01x02 - Bloody Cross

[bunniefuu]

I've been fighting to get it all for awhile

Running towards my dream at mach 50

Whirling winds tear through the sky

and I promise to become better than I was yesterday

The blue sky got twisted up with dark clouds

The wind that I waited for pressed onto my shoulder

and in my hand I grasped onto

The flash from a thunderbolt out of the blue

When I stopped running after so long

and opened these fists that have been thrown so often

Inside of them were traces

of the first step I'd taken to make it here

Tomorrow will take care of itself

Tears will come as the winds continue until morning

And to us as we grew it was like

A thunderbolt out of the blue

Round 2: Bloody Cross

And now...

the OPBF Title Match...

scheduled for 12 rounds, will begin!

The challenger arrives,
headed towards the blue corner.

Early in his career, he seemed destined for greater
things due to his uncanny skill with counters...

but after a loss in a tournament he vanished
from the Japanese boxing scene for over a year.

Now, he's back having already
outgrown the national scene.

Ranked #1 in the OPBF,
the resurgent genius, Miyata Ichiro!

Miyata-kun!

Miyata-kun!
Ichiro, please win!

Ichiro, please win!

Don't get hit in the face!

Man, he's popular.

Seriously...

We've got a hardcore fan here, too.

MI-YA-TA-KUN!

MI-YA-TA-KUN!

MI-YA-TA-KUN!

MI-YA-TA-KUN!

Now the champion enters.



Among those 15 wins, 12 were
KOs, he's definitely a hard puncher.

With devastating left and right hooks that
have been compared to a crocodile's jaws,

will he be able to rip apart
the challenger's aspirations!?

The OPBF Champion,

Arnie "Crocodile" Gregory!

Hey, not bad!

Man, he looks tough!

Those Americans sure know
how to show off, don't they?

He's Australian.

What!?

But he's white!

America isn't even in the OPBF region.

Did you catch that, Ippo?

Yes.

That right he was throwing just
to warm up was razor sharp.

He's in great condition.

He'll be gunning for him from the first round.

Yes.

He has a certain air about him too.

The aura that genuinely strong people have.

He's definitely skilled,

and he's never been beaten by KO.

I guess he's the real deal.

Both fighters head to their corners.

He's got a lot of his color back since the weigh-in,

but there's no way he completely recovered in one day.

The cheaper the construction, the easier it falls apart.

There's no need to wait for that.

I'll put him down as soon as it starts.

For now, keep an eye on him.

Get a sense for how he fights
and learn his timing and habits.

Okay, Dad.

The time has come...

for the OPBF title match!

And the bell...

has now...

been rung!

Will Japan's prized genius conquer the Pacific
region as his first step toward the world stage?

Or will the crocodile's jaws chew
apart the challenger's dream?

The sudden death counter...

versus the destructive power that shatters bones!

This is a match to keep your eyes on!

Whoa!

The champion suddenly charges in!

The challenger is caught off guard!

Aright!

Miyata-kun's expression changed!

That just shows how dangerous that was.

He's coming, Ichiro!

He pours it on!

The challenger is already trapped against the ropes!

He's fast too.

There's no time to try and time a counter.

He's got good rotations on his combos too.

If Miyata tries anything half-assed, he'll be
the one who ends up getting countered.

H-He's strong.

He's got good eyesight and he's really good at dodging.

But how long will he be able to keep it up?

Not giving me much of a chance
to relax, are you, Champion?

A single counter and he's gone!

Truly lightning speed!

This speed is the essence of Miyata Ichiro!

W-What did he throw?



It was a right counter, like this.

Dumbass.

It was a short left straight.

Although, I guess it was too fast for an amateur to catch,

The champion must be surprised as well!

After all, the opponent that he had been on the
attack against seemed to vanish in an instant!

This is the first time in a fight that someone
was able to just vanish from out in front of me.

I'm going to have to revise my approach here.

This challenger...

is strong.

That's the first time the champion has put his guard up.

It means he's decided to take things seriously.

Since he's up against a young
challenger in his first title match,

he probably planned on landing one splashy shot...

that'd pin him down physically and mentally.

However, it didn't work out like that.

Miyata's not the type to choke from getting anxious.

On top of that, Arnie was the
one who ended up getting hit.

From here on out, playtime's over.

The champion's gonna get serious.

Serious...

Ichiro!

I know.

Observe him for the first round, right?

Now then... what will you do, Arnie-san?

A left!

It's clearly faster than before...

and sharp!

It lands! He's unable to dodge it!

It's extending farther than I thought.

I'll have to step around it instead of swaying to avoid it!

The challenger is cut off!

He's caught again!

He's good...

He read my sidestep.

His jaw is sent flying at the ropes!

His jaw is sent flying at the ropes!
It's only a jab, but look at this power!

It's only a jab, but look at this power!

Whoa, did it get to him?

I thought he was supposed to just
come at me with left-right hooks.

That's the champion for you.

He's got his boxing down.

Left, left, left!

There's no time to return fire!

It's like he's saying, "Go ahead,
throw a counter if you can'

With that many fast lefts thrown so compactly...

