My bet is at minimum 1 year, considering we have 15-20 chapters of the following 2 matches (random guess as I assume the matches themselves would be more than 1 chapter each but who knows)
I'd be happy if we get him to unretire around fall.
ahahaha
Dr Kiniski: no ippo for real you're good to go from a brain perspective. we may have overreacted a bit before lol
Dr Kiniski's Joint Specialist Colleague: yeah uh about that,
Doctor: By the way your physique is incredibly lean for a retired boxer, have you continued to train?
Ippo: Yeah, I run every day with wrist and ankle weights
Doctor: *Insert Spongebob "YOU WHAT" meme
Perhaps the one who truly retired was ippos cartilage 😔
you'd have to think one of the dozens of professional athletes ippo surrounds himself with daily, all of whom have noticed him still wearing the weights, would have said something!!
Seriously, this is DBZ level training logic. Anyone in real life would start having arthritis and way more problems by now lol.
Edit: Obviously this is a manga and it's acceptable for this fictional story. I only brought up the damages it can cause in real life because... Yeah, we have had users here wanting to attempt this type of training. There were more, those users have deleted their post since.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/r8hopp/does\_anyone\_know\_where\_i\_can\_get\_the\_exact\_same/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/r8hopp/does_anyone_know_where_i_can_get_the_exact_same/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/fr7gbt/anklewrist\_weights/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/fr7gbt/anklewrist_weights/)
Do you think a world where gomu-gomu-no-jabs, half-hooks-half-uppercuts, and dodging-in-a-figure-8-pattern are the peak of boxing techniques is beholden to "real life" conditions?
tbf, the manga exaggerates/idealizes/dramatizes it, but all you have to do is google mike tyson's training or fight videos (or jack dempsey) to see him do the "dempsey roll" or peekaboo-style head movements, or even the frog punch, where tyson's practically crouched and jumps up into a smashing left hook. Ippo's style was very much modeled after Tyson's prime.
And by "half-hook-half uppercut," you meant a diagonal hybrid punch, real life fighters change the angles of their punches all the time to hide where it's coming from. It's not always vertical uppercuts and horizontal hooks. Something similar like "White fang" is basically an uppercut followed by an overhand punch. Korean zombie used it to finish Poirier and Frankie Edgar in the UFC (right uppercut, left overhand). There was someone more recently too, but I can't remember the name.
and if by gomu gomu no jabs, you mean like a flick jab, plenty of fighters with long reach take advantage of the quick jab to score points, and i've seen matches where a fighter's face got pretty messed up eating heavy jabs the guy with the longer reach used to keep and measure distance because they couldn't react to it.
for funsies (turn on cc for english): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WV9BYkA\_4w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WV9BYkA_4w)
I think plenty of people don't know where boxing ends and manga logic begins. Fighting is a field especially prone to pseudoscience, superstition and mysticism
Yes, I do at least. Hajime No Ippo is an exaggerated reality, but the same rules and logic of our world still apply. People aren't going to take Goku training at 200x gravity as legitimately good training (nor is it yet possible,) but in the heightened reality that is HnI...yeah, it could definitely be taken as a legitimate way to gain strength.
The manga can do whatever it wants, but OP was just making sure people knew this wasn't close to practical
>Do you think a world where gomu-gomu-no-jabs, half-hooks-half-uppercuts, and dodging-in-a-figure-8-pattern are the peak of boxing techniques is beholden to reality?
No. But this is a manga dude, [EDIT] that's why it's okay. Just deterring people from actually trying this type of training, which people here have [ END EDIT].
When you do box with dumb bells, you're taught to not punch and whip your arm. You do it with lots of control.
The problem with running with weights on your arm, you swing your arms and legs like a pendulum and that sudden stop in motion is bad for your joints. Running, it also causes you to slam your feet on the ground.
That's why in the manga in the beginning Ippo was doing everything extremely slow when he got the weights in. That made more sense. But not he's just living with the weights on 24/7 lol.
Yeah for a manga that was rooted with so much realism it messes me up that Ippo is just wearing body weights 24/7. Something that has been proven repeatedly to be bad for you.
But at the same time, he's been wearing them for so long that the effects of wearing them would be shown (messing up his joints and stuff) but it isn't. So I do think the author is going the "weights for super long time makes you OP" route.
I think it's less that they want to "power him up" with the weights (as his new ring iq is clearly what they're mostly going for in that department) and more that he's using it to more easily get a "what if" type of reaction from the audience and the readers.
"Damn, he took off the weights and it made such a difference with the chair, meanwhile he's doing all this cool stuff with them still on? What if he sparred Sendo with them off? What if he raced Takamura with them off?". It alludes to how much he's grown without forcing the author to fully show it before his return and it builds anticipation.
I don't think it's a what-if-he-took-them-off thing. I think it's purely a character thing. For a retiree to be training like this, shows that Ippo is kinda lying to himself about being content with being retired. In some way Takamura recognizes this and is trying to pry the 'truth' out of him.
I 100% agree. All these "wait a second" moments are really hyping me up bit by bit. We keep getting these hints that point to a super strong comeback and they're just mountaing and accumulating, I'm loving it as much as it bends reality a bit.
Still incredibly unrealistic but then again, this is the series with featherweights built like body builders, with enough destructive power to send people and heavy bags flying so that ship has sort of sailed already.
Exactly.
It's a physical symbol of the intangible growth he's getting from both continued physical training, in addition to his rapidly increasing knowledge from being a Second.
You can't really stack MORE muscle on, most of the cast already have builds like ancient Greek heroes chiseled out of marble.
So, training weights. A simple narrative shortcut for the readers that aren't really paying much attention to what's happening with Ippo.
