The Conditions for Being a Pro is Round 12 of the Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.
Details[]
- Styles Introduced: Brawling Style
Summary[]
Having cornered Ippo, Yamada throws left and right combinations at the champion's block. Yamada forces Ippo's block open and lands a Solar Plexus Blow, which Ippo describes as if an electric shock is running through his body, stopping his legs. Yamada attacks Ippo's block again at the corner. Takamura explains to Aoki, Kimura, and Itagaki how Yamada is using the Solar Plexus Blow only because he was advised to do so, meaning that his lower body must be in great shape. Takamura adds that in the two years that Yamada has been gone from the Kamogawa gym, he must have been focused on his roadwork and is proof that he used his time wisely as a boxer. Ippo gets hit by a right uppercut, making the audience wonder if Yamada is really just an underdog as they start to believe that Yamada is really powerful. Yamada attacks Ippo's block again as the audience cheers for the challenger. Yamada thinks that his punches are affecting Ippo since he is focusing on his block. Aoki and Kimura spots Yamada's mother in the audience watching her son. Yamada remembers how he always visioned Ippo running in front of him even though he wasn't there during his roadwork. Ippo acknowledges that Yamada has gotten stronger from two years ago and that he is a true pro boxer. After stopping one of Yamada's punches with his fist, Ippo opens his guard and changes his stance from the Peek-a-Boo Style to the Brawling Style, thinking that Yamada has a lot left to learn.
Ippo dodges Yamada's punches with the Brawling Style while at the corner. While Kimura thinks Ippo is taking Yamada lightly, Takamura claims that he isn't, explaining that Ippo is desperate too, because while it might've looked like the attack to the body was what kept him back, it was actually because he was intimidated. Takamura adds that for Ippo to get the momentum going in his direction, he has to fight back with spirit as well, and the way he is doing it is by having a slugfest with no tricks involved. Even after taking many hits, Ippo doesn't fall, and instead fights back, making the challenger start to question whether or not his punches are affecting the champion. As Ippo continues to take hits, Yagi is worried about his chances of winning. Kamogawa claims that he will win, as Ippo has survived stronger punches and tougher trials than this. After Ippo gets hit by a Solar Plexus Blow,he retaliates by landing a liver blow on Yamada, causing him to go down. While at the neutral corner, Ippo thinks that something Yamada still hasn't learned yet is what it is like to lose. Ippo knows it is a painful lesson that was taught to him by Date, but he himself used it as a springboard and was able to win the belt because of it. The Hachinohe coach fears that Yamada's ribs are broken because of the pain he is showing, as body blows take a while before they have an effect. Yamada feels like he is in so much pain that it is making him think more clearly and that while other boxers may look up to a world champion, he looks up to Ippo as his ultimate goal. Seeing Yamada about to get up, the Hachinohe coach believes that Yamada hasn't told Ippo everything yet. Yamada's mother remembers her son telling her that she doesn't need to worry about him anymore since he will retire after his match against Ippo. Yamada gets up, not wanting to leave the ring with regrets as his match with Ippo is his world title match.
Yamada's mother remembers her son telling her about Ippo and how Yamada became so cheerful when he met him, and while she was worried about him boxing, it made her happy to see her son happy. She is proud of Yamada for being able to fight evenly with an amazing boxer. Aoki and Kimura notice how everyone was surprised that Yamada got up but Ippo, as if he expected it. Kamogawa remembers that he wasn't sure what to do when he received the Hachinohe Boxing Club's request for Yamada to fight Ippo, but he sees it as a good chance for Ippo to overcome his handicap of being too naive so that he can aim for greater heights. Takamura wishes to find out whether Ippo has a good grasp on Date's baton or not. As the match resumes, Yamada rushes towards Ippo and lands a one-two and a liver blow on his block. Ippo then attacks with a one-two and a liver blow of his own that lands cleanly. Ippo connects with another liver blow, followed by a right uppercut. Yamada wishes for Ippo to keep winning as he will be proud to say that he fought against him. Ippo hits Yamada again with a devastating right straight to the face. As Yamada falls, Ippo tries to catch him, but the referee gets in-between them and signals the end of the match, with Ippo winning and defending his JBC featherweight title for a second time.
