Score: 8.69/10
Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger
Synopsis
Japanese Featherweight Champion Ippo Makunouchi has successfully defended and retained his title. Meanwhile, his rival, Ichirou Miyata, has resurfaced in Japan, aiming for his own Featherweight belt in the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation. When the rest of the world comes knocking, however, will Japan's best fighters rise to the challenge and achieve glory at the top? Or will the small island nation be crushed under the weight of greater entities? This time, champions will become challengers issuing a call to the rest of the world and ready to show off their fighting spirit! [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Hajime no Ippo:New Challenger continues the story of Hajime no Ippo.
This show did not start out unrealistic but has gotten pregressively extremly unrealistic as it has gone on to the point of being annoying.
Story: 7/10
Unfortunately this second season of Hajime no Ippo was considerably weaker compared to the first season, it was not as realistic as the previous nor as enjoyable and well thought as the previous.
This season should have been named Hajime no Takamura instead of Hajime no Ippo. It focused too much on the other characters instead of focusing on Ippo. I have no problem watching 5 episodes of Takamura’s or Date’s fights but give me at least one good fight of Ippo’s. This second season ended without even one good fight from Ippo but we did see an amazing fight from Takamura.
Ippo’s fights have become predictable and boring, following the same old pattern: Ippo gets owned> Ippo makes a good comeback> Opponent makes a comeback> Eyes glow green> Ippo defeats the opponent with his boring Dempsey Roll.
Characters: 7/10
Most of the characters are just the way they were in the first season, no further development whatsoever. When the first season ended I hoped they would further develop Ippo’s character during season 2 but nothing of that sort ever happened. I was hoping Ippo would act and behave like a pro boxer and the champion in the ring but he is still acting like a rookie, getting beat up by guys with far less experience, skills or power. In the real world, because of the way Ippo fights and the ammount of damage he receives, he would retire by the time he is 23 due to severe brain damage. , Not further developing Ippo’s character was one of the biggest mistakes and dissapointments.
Animation: 8/10
The animation is fluid, the fight scenes are well coreographed but I feel that the original, old art was more well suited to the tone of the show.
Sound: 8/10
Great opening theme, decent ending theme, nice background music but the voice of the match commentator was very annoying.
Enjoyment: 6/10
I didn’t enjoy this season very much, it is not a bad season in any way, just weaker compared to the 1st season.
Overall: 7/10
This season was nowhere close to the original, it just felt like a sad shadow of what 1st season of Hajime no Ippo was, I still recommend this series to anyone
Comments