Okay to summerize more or less why this is a must watch "especially for those of you who have seen (Zeta Gundam) and the (Gundam 0079).. This takes off in between where fighting is still going between the last reminents of Zeon and the Earth Federation... The animations for the time are blockbuster at the very least. This story is a must see because it connects and explains how the Earth Federation and the military branch (Titans) where formed and all of Earth federations Tech. Does top notch quality and after you see this it makes you go "SO THATS WHY IN ZETA GUNDAM THEY HAVE!!!"

First off let me tell you, if you aren't into boxing, you will be. As for myself I was already a boxer as I started go get into hajime no ippo, but it only made me more passionate about it in the end. The story takes place in modern japan as a young boy named ippo is teased by his peers and never really makes any friends because he is too busy helping his mother run a off-shore fishing company. Ippo later makes an encounter with a man who changes his life.

The story is about Ippo, 16, and his upstart life as he goes from a complete whimp who knows nothing about fighting, to one of the best. This anime does it all, from intese action, epic battle music, and amazing character development with plenty of comedy thrown in through witty dialogue that will keep you watching. The animations could be better in this, but for what it's worth it is just fine, as everything else tends to make up for it.

Hajime no ippo is VERY narrow on the romance aspect but don't get me wrong, they do hint at it here and there, and it looks to be a ongoing slow, but deffenently a light romance added in that should be seen to progress over time, but not much in this first series. Overall hajime no ippo will teach you the life in the ring where violence is glory, and glory is a way of life. It will show the determination, adventure, and epic of ippo as he KO's his way to the top.

The main character in this anime is fun to watch, although he is a wimp when not in the ring, it makes him that much more badass to know what he is really capable of even with his kind side. You get roped with ippo, and he really brings out the deffenition of "Fighting spirit", which perfectly describes the title of this amazing anime. Through and through, this anime is great even if you don't care about story or character development because at the end of the day, the fight scenes are par none. The action is plentifull, it is good, and it will blow you away everytime you get to that epic scene.

Let me just say, without my personal bias, I would be giving hajime no ippo a 9 or a 9.5 for all it does right, but I REALLY love this anime so I am punching it up a notch for good measures.

Overall I rate hajime no ippo powerful 10 out of 10.