The second volume of Fighting Spirit picks up where the previous one left off, with Ippo starting his sparring match with Miayata.  It has been three months since their last bout, and they have both been training hard.  Ippo has learned a lot of new punches and moves, but Miayata has gotten even faster.  Ippo is worried about the fight, but he's determined to give it his all.

The bout is exciting, with the advantage being traded back and forth between the two opponents.  Lasting over the course of two episodes, the outcome of this battle changes the dynamics gym from then on.

After the long sparring match, the rest of the volume moves the plot along nicely.  Ippo starts training with Takamura as he gets ready for his latest bout.  The two boxers start to become closer friends, and some of Takamura's past is revealed.  Ippo takes the exam to obtain his professional boxing license, and a new foil is introduced; a vicious boxer who has a mean set of punches.  Miayata and Ippo decide that they are going to settle who the best boxer is at the final match of the Eastern Japan tournament.  And finally Ippo finds out who he is going to face in his first professional bout.

This is still an exciting series.  Ippo is a very sympathetic character because he's a modest and hard worker.  It's easy to start cheering for him, and the show does a good job of setting up the matches so that he always seems to be at a disadvantage.  After all, it's much more fun to root for the underdog.

The show also does a good job of mixing things up so that every episode isn't solely concerned with Ippo training.  They added a possible romantic interest with Ippo becoming enamored with a beautiful girl he's never talked to, and they've also taken the time to flesh out the backgrounds of some of the supporting cast and Ippo's opponents.  When I first heard of this series, I didn't think it would be my cup of tea, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's actually very good.  Like Princess Nine, the sport isn't necessarily the most important part of the show, it's more of a background.  The show is really about Ippo's indomitable spirit and how an insecure kid with little confidence can still strive for greatness.  It's a real fun program to watch.

This volume includes another five episodes on a single sided DVD.  I was happily surprised that Geneon continued to pack this DVD with five shows, they often cut it down to four starting with the second disc.

Audio:

I viewed this DVD while listening to both the English stereo dub and the original stereo Japanese soundtrack. I preferred the original track, but only slightly. The dub was very good, with the voice actors not overplaying their rolls as they often do when dubbing anime. Both audio tracks sounded a little thin, but otherwise very nice. There was limited use made of the soundstage, but when there were directional effects they were very effective. Hiss and distortion were nonexistent, making this a pleasure to listen to.   There was also a Spanish dub in stereo.

Video:

The full frame image was very clean and clear. The colors were bright and varied. The picture has a good amount of detail with the lines being tight and clean. Digital defects were minimal, though there was some light aliasing.  A very good-looking DVD.

Extras:

Included on this disc was a very funny blooper reel where the English voice actors messed up their lines, sometimes on purpose. It was five minutes long and well worth watching.

There are also trailers for Cybuster - Tokyo 2040, Submarine 707R, and the Gregory Horror Show.
 
Final Thoughts:

I haven't heard a lot of buzz about this show, and that's a shame.  It really is a fun program and deserves to be seen by a wider audience.  Win or loose, there's never any doubt that Ippo will somehow come out on top, but watching him get there is all the fun.  I have absolutely no interest in boxing, and I'm liking this show more and more as it goes on.  A very high Recommendation.