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Ashita no Joe

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Tomorrow's Joe
Cover of the first tankōbon volume, featuring Joe Yabuki (left) and Tooru Rikiishi (right)
あしたのジョー
(Ashita no Joe)
GenreSports[1]
Manga
Written byAsao Takamori
Illustrated byTetsuya Chiba
Published byKodansha
English publisher
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runJanuary 1, 1968 – May 13, 1973
Volumes20 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byOsamu Dezaki
Produced by
  • Koji Tomioka
  • Tatsuo Ikeuchi
  • Tadami Watanabe
  • Takaharu Bessho
Music byMasao Yagi
StudioMushi Production
Original networkFNS (Fuji TV)
Original run April 1, 1970 – September 29, 1971
Episodes79
Anime film
Directed by
  • Yōichirō Fukuda
  • Osamu Dezaki (chief director)
Produced byHisao Masuda
Written byYōichirō Fukuda
Music byKunihiko Suzuki
Studio
Licensed by
ReleasedMarch 8, 1980
Runtime152 minutes
Anime television series
Tomorrow's Joe 2
Directed byOsamu Dezaki
Produced by
  • Seiji Takahashi
  • Shunzo Kato
Written by
Music byIchiro Araki
StudioTokyo Movie Shinsha
Original networkNNS (NTV)
Original run October 13, 1980 – August 31, 1981
Episodes47
Anime film
Tomorrow's Joe 2
Directed byOsamu Dezaki
Produced byTokuhachi Shimada
Written by
  • Atsushi Yamatoya
  • Haruya Yamazaki
  • Hideo Takayashiki
  • Osamu Dezaki
  • Yoshimi Shinozaki
Music byIchiro Araki
Studio
  • Herald Enterprise
  • Fujifilm
  • Chiba Planning
  • Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Licensed by
ReleasedJuly 4, 1981
Runtime114 minutes
Live action films
  • Tomorrow's Joe (1970)
  • Tomorrow's Joe (2011)
Related

Tomorrow's Joe (Japanese: あしたのジョー, Hepburn: Ashita no Jō, lit. 'Tomorrow's Joe'), also known as Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, is a Japanese boxing manga series written by Asao Takamori and illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba. It follows drifter Joe Yabuki, who discovers a passion for boxing in a juvenile prison, and his rise through Japan's and the global boxing scene.

Tomorrow's Joe was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine from 1968 to 1973, with its chapters collected in 20 tankōbon volumes. During its serialization, it was popular with working-class people and college students in Japan. It has been adapted into various media, including the Megalo Box anime, a futuristic reimagining of the original that was made as a part of the 50th anniversary of Tomorrow's Joe.

The manga has been widely influential, with numerous anime and manga referencing it.

Plot

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See also: List of Ashita no Joe characters

Joe Yabuki, a young drifter, has a chance encounter with alcoholic former boxing trainer Danpei Tange while wandering through the San'ya slums. Recognizing his talent, Danpei trains Joe as a boxer, but Joe is arrested for fraud. He fights Nishi Kanichi, the leader of a group of hooligans, in temporary jail, and the two are transferred to a juvenile detention center. There, Joe meets Tōru Rikiishi, a former boxing prodigy, and they develop a rivalry after Rikiishi prevents him from escaping. The prison sets up a boxing tournament led by Danpei and funded by millionaire Mikinosuke Shiraki and his daughter Yoko. Rikiishi dominates Joe in the final until the latter hits a cross-counter, resulting in a double knockout. Feeling that the match did not resolve anything, Joe and Rikiishi vow to fight again as professional boxers.

Upon his release from prison, Joe joins Danpei's new tiny boxing gym together with Nishi. Joe gains popularity as an amateur boxer for his brawling style and trademark cross-counter KO wins, but he is denied a professional license until provoking champion boxer Wolf Kanagushi. Joe performs a triple cross counter on Wolf to win their match, and earns the right to fight Rikiishi in the professional ring.

Rikiishi is assured a promising career funded by Mikinosuke Shiraki, but is intent on settling his score with Joe. Because he is a featherweight, while Joe is a bantamweight, Rikiishi undergoes a taxing weight loss program. Their match is close. Rikiishi knocks Joe out in the 8th round to win, but later dies from the combined effects of weight loss and a brain hemorrhage sustained during the fight.

