Episode 7 (Season 2)

The Devil's Advent
Episode Information
Previous	A Back to Chase After
Episode	Season 2 #7
Next	A Blow from the Soul
Japanese Title	悪魔の降臨
Romanized Title	Akuma no Kōrin
Arc	Revenge Arc
Manga	Round 334 (p.3-19) Round 335 (p.1-19) Round 336 (p.1-19) Round 337 (p.1-8)
Air dates
Japanese	February 17, 2009
Music
Opening	Hekireki
Ending	8AM

The Devil's Advent is Round 7 of the Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger anime, which is the adaptation of Jōji Morikawa's Hajime no Ippo series.

Summary

The first punch that landed was a left by Date, shocking the everyone in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Ippo remembers that he wasn't able to hit Ricardo even though he used feints. Takamura notes that feints won't make a difference against Ricardo, and that Date intended to hit him from the start. Takamura adds that being aggressive is sometimes more useful than fancy tactics in the world stage. Date closes in on Ricardo, hitting his block many times to prevent him from getting into his rhythm, as he remembers what happened seven years ago when Ricardo got into his rhythm. Kimura mentions how Date is using an in-fighter approach similar to Ippo's style. Takamura points out that keeping a solid form and countering things calmly is his post-retirement style, while the suppressive boxing he is using now is the style he used before he retired. Takamura notes that Ricardo is showcasing his experience, as a rush like that would be enough to push someone back, but Ippo notices that Ricardo is watching closely with a calm expression. Ricardo, with his back against the ropes moves, switches places with Date. Ricardo sends a left jab that Date sways and turns his head to avoid while also escaping the ropes. Takamura believes that Date's body probably remembers Ricardo's punches and Date most likely came up with the head turning technique to go against the extending left. With both boxers at the centre of the ring, they throw lefts that miss their target. Ippo remembers that Ricardo never used his right against him during their spar, while Takamura thinks that if their lefts are even, then their rights may be the key to victory. A left dual exchange hits their face, making them step back. Just as they both ready a right, the gong sounds to end the first round.

Takamura points out that since Date's first left landed cleanly, Date won the first round by 10-9. He also predicts that they could be throwing their right next round. At Date's corner, Nakadai thinks that Ricardo received his greeting and asks what he thinks of the champion. Date comments that he thinks that Ricardo is still holding back. Nakadai tells Date to not get anxious, but Date believes that Nakadai is the one who is getting anxious. However, Date understands since he lost to him in the second round last time, planning to cast off his worries as he isn't the same as he was seven years ago. At Ricardo's corner, Bill feels as if Date has levelled up significantly since last time. Ricardo doesn't deem it a problem, since he has levelled up as well, making the difference between them unchanged, intending to end it the next round.

When the second round begins, Aoki wonders why the audience is silent. Takamura claims that everyone knows that this second round is where Date lost last time, so if things are the same as seven years ago, Date will lose in this round, but if he survives, that means he's gotten that much closer to the world title. Nakadai believes that Date is the one who is most anxious about this, which is why he said what he did as his head is echoing the despair and humiliation of what he went through in Mexico, but Nakadai wants him to cut himself free and move past that tragedy. Date goes on the offensive first, throwing a combination of three left jabs that Ricardo blocks and dodges. Date is surprised to see Ricardo preparing to use his right so early and that the swing is so large, doubting that he will be hit by it. Ricardo throws a right straight that misses as Date moves to the side. However, Date and the audience could tell how powerful that right was. Ricardo makes Date step backwards to the ropes by using shoulder feints and stepping forward. Nakadai thinks that Date's body remembers what happened last time, making him hesitate. Date rushes towards Ricardo, who throws a left jab at Date's face. Date uses the Neck Spin to negate the damage and sidesteps. Ricardo predicted Date's escape path and cuts him off, forcing Date into a corner. Ricardo attacks Date's block with left body blows, which Date believes to be bait to get him to lower his guard and try to attack him, especially since the attacks feel light. Date decides to lower his guard, which Ricardo notices and starts to throw a right as Date predicted. Date starts to throw a right of his own as a counter, however, Ricardo predicted Date's strategy, stopping his right and instead lands a liver blow. As Date begins to fall, Ricardo thinks that there is no shame falling from his body blows, as they've penetrated the heavy armour of countless challengers. Ricardo is shocked as Date recovers his footing and is hit cleanly by a one-two. An exchange occurs, where Ricardo lands his punches while Date misses his while at the corner. Ricardo is in disbelief that in the seven years since they last fought, Date withstood punches that are equal to or greater than his own, unable to believe that there is a boxer like that in Japan. The exchange ends when the referee gets between them as the second round ends.