Miyata will have his hands full with defense.

Timing a punch to that is gonna be tough.

Take a good look, Ippo.

This is another way to
keep someone from using counters.

He can't escape from the neutral corner!

The footwork that the challenger
is so proud of is locked down.

Now, what can he do?

A razor sharp left grazes his face!

Now what!?

Dad...

that's enough observation, right?

He goes in to fight it out!

He challenges the powerful
champion to an exchange of blows!

He's going to stay put and try to fight it out?

He's really getting nailed!

This is too reckless, Miyata!

No.

Calm down and look closer.

During that close range exchange,

he's watching the champion's fast left...

And...

is steadily landing counters.

He wins out!

The champion is pushed back!

Miyata escapes from the corner!

The challenger is really putting on an amazing display!

I can't believe it.

Does that mean Miyata...

...can see those fast jabs in slow motion?

A-Amazing...

He used the left too much.

Too much?

The scary thing about Miyata is
his ability to study his opponent.

If he gets hit with a punch, the
timing gets burned into his body...

which means he'll be able to counter it the next time.

If you use the same punch twice...

it'll be returned at you with double the force.

Even if we punch at the same
time, Miyata's punch lands first.

He's on a different level when it comes to speed.

Miyata lowered his guard!

That's...

That's the Detroit style,

the front-facing, offense-orientated variation.

The atmospheres...

getting tense.

There's no telling what could happen at any second.

When a counter puncher fights...

there's always a unique kind of intensity.

However, I've never seen another fighter...

that could silence an entire audience.

Both fighters move in at the same time!

The champion throws his left!

He's cut down!

The prince's blade, the cross counter explodes!

Both fighters move in at the same time!

The champion throws his left!

He's cut down!

The prince's blade, the cross counter explodes!

The OPBF champion is skillfully put down!

Nice work, Miyata!

Miyata-kun!

Ichiro, that was wonderful!

ONE

ONE
Now the count.

Now the count.

TWO
Now the count.

TWO
Will the champion stand up??

Will the champion stand up??

Arnie!

THREE
Arnie!

THREE

THREE
Don't get up! Let that be the end of it!

Don't get up! Let that be the end of it!

FOUR

FOUR
Arnie's left managed to graze me.

Arnie's left managed to graze me.

FIVE
Arnie's left managed to graze me.

FIVE

FIVE
I might have gotten a down, but that gave me chills.

I might have gotten a down, but that gave me chills.

Get up, Arnie!

SIX
Get up, Arnie!

SIX
Are you going to let it all end here!?

Are you going to let it all end here!?

In a place like this!?

Don't get up!

Don't get up!
Just stay down!

SEVEN

H-He stands!

But he can't hide his damage!

Will he be able to continue!?

I guess he's not so soft that he
would stay down after one shot.

That's what I'd expect out of the champion.

I'm up. I can go on.

If one shot won't keep him down, then two or three...

I'll hit him as many times as it takes.

Box!

The match continues!

There's the bell!

He wasn't able to finish it,

but the challenger clearly had the
advantage at the end of the first round.

Nice work, Miyata!

So close!

Take him down next!

You can take the belt!

Looking good, Ichiro-kun!

The champion really felt that one!

Looks like things are about even.

But, he was dominating...

We're at a clear disadvantage in terms of power.

He was just holding him off with sheer speed.

The difference in speed wasn't that big.

The reason I was able to counter him
was because he used his left so much,

and I was able to study the timing.

That's a title holder for you.

Yeah.

He's strong,

and I don't get the feeling that he's shown all he has.

You should assume he recuperates well.

It'll be trouble if this gets drawn out.

Pour it on while he's still damaged!

I've learned the rhythm of his left,

I'll hit him with my right as many times as it takes.

I didn't see that right cross coming.

It really got me.

Don't talk,

just steady your breathing.

Damn it!

He really nailed me.

Don't get upset, just be calm.

I am calm, Mr. Sakaguchi!

Why do you think I put the bait out there?

He was just faster than I expected,


Thanks to that, now I'm sure...

he'll take the bait again,

and that's when [I'll finish him.

Next time he draws the cross of the cross counter,

it'll be a cross of blood raining down on him.

Bloody Cross.

Round 2!

Box!

The champion's still hurting!

This is your chance!

All right!

Lay into him before he gets it together!

The challenger goes on the attack!

He tears into the champion who's
still reeling from his damage!

It's a barrage!

He's not waiting for a chance to counter this time!

S-So fast...

That's another good thing about Miyata.

Even though he's so good at counters,
he doesn't rely solely on them.

He doesn't stay on the defensive and
can pour on the pressure himself.

But...

I think he still has a preference.

It'll be a counter that ends it.

Counters are something that are
really important to Miyata-kun.

I have a counter that I can finish people off with.

Even without relying on brute force,

I can KO anyone.

Yes...

In the end, it'll come down to a counter.

The champion desperately fights back!

But the lefts cut through the air fruitlessly!

A-Amazing.

It's not like the champ's attacks are weak or anything...

