Hajime no Ippo New Challenger Ep 14

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Summary:

 

While Aoki is eating half of the okonomiyaki unsure if he has the half with the sea roach in it, Itagaki asks Ippo for a serious spar. Takamura is Itagaki’s second, and Aoki is Ippo’s; Aoki advises Ippo not to make any mistakes as Takamura is his second. Ippo and Itagaki enter the center of the ring, and the spar begins. Itagaki starts off by distancing himself, and Ippo comments that Itagaki’s pace is very rhythmic and fast; Itagaki meanwhile comments that he doesn’t feel any pressure coming from Ippo, but reminds himself that he is still the Japanese champion. Itagaki rushes forward, but Takamura tells him to pull back; however, it’s too late as Itagaki is already at the ropes. Ippo closes the distance, and Itagaki is starting to feel the pressure; Ippo throws a left to the body and Itagaki falls, but slowly gets back up. A while later Itagaki regains conscience and is told he was knocked down 4 times. Itagaki feels grateful that Ippo sparred with him seriously and comments the pressure and the way he got pinned to the ropes were good experiences, but Kimura questions that since there’s no point in Itagaki learning from Ippo as Itagaki is an out boxer. Itagaki responds saying he doesn’t want to copy Ippo’s style, he wants to learn how to counter it. Nekota comes in before the conversation finishes and has brought fireworks with him so that everyone can enjoy them. Kimura seems keen on the idea, but Takamura feels otherwise because of his experience the other day at the ocean where he was almost pulled down by a ghost and shows everyone the hands marks still left on his leg as proof. Later that night, Kimura and Itagaki are waiting for Takamura to come out of the bathroom so that they can go see the fireworks. Takamura finishes taking a massive dump and stares at it for a while calling it an artistic masterpiece, but notices a strange hair sticking out of it. Takamura pull it out and is shocked to see a sea roach come out of it. Takamura believes it to be the work of a curse and is horrified that such a thing came out of his body.

 

On the beach, everyone is having fun with the fireworks; Ippo and Kumi are still being a little shy with each other, and Aoki and  Tomiko comment that nothing really did happen between those two even though they to so much trouble. Everyone continues enjoying the fireworks; Nekota asks where Takamura is, and Kimura and Itagaki remember what Takamura said about not wanting to come because of a curse. Aoki (still a little mad at him for groping Tomiko) uses this chance and says Takamura isn’t coming and they should just enjoy the fireworks without him; to which everyone does. Everyone is unaware however, that Takamura is watching them and has a lot of bottle rockets pointed at them. Takamura is understandably pissed that everyone is happy that he isn’t there; though Itagaki and Ippo are simply indifferent to his lack of attendance. Takamura tries to light the fuse, but it quickly dies out. Everyone sees him and Nekota comments that Takamura wanted to be with his friends after all; which embarrasses Takamura and causes him to try to leave. Everyone tries to get him to stay, saying it was lonely with out them, that there was something missing when he wasn’t there, that they needed Takamura to make it even more exciting. Eventually everyone chants Takamura’s name, and Takamura comes around and bosses everyone around on arranging the fireworks. Everyone looks up in the sky at the fireworks and Takamura points at a star ands says that’s him as he’ll fight the World Champion and win. Aoki and Kimura do the same and say they’ll aim for the Japanese Title; on that note of goals, Ippo says his is to get a firm grasp on the baton Date passed on to him. Nekota starts getting pumped up about what everyone’s saying and says everyone’s shining like the stars, but gets hit with one of fireworks Takamura tried to light earlier before he can finish; this leads to everyone running away from the rampant fireworks. The next day training resumes again for Ippo, and he’s working on the sandbags; eventually the coach comes in and informs Ippo that he has a spar request. The spar request is from Imai Kyosuke and he quickly introduces himself to Ippo and tells him how much he respects him. The coach informs Ippo that Imai is coming out of amateur boxing and has won the National Inter-High Tournaments twice in a row.

 

Imai and Ippo get into the ring, and Ippo notices Imai taking up a fighter’s stance and decides to observe for now. The spar begins and Ippo cautiously goes in, and Imai rushes in and attacks; Ippo comments on Imai’s quick step-in and lands a blow to Imai’s body, but Imai is able to retaliate with a right to Ippo’s face. The match goes on for awhile, and ends after 3 rounds. Ippo comments on how Imai already looks like a pro and starts thinking about what would happen if he were to challenge him for the title. Takamura returns with Kimura and Itagaki with Itagaki losing color in his face when he sees Imai. Imai recognizes Itagaki and gets friendly with him, but Itagaki coldly brushes Imai’s hand away. Imai comments that he felt they could be civil with each other meeting after such a long time since they spent a lot of time in high school together, but thinks it’s ok since they haven’t graduated yet. Imai informs Itagaki that he’ll be aiming to be a pro and will take the shortest path to taking Ippo’s title, but Itagaki tells him he won’t get that far as Itagaki will beat him. Later at the river bank Itagaki informs everyone of his past experience with Imai. Itagaki talks about the first time he fought Imai how he thought he was strong; Takamura wonders if Itagaki was scared of him, but Itagaki says he was excited because he would be number 1 if he won. Unfortunately he lost to Imai by knockout; Itagaki comments when he came to, he was looking at the lights with an overwhelming feeling of defeat. Itagaki continues saying he’s fought Imai 3 times in high school; losing each time by knockout. Takamura asks Ippo’s opinion on who’s stronger since he’s sparred with both; before Ippo can really answer Itagaki says he already know’s that Imai’s is stronger, that’s why he joined the Kamogawa gym. Kimura tells Itagaki that Ippo was worthless when he first joined and now he’s the champion, and Itagaki will face Imai at the Rookie King tournament so he can get his revenge then. Back at home, Ippo is looking at old magazines of him when he won the Rookie King championships; Ippo gets a phone call and immediately runs out to Aoki’s restaurant because Takamura’s world title fight has been decided. Unfortunately everyone else isn’t as hyped as Ippo; Aoki asks Ippo if he thinks it’s strange, apparently the champion’s manager called out of nowhere and talked about letting Takamura fight a title match in December. The only problem is that Takamura has a match in October, so there’s no time to prepare; meaning they did it on purpose as they won’t change the date. Ippo talks about how unfair it is, but Takamura is fine with it and feels he could fight now. Takamura is already set to fight the WBC World Junior Middleweight Champion, Brian Hawk. 

 

 

Opinions:

Wow, this is what I’ve been waiting for!!! Takamura vs. Brian Hawk, it was a hell of a match in the manga and it’ll be a hell of a match in the anime!!. Unfortunately, next episode is Itagaki’s debut match; and I don’t want to spoil it for those who don’t know of it, so I’ll say that I hope we move on to Takamura’s match the episode after. Hopefully actual fighting will happen by episode 17 or 18; can’t wait to see who voices Brian Hawk and I wonder if they’ll be able to bring out that “certain charm” that makes that character “unique”.