While walking to his corner, Date tells Ricardo that he has made it and that things are different from seven years ago. At his corner, Date tells Nakadai that he has surpassed who he was seven years ago and at thirty years old, he is stronger than he ever was, so all that is left is to surpass the world champion. At Ricardo's corner, Ricardo tells Bill that the right he threw was his best shot, but Date was able to take it and fight back. Bill believes that Date must have gotten experience of fighting a powerful puncher comparable to Ricardo, and he survived that battle to make it here today. Ricardo notes that he underestimated him, and now sees him as a fierce opponent. He adds that watching Date reminds him of something, which could be because he has become too used to the stage called a world title defence since all he was doing was repeating his duty of defending the belt, but he has grown tired of it. He wonders if it wouldn't be too bad if he returned to how he once was. Takamura was surprised that Date was able to fight back even when cornered, thinking that if he can fight back even when he's being hit, Ricardo will have a hard time choosing his punches.

When the third round begins, Date is surprised to see Ricardo charging towards him. Before Date could step away from his corner, Ricardo traps him, throwing vicious left and right combinations on Date's block. Date notices that Ricardo's timing is different, and his rough punches makes it feel like he is fighting a completely different person now. With the audience shocked, Takamura mentions how he thought Ricardo was some fine-tuned machine, but it seems that these violent punches suit him better, believing that Ricardo is showing his true face. Bill thinks that Date made a huge mistake, forcing Ricardo to accept him as a formidable opponent and reminded him of his old style. He thinks that expert skills aren't enough to take the world title, as sometimes one needs savagery to paint the ring red with blood, and the perfect fusion of science and violence is the true Ricardo using his strongest style. Date tries to throw a punch in the middle of the combinations, but gets hit. Ricardo doubts that physical pain would be enough to knock Date down due to his absolute determination, so he intends to attack Date's spirit instead of his body to sever his consciousness. After hitting Date with two strong punches, a shocked Ricardo gets hit back with a left. Ricardo pushes Date back to the corner with combinations that hit his block. Takamura mentions that after Date survived the second round, he thought that he had moved closer to the title, and while Date has more than enough strength to do so, Ricardo is an opponent out of this world.

As the rounds continue with Date being beaten one-sidedly, after the eighth round, Date is at his corner and tells Nakadai that two or three of his ribs seem broken. At Ricardo's corner, Ricardo asks Bill how many of his punches landed. Bill answers that there were too many to keep track of. Ricardo states that despite that amount, Date is still standing. Bill wonders if Date's dream of becoming the world champion is what keeps him up or if it is revenge. Ricardo doesn't think it is about dreams or revenge as he has destroyed plenty of challengers who fought with those ambitions, however, he sees not even a hint of despair in Date's eyes. Aoki and Kimura doesn't see any hope in Date winning unless he has some kind of magic trick up his sleeve. Ippo and Takamura remembers that he does have a "magic" punch, pointing out that he hasn't thrown a single punch below the chest in the entire match, probably to keep Ricardo focused on protecting his head. Ippo mentions that by hitting the heat with a pinpoint Corkscrew Blow, Date is able to completely paralyse his opponent for an instant. Takamura adds that normally a big punch like that wouldn't hit Ricardo, however, he isn't anticipating it and the the exhaustion from the first half setting in will make it more likely. Ippo believes that Date has withstood all the attacks up to this point to use his magic punch, the Heart Break Shot. As the ninth round begins, Date is hit by a combination of punches again which sends his back to the ropes. When Ricardo throws a right straight at Date's face, Date uses the Neck Spin to negate the damage and then switches places with Ricardo. With Ricardo's back to the ropes, Date lands a left that lightly hits Ricardo's block. Date than turns his fists, which Ricardo notices, realising that Date is preparing a Corkscrew Blow. While Ricardo blocks his head, Date throws a right Corkscrew Blow towards Ricardo's heart, causing an impact.

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
Eiji Date	Masaki Aizawa	相沢 正輝	Aizawa Masaki
Ricardo Martínez	Masashi Sugawara	菅原 正志	Sugawara Masashi
Coach Nakadai	Mitsuru Ogata	小形 満	Ogata Mitsuru
Bill Stewart	Masayuki Omoro	小室 正幸	Omoro Masayuki
Aiko Date	Sakiko Tamagawa	玉川 紗己子	Tamagawa Sakiko
Live Announcer	Jin Horikawa	堀川 仁	Horikawa Jin
World Match Ring Announcer	Kenji Nomura	乃村 健次	Nomura Kenji
Audience	Kiyoshi Katsunuma Kunio Ida Kazutoshi Hatano	勝沼 紀義 井田 国男 波多野 和俊	Katsunuma Kiyoshi Ida Kunio Hatano Kazutoshi

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	Takatoshi Suzuki	鈴木 孝聡	Suzuki Takatoshi
Animation Director	Tetsuya Wakano Kana Miyai (Assistant) Ken'ichi Shimizu (Action) Ichirō Uno (Assistant Chief Animation Director)	若野 哲也 宮井 加奈 清水 健一 夘野 一郎	Wakano Tetsuya Miyai Kana Shimizu Ken'ichi Uno Ichirō