Hajime No Ippo 1004: Farce of Mike vs. Volg

Comments

I have to say that this is something that I believe hasn't happened in Hajime no Ippo yet: the referee was actually bribed to make one's odds to win better. Of course it's very obvious for the reader this happening so I'm wondering if Volg loses this whether the would be some compaints about this afterwards. So either that happens or Volg manages to pull some strength out of his ass and beat Mike once again, which I think isn't probable. The author has made it pretty clear that Volg really is completely out of strength at this point, so I wouldn't see how he could win as he has shown all his cards.

Even though I hope for this fight to end already it's interesting to see what the conclusion for this farce will be.

Recap:

-Volg has downed Mike and is gasping for breath.

-The crowd is amazed and the friends of Volg and management team are happy for him.

-David Eagle is seen standing up thinking about the match and finally applauding to Volg because of his plan.

-Everyone's starting to realize it: the referee is taking his time counting and purposely prolonging the count.

-The referee is actually lifting Mike up. It's revealed that Mike's management team had bribed the referee.

-Referee is ordering Mike to take his fighting pose and Hama Dankichi is looking all this in disbelief.

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Hajime no Ippo 1003: Tsubame Gaeshi

Comments:

It's been a long time since I've last even read Hajime no Ippo, I think that even the trans/scanlators have grown tired of side character like Volg getting too much attention. The battle between Mike and Volg has sure been somewhat enjoyable, but it doesn't change the fact that I would rather follow the main character's progress rather than someone who Ippo has beaten in the past.

I'm happy nonetheless: the further this fight progresses (I do hope that Mike doesn't get up!), the sooner we will be getting some more progress in the growth story of Ippo. There could be time for Takamura as well, but his story isn't of growth but just pure dominance! It may be that this Volg vs. Mike fight is sort of a premonition for Ippo taking on world, a prelude for a new and important phase for this manga to go through and finally end to Ippo being the world champion.

Recap of Hajime no Ippo 1003: Guard Breaker

-Volg continues to push on, but every one of his hits are blocked. Mike is waiting for him to raise his head.

-Volg presses on and has a flashback of his fight against Makunouchi Ippo in which he didn't yield and overcame his limits.

-Ippo gets reminded of Tsubame Gaeshi, a hit that can get past Mike's guard by turning the fist in vertical position.

-Mike is thinking that Volgs determination is weird and that he definitely has something in mind. He begins to block Volgs incoming hit which is Tsubame Gaeshi.

-Tsubame Gaeshi penetrates Mike's guard, but gets stopped. Mike sighs saying too bad, but then he gets hit by a strong right and Mike goes down.

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Yamato damashi

Hajime no Ippo 1002 wasn't a bad chapter, but not a really good one either. This chess match is almost over. I really can't see this fight going of more than couple of chapters but what puzzles me the most is that why George Morikawa is giving a side character this much attention? I have to give it to him that this fight has been a bit entertaining and well planned, but still I'd rather read something about main characters.

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Hajime no Ippo, too much is too much

Hajime no Ippo recently got its 1000th. chapter and congratulations to George Morikawa for such a phenomenal achievement. Even though that is very impressive I have to say that enough is enough. In Ippo there's just way too much unnecessary lenghtening of plot. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved Ippo but when did all the side characters start getting so much attention? It just gets too uninteresting to follow every sidekick having their time in spotlight.

I'm seriously considering watching Ippo's anime soon once again, it always delivers. Both anime and manga are really good to after Brian Hawk and there starts small downslide. Maybe it tells something that I remember almost anything before Brian Hawk and almost nothing after except for couple of things?

Even after mangakas loss of sense of proportion I'd still rate Ippo pretty high. Regardless of in which way it's now going the first couple hundred chapters will always be golden.

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