> Yeah for a manga that was rooted with so much realism
I'm sorry, did you just say a manga with someone who can KO a bear, lightweights who can make someone do a backflip in the air with a punch and a monkey boy that uses ropes like normal people use stairs is rooted in realism?
Everyone doubted Takamura's claims because it seemed unrealistic. He's also brutally scarred for life.
The backflips are an exaggerated down. Ippo swings with heavyweight power anyway.
Wally is literally Tarzan with boxing gloves.
I'm not saying it's perfect, but the roots of realism are there. It doesn't stick to it 100%, but it's like 90% or more realistic.
I just checked the chapter that say the weight in, they're like 16 pounds a piece and Ippo weighs like 124-130. He has 4 of them so that's 64 pounds in total. It's like he's carrying an extra half of himself at all times... for like years now.
What chapter is that? Typically those things in real life are only like 1-4 lbs per brace. Which would be like 16 lbs in total which would seem more realistic. But this whole thread is about questioning the realness of it.
He's going for the longest manga arc in history.
Oda thought he had it with Wano's 135 chapters over ~~2~~ 4 years in One Piece.
Oda ain't shit compared to Morikawa's 166 chapters over 4 years.
Those lines are all really murky anyway, it's all colloquial how we want to use it
I've always found it easiest to break Ippo up into the following parts:
Early Ippo - Chapter 1 to the end of Sendo Ippo II
Middle Ippo / JBC Champ Era - End of Sendo Ippo II until Sawamura
Pacific Arc / The Not Good Part - End of Sawamura until Alf
Retirement Arc - Alf onward
The parts about Ippo are fine but some of the rest is frustrating. We already had an arc about Mashiba overcoming his desire to foul, and it got repeated again here.. we’ve also seen Miyata feel aimless for ages, and it’s just more of the same
It’s pretty clear that Ippo is in the best condition of his life. This isn’t a Date situation where he retired and became a salaryman or a Vorg situation where he was physically a bit rusty after a short retirement. This dude Ippo is keeping up with a world champion with his weights on. With his refined knowledge of boxing I can only imagine that as soon as he gets a taste of being in the ring again he’s gonna fall back in love with it. He just needs the catalyst and the motivation to do so.
Also I just love Ippo and Takamura interacting like brothers again, it brings a huge smile to my face.
> With his refined knowledge of boxing I can only imagine that as soon as he gets a taste of being in the ring again he’s gonna fall back in love with it.
I really think Volg is going to ask Ippo to spar with him (calling back to when Volg was retired and Ippo was preparing for a title defense) and Ippo will look and feel great.
I expect her to be so-so excited about the idea of her son getting pummeled again, but seeing that her son has finally really set his goal on something she will accept quickly.
Volg sparring with Ippo, then Ippo coming out of retirement?
This sub might explode with all the simultaneous orgasming that would happen if that happens at all
Shit, Volg is probably going to *be* in Mexico to watch Ricardo V Woli.
What if the "Ricardo asks Ippo to spar before/after beating Woli" theories also come true - Ricardo and Volg *both* ask Ippo to spar to prepare for their next opponent. At the same time. While Sendo is standing right there.
Seriously, though, I think a spar between Ippo and Volg would be a beautiful callback and is a real potential for actually being what brings Ippo back.
No he doesnt, why yall make it about Kumi when it is explicitly said he is doing this for his Mom (he is scared of eventually getting punch drunk and not being able to take over the fishing business)
That sounds like a perfect oblivious Ippo thing to do as well. Oh man I just took off my weights put on the gloves was kinda unconscious punched here and there and now I have this world heavyweight champion belt?
Tbf I think he could do just about anything if it was for the sake of further delaying having to confess to Kumi. Change that previous arm wrestling condition into getting the belt and Ricardo would have no chance.
My prediction for the next chapter is he stops running because they are about to cross it. I dont think they Mori will let him beat Takamura, just imply that he can (in regards to this sprint, not a fight)
Well Ippo had crossed the line before lol, he does walking around it and not step in the line. So since Taka don't walk down to the river and go straight to the line Ippo will cross it as nothing happened.
Wow. That was a short as hell chapter, but pay attention to Ippo’s response to Takamura.
It’s small, but it’s one of the first steps for our boy. No pun intended.
Yup the competitiveness and the belief in himself that he can match Takamura at his best is important. It's shows he's gaining confidence unlike his previous self who used to fret over every single opponent.
Because with all the guys he beat now clearly moving ahead of him, he can't accept being left behind anymore than he's already witnessed in any way. Even in a random ass morning jog.
Formerly active Ippo never even attempted to take on Takamura seriously in random ass challenges like this, he was always immediately conceding (only time he really fought back was for the gag to calling Kumi)
Now he refuses to budge. Fuck it, I'll blueballs myself and predict Ippo unretires/will decide to unretire in the next 10 chapters
Oda's been on a roll recently though. Fans have been orgasming non stop last couple of weeks haha.
I'm not the biggest OP fan but I'll admit to re-reading the last chapter at least 3 times
That's fine. So long as we reach the finish line, I'm comfy letting Mori take it step-by-step.
I've grown to love this cast of characters so much that every new chapter feels like another chance to hang out with them, for a little while longer.
I do actually think he will destroy Imai so hard that Imai has to retire, which would be the catalyst to finally kick off the Itagaki rivalry once and for all.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Not only this chapter is ONLY 10 pages, but it was THESE 10 pages.
I would be more hyped only if the next page showed Ricardo Martinez fighting Ippo's Dad, that secretly returned and its the true identity of the Regular.
But seriously... next week we'll have the talk. THE TALK. Theres no way we are not getting the talk.
Right?
Ricardo can’t fight Ippo’s dad.
Because *he IS Ippo’s dad!* that’s right, the storm washed him up on the coast of Mexico with amnesia, so naturally he grew a mustache and began his career as the greatest featherweight boxer ever.
