Takamura-san's Tears is Round 66 of the Hajime no Ippo anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.
Details[]
- Techniques Introduced: Sakki
- Real Life People Mentioned: Piston Horiguchi
Summary[]
After everyone goes inside the Pension Yoshio's building, Kamogawa begins explaining the way the boxers can double the number of their punches. Kamogawa demonstrates an example by having Ippo stare at him and then makes him flinch back by doing an uppercut near him. At first, Aoki and Kimura are confused because it seems Kamogawa means a regular feint, but Nekota asks them if they know what the most effective feint is. Since they are unable to answer, Nekota claims that it is Sakki, which is always conveyed to the opponent. He explains that if a feint is made with Sakki, it will look like the real thing to them. Kamogawa asks for everyone to look at the old pictures on the wall. The boxers become shocked that the pictures show Kamogawa and Nekota as boxers. Kamogawa reveals that shortly after World War II, he was having one of the many fights against Nekota in an outdoor ring, and it was the final phase of the match where he was dominant with a counter. He explains that he had Nekota retreating to the ropes, and felt that victory was certain as he landed hits on Nekota at the ropes. However, he adds that even though Nekota didn't have the energy to punch back, he flinched back when he saw Nekota throw a punch despite him not moving. He adds that while he was confused, Nekota attacked him and he experienced his first knockout loss ever. After that he knew that adding Sakki to a feint can be more effective than the real thing. Kamogawa and Nekota start fighting over who had the record of three wins, two losses in their five matches with each other, which Yagi mentions that their record against each other is two wins, two losses, one draw, but neither one accepts the draw. Takamura asks Ippo if he is convinced yet that he can learn to throw invisible punches using Sakki. When Ippo states that he doesn't understand it, Takamura decides that he will show him.
Everyone goes outside as Ippo and Takamura get in the ring. When the spar begins, Ippo feels immense pressure from Takamura and doesn't attack. Takamura starts throwing many big swings that Ippo dodges until Takamura uses Sakki, feinting a right uppercut. Ippo sees the right uppercut coming and puts up his block, however, since it was a feint with Sakki, Ippo becomes confused and almost gets hit by a left straight. Ippo is confused as Takamura uses Sakki two more times and retreats to the ropes. Takamura decides to stop the spar as he has shown what Sakki is. Takamura tells Ippo that there are two advantages to feints: one, they have the same effect as a real punch, and two, they make it easier to guess where the opponent will run. Kamogawa claims that it tricks them into dodging, thinking it's is a real punch, so all someone has to do is circle around to where they dodge. Aoki decides to spar with Takamura to practice it, since if it is possible to double punches that easily, then they should use it. Aoki goes towards Takamura, crouches down, and asks him if he can see his Frog Punch. Irritated, Takamura kicks Aoki on the head. Kamogawa explains that, as proven, the feint is ineffective without Sakki, and that it is impossible to master Sakki overnight. Nekota adds that one as to be like an animal in the wild, keeping all five senses fully honed at all times. Ippo thinks that there is definitively a wild feeling about Takamura, as well as Sendō. Kamogawa mentions to Ippo that it isn't something that someone can just pick up, and that he never was the kind of boxer to fight solely on instinct, as he is the type who builds up strength through accumulation of training, so he has to continue training to build up Sakki.
Later that night, Kamogawa and Nekota talk outside while everyone else is taking a bath. At the bath, as everyone starts talking about the old pictures of Kamogawa and Nekota on the wall, Yagi believes that if it were the right era, they could've gone for the world title. Shinoda claims that the match intervals were unreasonable back then, remembering how Piston Horiguchi had a record of fighting four matches in one day. Ippo thinks that instead of Kamogawa seeming strict, it just seems natural to him. Outside, Kamogawa and Nekota remember their fighting days in the ring and how they both are bitter about their draw. Nekota thinks that if a gong sounded now, he would settle things right away. Inside, after everyone is out of the bath, Takamura wonders where Kamogawa and Nekota are, ringing a nearby gong to let them know they are done. When they go outside, they are shocked to see Kamogawa and Nekota had hit each other with a dual exchange. While sleeping, Ippo thinks of how despite the draw happening decades ago, Kamogawa and Nekota still can't accept it, something that he understands as he remembers the ending of his match against Sendō in the All Japan Rookie King Tournament, thinking that their match isn't over yet.
