A Special Thanks Goes Out To Kodansha and NetGalley for the Opportunity to Review This Title.
We’re trading our time Busting Ghosts for a step back in time, to the late 60s, and early 70s with Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba’s Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow Volume One. But before we begin the review, be sure to check out my previous reviews and my art page, Red’s Art Corner.
It’s finally here, Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow made its way to English audiences, it is one of the most influential titles in the manga industry and a cultural phenomenon in Japan, that empowered the working class and college students of Japan. The story focuses on a young drifter named Joe Yabuki, who finds himself wandering through the slums of Tokyo. After a gang of hoodlums tries to get a jump on Joe, Yabuki quickly shows the gang that he is quick with his fists and wits. What he doesn’t know is that this caught the attention of an old drunk named Danpei Tange, a failed boxer and former coach who sees something special in the boy. Tange pleads with the boy to train and help Joe become a boxer, but the boy quickly shoots down the old coach. After Yabuki gets himself arrested and placed in the juvenile detention facility, he realizes that he needs to hone his skills to survive, which leads to a partnership that could take Joe to the top.
The thing you have to remember is that Joe Yabuki isn’t your typical Sports Manga protagonist and that’s not a bad thing, it helps him stand out from the rest. He didn’t even want to take up boxing, just someone who knew how to fight and could take a beating if it meant taking down his opponent with him. Yabuki is a good representation of the forgotten class of society that is quickly overlooked, who have dared to try to make a better world.
Also, keep in mind that this first volume is more of a collection, so it introduces key characters, their quirks, dreams, failures, and what they hope for tomorrow. It’s not at a fast pace, but at a gradual speed where it keeps the reader’s interest, this collected bundle shows its greatest strength because it gives a better idea of where the story is going and pieces it together as it progresses. As far as the story goes, it still resonates with many of its readers today, those who view themselves as Joe Yabuki, going against any obstacle to make their dreams come true. Another aspect to look at was the reality of a post-war Japan after World War II, with the slums being portrayed as bleak, violent, and unforgiving, a place where many had to fight to survive. Joe’s disdain for authority and law wasn’t due to being considered a quirk, but this was considered by some as a reflection of a broader disillusionment of the system that failed people like him. As for Danpei, his alcoholic and washed-up state was supposed to be a representation of the struggle of a generation that couldn’t achieve their dreams in the wake of Japan’s wartime defeat.
While discussing the artwork in this story, Tetsuya Chiba’s artwork and style are something to admire, with Takamori’s writing it was the perfect pairing in terms of a manga. Chiba’s style may look cartoonish to some, but he captured boxing’s fast-paced movements and the sense of grit and realism. The action was dynamic and fluid, Joe’s raw power when it came to his fights, also showing off Yabuki’s ferocity.
Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow Vol. One is available for pre-order, and it is scheduled to be available at bookstores and e-retailers on December 24, 2024. You can also catch the anime adaptation on Crunchyroll.
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Final Grade:
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