Joe is traumatized by Rikiishi's death. Danpei realizes that Joe is unable to deliver headshots to his opponents. Joe loses three straight fights and eventually disappears to join an illegal countryside boxing ring. He returns to fight global sixth ranked fighter Carlos Rivera. Carlos is managed by Yoko, who, having become interested in Joe, has taken over her father's gym. The fight devolves into a brawl, but Joe earns tremendous fame and respect, and he and Carlos become friends. Carlos is later knocked out in the first round by world champion José Mendoza and suffers severe brain damage.

After his fight with Carlos, Joe becomes recognized as a world ranked boxer. He struggles with maintaining bantam weight due to a late growth spurt, forcing him to undergo strenuous weight loss similar to what Rikiishi underwent. He defeats OPBF Champion Kim Yong-bi, a South Korean boxer and survivor of the Korean War, and proceeds to win several title defenses. Meanwhile, Yoko has secured the rights for Mendoza's next title defense. Fearing that Joe has lost his fighting instincts, she forces him to face Malaysian fighter Harimau before he can challenge Mendoza. Joe narrowly wins the fight.

The fight against Mendoza is to be held in a packed Tokyo stadium. Before the fight, Yoko discovers that Joe is suffering from punch-drunk syndrome. She attempts to cancel the match, confessing her love for him, but he refuses.

Mendoza dominates the early rounds, and Joe loses his vision in one eye. Initially composed, Mendoza begins losing his mind as Joe continues to hold on no matter how much damage he takes. Joe manages to knock down Mendoza several times. The match eventually goes all fifteen rounds. Joe hands Yoko his gloves, and tells Danpei that everything has "burnt to ashes." Mendoza is declared the winner by points, but his hair has turned white from the trauma of the fight. Danpei turns to console Joe only to find him sitting unresponsive in his chair, with a smile on his face.

It has long been debated whether Joe died in the ending. Artist Chiba stated that he drew the ending at the last minute, and that Takamori's original ending was different.[2] Takamori stated in a 1979 biography that Joe died, while Chiba has refused to directly comment, hinting that Joe may have survived.[3] In a 2001 interview, forensic pathologist Masahiko Ueno concluded that Joe had to be alive in the final panel to remain upright.[4]

Media

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Manga

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Tomorrow's Joe originally serialized in the shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from January 1, 1968, to May 13, 1973. It was collected into 20 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. Most of the chapters of the manga were reprinted in Shukan Gendai from March 2, 2009, to the year end.[5]

In February 2024, Kodansha USA announced that they had licensed the manga for English release in North America. They will release it digitally and in eight oversized hardcover volumes, starting in December of the same year.[6]

Anime series

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Mushi Productions produced an anime television series based on the first 14 volumes of Tomorrow's Joe. It was broadcast in Japan by Fuji TV from April 1, 1970, to September 29, 1971. A second anime television series, which started from volume 9 and covered the rest of the series, was made by TMS Entertainment and was broadcast by Nippon TV from October 13, 1980, to August 31, 1981. Both anime were directed by Osamu Dezaki. On March 2, 2005, the complete version of the first anime was released by Nippon Columbia on 2 DVD box sets, covering 33 hours and 55 minutes of footage across 79 episodes spanning 16 disks. It also includes an all-color explanation book in 3 volumes totaling 120 pages. Previous release formats include mini-box sets on September 21, 2001, and individual disks on September 21, 2002.[7] Crunchyroll began streaming the second anime from March 24, 2014, under the name Champion Joe 2.[8]

In 2018, Megalobox, a futuristic reimagining of the original, was released as part of the manga's 50th anniversary. The series being the final concept of many initial ideas from director Moriyama, one concept being for the story to be based around Rikiishi Toru, Joe's fated rival and lifelong friend.[9] the show was broadcast in Japan from April 6, 2018, to June 29, 2018, and was simulcast on Crunchyroll. The series was licensed by Viz Media for an English release and began airing on Toonami in the United States from December 8, 2018. A second season, Megalobox 2: Nomad, was released in 2021 that took place several years after the events of the first season.[10]

Anime films

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Edited versions of the two anime series were distributed as anime films by Nippon Herald Films on March 8, 1980, and July 4, 1981, respectively. Tai Seng released the first anime film in the United States on DVD in 2008, under the name Champion Joe. Discotek Media later released Champion Joe on Blu-Ray.[7]

The first film Tomorrow's Joe earned a distributor rental income of ¥500 million at the Japanese box office in 1980.[11]

Live-action films

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A live-action film based on the manga was released in 1970 in Japan, featuring Shōji Ishibashi as Joe Yabuki, Ryūtarō Tatsumi as Danpei Tange and Seiichirō Kameishi as Tōru Rikiishi.