On the final day of the training camp, Takamura runs while carrying Yagi, Nekota, and Hachi, while Aoki and Kimura do squats in the water while Shinoda supervises. After Aoki and Kimura finish their squats, Shinoda has them rest for five minutes before having them jump rope. Aoki and Kimura notices Ippo is struggling doing mitt practice with Kamogawa due to being at the peak of muscle training fatigue. Shinoda mentions how muscle training is like planting seeds, as it takes about three months from planting to germination. Kimura realises that in three months Ippo will fight Sendō. Shinoda explains that it is up to the individual how strong the sprout will be, but it's also possible to try the Dempsey Roll on Sendō if he develops more power. Shinoda notes how Ippo hits the mitts harder when Kamogawa mentions Sendō's name, adding that with his extreme concentration on his match against Sendō, and the tenacity towards victory he learned in his match against Date, Kamogawa believes Ippo has more than enough necessary elements to gain Sakki. Kamogawa ends the mitt practice session while scolding Ippo that he still doesn't have enough power to fight Sendō and orders him to chop wood and then come back. Aoki and Kimura gets ready to jump rope. While on break, Takamura is ready for another ten reps of carrying Yagi, Nekota, and Hachi, however, Yagi and Nekota are exhausted from the heat. Takamura claims that the training camp has made him perfect, believing that there isn't any man who can pose a challenge to him. Takamura requests for Nekota to make a bear stew for dinner to wrap up the camp before running with Hachi. Nekota becomes saddened as he realises the training camp is ending soon.
A frustrated Ippo struggles to do a perfect cut like Nekota, but the latter approaches him and tells him how much he has improved. Ippo mentions that he is full of anxiety even though his match with Sendō is still a long way away. Knowing that Nekota fought Kamogawa five times, Ippo asks him how it feels to have a rematch. Nekota remembers during his fifth match against Kamogawa, their eyes were locked, never looking away, as he felt he would lose if he averted his gaze. Nekota adds that in the final round when his left-right hook landed and he went in for the win, Nekota dodged a left straight because he was looking at his eyes. Ippo realises that one can tell whether their opponent is desperate from the light in their eyes. As Nekota wonders where Hachi went, Yagi informs him that Takamura took Hachi along with him for his last round of roadwork.
Elsewhere, Takamura is surprised to see a black bear in front of him as Hachi growls at the beat from a safe distance. Having no other option than to fight it, Takamura is in shock at the bear's size when it stands. Takamura backs up until he backs up to a tree as the bear rushes towards him. Takamura ducks, dodging a horizontal swipe that destroys the tree behind Takamura. The bear attacks again and Takamura's left shoulder gets clawed as the bear knocks him away. Takamura dodges the bear's next attack and hits the bear with a full-powered right straight on its face. However, unfazed, the bear quickly attacks him, leaving a claw mark on his chest, causing Takamura to think that he has no chance of winning after his best punch failed. As Takamura began to lose focus and thinking that it is the end, he remembers Kamogawa, Aoki, Kimura, Ippo, and the audience cheering for him, not wanting it to end as the peanut gallery in Kōrakuen Hall are waiting for him. Takamura lands a right straight counter on the bear. Takamura becomes shocked that it is still standing, but notices that the forehead is it's weak point. Takamura then decides to attack the bear with combinations until it goes down. After it went down, Takamura does a victory pose on it, soon noticing that it is still alive. Angry at the bear, Takamura kicks it until he notices Hachi barking and sees two bear cubs, stopping his assault as he felt bad and running back to the pension.
When Takamura returns to the pension, he gets bandaged and tells everyone that he knocked out a bear, however, no one believes him, thinking that he got injured and ran for his life. Takamura claims that he as a witness, however, Hachi can't talk. After Takamura got scolded by Kamogawa, Nekota arrives with dinner ready. Nekota notes that it is a dinner that Takamura requested: a bear stew. Nekota comments on how the meat is fresh and that it came from a huge bear that was already weakened. When Takamura asked if the bear was alive up until just recently and had two bear cubs near it, Nekota claims that it was a dying bear that died in one shot of his firearm, and that there were two bear cubs that ran away. Realising that the bear stew Nekota made was the bear that he let live for the bear cubs, Takamura begins crying as he eats the bear stew in respect.