As the seconds go into the ring, Ippo tells Kamogawa how he really felt Yamada punches and that he was worried more than a few times during the match, but he is relieved to have beat such a strong challenger. Ippo gets interviewed in the ring, where he states that he wouldn't want to fight him again because he was very strong and that he was once the same as him at one time, remember how painful it was when he lost, but it taught him a lot about boxing. Ippo adds that he is sure when Yamada gets in the ring again, he will be a lot stronger than he was today. After leaving the ring, Ippo gets scolded by Kamogawa for taking too many hits, he then states he can not visit Yamada, as the winner has nothing to say to the loser. Ippo decides to leave for the shower room. At Yamada's waiting room, his coach advises him to rest for two or three days and then get a thorough checkup. The coach then asks if he told Ippo everything he wanted to in the match, Yamada replies that he doesn't know since he was so focused on punching, but he managed to hit him and fought with him at full strength, so he is satisfied. The coach is saddened that he has to tell everyone at the gym that Yamada has retired now, however, Yamada states that he has to go apologise to his mother since he is not retiring after hearing Ippo's words that he would be stronger after losing. Stepping out of his waiting room, Yamada sees Ippo, who he wants to greet, however, he comes to a conclusion that he said all he needed to say at the ring. Yamada thinks that Ippo taught him a lot in the ring and plans to keep chasing after Ippo. As Ippo showers, he believes that Yamada really got stronger and his Solar Plexus Blow was amazing.
Anime-Manga Differences[]
See also: Anime-Manga Differences
Credits[]
Characters are named as they appear in the credits.
| Role | English Name | Japanese | Rōmaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ippo Makunouchi | Kōhei Kiyasu | 喜安 浩平 | Kiyasu Kōhei |
| Mamoru Takamura | Rikiya Koyama | 小山 力也 | Koyama Rikiya |
| Masaru Aoki | Wataru Takagi | 高木 渉 | Takagi Wataru |
| Tatsuya Kimura | Keiji Fujiwara | 藤原 啓治 | Fujiwara Keiji |
| Manabu Itagaki | Daisuke Namikawa | 浪川 大輔 | Namikawa Daisuke |
| Hammer Nao | Daisuke Sakaguchi | 阪口 大助 | Sakaguchi Daisuke |
| Coach Kamogawa | Kenji Utsumi | 内海 賢二 | Utsumi Kenji |
| Hachinohe Coach | Issei Futamata | 二又 一成 | Futamata Issei |
| Yagi | Toshihiko Nakajima | 中嶋 聡彦 | Nakajima Toshihiko |
| Nao's Mother | Mari Yokoo | 横尾 まり | Yokoo Mari |
| Live Announcer | Jin Horikawa | 堀川 仁 | Horikawa Jin |
| Referee | Hisashi Izumi | いずみ 尚 | Izumi Hisashi |
| Ringside Interviewer | Noriko Fujimoto | 藤本 教子 | Fujimoto Noriko |
| Audience | Raimai Yamashita Kunio Ida Tsutomu Densaka Kenji Takahashi |
山下 雷舞 井田 国男 伝坂 勉 高橋 研二 |
Yamashita Raimai Ida Kunio Densaka Tsutomu Takahashi Kenji |
Episode Credits[]
| Role | English Name | Japanese | Rōmaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screenplay | Kazuyuki Fudeyasu | ふでやす かずゆき | Fudeyasu Kazuyuki |
| Storyboard | Ken'ichi Kawamura | 川村 賢一 | Kawamura Ken'ichi |
| Director | Kim Min-sun | ||
| Animation Director | Kim Bo-kyeong Kwon Hyeok-jung Hideo Hayashi (Action) |
林 秀夫 |
Hayashi Hideo |
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| Proof of Power Arc | |||||||||||||||||||
| Manga Volumes | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 39 | 40 | |||||||||||||||||
| Manga Rounds | |||||||||||||||||||
| 341 | 342 | 343 | 344 | 345 | 346 | 347 | 348 | 349 | 350 | ||||||||||
| 351 | 352 | 353 | 354 | ||||||||||||||||
| Anime Rounds | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||