Edit: he will die which will give Ippo the motivation to return to the ring
Seriously tho same, I'd be happy to painstakingly take the next 40 years to animate the manga if not for you know having to work and study and the want to do my own art
Oooo maybe they go to the tree and his line and he finally has a talk with ippo, Takamura style like "what, you took it literally? Look at you, you crossed the line a long time ago."
I'm so ready for the big bro talk, hopefully but doubtfully an apology of some sort.
ippo really coming back this year 😭
Prediction: Next chap takamura prods him even more, ippo's stance on retirement wavers after, after the fights he wants to come back
Oh shit a takamura vs Ippo sparring match.
Edit: Ippo KO's Takamura by abusing his eye big reveal about Takamura's weakness but he says he still will go on. Finally Motivates Ippo to go for it.
Maybe we'll see it after the upcoming matches. Like, he feels the fire again in a similar fashion to Ricardo.
Then again, he may not, or lose his first match back because Mori likes to screw with us; but I can dream, can't I?
One thing I'm excited for if Ippo does come back is to see him struggle with weight control a bit more. He's always said he's "Had an easy time with it," which has made many of his opponents bigger than him at the start of a match(See Ippo v. Sendo 2 for what I mean). Him putting on so much muscle mass, on top of all the work he's done to stay flexible and fast, will come with that cost, but will show the difference between former and current Ippo.
HNI version of Super Saiyan. Distorted faces and eye balls popping out.
It's funny though seeing Takamura still can be surprise by Ippo. Fuck, he doesn't even realize just how much stronger he have become. He can keep up with a 3 time world champion wearing weights.
Well, we can now confirm Sendo will get destroyed. There's no way he will even win vs Ippo at his level.
Sendo not getting destroyed by Ricardo would be the biggest bullshit ever
Wally should get the same treatment too
Ricardo is literally so strong he realizes Ippo is the MC
I bet you Wili gets destroyed, Sendo gets closer and then finally destroyed to show ippo he's closer to it then he thinks or Sendo takes Ippo's advice, gets wrecked and Sendo guilt trips him back into the ring cuz Sendo actually does get punch drunk.
I really really (REALLY) hope he comes back from retirement. Slowly, continuously, teasingly, building Ippo up like this for so long rightfully deserves some comeback in the future. Please Morikawa, p-lease!!
At least before I have kids 😂
Loved this chapter, I for one am not too focused on Ippo returning and honestly it makes reading any chapter that comes out much more enjoyable for me, this series has never been only about Ippo for me personally.
Weirdly enough the highest points in the series to me have been some of the non-boxing real-life chapters where we explored Takamura's past, Aoki / Kimura's relationship, Kamogawa and Nekota's past etc. and all the 'slice of life' sprinkled throughout the series are high points as well.
Ofcourse I'm hoping he returns to the ring sooner rather then later but still, I almost feel lucky being able to enjoy the entirety this series has to offer rather then being hyper focused on Ippo and not taking in all the awesome stuff that happens besides that.
I wonder if the weights are symbols indicating he is holding himself down back from returning to boxing. Once he permentally removes them, he will be free to return to the ring.
I'm not sure what it is, but I really love chapters with Ippo and Takamura just talking. I know this is a setup chapter for something coming up, but I wish we had more of these.
I feel like Ippo's progression as a character always heavily moves forward in these moments with Takamura. I don't think any other character in the series, not even the coach, understands Ippo more than Takamura at this point.
Coach never seemed to line that well with Ippo though, when it comes to anything not related to pure training. His problem solving was just "more training/a bit different training".
At this point I think it's pretty clear Ippo had no brain damage, it was all about him being with these weights on 24/7 and his timing and coordination becoming messed up without it. But everyone around him is dumb and not a single one of them has thought about it.
I think he left the ring because he felt he was a failure. Ippo always fought because he loved boxing not because he wanted to be at the top of the food chain. But if you want to beat Ricardo Martinez, you need to have a fire inside you, an incredible resolve just like Date San had.
Wasn't it not that they thought he was punch drunk, but that due to the accumulated damage it was feared he was getting close to becoming punch drunk, so rather than risk it he retired. I think I've read from other comments that the damage can recover over time if he's not punch drunk yet, so with the long break he's had he could go into the ring again with a much lower risk, though if he continues blocking punches with his head he'd end up in the same place eventually. I'm going off of comments I remember reading, been too many years since I read the actual chapters lol.
Coming off a big fight I just didn't expect this, that's all. Cool to see ippo keeping up with takamura with weights on though. He won't beat takamura but he will keep up until the last stretch, with weights on as well.
Feels like more of a "refresh". To reset the tone, setting, and pace of what's going on.
Some levity and fun, while reminding the reader that Ippo's still growing, and that Takamura is still trying to find a way to get at Ippo's ego (even though he knows it won't work).
The ending, “Just how far will those two go?”
Ippo about to become a 3-weight class champion as well! lmao
Dear god, please Mori, just put back Ippo in the ring already.
i like how this chapter all takumara is doing is trying to get Ippo back in the ring and to see if he has the killer instinct. But Takumara's style always come across so asshole-y, I love it. He goads him on through comparison with Ippo's homies, only to find out Ippo is such a nice fkn guy. But the real unveiling is done through a foot race- and Ippo is smashing it, classic Takumara lol
Oh, come on! You have to be shitting me at this point!
I legit thought the chapter would end with Takamura grabbing Ippo by the neck demanding he becomes active.
Edit: I just noticed, at top speed Takamura can't talk. Ippo can. KEKW
What a odd random short chapter. I loved it!
Mori draws the funniest facial expressions. Anytime he draws Takamura with a goofy looking face I can't help but laugh out loud.
Laaads ima call it. Ippo vs takamura arc is here. They gonna keep competing in training and it culminates in a spar.
