Chapter 558

A Star Is Born
Chapter Info
Next	Chapter 559
Chapter	558
Previous	Chapter 557
Volume	61
Japanese Title	スター誕生
Romanized Title	Sutā Tanjō
Pages	19 (WSM) 20 (Volume)
Arc	Spirit of a Weed Arc
Episode	Round 21 (Season 3) (p.11,14)
Issue	Weekly Shōnen Magazine #15, 2002 (cover date): March 27, 2002
Release (JP)	March 13, 2002

A Star Is Born is Round 558 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.

Details

• Title Page Character(s): Mamoru Takamura

Summary

At the Makunouchi Fishing Boat, Ippo, Itagaki, and Hiroko watches a commercial starring Takamura, who is advertising "Champion Royal C". The next day at the Kamogawa gym, the gym members discuss it. Aoki mentions he wants to do a commercial too, and wonders what they would have him endorse. Itagaki is amazed that he would take on a job like that before such a big match. Aoki thinks Takamura just never considered failure as an option. Ippo thinks that that is what makes it amazing. Aoki adds that Takamura needs to have a confidence at least that big if he was going to take two weight classes. Itagaki thinks he's got to learn from him, where even though Takamura's on a different level, he could probably use some pointers to help him reach his goal. Ippo mentions to Itagaki that he will be the East Japan Rookie King if he wins two more matches. Aoki thinks Itagaki doesn't need to learn from Takamura since his confident is already plenty big as it is. They discuss where Kimura is at, since he hasn't come in yet. When Kimura arrives, he looks pretty down. Ippo wonders that since it has been three days since that match, if Kimura hasn't recovered from the damage yet. Kimura mentions it was a harsh match, but his body is fine. The reason why he is down is because he is worried about Takamura and the promise he mentioned. Aoki still doesn't know what Takamura was talking about, but Kimura tells him about the haircut bet before their matches. Aoki asks what Kimura is talking about, as they were only suppose to get those haircuts if they didn't win. They drew their matches, so that means that they didn't lose. After hearing that, Ippo and Itagaki are shocked, and mention they didn't lose, but they also didn't win either. That is exactly what Kimura was worried about, where he hoped it would be okay since they didn't lose. However, there was a loophole in the wording used, where Takamura set up a trap for them. Aoki disagrees with it, since those guys that they fought were really tough, where he tried his very best against him. Kimura tells him if he thinks his excuse will work on Takamura, since the more they resist it, the more fun Takamura will end up having. Now mad, Aoki mentions that Kimura wants him to be quiet and accept becoming Papaya. Aoki wants to fight back, but Kimura mentions he can't defend against a person that conquered two weight classes. Now scared, Aoki takes off running only to run into Takamura, who now has a pair of scissors with him. Aoki is knocked out from the impact. Takamura asks about the promise, but Kimura mentions that since he didn't win, but didn't lose that means he kept his promise half way. Takamura thinking about it, Kimura adds (while showing a lightning bolt cut into the side of his hair) that this should be enough then. After seeing it, Takamura starts laughing and agrees to it, while Ippo and Itagaki are amazed at Kimura's preparation and his skills with words to minimise the damage. Takamura mentions that Aoki is next, since he is conveniently passed out, he gets in place to cut his hair. Kimura decides to help him with it. Itagaki notices Kimura switching sides easily, and hopes he never becomes that kind of shady opportunist. Ippo asks Takamura if he really is going to do it, and Takamura thinks it will be easy since he got a picture to copy. Takamura and Kimura cut Aoki's hair. Takamura mentions it is hard than he thought, and he ends up cutting a lot of hair from Aoki, leaving only a broccoli shape left on it. Kamogawa and Yagi arrive, and Kamogawa praises them for their wins. Yagi tells Takamura he should be resting since they got a lot of work lined up for him, two interviews, three TV features, and two more requests for commercial so far. After hearing that, Takamura agrees to do them all, while Ippo and Itagaki praise seeing Takamura's commercial they saw on TV. Aoki, now awake, asks Yagi to be in a commercial. Kamogawa tells him after coming off a hard fight, he should rest as well when he notices Aoki's new hair cut. He yells at Aoki, thinking he is trying to make fun of him. Aoki wonders what he is talking about, when he sees his reflection in a mirror and wonders what happened to his hair, and starts yelling about it. At home a few days later, Hiroko laughs after hearing about it. Ippo thinks Takamura gets too carried away with his pranks. Itagaki wonders what everyone has been up to since then, but mentions now that the gym is quieter, it is easier to focus on his training. On TV, they see another commercial for Takamura advertising "Aho Flex", an AB Flex equipment. Ippo is somewhat surprised seeing a boxer on TV when its not in a match, but notices they only ask really famous people to do commercials. He adds that it made him realise that they are training alongside a really incredible person. Itagaki and Ippo wonders how far he will go, when Hiroko mentions that they should be more concerned with themselves. She tells them that big or small, everyone has dreams and so you chase after them. they try and see just how far it is they're able to go, that sort of thing is what makes a man. Ippo agrees, and tells Itagaki he has to become the Rookie King, and Itagaki agrees and will try his best to succeed. On the TV, a new commercial shows advertising broccoli. When Itagaki and Ippo see it, they notice Aoki is in it with his new hair cut, wearing a cape. Aoki advertises a broccoli brand, telling the viewers to look for the "Broccoman" logo. After seeing that, Itagaki and Ippo are shocked, but are happy that Aoki at least got what he wanted, and they think it suits him. They also wonder how far Aoki will go.