The title

https://preview.redd.it/4hqvqjoxp84e1.png?width=256&format=png&auto=webp&s=4569254753bd6e9d1c938a90b1005a390c553f10

https://preview.redd.it/9dpapdf3q84e1.png?width=480&format=png&auto=webp&s=c71b740e594c4401eee26babb2d626c87fffa0c3

just kidding it is from " THE IDOLM@STER - Hagiwara Yukiho " but it looks a lot to kumi ∧_∧

After episode 52 and at the start of episode 53 it seems like the animation/art style had changed? Am I tripping or not because it looks less detailed to me.

Trying to make a YTP of it

Hi, I just finished Hajime No Ippo season 2 and haven't read the manga yet. I just want to ask do Ippo and Kumi develop a romantic relationship later in the manga?

So, we’ve all got our opinions on this. What exactly will bring Ippo back from retirement. The opinions vary, as to be expected with such a long manga that has room for all kinds of interpretations, but I have two “rules” that I apply when thinking of what will make Ippo come back.

1. It can’t be due to death or permanent injury. That will just reinforce that he was correct to retire if he sees someone suffer life long consequences as a result of boxing, especially if it’s someone he cares about.
2. He can’t come back for someone else. Not Takamura’s sixth belt or avenging the defeat of a friend. Ippo needs to come back for himself. His desire to return needs to come from recognising something about himself.

With that in mind, I’ve settled on one particular idea that is my personal theory for Ippo’s return that I feel doesn’t go against the aforementioned rules.

So, lots of people are pretty sure that the upcoming Sendo vs Ricardo fight will mark the end of Sendo’s character, or at the very least his status as a major player in the story. I’m in agreement with that. Where people differ, is what exactly that end looks like. I’m sure we’ve all seen the numerous “Sendo dies” theories, but I’m of a different idea.

I think Sendo will lose to Ricardo, and will retire after the match. However, it won’t be because of his body breaking beyond repair. He’s not going to come out of that match without his fair share of bumps and bruises, but I think they’ll be depicted as ones he can certainly come back from, even if he needs a fairly long period to recover.

What will drive his choice to retire, is the common image we’ve been shown of what monsters look like. The picture of the silhouetted figures standing upon tall poles/logs, only joined by other monsters. Ricardo and Takamura have both been commonly depicted with that image, and during the fight with Wally, Ricardo realised Wally was there too.

I think Sendo will get some form of “glimpse” of this image, but he won’t find himself standing amongst the monsters, but rather looking up at them. It’ll be like he’s one step away, but unable to join them. He’s the closest someone can get to being a monster, without being a monster.

I’ve mentioned this idea before in a comment, and at the time I compared it to a chapter of the football manga AoAshi. There’s a storyline about one character realising he can’t go pro when he imagines his team as going up against the world, but can’t picture himself there. It’s a similar image that I imagine Sendo seeing. He sees the land of monsters, but he doesn’t walk upon that land.

I think this idea, while it obviously will hurt him to realise his potential has been reached, will also lead to a sense of satisfaction for Sendo. For even a brief time, he stood against what can be considered the pinnacle of boxing, he got a brief glimpse of a land of the absolute best, and he knows he gave it everything he could.

What Sendo realises, is that he can retire without regrets. And so he does so.

And that is, I believe, the key to Ippo. Upon seeing one of his best friends retire without any kind of regret, Ippo will realise that his retirement was different. He doesn’t feel that same level of satisfaction, he still longs to box deep down. And just like that, a fire is lit, because he realises he has unfinished business in boxing, and doesn’t want to have any regrets.

Now, obviously, in theory, this would require careful navigation. Sendo is not a character who bows down easily, so it would take some precise execution to sell the idea of him not feeling the need to fight, to not feel the pain of his knuckles. But I think Morikawa is perfectly capable of doing that.

Anyway, that’s my personal guess.

Obviously, if any of you disagree, that’s fine. I think most of the people here understand these characters well, but that doesn’t mean we’re all going to share the same opinions. Interpretations are interpretations for a reason. Thanks for your time, friends. Here’s to the Big Mara 🫡

Bro when Ippo comes back he better add some head movement bro, He lit tanks punches and keeps pressuring forward. He dont dodge or nothing.

Started hajime no ippo: the fighting and I’m loving it

I waited two years to catch up and now that I have finished all the updates I am very excited for the future. The mashiba fight is amazing I love it. When Ippo got in to spar. I got hard guys. This is the most exciting thing ive seen for ippo in the last like 6 years. Now I want more. Do you guys like the mashiba arc? Its probably going high on my list maybe top 3 honestly.