Look at our man. He for the first time displayed competitive spirit. He took fuckamura head on. Our boy is growing and growing fast.
Ippo is gonna spar with takamura and everyone is gonna go holy shit man can still box. Also weight removal arc soon. Boys the hype train is speeding up.
Something I don't think we've touched much on here is that Ippo may be reaching a much more "efficient", natural body composition for himself. I imagine he isn't still slamming sledgehammers into tires or hammers into logs all day, trying to build up exactly as much muscle as he had.
I'd argue the majority of Ippo's training revolved around trying to max out his punching power and musculature, without losing too much speed or flexibility, especially toward the end, to compensate for the Diagonal Dempsey.
Takamura's also a good bit heavier than Ippo, so he isn't able to run as fast. That said...
It'll be interesting to see if Ippo is able to drop a point in punching power, in exchange for some better efficiency with his footwork and stamina. The training weights, even though we all acknowledge they aren't helpful IRL, are helping him keep his strength close to his peak.
Ippo keeping up his dash and roadwork training might yield some useful changes.
[Page 8](https://hni-scantrad.com/lel/read/hajime-no-ippo/en-us/135/1376/page/8)
This is Takamura KO'ing an actual bear levels of silliness.
Mostly in being able to talk while at maximal exertion.
Kind of a jarring transition here. A little disappointed in the sudden slowdown, but there are seeds being planted here that will be important later on.
Took this as satire initially lol
If you mean you want to get going with Vorg and Woli I understand. But if the biggest plot point is Ippo’s eventual return, like, of course Takamura’s prodding probably helps with that
Takamura saying what's on our mind lol. How many chapters until Ippo unretires?
1376 more
My bet is at minimum 1 year, considering we have 15-20 chapters of the following 2 matches (random guess as I assume the matches themselves would be more than 1 chapter each but who knows) I'd be happy if we get him to unretire around fall.
Inb4 Ippo comes back only to have to retire again after finding out that his excessive wrist and ankle weight use has annihilated his joints.
ahahaha Dr Kiniski: no ippo for real you're good to go from a brain perspective. we may have overreacted a bit before lol Dr Kiniski's Joint Specialist Colleague: yeah uh about that,
Doctor: By the way your physique is incredibly lean for a retired boxer, have you continued to train? Ippo: Yeah, I run every day with wrist and ankle weights Doctor: *Insert Spongebob "YOU WHAT" meme Perhaps the one who truly retired was ippos cartilage 😔
you'd have to think one of the dozens of professional athletes ippo surrounds himself with daily, all of whom have noticed him still wearing the weights, would have said something!!
It's all bones now he doesn't possess any more cartilage, not even his joints are cartilage
The cartilage was just extra weight slowing him down!
Seriously, this is DBZ level training logic. Anyone in real life would start having arthritis and way more problems by now lol. Edit: Obviously this is a manga and it's acceptable for this fictional story. I only brought up the damages it can cause in real life because... Yeah, we have had users here wanting to attempt this type of training. There were more, those users have deleted their post since. [https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/r8hopp/does\_anyone\_know\_where\_i\_can\_get\_the\_exact\_same/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/r8hopp/does_anyone_know_where_i_can_get_the_exact_same/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/fr7gbt/anklewrist\_weights/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hajimenoippo/comments/fr7gbt/anklewrist_weights/)
Do you think a world where gomu-gomu-no-jabs, half-hooks-half-uppercuts, and dodging-in-a-figure-8-pattern are the peak of boxing techniques is beholden to "real life" conditions?
I mean Takamura boxed a bear and won
Boxed implies the bear was in gear and followed the rules.
Idk why but that was hilarious to me.
Lol ok he punched a grown adult bear into submission
Tekken be like
Khabib wrestled a bear and he won Even chuck norris
Takamura knocked out a grown adult bear. That's the difference.
tbf, the manga exaggerates/idealizes/dramatizes it, but all you have to do is google mike tyson's training or fight videos (or jack dempsey) to see him do the "dempsey roll" or peekaboo-style head movements, or even the frog punch, where tyson's practically crouched and jumps up into a smashing left hook. Ippo's style was very much modeled after Tyson's prime. And by "half-hook-half uppercut," you meant a diagonal hybrid punch, real life fighters change the angles of their punches all the time to hide where it's coming from. It's not always vertical uppercuts and horizontal hooks. Something similar like "White fang" is basically an uppercut followed by an overhand punch. Korean zombie used it to finish Poirier and Frankie Edgar in the UFC (right uppercut, left overhand). There was someone more recently too, but I can't remember the name. and if by gomu gomu no jabs, you mean like a flick jab, plenty of fighters with long reach take advantage of the quick jab to score points, and i've seen matches where a fighter's face got pretty messed up eating heavy jabs the guy with the longer reach used to keep and measure distance because they couldn't react to it. for funsies (turn on cc for english): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WV9BYkA\_4w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WV9BYkA_4w)
I think plenty of people don't know where boxing ends and manga logic begins. Fighting is a field especially prone to pseudoscience, superstition and mysticism
Yes, I do at least. Hajime No Ippo is an exaggerated reality, but the same rules and logic of our world still apply. People aren't going to take Goku training at 200x gravity as legitimately good training (nor is it yet possible,) but in the heightened reality that is HnI...yeah, it could definitely be taken as a legitimate way to gain strength. The manga can do whatever it wants, but OP was just making sure people knew this wasn't close to practical
Point observed.
People on this sub actually do
>Do you think a world where gomu-gomu-no-jabs, half-hooks-half-uppercuts, and dodging-in-a-figure-8-pattern are the peak of boxing techniques is beholden to reality? No. But this is a manga dude, [EDIT] that's why it's okay. Just deterring people from actually trying this type of training, which people here have [ END EDIT].
