if he knew about today...
he'd definitely tag along out of worry.
He does know.
Really, it's okay! None of them are real.
Huh?
Please don't leave me behind!
That was so horrible!
Why did you suddenly take off like that?!
For a second, I was sure your brother was there.
Really! I know he's tenacious, but he wouldn't go that far!
That's true. I guess I was seeing things.
Yes.
Well, let's ride that next.
Uh, right!
I always come here...
but I've never seen the hall from above.
The ring is on the 5th floor.
It was just the other day, huh?
I only lost in there the other day.
There's no use moping over what's done.
After all, I'm here with Kumi-san.
She sure is cute.
That was fun.
There's a professional wrestling match today.
I bet there was this big of a lineup for my fight, too.
I bet everyone who came to cheer for me...
would've been thrilled if I had won.
I can't believe what an inexcusable thing I did.
I thought it would be good enough if it was a good match, but...
Sure, everyone praised me for my work, but...
I wanted to make them happy.
I really did want to win.
- How'd you like that? - It was great, Dad!
- Let's go see it again sometime. - Yeah!
I wanted to win.
I get up again
With my wounded body
Tomorrow's the only way to go
If that's the fate of the human race
I will grab tomorrow with my only hands
Even if I can't deal
With my long, long life
I don't want to mistake the place to live
With the place to die
I can't help myself
Dreaming the same dream
Determination. Firm resolve.
No matter how composed you are...
a firm will is what makes you focus only on winning.
Willpower hidden deep in the heart...
helps support muscle that should be past its limit...
allowing you to throw that punch of retaliation.
That's right! In order to grasp victory...
you also need to win the battle of wills!
The next episode is, "Look of Determination."