Minoru's Assistant is a sports reporter who works at the Monthly Boxing Fan, and is usually seen in the office, scouting and reporting with his partners Minoru Fujii and Mari Īmura. He at first repeatedly underestimated Ippo Makunouchi and wondered why Fujii had so much faith in him, but then became as much of a fan as the rest of the staff are.
History[]
Part I[]
Early Days Arc[]
The reporter and Fujii watching Ippo and Miyata's spar.
He and his partner, Minoru Fujii, while driving, discussed how Japan has no world champions, Fujii noted how Ichirō Miyata was apparently good despite not having a pro debut. When the two arrived at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym, they hear how Miyata was going to have a spar. He and Fujii watched the spar. Despite originally underestimating the newcomer Ippo Makunouchi, Ippo won the spar against Miyata.
After Ippo's fight against Yūsuke Oda, Fujii noted how Ippo, Miyata, and Mashiba all had victories in their matches so far. He, however, doubted Ippo's abilities, telling Fujii that he doesn't believe him to have potential. He and Fujii entered the Kamogawa Boxing Gym to meet Ippo. He noticed that there are gloves with the thumbs ripped off. When the two see Ippo, he was told by Fujii that Ippo is in a Peek-a-Boo stance.
Rookie King Tournament: Finals Arc[]
The reporter and Fujii talking to Hayami
With the semi-finals of the A-Block for the East Japan Rookie King Tournament being Ippo against Ryūichi Hayami, him and Fujii visited the Otowa Boxing Gym to get comments from Hayami. Hayami revealed his secret goal of wanting to be a charismatic hero, bringing back Japan's spirit of loving boxing, using the media as a resource. Seeing Hayami train, he questioned as to why a prodigy like Hayami is doing mostly basic and repetitive training.
Two Rookie Kings Arc[]
When Ippo and Keigo Okita had a match scheduled, him and Fujii arrived to the Kōrakuen Hall to watch the match. He noted how the tickets were being sold at a high price, which Fujii explained that it was because the semi-final card is Ippo vs. Okita, the current and former Rookie Kings.
Speed Star Arc[]
When Ippo entered the Class A Tournament, his first match was scheduled to be against Takuma Saeki. Him and Fujii went to the Nakadai Boxing Gym to watch Saeki and Eiji Date spar.
White Fang Arc[]
He, along with Fujii, went to the Kōrakuen Hall to watch the Class A Tournament finals, being Ippo against Alexander Volg Zangief.
Challenge for the Throne Arc[]
After watching Ippo's defeat by the hands of the champion, Date, he and Fujii witnessed Takeshi Sendō and Volg staring at each other. He listened to how Fujii claimed that the throne is now empty and open for the new generation. The duo then noticed Miyata walking away. He insisted to get a interview with Miyata, however, Fujii informed him that it was not the time.
Road Back Arc[]
The reporter commenting on Miyata's match.
When Miyata was fighting Li Chon Pir, he was watching the match with Fujii, commenting on how Miyata had silenced the crowd in the third round. When Ippo's return match against Ponchai Chuwatana arrived, he was watching the match with Fujii where Ippo later won.
First Step Arc[]
When news about JBC featherweight champion Ippo fighting the former JBC junior featherweight champion Kazuki Sanada, he revealed it to the other reporters at the Monthly Boxing Fan. He believed that Ippo will face pressure of his first title defence. He and the other reporters planned to greet the boxers, but Sanada was doing a closed practice at the Kinoshita Boxing Gym.
Part II[]
Phantom Card Arc[]
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, he was discussing with his fellow reporters about Manabu Itagaki and Kyōsuke Imai's East Japan Rookie King Tournament finals and how the two have the most skill and potential out of all weight classes.
Father's Back Arc[]
The reporter discussing Take with his staff.
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, when Fujii claimed that the company would have to rely on next year's big news due to the Eastern Rookie King Itagaki not being able to fight the Western Rookie King Hiroyuki Hoshi in the All Japan Rookie King Tournament due to his injuries, he asked Fujii if he is talking about Mamoru Takamura. Fujii claimed that they need to pay attention to next year's Champion Carnival since Ippo and Mashiba will most likely relinquish their belts afterwards as they have trouble finding competition in Japan. He learned from Fujii that while Mashiba doesn't have an opponent yet, Ippo has a JBC title defence against Take Keīchi, who recently became ranked first.