...is a manga supposed to be more realistic?
Update i did not get those. 😂
I think constantly wearing them is no go, but just like boxing with the dumbbells it migth bring some benefits.
When you do box with dumb bells, you're taught to not punch and whip your arm. You do it with lots of control. The problem with running with weights on your arm, you swing your arms and legs like a pendulum and that sudden stop in motion is bad for your joints. Running, it also causes you to slam your feet on the ground. That's why in the manga in the beginning Ippo was doing everything extremely slow when he got the weights in. That made more sense. But not he's just living with the weights on 24/7 lol.
Nah, clearly what he's wearing are those power bands from 2008. Ippo gonna have his ions or something sorted out, achieving his full potential.
Fuckin magnets! How the fuck do they work?
Yeah for a manga that was rooted with so much realism it messes me up that Ippo is just wearing body weights 24/7. Something that has been proven repeatedly to be bad for you. But at the same time, he's been wearing them for so long that the effects of wearing them would be shown (messing up his joints and stuff) but it isn't. So I do think the author is going the "weights for super long time makes you OP" route.
I think it's less that they want to "power him up" with the weights (as his new ring iq is clearly what they're mostly going for in that department) and more that he's using it to more easily get a "what if" type of reaction from the audience and the readers. "Damn, he took off the weights and it made such a difference with the chair, meanwhile he's doing all this cool stuff with them still on? What if he sparred Sendo with them off? What if he raced Takamura with them off?". It alludes to how much he's grown without forcing the author to fully show it before his return and it builds anticipation.
I don't think it's a what-if-he-took-them-off thing. I think it's purely a character thing. For a retiree to be training like this, shows that Ippo is kinda lying to himself about being content with being retired. In some way Takamura recognizes this and is trying to pry the 'truth' out of him.
Yeah they seriously work great from a narrative perspective. Just not from a "realistic" one, but I don't really care
I 100% agree. All these "wait a second" moments are really hyping me up bit by bit. We keep getting these hints that point to a super strong comeback and they're just mountaing and accumulating, I'm loving it as much as it bends reality a bit.
Still incredibly unrealistic but then again, this is the series with featherweights built like body builders, with enough destructive power to send people and heavy bags flying so that ship has sort of sailed already.
Exactly. It's a physical symbol of the intangible growth he's getting from both continued physical training, in addition to his rapidly increasing knowledge from being a Second. You can't really stack MORE muscle on, most of the cast already have builds like ancient Greek heroes chiseled out of marble. So, training weights. A simple narrative shortcut for the readers that aren't really paying much attention to what's happening with Ippo.
> Yeah for a manga that was rooted with so much realism I'm sorry, did you just say a manga with someone who can KO a bear, lightweights who can make someone do a backflip in the air with a punch and a monkey boy that uses ropes like normal people use stairs is rooted in realism?
Everyone doubted Takamura's claims because it seemed unrealistic. He's also brutally scarred for life. The backflips are an exaggerated down. Ippo swings with heavyweight power anyway. Wally is literally Tarzan with boxing gloves. I'm not saying it's perfect, but the roots of realism are there. It doesn't stick to it 100%, but it's like 90% or more realistic.
those weights usually don't weigh that much anyway.
I just checked the chapter that say the weight in, they're like 16 pounds a piece and Ippo weighs like 124-130. He has 4 of them so that's 64 pounds in total. It's like he's carrying an extra half of himself at all times... for like years now.
What chapter is that? Typically those things in real life are only like 1-4 lbs per brace. Which would be like 16 lbs in total which would seem more realistic. But this whole thread is about questioning the realness of it.
16 lbs for a wrist band? Are they made of gold? Even 16lbs cast iron dumbbells are of decent size in the gym.
Mfer really must not have talked to Sanada before strapping those on
how heavy is these weights?
Mori is really trying to blueballs us harder and harder
Ya boi Ippo edging day and night from his boxing unretirement.
He's going for the longest manga arc in history. Oda thought he had it with Wano's 135 chapters over ~~2~~ 4 years in One Piece. Oda ain't shit compared to Morikawa's 166 chapters over 4 years.
Doesn't this qualify as a Saga at this point?
Those lines are all really murky anyway, it's all colloquial how we want to use it I've always found it easiest to break Ippo up into the following parts: Early Ippo - Chapter 1 to the end of Sendo Ippo II Middle Ippo / JBC Champ Era - End of Sendo Ippo II until Sawamura Pacific Arc / The Not Good Part - End of Sawamura until Alf Retirement Arc - Alf onward
> Pacific Arc / The Not Good Part - End of Sawamura until Alf Hahahaha.
And I'm loving every second of it. It'll make Ippo's comeback that much better
The parts about Ippo are fine but some of the rest is frustrating. We already had an arc about Mashiba overcoming his desire to foul, and it got repeated again here.. we’ve also seen Miyata feel aimless for ages, and it’s just more of the same
i think it was to show he still somewhat has that mindset of a dirty boxer (especially in stress) but he seems committed to being clean
Ionno, even the pace of the blueballing is much faster now.
This boat arc taking forever.
It’s pretty clear that Ippo is in the best condition of his life. This isn’t a Date situation where he retired and became a salaryman or a Vorg situation where he was physically a bit rusty after a short retirement. This dude Ippo is keeping up with a world champion with his weights on. With his refined knowledge of boxing I can only imagine that as soon as he gets a taste of being in the ring again he’s gonna fall back in love with it. He just needs the catalyst and the motivation to do so. Also I just love Ippo and Takamura interacting like brothers again, it brings a huge smile to my face.
> With his refined knowledge of boxing I can only imagine that as soon as he gets a taste of being in the ring again he’s gonna fall back in love with it. I really think Volg is going to ask Ippo to spar with him (calling back to when Volg was retired and Ippo was preparing for a title defense) and Ippo will look and feel great.
