Episode 14 (Season 2)

Two Sparring
Episode Information
Previous	Ippo on the Beach 2
Episode	Season 2 #14
Next	Itagaki, Debut Match
Japanese Title	二つのスパーリング
Romanized Title	Futatsu no Supāringu
Arc	Battle of Hawk Arc
Manga	Round 357 (p.18-19) Round 358 (p.1-19) Round 359 (p.1-13, 15-19) Round 360 (p.1-16) Round 361 (p.1-15)
Air dates
Japanese	April 7, 2009
Music
Opening	Hekireki
Ending	8AM

Two Sparring is Round 14 of the Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.

Details

• Characters Introduced: Kyōsuke Imai

Summary

Itagaki asks Ippo is they can spar against each other and if it is fine if he goes all out. Ippo agrees to the spar and will fight seriously as well. The two get in the ring with Aoki as Ippo's second and Takamura as Itagaki's. The spar begins with Ippo blocking and dodging Itagaki's quick jabs. Itagaki displays quick and elegant out-boxer footwork that reminds Ippo of how Miyata fights. Ippo manages to get Itagaki to the ropes and uses combinations to knock him down. Itagaki gets back up and the two continue to spar until Itagaki passes out on the third round after going down four times. As Kimura tries to point out to Itagaki that he shouldn't try and imitate Ippo, an in-fighter, since Itagaki is an out-boxer, however, Itagaki claims that he isn't trying to imitate Ippo, instead he is trying to learn to overcome someone. Nekota arrives with some fireworks, planning to use them that night. This causes Takamura to remember what happened to him last night at the beach, frighteningly warning the others about the "dangerous poltergeists" that drag people into the ocean at night. That night, as everyone gets ready for the fireworks, Takamura goes to the bathroom and finds a sea slater in his stool, which he believes is part of his 'curse'.

Outside, everyone begins lighting their sparklers and fireworks, as their summer training camp is coming to an end. Kimura and Itagaki announces that Takamura is not coming due to being cursed, which causes Aoki to cheer. As everyone is having fun, Takamura looks on from afar, deciding that Aoki and Kimura gets the death sentence. As Ippo and Itagaki does not seem to miss Takamura, the latter decides that they are accomplices as he lights up fireworks aimed at the party, but the fireworks did not light up. As fireworks light up the sky, the group notices Takamura, who turns around and states he will just go back, as he would just cause trouble and be a pain. After Ippo and Itagaki's sweet talk and everyone cheering for him, Takamura finally joins the party, immediately ordering everyone around. Ippo tells Itagaki how impressed he was able to cheer up Takamura. Itagaki states how he always had a way with words, prompting Ippo to ask for pointers on how to talk to girls. Itagaki claims that he can't say that after what he did with Kumi last night, however, Ippo gets embarrassed and tells him that he is too loud and that they didn't do anything. They then light up their fireworks and Nekota compares the boxers to them. Takamura tells him that they are the stars above, shining forever. Takamura compares himself to a big star, planning to become the world champion so others can always look up at him. Aoki and Kimura wishes to be Japanese champions, and Ippo wishes to have a firm grip on Date's baton and one day fight Miyata. Everyone then runs away as they get attacked by fireworks Takamura lit up earlier.

When Ippo and Aoki returns to the Kamogawa gym, Aoki is exhausted from the heat as Ippo is unfazed and hitting the sandbag. Kamogawa and Yagi enter the gym, causing Aoki to stop laying on the bench. Kamogawa and Yagi informs Ippo that he has a sparring request from the Otowa gym against a rookie who hasn't debuted yet, but he's got quite a reputation. When the challenger and the Otowa coach arrives, the challenger introduces himself to Ippo as Kyōsuke Imai. Imai explains that he idolises Ippo and wants to test his strength, planning to go all out. As Imai gets ready, Aoki thinks that Imai is underestimating Ippo. Kamogawa states that Imai's amateur record was 35 matches, 35 wins, 33 RSCs (TKO) and was the national inter-high champion two years in a row, believing that if he debuted as an 8-round boxer, he would still do well. When both boxers enter the ring, Ippo predicts that Imai is an in-fighter, judging by his build. When the spar begins, Ippo is shocked by how fast Imai is and how heavy his punches are as Imai steps in and punches Ippo's block with left and right combinations. Ippo steps to the side, but Imai is able to catch up to him quickly and push him to the ropes by punching his block. Ippo throws a right at Imai's face that gets blocked. With Imai still blocking his face, Ippo lands a left body blow, which Imai retaliates with a right to Ippo's face. Kamogawa mentions to Aoki how Imai said that he looked up to him, and while it is true they are similar, it isn't merely imitation, Imai is making full use of the in-fighter style, deeming him strong. Ippo is amazed by Imai, not being able to believe he hasn't even debuted yet. The three round spar ends with both boxers still standing. Ippo thinks that Imai already got the attitude of a professional, wondering what would happen if he gets more experience and showed up as a challenger against him.