...but he dodges them so gracefully.

It's mesmerizing.

Nice lefts.

They're more like straights than jabs.

I can tell how dangerous they are
from the way they slice the air.

These could probably beat anyone...

except me!

The champion throws his left!

Here!

But a right is timed against it!

A masterful cross is being drawn!

Bloody Cross.

The challenger's head is knocked toward the sky!

The one who's hurt is the challenger!

Wh-

What just happened?

The challenger is down!

The counter failed!

Impossible!

Miyata's counter failed?

The timing was perfect!

I was so sure it had landed.

So why is Miyata-kun down!?

Can the challenger stand?

ONE
Can the challenger stand?

Can the challenger stand?

Or will it be a sudden turnaround KO loss?

TWO
Or will it be a sudden turnaround KO loss?

Or will it be a sudden turnaround KO loss?

THREE

THREE
What just happened?

What just happened?

Did I screw up the timing?

I thought I landed the counter.

W-Why am I the one who's down?

FOUR

FOUR
Get up!

Get up!

Calm down...
Get up!

Calm down...
It's still just the second round!

It's still just the second round!

Get it together!

Miyata-kun, you can do it!

Calm down...
Miyata-kun, you can do it!

I must have messed up the hand positioning.
Miyata-kun, you can do it!

FIVE

FIVE
It's just one of the risks of using counters.

It's just one of the risks of using counters.

Focus,

and this time without fail...

SIX
and this time without fail...

cut him down!

He's up!

Box!

The champion goes in without hesitating!

The challenger wants to hang back
and let the damage run its course!

{wonder how many people in this arena...

understand what the champion just did.

Go!

You've got the counter that can put down anybody!

Screwing up once or twice won't matter if
you can turn it around with just one punch!

He didn't screw it up!

If anything, his timing and speed were perfect.

It wasn't a mistake!?

I'm sure the majority of the people here...

are certain he took that right because a
mistake was made when he used the counter.

Even Ichiro himself thinks so...

That's how unexpected it was.

Why would the champion go for an exchange
of lefts if he knew that he loses out in speed?

Counter punchers study their opponents very closely,

so why would he use the same punch so many times?





Let's start over...

I have to read his rhythm.

The challenger gets some space.

Has he recovered? This is some cautious footwork.

A left!

But it's dodged with a head-slip!

This is some beautiful dodging!

At long range, the challenger displays a clear advantage!

Keep watching it closely...

Take a good look at it, Ichiro Miyata.

That left is starting to look tempting, right?

Go for it.

This is it!

No doubt about it.

If I step in with this timing, I can definitely land it!

Next time a left comes,

I'm going in!

He's going for it!

Listen up!

Pry your eyes open and watch closely.

Next time Miyata draws the cross for his counter,

it's going to be stained red...

with Miyata's blood.

Blood...

Across...

of blood?

The champion throws his left!

Noway...

Is that...

Here it comes!

...the Bloody Cross?

A clean shot from the prince.

My timing is perfect!

Got you!

He bent his elbow...

...to alter the angle of the punch!?

I didn't screw up!

He was aiming for...

my counter!

A right turns his jaw upward!

A left!

it was on purpose!?

Right!

That left was to get me to throw my counter...

to allow me to learn it's timing.

He threw it on purpose!?

A left-right combo!

The challenger is being hammered!

It's another down!

The challenger's second down!

The champion's hidden strength erupts!

H-He was really wailed on...

ONE

ONE
The ring is being stained in blood!

The ring is being stained in blood!

TWO
The ring is being stained in blood!

TWO
Will he be able to stand?

Will he be able to stand?

THREE
Will he be able to stand?

THREE The momentum from when he steps in
for his counter really worked against him.

The momentum from when he steps in
for his counter really worked against him.

He's really in trouble.

It really is a bloody cross.

Stop being impressed!

You have to cheer for him!

This down is serious!

No, it is impressive.

This is some real high level stuff
that you won't see too often.

Takamura-san...

Using your elbow to knock the cross counter upward...

and then nailing the open jaw with aright.

It might seem like a simple enough counter-k*ller,

but...

being able to pull something like
this off in a matter of seconds?

You're a boxer, you should
know how impressive that is.

This champion is strong.

If you want to avenge Miyata,
be careful when you face him.

"Avenge?”

What's that supposed to mean?

What are you saying?

It's not over yet!

There's no need for me to do anything!

Miyata-kun won't let it end like this!

Whoa!

He starts to pound the mat in frustration!

An unusual sight from the usually cool challenger!

Ichiro...

Damn it...

for him to go after my counter like this.

I've never been this pissed before.

It feels like he just ripped the pride out of my chest.

I won't lose like this!

Some night

I can't remember why

We stayed up 'til 4 AM ['til 4 AM]

We talked about nothing
important and then made love

The person can't be close her eyes

The person can't be close your eyes

And now while she calls my name inside her dream

Kisses me so I'll fall asleep

Don't I wish that we could stay right there?

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

You shut the alarm to work to sleep that day

I'd do anything if I could make this time rewind forever

'til 7:59