Manga creator George Morikawa, known for his iconic boxing manga, Hajime no Ippo announced on social media that he was recently hospitalized. It was also confirmed that his manga will remain on break as he will be focusing on his recovery. He expects to be back in about a month.
George Morikawa shared a picture of the draft for his upcoming chapter on Twitter. As Anime News Network’s Anita Tai confirmed in December 2025 that the manga was taking a break.The manga’s 1,515th and most recent chapter appeared in the 14th issue of Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine this year (on sale March 5, 2026). We’re wishing Morikawa-Sensei a speedy recovery, and can’t wait for his return back to the squared circle.
Hajime no Ippo (はじめの一歩) is written and illustrated by George Morikawa. It has been serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine since October 1989, with its chapters collected in 145 tankōbon volumes as of January 2026. In 1991, Hajime no Ippo won the 15th Kodansha Manga Award in the Shōnen Category. By July 2023, the manga had over 100 million copies in circulation, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. The manga series would inspire a TV Anime adaptation produced by MADHOUSE that consisted of 76 episodes, airing from 2001 to 2003. A Television film and an original video animation (OVA) were released in 2003. A second series titled Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger aired from January to June 2009. Followed by a third series, Hajime no Ippo: Rising aired from October 2013 to March 2014. You can watch the TV anime on Netflix, and own the first series collection on Blu-ray. Meanwhile, the individual chapters of the Hajime no Ippo manga are available to read on Kodansha’s KMANGA app.
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What does it feel like to be strong? That’s the question on the mind of Ippo Makunouchi, a clumsy high-school kid who gets bullied a lot. But when he runs into pro boxer Mamoru Takamura, it isn’t long before the dynamite in his fists is unleashed! Dreaming of joining Takamura in the pro ranks, Ippo joins him at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym—and there his quest for true strength begins, in and out of the ring!
Source: George Morikawa’s Twitter Page, Anime News Network
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