01x14 - Empowering Words

[bunniefuu]

I will also rise... into my ring!

Did they find anything out of ordinary during your neurological exam?

Nope!

That's a relief then.

Thank your parents for giving you such a sturdy body.

I-I am thankful.

However...

This is still an issue!

Be sure to change the compresses on your hips and left leg frequently.

Also, you're not allowed to train at all for a while!

Y-You're kidding!

Not even light training?

Okay. I won't do any training.

Here, I want you to use this.

A-Aren't we getting carried away?

I can still walk-

O-Okay. I'll use it.

Now, Ippo-kun,

let me make myself perfectly clear.

You should no longer rely on the Dempsey Roll!

The old version puts too much stress on your body already.

But that new stop-and-go action is shortening your career as we speak.

Using that move will only hasten your retirement.

Retirement?

You still haven't reached your goal, have you?

Do you want everything to end here?

If you want to reach your goal,

do not use that move.

I know you have the ability to keep winning without it.

Win without the Dempsey Roll?

But... could I have knocked Sawamura-san out cold without using it?

If I'm going to continue facing boxers as good as him...

How am I supposed to win?

You still haven't reached your goal, have you?

Do you want everything to end here?

If you want to reach your goal...

I know I'm almost there.

I can't hold myself back.

I don't care what happens to me.

If I don't reach him, all is lost.

Umezawa-kun!

Say, Ippo.

Do you remember the promise I made back when I started working for Makunouchi Fishing Boat?

Promise?

Oh, yeah! Of course!

P-Please look!

This is good!

Did you draw this, Umezawa-kun?!

I never knew you had this talent!

Oh, is this your dream?

Y-Yeah, it is. I want to become a mangaka.

Once I'm done, you'll be the first to see it!

I'll make you say it's totally awesome!

So that means you're done with your manga?!

Yeah, and I was thinking of entering it in an amateur manga contest.

Oh my gosh! I want to read it!

Please do. I'm proud of it.

I can't wait!

Also, Ippo.

I already told the boss this, but I'm gonna quit Makunouchi Fishing Boat.

I made up my mind when I saw you face Sawamura.

I want to chase my dream of becoming a mangaka.

I'm a man, too.

I don't want to lose.

I don't know if they'll come true, but I still have dreams!

I want to draw manga!

This is my debut match!

You have to do it, Umezawa-kun!

Ippo...

Wow! So many pages!

Now you're making me nervous!

Go on, read already!

It's a fishing manga!

I wanted to make it about boxing.

But I plan to do it in a serial after I improve my art.

And I already got my story material from working here.

Sure!

Hello, Senpai!

Huh, if it isn't Itagaki-kun.

I'm not a great reviewer,

so I thought having someone who could give an objective criticism would be a good idea.

Y-You did?

Having another reader makes me twice as nervous.

But, sure, go ahe-

Hey!

Wh-What? G-Guys?!

I hope this is a good manga.

I know manga like the back of my hand.

Hell, my name begins with the same letter as "manga"!

Y-You're kidding! Are you fine gentlemen going to read it too?

Wh-Why'd you bring them here?

Why not? It's better to have more readers.

Let me have it.

Uh, sure...

If it doesn't make me laugh, I'm wringing your neck.

Are there funny scenes?

Help me! This isn't a gag manga!

We each read a page at a time!

Hey, hold on a sec!

Oh, it's a fishing manga.

What kind of hook is that?

Who the hell gets hooked after one frickin' page?

What's that, you shithead?!

Aww...

I'm a dead man walking.

Ooh! It looks like he got a huge one!

Gimme the next page!

Hold your horses! This is getting good!

That's a good sign, right?

Yeah...

Hand it over, asswipe!

Give me some g*dd*mn time to read!

Leggo!

No way!

I wanna keep reading, assclown!

Wh-What have you done?

Umezawa-kun poured his heart and soul into that draft!

How are you going to fix this?

They're getting away!

Mend what you destroyed!

Why did you even come here?! You scumbags!

Umezawa-kun!

I-I'm sorry!

If I hadn't called Itagaki-kun!

It's my fault!

I'll help you redraw the draft!

G-Get yourself together, Umezawa-kun.

Did you hear that, Ippo?

"I wanna keep reading."

"Give me time to read."

And did you see them fighting over my draft?

Yeah.

I sure did.

All right! I'm gonna redo the draft and submit it immediately!

I'm gonna do this!

Umezawa-kun.

I wasn't really as confident as I let on.

I was really worried they would pan it.

Everybody gets worried!

Anyway, take that first step forward, Umezawa-kun!

Yeah, I know I will!

Argh! I went outside the line!

Relax, here's some whiteout.

They only ripped three pages. This will only take us a night.

I should be sorry for having the national champ help me out.

A whole night?

For just three pages?

So he spent several nights making that draft,
then coming to work first thing in the morning?

He's been working for us ever since Mom's hospitalization,

which greatly reduced her workload.

He's always there rooting for me before my matches.

We'll never know how much he helped Mom,

or how much he's supported me.

I hope this manga sells.

What are you saying? Don't jump the g*n!

I haven't even submitted it yet!

I still got a long road ahead.

Thank you, Umezawa-kun!

