Ashita no Joe 2 review: The soul of boxing and the depth of drama

Tomorrow's Joe 2: The soul of boxing and the trajectory of youth

■Overview of the work

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a TV anime series that aired on Nippon Television from October 13, 1980 to August 31, 1981. It is based on a manga by Takamori Asao, and the illustrations were by Chiba Tetsuya. It consists of 47 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and was produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. It is a work that stands out for the splendor of its staff, with director Dezaki Osamu and music by Araki Ichiro, who also composed the theme song.

■ Story

After the death of Rikiishi Toru, Yabuki Joe leaves the ring and goes on a journey. However, when he returns to the flophouse district, he begins his journey as a boxer again. Joe seems to have made a complete recovery, but due to the trauma of his fight with Rikiishi, he is no longer able to throw temple blows. However, after fierce battles with world ranked fighters such as Carlos Rivera and Kin Ryuto, he overcomes the death of Rikiishi. And finally, he challenges the world champion Jose Mendoza in a title match.

■Cast

The work is enhanced by a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Aoi Teruhiko as Yabuki Joe, Fujioka Shigeki as Tange Danpei, Tanaka Emi as Shiraki Yoko, Moriwaki Megumi as Hayashi Noriko, Daruma Jiro as Nishi Kanichi, Nakamura Hideo as Chikaraishi Toru, Nakao Ryusei as Carlos Rivera, and Miyamura Yoshito as Jose Mendoza.

■ Main staff

The project was planned by Yoshikawa Bin and Kawano Yasuhiko, the music was by Araki Ichiro, the animation director was Sugino Akio, the art director was Oga Kazuo, the director of photography was Takahashi Kogo, the sound director was Kato Satoshi, the music selection was Suzuki Seiji, the supervisors were Kajiwara Ikki and Chiba Tetsuya, the literary director was Iioka Junichi, the editor-in-chief was Aono Shiro, the producers were Takahashi Yasuji and Kato Shunzo, the storyboard was Sakimakura, and the scripts were written by Shinozaki Yoshi, Yamazaki Haruya, and Takayashiki Hideo, among many other staff members.

■ Theme songs and music

The opening theme from episodes 1 to 25 is "Kizudarake no Eiko" (Glory Covered in Scars), sung by Obo Takeshi, with lyrics and music by Araki Ichiro, and arranged by Goto Tsugutoshi. From episodes 26 to 47, it is "MIDNIGHT BLUES", sung by Araki Ichiro, with lyrics and music by Araki Ichiro and arrangement by Chito Kawachi. From episodes 1 to 25, the ending theme is "Hateshinaki Yami no Kanata ni" (Beyond the Endless Darkness), sung by Obo Takeshi, with lyrics and music by Araki Ichiro, and arrangement by Goto Tsugutoshi. From episodes 26 to 47, it is "Hateshinaki Yami no Kanata ni" (Beyond the Endless Darkness), sung by Araki Ichiro, with lyrics and music by Araki Ichiro, and arrangement by Goto Tsugutoshi.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a work that depicts youth and growth through the sport of boxing. In particular, the sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the major event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring once again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's best opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, do not miss the human drama depicted throughout the work. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

The splendor of the cast and staff is also one of the attractions of this work. In particular, the passionate performance of Aoi Teruhiko, who plays Yabuki Joe, enhances the moving impact of the work. In addition, Ichiro Araki's music also enhances the atmosphere of the work and stirs the emotions of the viewer. The opening and ending songs are also memorable, and give a deep sense of the worldview of the work.

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a masterpiece anime that depicts youth and growth through the sport of boxing. The sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the devastating event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring once again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's best opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, do not miss the human drama depicted throughout the work. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

■ Recommendation points

"Ashita no Joe 2" is recommended not only for boxing fans, but also for those who like youth dramas and human dramas. In particular, the sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the major event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's strongest opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, the human drama depicted throughout the work is not to be missed. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

The splendor of the cast and staff is also one of the attractions of this work. In particular, the passionate performance of Aoi Teruhiko, who plays Yabuki Joe, enhances the moving impact of the work. In addition, Ichiro Araki's music also enhances the atmosphere of the work and stirs the emotions of the viewer. The opening and ending songs are also memorable, and give a deep sense of the worldview of the work.

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a masterpiece anime that depicts youth and growth through the sport of boxing. The sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the devastating event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring once again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's best opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, do not miss the human drama depicted throughout the work. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

Related information

Ashita no Joe 2 was produced as a sequel to the original manga, which was written by Takamori Asao and illustrated by Chiba Tetsuya, and was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine from 1968 to 1973. The anime version faithfully reproduces the original storyline while incorporating unique direction and additional episodes. The themes of the work, "youth" and "growth," resonated with many viewers and became a social phenomenon.

Even after "Ashita no Joe 2" finished airing, the original manga and anime still have many fans and are featured in various media. In particular, the character of Yabuki Joe is loved by many people and has become a symbol of boxing. In addition, the themes of "youth" and "growth" in the work have resonated with many viewers and have become a social phenomenon.

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a masterpiece anime that depicts youth and growth through the sport of boxing. The sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the devastating event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring once again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's best opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, do not miss the human drama depicted throughout the work. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

■ Summary

"Ashita no Joe 2" is a masterpiece anime that depicts youth and growth through the sport of boxing. The sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the devastating event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring once again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's best opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, do not miss the human drama depicted throughout the work. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.

The splendor of the cast and staff is also one of the attractions of this work. In particular, the passionate performance of Aoi Teruhiko, who plays Yabuki Joe, enhances the moving impact of the work. In addition, Ichiro Araki's music also enhances the atmosphere of the work and stirs the emotions of the viewer. The opening and ending songs are also memorable, and give a deep sense of the worldview of the work.

"Ashita no Joe 2" is recommended not only for boxing fans, but also for those who like youth dramas and human dramas. In particular, the sight of Yabuki Joe recovering from the major event of Rikiishi Toru's death and stepping into the ring again touched the hearts of many viewers. His appearance overcoming trauma and fighting against the world's strongest opponents could be said to be a symbol of youth. Also, the human drama depicted throughout the work is not to be missed. The suffering and joy of people living in the harsh world of boxing are depicted realistically, deeply moving viewers.