Chaos Arc[]
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, after Fujii noted that Takamura's first WBC middleweight title defence match against Richard Fox will be a good thing for their magazine, since there would have been a void without it due to Ippo and Miyata's match being postponed, he mentioned that the whole country was looking forward to Ippo and Miyata's match.
Scratch Arc[]
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, he and the rest of the staff were talking about Itagaki's win against Hoshi. He figured that Itagaki's reputation is bound to grow from the victory and asked Mari if she thinks that Hoshi might have been in bad shape, however, she assumed that the result would have been the same regardless. He was intrigued that Itagaki could potentially disrupt Ippo's JBC title reign, but was disappointed that they can't fight due to being in the same gym.
Winner Takes All Arc[]
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, as the staff became worried that they won't be able to get the coverage of Ippo's next match that is one month away due to the sudden announcement, Fujii planned to head out to the Kamogawa gym, however, he informed him that Mari already left. He showed Fujii Ippo's next opponent, the Filipino featherweight champion, Malcolm Gedo's file. As Fujii became disappointed when he learned that Gedo recently lost against a lower JBC ranker, and thought that Ippo's match won't draw in many fans this time since there isn't a catch, he showed Fujii the match poster that claimed that the winner would take two million yen.
Blind Step Arc[]
The reporter discussing Ippo's upcoming match against Kojima with the Monthly Boxing Fan staff.
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, him and the staff talked about how Ippo's upcoming opponent and former lightweight boxer, Hisato Kojima, seems to have a grudge against Ippo, and how the editorial department will get others interested in Ippo and Kojima's match. After Fujii claimed that Ippo won't slip up, he wondered what would happen in the match became a slugfest, since the bigger boxer would usually have the advantage. However, Fujii pointed out that he has already fought Oda, who also came from the lightweight class. Later, he was with the rest of the reporters at the Monthly Boxing Fan as they discussed Kojima's comments about how he knows Ippo's weakness.
Go to the World Arc[]
The reporter and Fujii seeing Alfredo's arrival to Japan.
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, after seeing the magazine about Volg becoming the IBF junior lightweight champion, him and the Monthly Boxing Fan staff discussed Ippo's upcoming match against the world ranker Alfredo González, along with Sendō, Miyata, Mashiba possibly moving to the next level, and how the JBC featherweight title is open for boxers like Itagaki to take. Later, he went to the Narita Terminal 1 and witnessed Alfredo's arrival to Japan, seeing him arrive in his training outfit, already in full battle mode. When Ippo's match against Alfredo, and Itagaki and Imai's match for the vacant JBC title arrived, he went to the Kōrakuen Hall. Outside the venue, he and Mari met Sendō and Mashiba, and learned that Sendō recently defeated Ippo in a spar. He went inside the venue and watched Itagaki and Imai's match, which ended in Imai's victory by knockout in the first round, making Imai the new JBC featherweight champion. He then watched Ippo and Alfredo's match that ended in Alfredo's victory by knockout in the seventh round.
Seeking Heights Arc[]
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, him and the staff were disappointed to find out that the people's honour award for Takamura was retracted. He learned from Mari that Sendō declared his challenge to Alfredo in the ring to Bill Stewart, however, Bill claimed that he wouldn't see Alfredo in Mexico since he isn't his trainer. When Fujii noted that the story for the newspaper will go back to who will become the world champion first and Sendō was considered a possible candidate, he pointed out that Miyata could as well.
Part III[]
Second Step Arc[]
The reporter talking to Fujii about Imai and Ippo.
At the Monthly Boxing Fan, as the reporters talked about Imai's second JBC featherweight title defence victory, and how Imai wanted to become someone who is strong enough to fight Ippo and Itagaki wanted to see him up close and learn from him, he believed that the choices Imai and Itagaki made, made a difference in where they are now. When the reporters wanted to know how the crowd reacted when Imai mentioned Ippo's name when he said that he wanted to fight Ippo, he informed them that the crowd was shocked and silent. After he wondered who would win between Ippo and Imai, Fujii told him to give it a rest, since Ippo has left the ring.
Judgement Day Arc[]
The assistant went with Fujii and the other reporters to the Narita Terminal 1, where the WBA lightweight world champion Marcus Rosario and his manager arrived to Japan by plane. He kept a distance from Rosario, as he had a very unwelcoming presence.
Appearance[]
Personality[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This character was never shown nor mentioned in the anime.