The Return! is Round 1164 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.
Cover Page[]
- Characters: Makunouchi Ippo, Takamura Mamoru, Aoki Masaru, Kimura Tatsuya, Itagaki Manabu and Kamogawa Genji
Summary[]
Everyone celebrates that Ippo passed. Ippo thanks Kamogawa, but Kamogawa warns him not to be too happy. Someone suspected of being Punch Drunk won't return to the ring that easily, and he still got his eye on him. Ippo asks if he can return to boxing after keeping his promise of not practice boxing for 1 month. Kamogawa gives the okay. Itagaki, Aoki, and Kimura look at Takamura for suggesting Ippo might be broken, which angers Takamura and he chases them. Kimura and Aoki mentions this is the reason why he can't get any girlfriends, not even Yamaguchi Tomoko.
After hearing Yamaguchi's name, Takamura stops and he does a weird dance, suggesting he slept with her. Itagaki wonders if that means he begged her for it, but Takamura mentions his pride will never allow that. Aoki and Kimura realised it was only in his mind, but Takamura tells them it is going to happen. He used to see her regularly, but haven't for sometime now in order to make her think about him. Takamura takes off his clothes, and mentions what he plans to do with her. Aoki and Kimura make fun of him, which causes Takamura to chase after them naked. After watching it all, Ippo finally feels like he is really back now.
Yagi Haruhiko mentions to Kamogawa that Takamura saved him in his spar. Kamogawa didn't think Ippo would be able to refine the New Dempsey Roll in it. He was ble to hang on, but he would have never kept up if Takamura didn't stop him, where he could have been injured. Kamogawa notes that the weights have made Ippo's punches more sharp, and their impaced are totally different. His lower body is stable enough to punch from any position, but he is surprised that Ippo was able to switched legs. Ippo notes Ippo can now pivot and turn on either of his feet, while stepping forward while spinning at the same time like a spinning top that can travel in a direct path. Kamogawa mentions Ippo's attack is like a typhoon that closes in from a distance.