Manga and anime rumors are abuzz once again with talk about the end of "Hajime no Ippo," a popular boxing manga that first began serialization in 1989 and spawned multiple anime seasons and video games.
It follows the story of the titular character, Ippo, as he transforms from a shy, meek and bullied boy to one of the world's greatest boxers. His willpower, humble attitude, and work ethic have made him a very popular character, and his numerous fights and triumphs have kept the series rolling all this time.
And it's not just Ippo that's made the manga so popular. The stories of his many rivals, teammates, and friends have all contributed to its widespread success. However, after nearly thirty years, some fans are wondering if the Japanese graphic novel is coming towards its final round.
Spoilers ahead, so continue at your own risk.
Ippo's journey eventually brought him to the world stage where he faces off against a powerful foe, Alfredo Gonzales. In this fight, Ippo is knocked unconscious after taking some serious hits. Following his loss, worries about him suffering from brain damage are brought to light as the accumulated damage from his previous fights has started to stack up.
10 months pass, and after many tests and trials, Ippo finds himself ready to return to the ring. He faces off against the Filipino champion, Antonio Guevarra. Ippo seems to initially have control of the match, but as he starts to take hits, he realizes that he isn't what he used to be. Something's not right, and he's taking a lot more punishment than he should.
The fight ends with his second straight knockout, leaving everyone stunned.
Ippo's latest chapters have revolved around the calm after the storm of his defeat, and based on some fan translations of the leaked images of the manga, it appears that Ippo is announcing his retirement and going back to his family's fishing business.
This is something Ippo told his love interest he would do if he were to lose again, so it isn't a total shock to fans of the series. Considering the fact that the manga has been running for nearly three decades has fans believing that the author, George Morikawa, may be close to closing the final chapter of Ippo's tale.
We've seen a couple amazing, longstanding manga titles end over the past few years. 2014 saw "Naruto" finally come to a close, "Bleach" ended in 2016 and "Fairy Tail" ended in 2017. While none of these titles had the longevity that "Ippo" had, it just goes to show that all things eventually end.
Regardless of whether or not "Ippo" really is ending any time soon, it stands as one of the best sports manga of all time.