The second live-action film adaptation premiered in Japan on February 11, 2011, starring Tomohisa Yamashita as Joe Yabuki, Teruyuki Kagawa as Danpei and Yūsuke Iseya as Tōru Rikiishi. The live-action film also received positive response from Hollywood Reporter's Maggie Lee who praised the cast's boxing but criticized the characterization of Danpei and Yoko.[12] Russell Edwards from Variety enjoyed the director's work and, like Lee, enjoyed the work of the leading actors.[13] The film grossed ¥1.1 billion ($14 million) at the Japanese box office in 2011.[14]

Stage play

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A stage play directed by Eiichi Yogi, ran from May 25 to May 29, 2016, at the Sumida Park Studio Kura theatre in Tokyo.[15]

Radio drama

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A radio drama was broadcast by TBS Radio from October 3 to October 28, 1977, for 20 episodes, featuring Yoshito Yasuhara as Joe Yabuki.

Video games

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Title Alternate Titles Publisher Developer Platform Release Date
Tomorrow's Joe CSK Filcom PC-8801, FM-7 July, 1983
Tomorrow's Joe Taito Wave Corp Arcade 1990
Legend of Success Joe Tomorrow's Joe Legend SNK Wave Corp Neo Geo 1991
Tomorrow's Joe K Amusement Leasing Wave Corp SNES November 27, 1992
Boxing Mania: Tomorrow's Joe Boxing Mania Konami Arcade 2001
Tomorrow's Joe Touchi: Typing Namida Hashi Tomorrow's Joe Keyboard Pack Sunsoft Sunsoft PlayStation 2 March 29, 2001
Tomorrow's Joe 2: The Anime Super Remix Capcom Capcom PlayStation 2 June 20, 2002
Tomorrow's Joe Masshiro ni Moe Tsukiro! Konami PlayStation 2 December 4, 2003
Tomorrow's Joe Makkani Moeagare! Konami Game Boy Advance December 4, 2003
Sunday vs Magazine: Shūketsu! Chōjō Daikessen Konami Hudson Soft PlayStation Portable March 26, 2009

Reception and legacy

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The manga was very popular, having sold over 20 million copies after its serialization.[16] Also, during its serialization, it was particularly popular with working-class people and college students who were involved in the New Left, who saw themselves likewise struggling against the system like Joe Yabuki did and revered him as an icon.[17] An example of this New Left influence were the members of the Japanese Red Army who took part in the Yodogo hijacking in 1970 and compared themselves to Joe as they saw a revolutionary message in the manga. During the hijack, they shouted "We are tomorrow's Joe!".[18][19][20]

Tomorrow's Joe has received generally positive reviews, with many critics praising the story and characters. On October 13, 2006, it was voted "Japanese Favorite TV Anime" placing 4 out of 100 among celebrities votes.[21] Joe Yabuki was ranked seventh in Mania Entertainment's "10 Most Iconic Anime Heroes", written by Thomas Zoth, who commented that, "Tomorrow's Joe captured the zeitgeist of 1960s Japan. The story of Joe's rise from nothing touched a chord with Japanese audiences, who were seeing their country prosper after a long period of postwar devastation."[22] Anime News Network's reviewer Justin Sevakis analyzed the series, praising its story line but criticized some aspects about the first movie adaptation. He praised Joe's character development and his relationship with other boxers.[23] According to The Japan Times' Mark Schilling, the series "became the template for not only Fumihiko Sori's 2011 live-action film of the same title, but many Japanese sports movie and TV franchises."[24]

Tomorrow's Joe has been considered one of the most influential manga, with many anime and manga referencing it.[25] For the animated adaptation of the manga Naruto, animator Atsushi Wakabayashi from Pierrot said he was influenced by Tomorrow's Joe. This was mostly because the staff members were fans of the series and felt the character Naruto Uzumaki to be close to the type of archetype they rooted for when watching the series. As a result, Wakabayashi and the rest of the staff members made Naruto stand out in episode 133 where there was too much focus in his fight against Sasuke Uchiha, whom he shared an intense rivalry.[26] The opening sequence of Osamu Dezaki's film also influenced anime director Gorō Taniguchi during the production of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection.[27] Joe was also a major influence in Kyo Kusanagi, the main character of SNK's fighting game series, The King of Fighters.[28] Anime director Kenji Kamiyama, most known for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, cited the original anime among the 15 best anime of all time.[29]

