Hajime no Ippo is one of the most popular and influential sports anime of all time. Written by Joji Morikawa (who is a real-life boxing coach), the series follows Ippo Makonouchi as he goes from a bullied high school student to one of Japan’s top boxing prospects. Madhouse’s anime adaptation is considered to be one of (if not THE) best sports anime of all time, having influenced a generation of real boxers across the globe. Now it’s time for those boxers to showcase their passion for the sport, and for Hajime no Ippo, in the franchise’s first real event.
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Many boxers have expressed their love for Hajime no Ippo during matches. But, never before has it happened at an official Hajime no Ippo boxing event. Joji Morikawa’s inspiring and adrenaline-pumping sports manga/anime is hosting its first-ever live-boxing event, and it’s two decades overdue.
Hajime no Ippo is Being Brought to Life
This November, Hajime no Ippo becomes a reality at the first-ever “Dynamite Gloves 2025.” The live sporting event will take place at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on November 18th, and Hajime no Ippo fans do not want to miss it.
Seven professional bouts will take place on the night. Like Ippo’s early fights as an amateur boxer, the matches will be four-round bouts. As well as actual boxing matches, the event will also include an art exhibition showing off Morikawa’s work on the long-running, and still ongoing, manga, as well as anime-inspired visuals and banners. To top it all off, Joji Morikawa will be making a rare public appearance, giving a talk to those in attendance.
If that wasn’t cool enough, the venue (Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall) is where many of the fights in Hajime no Ippo take place, so it’ll be like spectators are watching matches from the anime. The event is open to international fans, and fans can now join a pre-registration waiting list on the event’s official website.
Hajime no Ippo’s Legacy on the Sports Genre
How can you not love Hajime no Ippo? It blends the classic underdog story with real boxing techniques, meaning it simultaneously entertains and educates viewers about the world of boxing. The anime first began airing in 2000 and came to an end in 2014. Morikawa’s manga is one of the longest-running series of all time (and longer than One Piece), so fans are hoping for more from the anime in the coming years, although this hasn’t been confirmed.
The series is on par with Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk in terms of its influence on the sports genre of anime. Not only has its story and character work inspired modern classics like Haikyuu, but its success has also helped usher in the current age of sports anime. Before Slam Dunk and Hajime no Ippo, sports manga and anime weren’t popular. But both series broke that barrier down, and it’s them that we have to thank for the tidal wave of great sports anime we’re now being treated to.
H/T: Anime News Network