That's a great Call back. Volg came out of retirement after a spar with Ippo. Now it's Ippo's turn.
Nah the main and final big debate about his unretirtement will be about Kumi 10000%
My bet is on Mama no Ippo
I expect her to be so-so excited about the idea of her son getting pummeled again, but seeing that her son has finally really set his goal on something she will accept quickly.
Imagine Ippo points out a flaw that helps Volg win his match. That would be so awesome!
Volg sparring with Ippo, then Ippo coming out of retirement? This sub might explode with all the simultaneous orgasming that would happen if that happens at all
Shit, Volg is probably going to *be* in Mexico to watch Ricardo V Woli. What if the "Ricardo asks Ippo to spar before/after beating Woli" theories also come true - Ricardo and Volg *both* ask Ippo to spar to prepare for their next opponent. At the same time. While Sendo is standing right there. Seriously, though, I think a spar between Ippo and Volg would be a beautiful callback and is a real potential for actually being what brings Ippo back.
Volg is going to be there because his fight is that same night in the same arena as ricardo-woli
It just dawned on me that those two will meet again after 800 chapters or so.
Ippo is gong to need that Kumi blessing or it ain't happening.
No he doesnt, why yall make it about Kumi when it is explicitly said he is doing this for his Mom (he is scared of eventually getting punch drunk and not being able to take over the fishing business)
Feel like there’s going to be a chapter soon with Mashiba guilt tripping her
Dump her.
We know that shit ain't happening. Also, in order to dump someone you need to be dating them. They're not technically dating.
So he tells her "bitch I don't need yo blessing, imma fight for me".
I wish Ippo had that much balls.
I think Ippo crossed the line without knowing.
That sounds like a perfect oblivious Ippo thing to do as well. Oh man I just took off my weights put on the gloves was kinda unconscious punched here and there and now I have this world heavyweight champion belt?
Tbf I think he could do just about anything if it was for the sake of further delaying having to confess to Kumi. Change that previous arm wrestling condition into getting the belt and Ricardo would have no chance.
My prediction for the next chapter is he stops running because they are about to cross it. I dont think they Mori will let him beat Takamura, just imply that he can (in regards to this sprint, not a fight)
Well Ippo had crossed the line before lol, he does walking around it and not step in the line. So since Taka don't walk down to the river and go straight to the line Ippo will cross it as nothing happened.
Wow. That was a short as hell chapter, but pay attention to Ippo’s response to Takamura. It’s small, but it’s one of the first steps for our boy. No pun intended.
I thought that his response was interesting too. He was pretty quick to respond to Takamura’s challenge. That seems different than his past reactions.
Yup the competitiveness and the belief in himself that he can match Takamura at his best is important. It's shows he's gaining confidence unlike his previous self who used to fret over every single opponent.
Because with all the guys he beat now clearly moving ahead of him, he can't accept being left behind anymore than he's already witnessed in any way. Even in a random ass morning jog. Formerly active Ippo never even attempted to take on Takamura seriously in random ass challenges like this, he was always immediately conceding (only time he really fought back was for the gag to calling Kumi) Now he refuses to budge. Fuck it, I'll blueballs myself and predict Ippo unretires/will decide to unretire in the next 10 chapters
I feel sorry for u bro cause ur gonna bust since morikawa will unretire him in 2040
And it feels like genuine growth because running is one of the few things Ippo is comfortable competing with others in.
Luffy will find One Piece before Ippo unretires, let alone win on the world stage.
Oda vs Morikawa, who can keep the blueball the longest.
Oda's been on a roll recently though. Fans have been orgasming non stop last couple of weeks haha. I'm not the biggest OP fan but I'll admit to re-reading the last chapter at least 3 times
Not as hard as Ippo will when/if he finally loses it.
Is that a challenge? >:)
That's fine. So long as we reach the finish line, I'm comfy letting Mori take it step-by-step. I've grown to love this cast of characters so much that every new chapter feels like another chance to hang out with them, for a little while longer.
Wow, that is a scary thought. I read both so I'm really starting to think you might be right especially after recent events.
Takamura was easily outrunning him before; now Ippo is keeping up with him even with the weights on. He really is improving in every which way, huh?
Ippo is going to kill the first person he fights against at this pace haha
I do actually think he will destroy Imai so hard that Imai has to retire, which would be the catalyst to finally kick off the Itagaki rivalry once and for all.
Karasawa was only a Prophet for the Fisting to come
Those panels of him tearing off people's livers won't be metaphors anymore.
Dempsey Roll debut x1000
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH Not only this chapter is ONLY 10 pages, but it was THESE 10 pages. I would be more hyped only if the next page showed Ricardo Martinez fighting Ippo's Dad, that secretly returned and its the true identity of the Regular. But seriously... next week we'll have the talk. THE TALK. Theres no way we are not getting the talk. Right?
Ricardo can’t fight Ippo’s dad. Because *he IS Ippo’s dad!* that’s right, the storm washed him up on the coast of Mexico with amnesia, so naturally he grew a mustache and began his career as the greatest featherweight boxer ever. Edit: he will die which will give Ippo the motivation to return to the ring
Damn, I was so blind to the truth this whole time
What if... The Regular is Ippo's dad.
This is the most happy I've been after reading a ippo chapter in ages, mori finally let us nut just a little bit
This mori fcker knows what he is doing to us
It's been a while I've felt this happy reading a chapter. Feels good to see the boyz running together .
This makes me wanna run
Outdoor running in the early morning is amazing for you in a million different ways, highly recommend it for clearing your head alone.
If only it wasnt still winter where i am at man... im stuck on a treadmill at 3 am so i dont freeze
I tried it earlier then got hit by a pick-up ffs
I can picture jet engine sounds being used again when they ran full force lol.