The next day, as the Kamogawa gym members begin to leave the pension, Ippo thanks Nekota for the experiences. While driving away and talking about the training camp, they notice that Nekota and Hachi are following them on foot. They continue to give him their farewells until they believe Nekota is being too persistent and begins to throw things at him to get him to stop. As Nekota stops, he expresses his loneliness to Hachi as it has been a long time since every day was exciting, being grateful for the Kamogawa gym members, and hopes for them to not lose.
Trivia[]
- Yuki, Ralph Anderson being defeated by Kamogawa, and Dankichi Hama fighting Kamogawa is seen in one of the pictures on the wall in the pension.
Anime-Manga Differences[]
See also: Anime-Manga Differences
- Kamogawa comparing the Sakki to being a well-made copy of a fake is removed in the anime.
- In the manga, there is only one picture of Kamogawa and Nekota on the wall, and the rest of pictures of unknown boxers. In the anime, there are many pictures of Kamogawa and Nekota on the wall.
- Kamogawa and Nekota's match is shorter in the anime.
- In the manga, Ippo and Takamura's spar starts with Ippo attacking Takamura first, hitting him in the face with a right, making Takamura throw big swings that Ippo dodges until Takamura uses Sakki. In the anime, it starts with Ippo not attacking due to the pressure, and Takamura attacks first, throwing many big swings that Ippo dodges until Takamura uses Sakki.
- In the manga, after Ippo and Takamura's spar, Kamogawa and Nekota have bandages on their head due to fighting over their record against each other. In the anime, they do not wear bandages.
- In the manga, after a day of training, when the Kamogawa gym boxers talk about the old pictures on the wall of Kamogawa and Nekota, they were playing Solitaire. In the anime, they talk while in the bath.
- During the conversation, in the manga, Aoki mentions Piston Horiguchi, while in the anime, Shinoda mentions him.
- In the flashback when Nekota was telling Ippo about how he never looked away from Kamogawa during their final fifth match, Nekota and Kamogawa had blood on their face in the manga. The blood is removed in the anime.
- In the same flashback, in the manga, it was a right straight Nekota avoided because he was looking at Kamogawa's eyes. In the anime, it was a left straight Kamogawa threw. However, Nekota still called it a right straight.
- The anime removed the scene of Ippo, Aoki, Kimura talking about Takamura being late and wondering if he encountered a bear, Yagi then noted how the forehead is a bear's weakness.
- In the manga, when Nekota is following the Kamogawa gym members on foot as they drive away, he stops running after he trips. In the anime, he doesn't trip.
Credits[]
Characters are named as they appear in the credits.
| Role | English Name | Japanese | Rōmaji | English Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ippo Makunouchi | Kōhei Kiyasu | 喜安 浩平 | Kiyasu Kōhei | Steve Cannon |
| Mamoru Takamura | Rikiya Koyama | 小山 力也 | Koyama Rikiya | Eddie Frierson |
| Coach Kamogawa | Kenji Utsumi | 内海 賢二 | Utsumi Kenji | Richard Epcar |
| Masaru Aoki | Wataru Takagi | 高木 渉 | Takagi Wataru | Jim Taggert |
| Tatsuya Kimura | Keiji Fujiwara | 藤原 啓治 | Fujiwara Keiji | Grant George |
| Ginpachi Nekota | Ichirō Nagai | 永井 一郎 | Nagai Ichirō | Tony Tang |
| Manager Yagi | Toshihiko Nakajima | 中嶋 聡彦 | Nakajima Toshihiko | George Z. Cole |
| Trainer Shinoda | Seiji Sasaki | 佐々木 誠二 | Sasaki Seiji | David Lodge |
Episode Credits[]
| Role | English Name | Japanese | Rōmaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screenplay | Kazuyuki Fudeyasu | 筆安 一幸 | Fudeyasu Kazuyuki |
| Storyboard | Noriyuki Abe | 阿部 記之 | Abe Noriyuki |
| Director | Nanako Shimazaki | 島崎 奈々子 | Shimazaki Nanako |
| Animation Director | Yoshitaka Yasuda | 安田 好孝 | Yasuda Yoshitaka |
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| Mountain Training Arc | |||||||||||||||||||
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| 233 | 234 | 235 | 236 | 237 | 238 | ||||||||||||||
| Anime Rounds | |||||||||||||||||||
| 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | ||||||||||||||||