Hajime no Ippo - Ch. 1481 - Reach!

[Darksnider05]

Ruined orgasm in boxing manga form

The anti-climax is real!

 

[princee01]

the author does hate this series and its characters ..

 

[DLRevan]

You know Hajime no Ippo is not the same manga it was in yesteryear but, it is something to see so many people still so invested in it to this day.

Hardly invested if they're reading it on a pirate site and are doing it out of habit.

I'm also puzzled by this development because there wasn't much setup (despite yes, a year of this arc) and it looked as if for once Morikawa was going to ditch his usual theme of talent winning out and the world being unfair. It's not typical shonen fare and never has been.

One thing I would note though, is if Rosario really is just losing because he's out of shape, then it doesn't have much meaning for Mashiba to win now. Losing sucks just as much against an unprepared fighter, but thematically, it certainly wouldn't make sense to win either.

But people getting this mad and saying they won't support the manga anymore is even more puzzling to me. Because they'll be back next arc complaining about something else again, talking about dropping this "garbage" and how Morikawa has wasted another year or something. That's laughable to me, I've been reading this for about 25 years now, with about 30 volumes in ownership, this is nothing, and I see the same old type of commentators every generation giving their same worthless two cents in the comment section of a pirate site/group page.

No offense to those who are actually invested and/or have a cautious take, even if still a bit mad at the development. But you know you're in the minority.

 

[P8kku]

This is what happened with Kimura all over again.

FUCK!

Thank you for including the panel

 

[Irfanzud02]

Imagine still fcking lost from all those handicaps lmao

There's no way Mashiba can win anymore and Morikawa gonna wasted another character and retired him

 

[Wowkin]

Mashiba was already talking about how he was out of gas, and he was still performing at max efficiency after that comment; he had long since burnt himself out.

Just remember that rosario came in Japan without proper training because he was sure of victory, in overweight (he had to burn all his stamina just to pass), got beaten up during all the beginning of the fight while hitting his weakspot (his stamina), admitted that he didn't take boxe seriously enough, he would have done way better in real conditions.
And deeeeeespite that, he won anyway !!!!@#%@%
How is that any good lesson !?
If Mashiba cant beat him right here right now, he would have been demolished anyway.

He ran out of gas before someone who had to push his body to his limit just to pass weight control and that had his belly (So his stamina) hit somany times...
If Mashiba had any chances to become champion, then its shit writing for the fight, and if he hadnt, then why did we follow him for ??

 

[lengend]

Haven't been this much dissappointed by this story ever. Man Thanks for the chapter tho/

 

[Maelbek]

WTF. I'm extra mad.

 

[Stilettosid]

that was a waste of damn near a full year of the manga. i just want the series to PROGRESS ffs, i don't even care who wins or loses anymore.

 

[NotSomeone]

Fuck off George

 

[JoyBoy316]

What an absolute joke

 

[1kken]

This was not how I expected to start my day.

I liked how the champion had a loser mindset and vowed revenge.
While the challenger moved forward "knowing" he was going to win.
"Reality" (in this fictional work) said otherwise though.

 

[Ulthair]

well that was probably the dumbest, most anti-climactic ending they could have imagined... really disappointed in this one.

 

[TheGoodFella]

what a load of bullshit

 

[ssjkakaroto]

This is what happened with Kimura all over again.

FUCK!

When was this?

 

[Infimus]

When was this?

Chapter 289, after Kimura lost against Mashiba.

 

[brainman]

One thing I would note though, is if Rosario really is just losing because he's out of shape, then it doesn't have much meaning for Mashiba to win now. Losing sucks just as much against an unprepared fighter, but thematically, it certainly wouldn't make sense to win either.

I disagree. Rosario losing here would show that this mythical construct of "the world stage" they keep talking about isn't the kind of place where even a champ (or a "monster" to use Takamura's example) can survive if he slacks off, because another monster that's hungrier and more dedicated will come along and tear you down. All this showed is that you can totally afford to slack off, bum around, get your ass beat, and not take the sport seriously because lmao talent. "The world stage" is apparently just filled with the athletic equivalent of trust fund babies who don't need to do shit, and getting there is meaningless, because all it proves is that you're also a trust fund baby at heart.

Someone like Rosario winning against Mashiba after this arc in particular completely undermines the concept and image of "the world" the manga has spent decades building.

 

[TheGreatALBundy]

And on this sour note I think it's time I throw Hajime no Ippo into the hiatus category and cease reading for a few years -- maybe a few decades. Thanks for the good memories George and I hope you're able to reach the ending you desire for your series.

 

[boldmonkey]

Ha ha Mashiba got rekt by an out-of-shape dude.

 

[NotSomeone]

I disagree. Rosario losing here would show that this mythical construct of "the world stage" they keep talking about isn't the kind of place where even a champ (or a "monster" to use Takamura's example) can survive if he slacks off, because another monster that's hungrier and more dedicated will come along and tear you down. All this showed is that you can totally afford to slack off, bum around, get your ass beat, and not take the sport seriously because lmao talent. "The world stage" is apparently just filled with the athletic equivalent of trust fund babies who don't need to do shit, and getting there is meaningless, because all it proves is that you're also a trust fund baby at heart.

Someone like Rosario winning against Mashiba after this arc in particular completely undermines the concept and image of "the world" the manga has spent decades building.

Exactly, but at this point George 100% doesn't give a fuck about what he's writing.
He's old, tired of writing the same series for decades, and the last few arcs feel like they were made because Morikawa needs a paycheck and he can't do it without Hajime no Ippo.

Mashiba, with all his hunger, dedication, with everyone on his side, lost to a bum who did not take the sport seriously until he was beaten to a pulp, this is a disrespect and a disgrace to Mashiba's character, his growth and his development over the course of 1400 chapters.

The idea of effort meaning something was the very core of this manga. Ricardo was the perfect boxer, he oozed talent, he never loses, you can't even see his punches - And Ippo was a piece of shit that everyone kicked around until he found something he loved and that he felt like he could dedicate his life to.

This whole idea was dropped when Ippo retired and it was executed right now.