A good manga series, like Netflix’s Hajime no Ippo, continues to impact, influence, and entertain readers indefinitely long after its heyday has passed. After its debut, Hajime no Ippo was widely viewed as one of the best martial arts/combat sports manga of its time. Incredibly, even today, Hajime no Ippo remains a top choice for anyone interested in a well-crafted, technically sound, and emotionally resonant fight story.

The world first heard of George Morikawa’s Hajime no Ippo in a 1989 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump. Since that debut some 35 years ago, Morikawa has continuously been adding and updating chapters and content to the story. As a result, Hajime no Ippo is one of the longest-running manga in the history of the medium. The story details the adventures of shy teenager Makunouchi Ippo, who, due to his lack of friends, is an easy target for school bullies who see him as an easy target to prey upon.

However, one day after he is saved from a beating by a local boxer, Ippo becomes interested in the combat sport. This leads to an audition of sorts where Ippo impresses a local boxing coach/trainer with his raw, natural talent. While hesitant at first to take on a beginner, the coach grudgingly decides to train him alongside his current protégé, Miyata. Thus begins Ippo’s – and the reader’s – adventure in the world of boxing.

Hajime no Ippo Sparks A Renewed Interest In Martial Arts Manga

The Portrayal of Fighting in Hajime no Ippo Is Visual Poetry-in-Motion

Most recently, Netflix, the streaming service giant and growing powerhouse in the anime space, has begun broadcasting the anime adaptation of Hajime no Ippo. Netflix’s decision to broadcast Hajime no Ippo is a testament to its continuing influence and relevance as an anime and manga. Unlike other anime streaming services such as Crunchyroll or HIDIVE, anime is only a portion of Netflix’s total content.

Accordingly, to maximize its anime viewership, the streaming giant tends to choose series that it knows or believes will interest its anime-watching fans, as well as convince non-anime-watching fans to tune in too. While its “strategy” has generally focused on entities well-known for their popularity and fan-based followings, such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Pokémon, as well as the more currently popular martial arts/combat sports series like Baki, Kengan Ashura, and Garouden; it sees value in choosing a legacy anime like Hajime no Ippo, whose most recent anime series ended in 2014.

Hajime Ippo Brings Real Boxing To The Manga And Anime World

There’s not much to argue with Netflix’s choice of Hajime no Ippo. It’s the signature representation of its genre. Indeed, it is one of the best depictions of the world of boxing ever made. The details about a boxer’s training routine, or how boxers manage their hopes and fears, or how they psyche out opponents are mesmerizing to watch. No combat sports series has yet to match how Morikawo portrays the mindset – from the emotional highs to the debilitating lows.

There’s plenty of in-real-life content for Morikawa to draw from. Since he was a child, boxing has been his favorite sport – he even owns and manages his own boxing gym. He’s definitely tapped into that passion for the sport to make the characters and storyline as accurate as possible. Accordingly, even after three decades, Hajime no Ippo is still one of the best manga around, and certainly the best boxing manga. Despite its age, it is still relevant and – most importantly, a solid turn-pager of a story that expresses Morikawa love for boxing as well as generates a snapshot of the boxing-sports industry itself. It’s no wonder Netflix picked it up.