When Takamura, Kimura, and Itagaki return to the Kamogawa gym, Aoki tells them that Ippo got beat up by a rookie. Itagaki is shocked that the one who sparred against Ippo was Imai, who he knows. Imai tries to greet Itagaki, however, the latter gets hostile towards him. Imai comments how Itagaki seems to be the same as he was during high school and tells him that he will be going after his own goal as a professional by taking the shortest path possible to get Ippo's title. Imai then leaves the gym without a word after Itagaki told him that he will stop him from doing so. Outside, Itagaki explains to Ippo, Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura how he first fought Imai at a national tournament and how he knew he was strong the moment he saw him. Itagaki notes that he was excited to fight Imai because if he had won, he would be number one, however, he ended up losing the match. He claims that during high school, they fought three times, and was KO'd every time. Takamura asks Ippo, who sparred against both, who is stronger, but Ippo really doesn't know. Itagaki claims that he knows that he doesn't stand a chance against Imai right now, which is why he joined the Kamogawa gym since it has the reputation of being tough. Kimura mentions that Ippo managed to keep winning and became champion against all odds. Kimura then states that he should see Imai in the Rookie King Tournament next year to get his revenge.

At the Makunouchi Fishing Boat, Ippo gets nostalgic as he looks at the Monthly Boxing Fan issue covering his All Japan Rookie King Tournament victory. Ippo thinks that if one looks at the boxing fundamentals, Itagaki should have the advantage since he is faster and has better instincts that Imai, however, he thinks that he is still missing something. Ippo receives a phone call about the date being decided for Takamura's world title match. Ippo excitedly runs to the Iwata's Chinese Noodles where Aoki, Kimura, and Takamura are. When he gets there, Ippo is confused as to why everyone isn't excited. Kimura states that the gym got a call from the world champion's manager telling them that they could set up a match in December. Ippo realises that Takamura has a match in October so he won't have any time to get ready by December. Aoki and Kimura claim that the world champion's side did it on purpose, forcing Takamura to have to stay as a junior middleweight for two months in a row, with them knowing how rough Takamura's weight control is. Ippo suggests to pass the offer up and wait for Takamura to be in his best condition. Takamura tells Ippo that he would be ready to do the match right now if he wanted, but knows that the WBC junior middleweight world champion Bryan Hawk knows what he is doing.

Trivia

• There is an animation error where, after Itagaki takes off his headband before sparring against Ippo, it is back on him in the same scene when it switches angles.

Anime-Manga Differences

See also: Anime-Manga Differences

• In the manga, after Itagaki sparred against Ippo, Itagaki explained to Kimura that his motivation in sparring Ippo is to learn how to counter his fighter type style in order to win against the first place boxer in the amateur rankings once he becomes pro, as Itagaki placed second. In the anime, this is removed.
• In the manga, as everyone was setting up the fireworks, Itagaki asked Ippo how his first training camp went, the latter explained he was hoping to be the "Rookie King" at the time. In the anime, this is removed.
• In the manga, as everyone looked at the stars and setting their goals, Itagaki wished to trace the path Ippo took to get back at the one he is after. In the anime, this is removed.
• In the manga, when Aoki and Ippo returns to the Kamogawa gym, Aoki mentions to Ippo an article about a giant typhoon hitting the area near the training camp and damaged Nekota's beachside shop. In the anime, this is removed.
• In the manga, Imai told Ippo that he looks up to former world champion Tsuyoshi Hamada. In the anime, this is removed.
• In the manga, when Kimura told Itagaki that he would most likely see Imai in the Rookie King Tournament next year, he does the middle finger. In the anime, he just raises his index finger.

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
Coach Kamogawa	Kenji Utsumi	内海 賢二	Utsumi Kenji
Yagi	Toshihiko Nakajima	中嶋 聡彦	Nakajima Toshihiko
Kyōsuke Imai	Yūichi Nakamura	中村 悠一	Nakamura Yūichi
Otowa Gym Coach	Keiichi Sonobe	園部 啓一	Sonobe Keiichi
Kumi Mashiba	Yuka Hirata	平田 裕香	Hirata Yuka
Tomiko	Shōko Tsuda	津田 匠子	Tsuda Shōko
Ginpachi Nekota	Ichirō Nagai	永井 一郎	Nagai Ichirō

Episode Credits

Role	English Name	Japanese	Rōmaji
Screenplay	Fūta Takei	武井 風太	Takei Fūta
Storyboard	Ken'ichi Kawamura	川村 賢一	Kawamura Ken'ichi
Director	Tomoya Takahashi	高橋 知也	Takahashi Tomoya
Animation Director	Ichirō Uno Yoshiaki Tsubata Hideo Hayashi (Action)	夘野 一郎 津幡 佳明 林 秀夫	Uno Ichirō Tsubata Yoshiaki Hayashi Hideo