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Bonus 1979-1990 Anime Primer Ashita no Joe 2 (1981)

Joe is an unruly teen orphan who roams the slums of Tokyo without much hope for tomorrow. That all changes when a washed-up boxing coach witnesses his mean right hook and insists on training him to be a contender. Still, it isn’t until Joe gains an adversary in the form of up-and-coming boxer Rikiishi that he begins to take the sport seriously. The rivals vow to face off in the ring, but their promised bout ends in tragedy: Rikiishi dies from a brain hemorrhage, and Joe is left wracked with guilt.

Ashita no Joe 2 picks up in the wake of that unfortunate accident as Joe attempts to salvage his career. Intense battles with opponents like the vibrant Carlos Rivera and the larger-than-life world champ Jose Mendoza transform his aimless anger into a zen-like stoicism. Even after receiving news that he suffers from punch-drunk syndrome, Joe is determined to keep fighting, burning up until there’s nothing left of him but pure white ash…

Ashita no Joe 2 is a film adaption of the 1980 TV series of the same name directed by anime auteur Osamu Dezaki. While the story begins midway through the Ashita no Joe saga, prior events are set up well enough that viewers should be able to follow (a compilation film of the first series exists but is harder to find). Dezaki’s signature stylistic flourishes contrast the increasingly harrowing narrative, with rough lines and fluid motion characterizing the brutal boxing matches. There’s an earthy nihilism at the heart of Ashita no Joe 2 that sets it apart from other 80s anime. Its soul is rooted firmly in the late 60s and early 70s when it was originally written, a time of economic and spiritual upheaval for Japan as a nation. But much like that other boxing classic Rocky, Joe’s underdog struggle has the potential to strike a chord with all audiences, regardless of age or nationality.

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Kanzaki Hitomi + Van Fanel (Tenkuu no Escaflowne) figure

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hitomi-kanzaki:

Beautiful figures/statue of Van and Hitomi. Not sure if its official or not but its beautiful. Check out the link for a few more pics.

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Joe Yabuki icons

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Yabuki Joe (Last Scene, Full Color ver.) • Ashita no Joe 1/6 Polystone Statue by Orca Toys

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HUGE news! - Kodansha Comics has announced they will be releasing the boxing classic Ashita no Joe manga in English! Being released under the title Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow, the release will be eight oversized hardcover volumes. Vol 1 is scheduled for December 2024, with a retail price of of $59.95 USD. It will also be available digitally. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the manga's original completion in Japan.

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Purest smile of all found and confirmed (๑°꒵°๑)･*♡

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i think of this scene quite a bit

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Ashita no Joe 2 Opening 2