Mix-Up is Round 74 of the Hajime no Ippo anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.
Details[]
- Techniques Introduced: Cross Counter
Summary[]
Takamura mentions to Aoki and Kimura that while Ippo hasn't taken a down yet, the accumulated damage he has received will be felt all at once when he least expects it, and he will no longer be the master of his own body. Takamura believes that if Ippo falls down, standing back up will be impossible. At Sendō's corner, Yanaoka praises Sendō for getting up after receiving the Gazelle Punch. Yanaoka thinks of how much of an incompatible fighter Ippo is, as just when they think he is down, he gets right back up again. He advises Sendō to not let his guard down even if he lands a good punch. Sendō comments that it has nothing to do with compatibility, as Ippo is the strongest boxer out of everyone he has fought. Yanaoka tells Sendō that he is the one who is the strongest since he has the belt to prove it. Sendō replies that the belt is a fake until he beats Ippo. Sendō mentions to Yanaoka that he kept his word, so all he has to do now is prove that he is the number one in Japan. As seconds out is called, Kamogawa tells Ippo in his corner to not be intimidated, as he will get another chance.
As soon as the fifth round begins, Ippo dashes from his corner as Sendō rushes in as well. Ippo lands a one-two that immediately pushes Sendō to a corner. The champion however, sees the opportunity and lands a counter that helps reversing the situation. With Ippo now in the corner, Sendō goes on the attack. As Yanaoka remembers Sendō saying that he will prove that he is the number one in Japan, he begins to remember the past. Before Sendō ever got to the Naniwa Boxing Club, he defeated three students from the gym in a street fight. Upon hearing this, Yanaoka went to rescue them and met Sendō for the first time. Sendō told him that he only wanted to test his strength, but Yanaoka replied that the students were not professional fighters, and that in the ring, Sendō would lose to a real boxer. Annoyed by this, Sendō launched a punch, but Yanaoka throws a counter and stopped right before landing it. When back at the gym, Yanaoka told the coach that he found someone worthy and hungry for fighting. Sendō then arrived and asked if he will get to meet the champion by fighting the best fighters. After recalling the events, Yanaoka yells at Sendō that if he beats Ippo, everyone will accept that he is number one. Ippo seems to have the upper hand in the battle, but the bloodied Sendō, full of determination, counterattacks with a Cross Counter, which causes Takamura to recognise the amount of damage pulled up and shouts at Ippo to fight back before it is too late. Sendō unleashes a barrage of punches that lands clean on Ippo, sending him to the floor for the first time. Visibly confused, Ippo realises the count is at five and manages to get back up by the count of seven to continue fighting. Both fighters go on the attack once again, but Sendō strikes first, sending Ippo to the canvas once more.
Scoring a down just seconds after the previous, Sendō walks to the corner with confidence, and without looking back, makes a victory pose that is well received by the public. Kamogawa grabs the towel ready and prepares to throw it in as Ippo fell just like he did against Date, which Yagi considers to be the right choice. However, Kamogawa decides to not throw it in, at the sight of Ippo, who at first considering just going to sleep, tells himself that if he lets go now, it will be repeating the events of his last title fight. After much struggle, Ippo stands back up and tells the referee that he is able and ready to keep fighting. Everyone is in shock at the sight of Ippo standing back up, with Sendō even more so than anyone else. Kamogawa has faith in the fact that Ippo has improved since facing Date, while Sendō is extremely angry at his opponents resistance. The champion then states that his punch was too light and that Ippo's determination is stronger than the hit was. Ippo is impressed at his opponent's strength but is not willing to give up on the fight. Sendō rushes in once again, and throws a succession of punches to a cornered Ippo, who in the middle of the barrage, sees the opportunity to counter-attack with a liver blow that cracks Sendō's sixth and seventh ribs, but is unable to stop him completely. Realising that Sendō is hurt, but not enough to stop, Ippo follows up with another body blow that completely breaks Sendō's ribs, and then lands a third one that makes him take a stance that clearly favours his right side. Full of determination, Sendō can think of nothing other than beating Ippo in order to be recognised as the best, but the referee steps in between them and ends the round. At the corner, Sendō believes that their duel won't end until one of them drops dead. Ippo asks Kamogawa what it means to be strong. Kamogawa instructs Ippo to defeat Sendō to get his answer. Ippo agrees with him, as he thought the same thing.
The sixth round begins with both fighters receiving and delivering punches powerful enough to knock out an ordinary man. As the seemingly even exchange goes on, the venue is in an uproar with chants for both Ippo and Sendō. Fujii tells Mari that their match is a mix-up, where they are continuously surpassing their own limits with each punch, getting stronger throughout the match and evolving through their exchanges. Seeing their boxers evolving, Yanaoka and Kamogawa become reluctant to throw their towels because they want to see how far they can get on their own.
Anime-Manga Differences[]
See also: Anime-Manga Differences
- In the manga, Sendō uses his middle finger, "flipping off" Yanaoka in the flashback when he tells him that he will prove that he is the greatest in Japan. In the anime, he does a thumbs down pose.
Credits[]
Characters are named as they appear in the credits.
Episode Credits[]
| Role | English Name | Japanese | Rōmaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screenplay | Kenji Sugihara | 杉原 研二 | Sugihara Kenji |
| Storyboard | Yukina Hiiro | ひいろ ゆきな | Hiiro Yukina |
| Director | Yukina Hiiro | ひいろ ゆきな | Hiiro Yukina |
| Animation Director | Noriyuki Fukuda Kōji Sugiura |
ふくだ のりゆき 杉浦 幸次 |
Fukuda Noriyuki Sugiura Kōji |
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| Lallapallooza Arc | |||||||||||||||||||
| Manga Volumes | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||||||||||||||
| Manga Rounds | |||||||||||||||||||
| 239 | 240 | 241 | 242 | 243 | 244 | 245 | 246 | 247 | 248 | ||||||||||
| 249 | 250 | 251 | 252 | 253 | 254 | 255 | 256 | 257 | 258 | ||||||||||
| 259 | 260 | 261 | 262 | 263 | 264 | 265 | 266 | 267 | 268 | ||||||||||
| 269 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Anime Rounds | |||||||||||||||||||
| 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | |||||||||||||