Hajimemashite..
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My descent marks the death of all who oppose my ideal world. All of evil
are unveiled through my foresight and foiled through my wisdom. All of
my opponents become my pawns, fully under my control and molded to do my
bidding. Death accompanies all who are unfortunate enough to be touched by
my palm.
- Kira, 5th
Hajime no Ippo, is a boxing anime created by Morikawa Joji and licensed by Kodansha in the Weekly Shonen Magazine. It tells the story of a young high school student, named Ippo Makunouchi, who never had the time to make friends because he was always busy helping his mother with the family boat business. Moreover, he got this wimpy-like character in school who kissed everybody’s ass. Because of that image in school, Ippo habitually gets beaten up by bullies who call him names and curse his mother. On one particular day these bullies decided to give him a rather serious beating, but a middle-weight professional boxer who was passing by stopped the bullies and took the injured Ippo to the Kamogawa Gym. After the incident, Ippo, wanting to find out what it means to be strong, joins the gym and began his path in Japan’s professional boxing. And all throughout the series, step by step, he learns more about life and the trials he had to face to get to the end of this Champion Road.
The life and story of Ippo Makunouchi is very much alike my own except that I’m physically weak and I don’t like boxing that much. But in a sense, we are completely the same, If you think about it really good. When I was elementary, I get beaten up by kids too. They used to drive me at the wall and that’s where they do their dirty work. I really hate it when they do that, come to think of it, I hated it more when I don’t fight back. I do not want to fight back because it’s not reasonable even if I really want to hit them back hard. If I fight back, they will also punch back, then I’ll punch back again, and the process will just continue until one of us runs out of stamina. And in the end, we’ll just hurt ourselves. I just assumed that maybe their parents beat them up, and so they beat me up to find out how it feels doing that. I still have grudges against them, but in my thoughts, I guess today they are suffering more than me. They’re probably out in the streets with their gangs doping on drugs. Just like Ippo, I want to find out what it means to be strong. Today, I’m still searching for the answer; I’m still learning more about life today.
It was not just Ippo’s story that resembles my own. It was the story of all the characters, well, most of them. Although it wasn’t discreetly shown, the series focused heavily on character development, even during the matches something is learned about the fighters; their childhood, current experiences and their dreams. One more thing I find interesting about this anime, is the display of willpower and passion. It shows that persistence can take you a long, long way. Just like my own beliefs, that passion is a sacred thing in this world. With passion, you gain strength; and that strength is what you will use to all the troubles ahead. You see, I am the type of person who does not believe in Talent. I question its existence. You don’t excel in things in just a snap. You excel because of your hard work, your persistence, your passion. I believe that with all of that, you are on your way of becoming what you want. There is no need for talent anymore. Willpower is what molds it, just as it was shown in the anime. Ippo did not inherit strength and speed, he started off with nothing. It was exercise, practice and road work that developed his boxing skills. He was driven by his passion; his love for boxing and his persistence on knowing what it means to be strong. See that? A single interrogative statement can make you powerful and phenomenal.
It’s just like me. Every time I get interested in a thing, I do well with it; I wanted to be good at it. And with just that, it triggers my passion.
Hajime no Ippo is not just an anime with people punching their faces while sweating half-naked in a ring. It is wholly about passion. It is about determination and the ends that it can take you to. Morikawa Joji truly made a great anime; and I appreciate it purely. It was not like any other lollapalooza show, it was like a poem, carved magnificently to produce a beautiful song.
Entry @ 12:20 AM;
Sunday, September 30, 2007
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