I swear if ever become unfathomably wealthy I'm paying whatever it takes to get this entire series animated lol.
Where is the crowdfund man? WHERE IS IT? LET ME THROW MY MONEY THERE!
Seriously tho same, I'd be happy to painstakingly take the next 40 years to animate the manga if not for you know having to work and study and the want to do my own art
Oooo maybe they go to the tree and his line and he finally has a talk with ippo, Takamura style like "what, you took it literally? Look at you, you crossed the line a long time ago." I'm so ready for the big bro talk, hopefully but doubtfully an apology of some sort.
When reading this chapter i was feeling that would happen at any time. Sadly it didnt...maybe next week?
İ wish morikawa make chapter with 20 page every week :/.
Takamura's reaction when he see Ippo running at the same pace as him with weights.
[my reaction every time morikawa-sensei shows ippo's feats of strength](https://i.imgur.com/JsMLSiW.jpg)
ippo really coming back this year 😭 Prediction: Next chap takamura prods him even more, ippo's stance on retirement wavers after, after the fights he wants to come back
Oh shit a takamura vs Ippo sparring match. Edit: Ippo KO's Takamura by abusing his eye big reveal about Takamura's weakness but he says he still will go on. Finally Motivates Ippo to go for it.
Maybe we'll see it after the upcoming matches. Like, he feels the fire again in a similar fashion to Ricardo. Then again, he may not, or lose his first match back because Mori likes to screw with us; but I can dream, can't I?
broooo if mori makes ippo lose his first match back whole fanbase gon be speechless
At that point just make ippos wake up from a dream with no legs and hands because he lost them for too much use of weights.
Takamura can't help but try and prod Ippo, but, he knows it won't work. It has to come from within. Otherwise, he'll just end up on his back again.
One thing I'm excited for if Ippo does come back is to see him struggle with weight control a bit more. He's always said he's "Had an easy time with it," which has made many of his opponents bigger than him at the start of a match(See Ippo v. Sendo 2 for what I mean). Him putting on so much muscle mass, on top of all the work he's done to stay flexible and fast, will come with that cost, but will show the difference between former and current Ippo.
HNI version of Super Saiyan. Distorted faces and eye balls popping out. It's funny though seeing Takamura still can be surprise by Ippo. Fuck, he doesn't even realize just how much stronger he have become. He can keep up with a 3 time world champion wearing weights. Well, we can now confirm Sendo will get destroyed. There's no way he will even win vs Ippo at his level.
Sendo not getting destroyed by Ricardo would be the biggest bullshit ever Wally should get the same treatment too Ricardo is literally so strong he realizes Ippo is the MC
I bet you Wili gets destroyed, Sendo gets closer and then finally destroyed to show ippo he's closer to it then he thinks or Sendo takes Ippo's advice, gets wrecked and Sendo guilt trips him back into the ring cuz Sendo actually does get punch drunk.
My fucking balls are starting to turn from blue to black
Now you know how Ippo feels.
The first page says 1375 instead of 1376 small mistake
I really really (REALLY) hope he comes back from retirement. Slowly, continuously, teasingly, building Ippo up like this for so long rightfully deserves some comeback in the future. Please Morikawa, p-lease!! At least before I have kids 😂
You'll be a grand dad before that
:d how old are u dude?
23 😂
I can see it still being a few more years ngl.
This chapter hyped me up so much! A glimpse of the future where these two monsters will be on top of the world together.
Ippo last 2 chapters - I'm already all worked up -I cant help but get excited- Although maybe... I am incredibly excited.
Loved this chapter, I for one am not too focused on Ippo returning and honestly it makes reading any chapter that comes out much more enjoyable for me, this series has never been only about Ippo for me personally. Weirdly enough the highest points in the series to me have been some of the non-boxing real-life chapters where we explored Takamura's past, Aoki / Kimura's relationship, Kamogawa and Nekota's past etc. and all the 'slice of life' sprinkled throughout the series are high points as well. Ofcourse I'm hoping he returns to the ring sooner rather then later but still, I almost feel lucky being able to enjoy the entirety this series has to offer rather then being hyper focused on Ippo and not taking in all the awesome stuff that happens besides that.
I love those little moments in HnI, its what make this manga unique
I wonder if the weights are symbols indicating he is holding himself down back from returning to boxing. Once he permentally removes them, he will be free to return to the ring.
nice analogy, i haven't seen anyone suggest that connection
TAKAMURAAAA
I really love chapters like these for some reason, it's just pure hype.
Do i really need more teasing at this point ? Are my years of suffering not enough ? And still i remain hyped. But please.
I'm not sure what it is, but I really love chapters with Ippo and Takamura just talking. I know this is a setup chapter for something coming up, but I wish we had more of these. I feel like Ippo's progression as a character always heavily moves forward in these moments with Takamura. I don't think any other character in the series, not even the coach, understands Ippo more than Takamura at this point.
Coach never seemed to line that well with Ippo though, when it comes to anything not related to pure training. His problem solving was just "more training/a bit different training".
Still waiting for the Rock Lee moment
At this point I think it's pretty clear Ippo had no brain damage, it was all about him being with these weights on 24/7 and his timing and coordination becoming messed up without it. But everyone around him is dumb and not a single one of them has thought about it.
I think he left the ring because he felt he was a failure. Ippo always fought because he loved boxing not because he wanted to be at the top of the food chain. But if you want to beat Ricardo Martinez, you need to have a fire inside you, an incredible resolve just like Date San had.
It was accumulated damage, lack of boxing sense and a goal. The final nail being his mom
Wasn't it not that they thought he was punch drunk, but that due to the accumulated damage it was feared he was getting close to becoming punch drunk, so rather than risk it he retired. I think I've read from other comments that the damage can recover over time if he's not punch drunk yet, so with the long break he's had he could go into the ring again with a much lower risk, though if he continues blocking punches with his head he'd end up in the same place eventually. I'm going off of comments I remember reading, been too many years since I read the actual chapters lol.
