Episode 39 (Season 1)

Challenge in a Foreign Land
Episode Information
Previous	Two Rookies of the Year
Episode	Season 1 #39 (Watch Online)
Next	A Counter to Surpass All Counters
Japanese Title	異国での挑戦
Romanized Title	Ikoku de no Chōsen
Arc	Jolt Counter Arc
Manga	Round 125 (p.6-19) Round 126 (p.2-19) Round 127 (p.1-19) Round 128 (p.2-14)
Air dates
Japanese	July 3, 2001
English	October 25, 2005
Music
Opening	Inner Light
Ending	360°

Challenge in a Foreign Land is Round 39 of the Hajime no Ippo anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.

Details

• Characters Introduced: Rusak Paddy, Payao, Chana, Jimmy Sisphar, Sisphar's Coach
• Locations Introduced: Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm Outdoor Stadium, Lumpini Stadium, Pattaya Beach

Summary

Miyata's first match overseas ended in a draw despite him knocking his opponent down twice. His father protests the decision, but the people answer with hostility. Depressed about the gap between Ippo and himself, Miyata struggles to make weight despite knowing that the weight class better suited for him is lightweight. His father receives an offer to fight Jimmy Sisphar, which they plan to refuse, as he is too strong for Miyata, who is being used to build up Sisphar's popularity. Miyata finds out about this and immediately goes to his father and tells him that he will not run away from his opponent because of his diet. Miyata and his father argue about the former fighting Sisphar. Miyata's father ends up saying that Miyata's counter is simply weak, and he fears he might be going through the same thing he did, and end up quitting boxing. Meanwhile at a sparring match, Sisphar knocks his opponent out, and his coach says that regardless of Miyata's potential, someone who grew up in Japan, where there is no "hunger", can not win against Sisphar. After talking to his sparring partner's brother, Miyata realises how arrogant he was in believing his counter was already perfect. Motivated by this, he decides on a move that not only knocks down his opponents, but keeps them down. While reviewing the info on Sisphar, who seems invincible from every angle, Miyata's father asks where his son is. Miyata, who has been struggling with his weight management, passes out in the sauna and leaves for roadwork as soon as he wakes up. With a sudden squall, Chana goes out looking for Miyata, to give him an umbrella. When he finds him, he states that despite people in Thailand saying that Japanese are not "hungry", Miyata never eats or drinks as he is always training. He also notes that Miyata never smiles or looks happy about boxing. Later, while sparring with Payao, Miyata repeatedly gets hit and is unable to land a clean punch himself. It seems Miyata's performance is due to his weight management, but Payao notices that it has nothing to do with the diet, and that Miyata is simply aiming for something different. As the match is about to be stopped because of Miyata getting hit too many times, both fighters connect a hit at the same time but only Miyata falls. As Payao walks out of the ring, he loses control of his legs and wonders what that powerful hit was. Miyata's father seeing what happened realises that Miyata is attempting a "counter to surpass all counters". While in his locker room, Miyata is so visibly upset that he is unable to even tie his own shoe strings. His father suggests to leave him alone and leaves the room. Outside, he states how despite being able to land the new counter on Payao in a sparring match, against Sisphar it's different. If Miyata attempts the move and fails, he will sustain a serious injury. In the room Miyata wonders if any fighter has ever fought against such odds (30 to 1), but when he remembers that Ippo has, he leaves the room ready to fight. Payao and Chana, run after work trying to get in time to watch the fight.

Trivia

• The credits erroneously has Payao's seiyū written as "渋谷 透" (Shibuya Tōru) instead of "渋谷 茂" (Shibuya Shigeru).

Anime-Manga Differences

See also: Anime-Manga Differences

• The scene were the Kamogawa crew discuss about Miyata's fight against Rusak is omitted in the anime.

Credits

Characters are named as they appear in the credits.

Role	English Name	Japanese	Rōmaji	English Voice Actor
Ichirō Miyata	Tomokazu Seki	関 智一	Seki Tomokazu	Jason Palmer
Miyata's Father	Unshō Ishizuka	石塚 運昇	Ishizuka Unshō	George Z. Cole
Kida	Tōru Ōkawa	大川 透	Ōkawa Tōru	George Z. Cole
Payao	Shigeru Shibuya	渋谷 茂	Shibuya Shigeru	Edward Zilla
Chana	Chie Kōjiro	神代 知衣	Kōjiro Chie	Mona Marshal
Hade	Yukimasa Kishino	岸野 幸正	Kishino Yukimasa
Live Announcer	Shin'ichirō Ōta	太田 真一郎	Ōta Shin'ichirō	Ron Allen
Referee	Nobuyuki Furuta	古田 信幸	Furuta Nobuyuki	Edward Zilla
Reporter	Kazuya Nakai	中井 和哉	Nakai Kazuya
Tourist	Akane Ōmae Nana Nagayama	大前 茜 永山 奈々	Ōmae Akane Nagayama Nana

Episode Credits

Role	English Name	Japanese	Rōmaji
Screenplay	Kazuyuki Fudeyasu	筆安 一幸	Fudeyasu Kazuyuki
Storyboard	Yukina Hiiro	ひいろ ゆきな	Hiiro Yukina
Director	Yukina Hiiro	ひいろ ゆきな	Hiiro Yukina
Animation Director	Yoshitaka Yasuda	安田 好孝	Yasuda Yoshitaka