Ashita no Joe (1980 Theatrical Edition)

あしたのじょー げきじょうばん

Aired: 1980

A theatrical anime produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and distributed through Toho, this film is a feature-length re-edit of the 1970-71 television series adapting Asao Takamori (Ikki Kajiwara) and Tetsuya Chiba's seminal boxing manga 'Ashita no Joe.' Drawing the most memorable beats of the manga and TV anime back onto the big screen, it traces Joe Yabuki's path from juvenile-detention rebellion through his fateful encounter with Toru Rikiishi, his immersion in the Sanya slums under trainer Danpei Tange, and his charged relationship with the wealthy Yoko Shiraki. Special weight is given to the brutal weight-loss arc and Joe's championship-defining bout with Rikiishi. As a curated theatrical encore prior to the following year's all-new Ashita no Joe 2 feature, the 1980 film is essential viewing for anyone tracing the series' cultural impact on Japanese sports anime.