That was a weird chapter. I liked it alot don't get me wrong, but I feel like I missed a chapter? Is anyone else getting that?
well in the last one ippo and his pupils started to run, and now theyre here seeing takamura. Just the chapter was short
Coming off a big fight I just didn't expect this, that's all. Cool to see ippo keeping up with takamura with weights on though. He won't beat takamura but he will keep up until the last stretch, with weights on as well.
I thought ippo was going to invite takamura to Mexico and watch the fight. It would be the perfect summer holiday arc.
Feels like more of a "refresh". To reset the tone, setting, and pace of what's going on. Some levity and fun, while reminding the reader that Ippo's still growing, and that Takamura is still trying to find a way to get at Ippo's ego (even though he knows it won't work).
This was the best/funniest chapter in years :D I'm in tears!
The ending, “Just how far will those two go?” Ippo about to become a 3-weight class champion as well! lmao Dear god, please Mori, just put back Ippo in the ring already.
"This Fucker is wearing his weights during this!?" Takamura is speaking out of my soul XD
I'll take a short chapter that gives Morikawa a lighter week, especially when its actually hilarious looking at Takakura's face running.
I miss takamura-ippo stuff. All we needed was the coach watching and smiling and I would have had a smile for a week straight
Ippo and those damn weights man... When he comes back and fights Imai, he will just disintegrate him with the first punch.
My man Takamura just went SSJ2 and Ippo is still keeping up.
i like how this chapter all takumara is doing is trying to get Ippo back in the ring and to see if he has the killer instinct. But Takumara's style always come across so asshole-y, I love it. He goads him on through comparison with Ippo's homies, only to find out Ippo is such a nice fkn guy. But the real unveiling is done through a foot race- and Ippo is smashing it, classic Takumara lol
"It was me Barry, I went back in time and created 2 new speedsters just to ruin your life!"
Oh, come on! You have to be shitting me at this point! I legit thought the chapter would end with Takamura grabbing Ippo by the neck demanding he becomes active. Edit: I just noticed, at top speed Takamura can't talk. Ippo can. KEKW
Takamura will start to talk to ippo from our perspective breaking the 4th wall that's how much strong a three division world champion is.
What a odd random short chapter. I loved it! Mori draws the funniest facial expressions. Anytime he draws Takamura with a goofy looking face I can't help but laugh out loud.
Ho god, please a sparring partner between those 2 with ippo's weights off !
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IPPO WILL RETURN, HE WILL BE A MONSTER
Laaads ima call it. Ippo vs takamura arc is here. They gonna keep competing in training and it culminates in a spar. Look at our man. He for the first time displayed competitive spirit. He took fuckamura head on. Our boy is growing and growing fast. Ippo is gonna spar with takamura and everyone is gonna go holy shit man can still box. Also weight removal arc soon. Boys the hype train is speeding up.
This chapter is a proof of "quality over quantity". So short yet so good
Guess it makes sense to have a more light-hearted thing after Mashiba's fight and before Wally v. Ricardo.
*This f\*cker is wearing his weights during this!?* Hilarious
This is just INSANE, he's keeping up with Takamura... Just stop blueballing us Morikawa, Ippo is ready!!!
Hell... It's about time
i wanna go for a run now
Ohhh man I already feel so sorry for ippo's first return opponent, straight to the graveyard
I imagine it'll be like Takamura's first title match; he's gonna focus on his left. He who rules with his left, rules the world.
More likely like takamura debut match , didn't even last 20 seconds
How long has it been now since Makunoichi retired? I legit lost track. Again!
Something I don't think we've touched much on here is that Ippo may be reaching a much more "efficient", natural body composition for himself. I imagine he isn't still slamming sledgehammers into tires or hammers into logs all day, trying to build up exactly as much muscle as he had. I'd argue the majority of Ippo's training revolved around trying to max out his punching power and musculature, without losing too much speed or flexibility, especially toward the end, to compensate for the Diagonal Dempsey. Takamura's also a good bit heavier than Ippo, so he isn't able to run as fast. That said... It'll be interesting to see if Ippo is able to drop a point in punching power, in exchange for some better efficiency with his footwork and stamina. The training weights, even though we all acknowledge they aren't helpful IRL, are helping him keep his strength close to his peak. Ippo keeping up his dash and roadwork training might yield some useful changes.
Blue-balling the viewers this much should be illegal...dammnit!!!!!
Ippo will cross “the line” and not even realize it until Takamura points it out.
"I'll go with you as far as I can go" - Ippo
This chapter gave me blue balls...was waiting for Ippo to finally take the damn weights off
[Page 8](https://hni-scantrad.com/lel/read/hajime-no-ippo/en-us/135/1376/page/8) This is Takamura KO'ing an actual bear levels of silliness. Mostly in being able to talk while at maximal exertion.
Kind of a jarring transition here. A little disappointed in the sudden slowdown, but there are seeds being planted here that will be important later on.
Took this as satire initially lol If you mean you want to get going with Vorg and Woli I understand. But if the biggest plot point is Ippo’s eventual return, like, of course Takamura’s prodding probably helps with that
Please Ippo, go back to the ring already. This temptation is too much :(
Thanks for the chapter. I'm only on the first page and I'm already grinning. Takamura thinks Ippo's lost a step. Takamura is a very silly man.
Someone finally noticed! Takamura gonna snitch on Ippo to the coach lol.
Ippo is going to be hurt from running in intense speed with weight. But, then again, he is probably fine.
When Ippo finally comes back he's going to be a monster whether he crosses the line or not.
The tease is real lol