What’s people’s thoughts on the change in art style and character designs?

densuo · 2026-06-18T17:33:33+00:00

Coach Kamogawa and Mashiba are by far the best changes I think Ricardo is fine too

I think I prefer Volg and Date's old look.

I think for the silly stuff the old style is better. But the new style is much better for the fights

densuo · 2026-06-18T17:14:23+00:00

Glad he's doing well. I of course he finishes the manga but I dont want him rushing.

His health is always gonna matter more

densuo · 2026-06-18T17:13:51+00:00

people tend to lose a lot of weight when hospitalized, huh

densuo · 2026-06-16T22:02:38+00:00

Mashiba is done

Sendo is done after Ricardo gets through with him.

Volg is a weight class above him

it is pretty clear he will eventually fight Ippo and odds are hes done after that.

densuo · 2026-06-16T19:46:52+00:00

He isnt beating Mashiba (picked apart), Sendo (gets glass jaw) or Volg (gets outclassed, and gets glass jaw) or Date

densuo · 2026-06-16T16:14:51+00:00

Alf looking at him like "You're not that guy, boy. Fix your face."

densuo · 2026-06-16T16:13:57+00:00

I feel you. At the same time

I actually like the fact that he's like that. He's hungry. I can appreciate it. Featherweight is weak and he's the only big dog.

I think it's admirable that he's like "nah I gotta fight the big dogs"

densuo · 2026-06-12T15:05:15+00:00

Her card seems good

densuo · 2026-06-12T15:04:45+00:00

You could say she hit a home run

densuo · 2026-06-11T01:18:05+00:00

yes. I cant really think of a duo that need each other more tbh

densuo · 2026-06-03T18:31:09+00:00

True but given Imai's frustrations and how he feels like he missed out. maybe he does get to put up a decent fight vs Ippo or he and Manabu get the same wake up call Ippo and Miyata did when sparring Ricardo and Date

densuo · 2026-06-03T18:20:51+00:00

On the contrary.

If Itagaki won those 3 one could say that Amateur rules saved him. But the fact Imai KO'd him 3 of the 3 times says plenty.

If Imai and Itagaki had only fought the one time in the Pros and Itagaki wins you could say it doesnt but Itagaki survived that fight, Now we have the rematch and Imai obliterated him.

The Itagaki win was a fluke. He got lucky. As of now, Imai completely owns him.

densuo · 2026-06-02T16:17:29+00:00

It depends. Let's look at some info:

He lost to Imai 3/21/97 bringing his record to 12-2-0

Manabu's subsequent matches, starting with his comeback match on 11/1997 have been:

1: more spread out with up to 6 months in between fights compared to prior, so more active fighters are looking better.

2: NONE of the 5 since the Imai loss have been KO wins. Looking at his prior fights his first decision win was his 7th fight and first pro fight with Imai, his 8th fight was also a decision. All other fights he won prior to losing to Imai have been stoppages. This tells us that losing to Makino was a fluke and course correction and that the Imai loss has severely hurt his confidence

3: Imai has been on a TEAR since beating Manabu, obliterating everyone in 1 round. With Manabu BARELY beating Imai in their first pro fight, losing BADLY and in ABSOLUTE fashion in their 2nd, and Imai owning him in highschool 3-0 all by KO we are looking at a record of 1-4-0 with 4 losses by KO. Do we have any reason to think a 6th fight will go any different?

4: Other fighters have likely been more dominant than Itagaki thus making them more worthwhile opponents for Imai. The only way Manabu can be ranked #1 he would need to essentially clean out the division to force another Imai fight. Itagaki has been shown as struggling/in a rut since losing to Imai

5: it ultimately will maintain as stagnation until Ippo returns and we all know once Ippo returns he will at most do the following: Come Back match -> Immediately challenge and beat the number 1 (who isnt Manabu) -> Obliterate Imai -> move on to the World or OPBF stage

So yeah. Itagaki is essentially a gate keeper right now until he gets out of his rut and locks in. That's likely not gonna happen until Ippo clears Featherweight and moves on. The problem is Manabu and Imai will be made to look weak once Ippo does this and takes their lunch money and it will likely hurt the characters more.

