Hajime no Ippo (aka Fighting Spirit)
The sweet science

// Synopsis: Makunouchi Ippo is a shy teenager who constantly gets bullied. One day he is saved by a professional boxer and decides to pick up boxing as a way to become a stronger person. Over the next the few years he transforms into a fierce boxer as he climbs the professional ranks.

// Review: Hajime no Ippo follows the typical sports themed anime formula: A teen who know absolutely nothing about the sport, starts, gets pwned, acquires a rival that pushes him to work harder, and then enters several tournaments until he fullfills his destiny as the One.

/ Yeah it's formulaic, but formulas exist because done right turn out pretty good, which this one does. But unlike Hikaru no Go there is much more character development. While Ippo is the main character there is a lot of focus on his opponents where we get to see their stories and motivations. Invariably his opposition aren't evil and you want to actually root for them to win as well which creates a tension for the viewer during each match.

/ What really makes this series shine is that it's pretty funny. Much of the comedy is the standard oddball Japanese humor that involves silly and perverted jokes, but it works and it's entertaining to see all of Ippo's friends mercilessly clown each other.

/ As far as the boxing goes, it's actually interesting to learn a little of the science that goes into it. But in an attempt to dial up the drama of the fights, each match devolves into Rocky-esque slugfests that end in inhuman bludgeoning with KO outcomes. It's too far fetched for featherweight matches, and each fight falls into the exact same pattern: Ippo gets the shit knocked out of him and then makes a miraculous come back.

// Wrap up: It gets a little repetitive over 75 episodes and it's frustrating when Ippo acts like a pussy in and out of the ring. But overall the boxing is interesting and the humor is genuinely funny.

Entertainment rating: 4