References

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  1. ^ "Ashita no Joe Film to Screen in France, Southeast Asia". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  2. ^ ""We don't read, We FEEL it." – Tetsuya Chiba Interview". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  3. ^ "Did Joe Yabuki die? It's unclear but there are some comments by creators". October 21, 2018. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  4. ^ Kamba, Ryosuke (December 15, 2017). 「あしたのジョーは生きている」 連載開始から半世紀、法医学者が鑑定 (in Japanese). BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Kyodo News (February 12, 2009). "Ashita no Joe makes a comeback". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  6. ^ Mateo, Alex (February 22, 2024). "Kodansha to Publish 1st Official English Release of Ashita no Joe Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Discotek Licenses Cyborg 009 The Cyborg Soldier, Tomorrow's Joe, Project ARMS, NieA_7, Lupin III: The Legend of the Gold of Babylon". Anime News Network. August 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  8. ^ "Crunchyroll Adds "Champion Joe 2" Anime and "GTO Taiwan" Drama". Crunchyroll. March 22, 2014. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  9. ^ Parker-Dalton, Jacob (April 30, 2018). "Origins of 'Megalo Box' Revealed in 'Ashita no Joe' Exhibition". Otaquest. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Ashita no Joe Manga Inspires New TV Anime With Original Story in Spring 2018". Anime News Network. October 13, 2017. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  11. ^ Isao Taniguchi; Hajime Asō (2017). 図解入門業界研究最新ｱﾆﾒ業界の動向とｶﾗｸﾘがよ〜くわかる本 [Introductory Illustrated Industry Research A book that gives a good understanding of the latest trends and karakuri in the animation industry] (in Japanese) (2nd ed.). Japan: Shuwa System [ja]. p. 24. ISBN 978-4-7980-5038-6. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  12. ^ Lee, Maggie (April 28, 2011). "Tomorrow's Joe (Ashita No Joe): Film Review". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  13. ^ Edwards, Russell (April 28, 2011). "Review: 'Tomorrow's Joe'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  14. ^ "2011". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  15. ^ "Tetsuya Chiba's Ashita no Joe Manga Gets Stage Play Adaptation". Anime News Network. November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  16. ^ ちばてつやさん「あしたのジョー」 力石の死…描き進めていくうちに「これはもう生きていられない」と. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). MSN. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  17. ^ Parker-Dalton, Jacob (July 25, 2018). "50 Years of Yabuki Joe, the Working Class Hero". Otaquest. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "ジョー & 飛雄馬: 闘争の時代のヒーロー達" (PDF) (in Japanese). Osaka University. March 28, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  19. ^ "「よど号」は、なぜ金浦空港に降りたのか". The Nikkei (in Japanese). January 1, 2016. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  20. ^ よど号ハイジャック事件 ～４０年目の真相～ ザ・スクープ (in Japanese). TV Asahi. November 28, 2010. Archived from the original on July 2, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  21. ^ Japanese Anime Vote. "TV Asashi Voting Archived May 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. " "Japanese Anime Vote." Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
  22. ^ Zoth, Thomas (January 12, 2010). "10 Most Iconic Anime Heroes". Mania Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  23. ^ Sevakis, Justin (November 13, 2008). "Buried Treasure Ashita no Joe". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  24. ^ Schilling, Mark (September 16, 2015). "Japan through the lens of its film genres". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  25. ^ Toole,Mike (May 13, 2018). "The Mike Toole Show: Yo Joe!". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  26. ^ "Newtype Shonen". Newtype. Kadokawa Shoten. August 2005.
  27. ^ "Interview with Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection Director Goro Taniguchi". Manga Tokyo. February 23, 2019. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  28. ^ All About The King of Fighters '94 (ザ・キング・オブ・ファイターズ'94). All About [ja] (in Japanese). Vol. 7. The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation [ja]. December 25, 1994. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived April 24, 2020, at the Wayback Machine).
  29. ^ "Madman interviews Kenji Kamiyama". Madman Entertainment. September 17, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
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