Finally it’s here. After 5 years without Ippo anime goodness, we finally get a second “season”. Last time we saw Ippo animated in the ring was in the 2003 movie Champion Road, and since then(unless, of course, you’ve been reading the manga), we’ve been out of the pure awesomeness that is Hajime no Ippo.

Now he’s back and badass as always. Read on for my impressions on the new season and some screenshots.

 The first episode drops you right in the action. Before going on with the story, you get to see the end of Ippo’s first Title Defense Match against medical student/boxing badass Sanada Kazuki. After a few of Ippo’s trademark punches, it skips to a bit of Ippo’s daily life, then some training at the gym where everyone is hyped up.
 

Over-the-top punch animations are back! ah yeah

Then you get the shower scene. Yeah, there’s always a shower scene somewhere in HnI. Where Takamura, Aoki and Ippo discuss Ippo’s relationship with Kumi, which of course leads to a bunch of weird sexual innuendo and penis jokes (what do you expect from Takamura anyways?).
 

Do I really need to comment this?

Afterwards, Kimura goes off to spar with Miyata, who is getting ready for a fight pretty soon, and is struggling to keep the weight limit for Featherweight (126 pounds), since he is at his limit, and he doesn’t want to change weight class so he can get to fight Ippo later on. This pretty much leads to discussion about the match, and the opponent’s(“The Crocodile”) coach reveals that the crocodile has a special attack named the bloody cross(which is probably crazy powerful).

Arnie “The Crocodile”, an expert in hooks with strength close to Ippo’s

After the weighing of the participants, it’s time for the match!… on the next episode. AND IT’S GONNA BE AWESOME.

What did I think?
Well… the animation is as good as ever, if not better than ever before. I find the overall look to be slightly more colorful than before, but it didn’t lose the usual Hajime no Ippo look from the previous Hajime no Ippo series and movies.
The characters are still awesome from the little we’ve seen for now, the “story” is still strong, the issues the characters have to face are great as always, and the humor is awesome.
This is still the same Ippo as before. Full of awesome as always and it doesn’t give you any bullshit. Straight to the action from the start, and a badass match coming up straight in the second episode.

If you have yet to see Hajime no Ippo, watch it now, or read it (if you have a LOT of spare time), it oozes awesomeness.

A few more pictures.

Ippo is so gay for Miyata….

Miyata struggling in his training to stay in the weight limit for featherweights… must be tough

Aoki imagining things between Ippo and Kumi and being very vocal and weird about it… creepy stuff

jobocan Anime, impressions