The latest volume of Fighting Spirit, the twelfth in the series, is just as good as the previous eleven. This sleeper hit started strong and continues to deliver as this volume illustrates. In this disc, Ippo finally has his chance at a national title. All his has to do is defeat the current champion, which is much easier said than done. This is one of those anime shows that quickly sucks the viewer in and becomes very engrossing. It's a great show that deserves more attention.

Series Synopsis:

Ippo Makunouchi is a high school student who is constantly harassed by a group of bullies. When a professional boxer, Takamura, saves him from a beating Ippo decides that he wants to be a boxer too. Spending just about all of his time doing manual labor at his families boat rental company Ippo is already quite strong but untrained and awkward. He's taken under Takamura's wing though, and it is soon discovered that Ippo has a good amount of natural talent and the stamina that is needed to become a great boxer.

Over the course of the last few volumes, Ippo has trained, honed his natural talent and turned pro. Entering the rookie tournament, Ippo doesn't seem like a contender, but he ends up winning not only the tournament but also wins the MVP award. As he wins more and more matches, Ippo climbs up in the rankings and starts to get a reputation as a talented fighter and a tough opponent. Having a reputation isn't his goal though, he wants to be the best fighter in Japan.

This volume:

This disc picks up where the previous one ended, with Makunouchi fighting the champ, Eiji Date, for the middle weight title of Japan. The champion is getting old and Ippo has youth and energy on his side, but Date has experience in his corner. The fight is pitched with Ippo winning one round and then Eiji the next. As the bout continues both contestants start to run out of energy and have to rely on their spirit and guts

After the fight, which takes up the first pair of shows, Ippo is barred from the gym for three months so that the accumulated damage his body has taken over the last several fights will have time to heal. This isn't necessarily the best thing for Makunouchi however, since he has time to replay the fight in his mind and it effects him greatly.

One thing that's looking up for Ippo is his love-life. He gets a call from Kumi, the sister of one of his rivals, and she asks him out. The two go to an amusement park and have a great time, but the lack of training still gnaws at the young fighter.

The final two episodes take a little bit of a different turn as two of Ippo's strongest previous opponents, Volg and Sendo, fight each other. Each one really wants to win so that they'll have a shot at fighting Makunouchi again.

This is another fun volume. The title fight between Ippo and Date is really good and contains a lot of drama. Viewers really aren't sure which way the fight will go until the very end, and that makes it suspenseful.

This volume includes an ample five episodes on a single sided DVD.

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:

Unfortunately, this disc doesn't have any extras on it aside from a few previews. I really wish they had included a blooper reel like the first two volumes had.

Final Thoughts:

This is one of those series that I really enjoy watching. There's a lot of drama and excitement, and it's really easy to get to like Ippo, the underdog who advances through hard work and an overwhelming desire to win. A great series that deserves more attention. Highly Recommended.