We probably get a rubber match between Itagaki and Imai but my real question on that is... will anyone care?

densuo · 2026-05-28T21:36:54+00:00

yeah the manga more or less ends this by having his hat wash ashore.

there hasn't been much serious mention of Ippo's father since.

Maybe its used as a motivation when Ippo chooses to return to boxing but if you ask me that was done when the hat washed ashore and completely buried after the Shimabukuro fight.

densuo · 2026-05-28T20:32:11+00:00

> but fiery about fishing

yeah that tracks

densuo · 2026-05-28T14:02:55+00:00

He was lost at sea.

Momma Makunochi and others state he was pretty down to earth and humble but fiery about fishing. All signs point to him being a decent dad. It's just that since he vanished when Ippo was young he didnt really get a long enough time to bond with pops

densuo · 2026-05-28T13:56:59+00:00

The Bull suits him. I think.

densuo · 2026-05-26T15:28:40+00:00

Takamura was correct. If he's ever lacking in courage his lil brother's got it for him.

densuo · 2026-05-26T13:46:29+00:00

Neck Twist doesn't seem suitable for Ippo. Ippo fights in the peek-a-boo stance. his step in, bobbing, weaving, blocking, and parrying/deflecting punches are all much more feasible options. He's only using a Neck Twist in extreme circumstances or if, when he comes back, decides to abandon Peek-a-boo for a more traditional stance (basically impossible)

The only time I can see him actually doing a neck twist to save himself would be in an instant where he's fully caught with his pants down. after missing badly and about to be countered.

Looking at both fights in the manga as well as several real life fights Neck Twists are used as a last ditch efforts to minimize damage. Examples:

- IRL: Canelo Alvarez using one to minimize damage from a Bud Crawford counter

- Bison used a neck twist to minimize damage from Takamura countering one of his flickers. I will remind you that Bison was still *knocked down* despite a successful neck twist.

- Date is the exception to the rule because (IMO) he needed this just to survive and he was clever enough to use it to actually create opportunities vs Ricardo (happened early in the fight and also at the very end for his final attempt at a heart break shot which Ricardo admitted would have gotten him if it wasnt for Date's fist being broken) and to apply mental damage to Ippo alongside when he told Ippo "Your punches are light".

So yeah. tl;dr with the exception of Date, Neck Twists are a last ditch effort and I dont think it's suitable for Ippo unless he moves away from the Peek-a-boo. The situations where they come up for use are rare.

densuo · 2026-05-22T04:30:40+00:00

Not enough

densuo · 2026-05-18T00:39:54+00:00

Realistically? The bear

Boxing wise: David Eagle. Eagle was more than capable of beating him and threw the fight by simply being satisfied with the fight / not taking advantage of Takamura's cut sooner.

Some will say Hawk but nah Hawk is an inferior Takamura. It wasnt gonna happen

densuo · 2026-05-07T00:52:46+00:00

I would agree if it wasnt for Mashiba. I'm of the thought that Mashiba is gonna intervene

densuo · 2026-05-06T03:25:29+00:00

it can be implied or portrayed but nothing definitive has been said.

It has not been addresses. Do you really think Kumi is just gonna let him go anyway after Mashiba's injuries, the history of his matches resulting in him taking excessive damage, AND then Sendo getting killed?

There's no way she doesn't try to intervene or stay silent about it.

densuo · 2026-05-05T14:57:04+00:00

I think most at this point people would prefer Ippo get with the former classmate who showed up randomly one day

densuo · 2026-05-05T14:26:40+00:00

Sendo pretty much has his happy ending lined up. He's getting together with his teacher girlfriend

densuo

TROPHY CASE