Go ahead, eat up!

I put all my culinary skills into this!

Don't be a stranger and come visit!

Sure.

I think I've gotten completely used to this easy pace and atmosphere.

Sorry, Ippo.

You and your mom will have to do all the work around here.

That's what I'm really worried about.

You don't have to worry about us!

Nope.

You got your own dream of becoming a mangaka.

What's wrong?

Th-There's something I really need to say before I go.

Does it require you to be so formal?

It's something I have to do.

Back in school, Ippo must've come home a lot of times covered in bruises.

You probably already knew this, ma'am,

but it was because of bullies who said he smelled like worms.

About those bullies, the truth is...

That's enough, Umezawa-kun!

Look at me, Umezawa-kun.

A man who is about to journey to a new world shouldn't hang his head down.

You must always lift your head up and face forward.

Good luck!

Thank you very much...

Thank you very much!

It's hopeless.

I can't lift my head up.

Umezawa-kun!

Umezawa-kun!

Ippo?

Your manga was really good!

What was that? I can't hear you!

Umezawa-kun! Your manga was really good!

Just like you are my very first fan,
I'll be your very first fan!

That way we will, always and forever, be best friends!

Yeah! Ippo!

Ippo!

Hi, guys!

Good fighting out there!

Are you healing up?

That match moved me to tears!

Gee... thanks.

You sure you're all right, Ippo?

You're on a crutch like a damn cr*pple.

You need to retire, Gimp Boy!

Don't you dare call me "Gimp Boy"!

I had to spend the whole night fixing that manga!

Ooh! Watch out, he's mad!

He's not sorry at all!

Hey, just ignore King Preposterous here.

The two of us are sorry for what happened.

If his manga's a hit, I'll send him a bouquet or something.

I'll invite him to an all-you-can-eat dinner at my restaurant.

Kimura-san, Aoki-san...

I hope he makes it...

Me too...

My, aren't we all peachy keen?

Don't think I forgot about Umekou or nothing!

I spent all night making it.

Based on actual events!

"The Road to the World Championship"!

Nobody asked you to do that!

What the hell are you thinking?!

I'm ripping it up!

What are you pricks doing?!

Forgive my lateness. I wish to thank you for your help.

Right.

Let's cut to the chase and discuss your next match.

M-My next match?

Oh, this? Dr. Yamaguchi practically forced me to use it.

She may be going overboard with the crutch,

but I can still do light exercises, no problem!

I'm heading over to train.

You dimwit!

Listen to your doctor!

You need to focus on recuperation!

B-But we had to talk about my next match...

Remember these?

Those are the challenges I received before the Sawamura fight.

You must have really spooked them. They all withdrew their challenges.

If nobody's gonna fight you,
then there are no more title defenses.

Th-They withdrew?

I said you were a cheese champion before the Sawamura fight.

But I guess your performance did away with any stray notions that you were full of holes.

Don't get conceited!

You're still not good enough as far as I'm concerned!

Y-Yes, sir!

Where we go from now is still an unsettled matter.

But rest up your body and build it up for that eventual match like the pro you are!

Yes, sir! Thank you very much!

That eventual match, you say?

If nobody in the country will fight him, then that means...

He'll need to rise up.

Recuperation, huh?

But I guess he's...

My hips still hurt.

I had also been on edge nonstop before my match with Sawamura-san.

I suppose I need to give both my mind and body a rest.

Welcome back, Senpai!

I-Itagaki-kun?

And Nanako-chan?

What's going on here?

We got some help.

They're filling in for Umezawa-kun.

What? You're going to work for us?

They just showed up out of the blue, but I'm so glad!

B-But I didn't even put up "Help Wanted" posters.

Umezawa-san gave me a call.

He told me to take care of Makunouchi Fishing Boat.

He said that?

Umezawa-kun...

He even thought about who to get to replace him.

This is what I've dreamed of!

What other workplace can accommodate a boxer like me?

We're also a poor family who can really use the money.

Thanks for helping us, Itagaki-kun!

I look forward to working here.

But I'm not sure we can take on two workers.

Don't worry about me. I'm just here to visit.

We wish to show our gratitude
for the opportunity to work here.

You Ita-got our thanks.

Itagaki-kun, spread the bait!

Sure thing!

Talk about unsteady.

But I must learn to balance myself firmly.

This must be the secret behind Senpai landing heavy blows while off-balance.

It must be.

These are way heavier with fish in them.

Senpai's been doing this work for over ten years.

That's why he's so strong despite his lack of athletic experience.

I get it.

I get it...

I get it!

Huh, Senpai?

Have you healed up?

I've got some rest, thanks to you.

Today I'm returning to work.

H-He lifted twice my load...

like it was nothing?

I thought I'd catch up to him by living the same life as he does.

But I'm still no match for Senpai.

However, I will still try to overtake him!

Itagaki Manabu has been on fire all night!

What kind of action will we see in this second round?

Holy buckets, it's over!

He absolutely k*lled him with that off-balanced uppercut!

Don't you think he's gotten more built ever since he started working at Makunouchi's?

Spill it, Ippo! What's the secret?

Lemme work at Makunouchi Fishing Boat too!

Oh, no...

Yeah!