Chapter 559

Itagaki's Resolve
Chapter Info
Next	Chapter 560
Chapter	559
Previous	Chapter 558
Volume	61
Japanese Title	板垣の決意
Romanized Title	Itagaki no Ketsui
Pages	19 (WSM) 20 (Volume)
Arc	Spirit of a Weed Arc
Issue	Weekly Shōnen Magazine #16, 2002 (cover date): April 3, 2002
Release (JP)	March 20, 2002

Itagaki's Resolve is Round 559 of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo manga series.

Details

• Title Page Character(s): Manabu Itagaki, Ippo Makunouchi, Wanpo

Summary

After Ippo and Itagaki finishes training, Kumi is amazed that Itagaki was able to beat Ippo. Ippo is impressed that Itagaki has the stamina of an eight-rounder, despite only being a four-rounder. Kumi asks Ippo if he is free Saturday, when he tells her he is, Nanako arrives and mentions she is also free. When Nanako criticises Kumi, Ippo confesses that they weren't doing anything "like that". When they get curious on what "like" is, Ippo notices Itagaki running. They discuss Itagaki and his chances in winning the Rookie King Tournament. Nanako mentions he will win "unlike a certain someone's brother", angering Kumi. When Itagaki returns, Ippo asks him if he is free Saturday, however, Itagaki declines. At the Kamogawa gym, after Itagaki's sparring session, Ippo is amazed how he defeated three other four-rounders. Kimura notes how he always thought of Itagaki as a different breed in speed, power and intuition from him and Aoki. Ippo notes how Itagaki seems tense. Kimura believes he is low on confidence, as the man who shattered his confidence, Imai, may have a match against him. After Ippo asks Itagaki if he is free Saturday and gets declined again, Ippo expresses his concern. Itagaki tells Ippo that he is turning down Saturday because he is going to see who he is fighting in his next match that day. While at the Makunouchi Fishing Boat, Nanako tells Kumi on the phone that Ippo and her are going out on Saturday. Kumi starts to worry, while Nanako continues to make her jealous. Ippo takes the phone, and explains the situation. Ippo apologises to her that their planned date is going to be cancelled since he plans to join Itagaki and Nanako on Saturday to see who will be fighting. Ippo plans on make it to Kumi some other time. Kumi tells Ippo's okay since it is for Itagaki's sake. Saturday, while at the match, Ippo sees an opponent throwing Flicker Jabs. Itagaki mentions to Ippo that he would be lying that his match with Imai wasn't on his mind, but he's not confident enough to saying he is not thinking about the match in front of him. Ippo's surprised to see Itagaki's next opponent uses the Flicker Jab. Itagaki mentions that he was hoping his next opponent, Fumito Makino, managed to climb his way up, since he always wanted to pay him back for his debut match and only loss. He notes that Makino's Flicker Jabs tend to connect at the elbow when they hit the opponent and in addition to that, Makino steps on feet, even headbutts, and holds. He notes it is like fouling is no big deal for Makino. He thinks Makino acquired a taste for cheating from defeating Itagaki. After Makino wins the match, Itagaki feels responsible for inspiring Makino to fight like that, and wants to fix it when they fight.