Ashita no Joe/Megalobox

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Perhaps we should give CX a shot at a guest entry for once. I'd write something, but now I fear it would be about nothing more than bashing that once scene from the episode that really digests me. Other than that, the premiere was inoffensive and completely unremarkable (as in not stand-out good or bad, and thus kind of boring to write about for me).

[Foggle]

Never mind, I just watched it. I was disgusted enough that I think I need to write about this one.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Aw, darn, I guess that means I just wrote a three-page review of Matsutaro for nothing, then.   

[Dr. Insomniac]

Aw, darn, I guess that means I just wrote a three-page review of Matsutaro for nothing, then.   

Give it to us anyway, please.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Just keep in kind that it's not unlike Toei to completely fuck with the source material of good manga. I've never read the original manga since it's not available in English, but I'd like to think it's persisted as a popular series in Japan since the 70's for a reason. Then again....this is Japan. Still, just keep in mind that this in no way reflects the quality of Chiba's most famous series, Ashita no Joe (partly being because he didn't actually write it, but just illustrated it). I'd still like to think that he has a better writing sense than that by having worked with one of Japan's greatest minds in comic book fiction, but there's no way I'll ever know that unless the manga was ever available in English.

All I'm saying is....if you're going to roast this series in your write-up, grill Toei instead of Chiba, just because.

[Lord Dalek]

Aw, darn, I guess that means I just wrote a three-page review of Matsutaro for nothing, then.   

Three pages?!? Yeah you're getting your own article for that.

[Dr. Insomniac]

I like to think all of the douchiness from the main character is only because it's from a 70s manga, so changing values could potentially make his actions a bit more charitable for middle-aged viewers than us. Granted, he's still a twat, but it was probably not Toei's best intentions to adapt a series from 1977 without thinking some things through.

[Foggle]

Aw, darn, I guess that means I just wrote a three-page review of Matsutaro for nothing, then.   

Give it to us anyway, please.

Yes.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Okay!    How should I send it?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I like to think all of the douchiness from the main character is only because it's from a 70s manga, so changing values could potentially make his actions a bit more charitable for middle-aged viewers than us. Granted, he's still a twat, but it was probably not Toei's best intentions to adapt a series from 1977 without thinking some things through.

That's really no excuse for Matsutaro's actions, though. Ashita no Joe and Black Jack came from eras where Japan had different values, and they still featured far more likable characters than Matsutaro, even when they were morally gray (especially with Joe in the beginning of the manga). The difference between Joe and Matsutaro is that, even when Joe was a jerky delinquent, he was still an interesting and compelling character. Aside from Matsutaro's horrible and selfish actions....he's pretty bland so far.

Like I said, though, I'll give the series a few more episodes before passing final judgement off on it.

[Dr. Insomniac]

Also, I read a blog where someone questioned why this anime was made, given that sumo wrestling's a dying art in Japan and the year gap from the manga's creation. Since Toei's already making Digimon Avengers, Dalek's favorite PreCure, and Kamen Rider, they're spreading their already languid arms a bit thin.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Okay!    How should I send it?

Sorry, I missed this. Just PM it to me or one of the other admins and it'll be posted up for you.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I already sent it to Foggle. 

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Cool! Can't wait to read it!

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, getting back to the topic of Ashita no Joe, I was wondering if you wanted to rate the story arcs like how I previously did (you can do it on the manga thread or this one for the anime, it doesn't really matter).

Also, what are some of your favorite moments of the series (remember to put any important plot points and character development under spoiler tags).

For me, personally, the best segment of the entire series was from the ending of Part I to the opening arc of Part II. That isn't to say that the series went downhill in any way at all past that point, but more so that Joe's depression really stuck a cord with me on an emotional level. It's not particularly deep or complex, but the simplicity of it is why it appeals to me so much. His psychological slump is something that he's going through for a very human reason, and these arcs, more than any other in the series, show you just how human of a character Joe Yabuki is.

Other than that, there are a lot of little things that I love which are dispersed throughout this story, but I must give props to the amazing ending. It's easily one of the most classic and highly-referenced endings in any manga or anime series.

Spoiler

After all, how many modern shounen series would have the balls to kill off the main character at the end? You just wouldn't see this in most modern shounen series. And it's not like it's a Shakespearean type tragedy of a death. It fits the tone of the series. I feel as though Joe dying with a smile on his face shows the audience that he is completely satisfied with accomplishing what he set out to do. He essentially leaves the world with absolutely no regrets (for himself, of course). The bitter part of it has more to do with the people who care about him. Obviously both Yoko and Danpei would quit the boxing business for good after this. I would like to hope that Danpei doesn't go back to being a drunk, and that Yoko could still find happiness despite the 2nd man she loved dying in the ring, but the beauty of it is that Takamori leaves it up to the audience to interpret things how they will. At any rate, the fight leading up to Joe's death was suitably climactic, and it almost makes me wish that I were born a Japanese person at the perfect age to read AnJ when it was out just to experience it as it was when it was a currently serialized series. I can't imagine how excited people must've been whenever a new chapter of this series was published.

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