Ring ni Kakero

Ring ni Kakero (Japanese: リングにかけろ, Hepburn: Ringu ni Kakero), or Put It All in the Ring, is a manga created by Masami Kurumada. A total of 25 volumes were published in Weekly Shōnen Jump between 1977 and 1981. It is one of the magazine's best-selling manga series of all time, with over 13 million copies sold its first publication.^[1][2]

About

Story

The story centers around the life of a young boxer named Ryuuji Takane and his sister Kiku, who is his coach. Ryuuji and his sister both inherited their father's talent for boxing with Ryuuji inheriting his strength and techniques while Kiku picked up his talent for analysis and strategy. In the past, their father was a famous boxer. Ryuuji and Kiku went away from home to train and become famous in order to help their lonely mother. On the way to stardom, they have to defeat the strongest challengers all over the world.

In Ring ni Kakero 1, the characters are briefly introduced, telling the story from the moment Ryuuji and Jun Kenzaki (his eternal challenger and supposedly best friend) fight for the National Boxing Title and having both achieved stardom. Ryuuji's sister then tells the story from the beginning which starts from when Ryuuji is the finalist in a local youth championship and had to compete against Kenzaki, the latter winning after an almost tie and K.O. one-to-one fight.

Afterwards, most of the series tells about Ryuuji being the successor of Kenzaki (as the latter was terribly injured and almost crippled), who competes in the Japan National Boxing Championship, where he encounters strong and deadly opponents, including Ishimatsu Katori (a comic relief, but also a strong fighter), Takeshi Kawai (who specializes in the upper jab technique; he is also a pianist and also likes to cheat) and Kazuki Shinatora (who specializes in the Rolling Thunder technique; he is a former kendo practitioner, who retired when he challenged his father due to his cruel training).

It should be noted that other opponents make cameo appearances, such as the USA (Black Shaft) and France (Napoleón Bara) Champions. Also Führer Skörpion had an appearance, who ordered a fellow member of the Boxing Team to "follow" (i.e.: spy on) Kenzaki and Ryuuji, as possible threats to the World Championship.

Later on, the Jr. Japan team facing Black Shaft's team was adapted into an anime. Ryuji, Jun, Katori, Kazuki, and Takeshi represented Japan. Black Shaft had no intention of taking Japan seriously in a boxing match so he recruits Mick, leader of the Great Angels New York Branch (originally the Hells Angels in the manga), a deathrow inmate Monster Jail, Miss Charnel, a mysterious androgynous boy boxing champion known for his unhealthy obsession with his own beauty that knows no bounds (even in the ring) as well as that in which he savors reducing the "pretty" faces of any opponent he faces in the ring into mush, along with hypnotic powers that he casts upon his opponents to leave them as sitting ducks for his attacks and high-speed punches and fancy footwork, and N.B. Forrest, also known as the emperor of the south and a Ku Klux Klan member (in the manga). The second season ends with The Shadow clan, formed by a boxer who used the sweet science as an assassination art, aiming after Team Japan.

The main techniques of Ryuuji are his Left-Right Jabs, his stubborn courage (similar to that of Seiya when fighting and never giving up) and his special technique, the "Boomerang Hook" and "Boomerang Thelios". Ryuuji and Kawai were the finalists of the tournament.^[2]

History

27 years after the first chapter debuted, the manga was finally adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation which premiered October 6, 2004 and was broadcast on TV Asahi. This covered the first story arc of the manga. Since Ring ni Kakero 2 was being serialized in Super Jump at this time, the anime was titled "Ring ni Kakero 1" in order to distinguish it from the more current manga (the original manga was later republished under the anime title).

After B't X, Kurumada created Ring ni Kakero 2, which was published in Super Jump (a seinen magazine). Ring ni Kakero 2 tells the story of Kiku and Jun's son, Rindo Kenzaki who is now raised by Katori Ishimatsu after losing both of his parents.^[3]

This series has a lot in common with Saint Seiya (which appeared nine years later, in 1986), with astonishing combat techniques, references to Greek Mythology, and characters with similar physical and personality traits. Ring ni Kakero is generally considered the manga that originally "made" style Shōnen Jump.

Characters

Ryuuji Takane (高嶺 竜児,, Takane Ryūji)

Voiced by: Masakazu Morita

The main character of the series, Ryuuji is a fierce and spirited young man who is trained in boxing techniques by his older sister Kiku. He has strong skill in basic techniques like jabs and one-twos. His special attacks include the Boomerang Hook and Boomerang Telios.

Kiku Takane (高嶺 菊,, Takane Kiku)

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka

Jun Kenzaki (剣崎 順,, Kenzaki Jun)

Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu

Ishimatsu Katori (香取 石松,, Katori Ishimatsu)

Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao

Kazuki Shinatora (志那虎 一城,, Shinatora Kazuki)

Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa

Takeshi Kawai (河井 武士,, Kawai Takeshi)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

Futaba Shinatora (志那虎 二葉,, Shinatora Futaba)

Voiced by: Fumiko Inoue

Takako Kawai (河井 貴子,, Kawai Takako)

Voiced by: Mami Kingetsu

Catherine (キャサリン,, Kyasarin)

Voiced by: Mai Aizawa

Black Shaft (ブラック・シャフト,, Burakku Shafuto)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Führer Skörpion (フューラー・スコルピオン,, Fyūrā Skorupion)

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa

Krüger Helga (クリューガー・ヘルガ,, Kuryūgā Heruga)

Voiced by: Hiro Yuki

Napoléon Valois (ナポレオーン・バロア,, Naporeōn Baroa)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa

Don Juliano (ドン・ジュリアーノ,, Don Juriāno)

Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda

Shadow Jhung (影道 殉 (シャドー・ジューン),, Shadō Jūn)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

Media

Video game

• Ring ni Kakero (video game) - Super Famicom (Nintendo Power)

Manga

Ring ni Kakero is a manga of 25 volumes realized between 1977 and 1981 by Masami Kurumada. After B't X, Kurumada created Ring ni Kakero 2, which was published in Super Jump, a seinen magazine. Ring ni Kakero 2 tells the story of Kiku and Jun's son, Rindo Kenzaki, who is raised by Katori Ishimatsu after losing both of his parents. The manga ended in 2009 after 26 volumes. Two manga about boxing, but also on the full of human feelings, the secret techniques, is mysterious stories.

Anime

27 years after the first chapter debuted, the manga was finally adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation. The series premiered October 6, 2004 and was broadcast on TV Asahi. It covered the first story arc of the manga. Since Ring ni Kakero 2 was being serialized in Super Jump at the time, the anime was titled Ring ni Kakero 1 to distinguish it from the more current manga (the original manga was later republished under the anime title). A total of 36 episodes were made, published in format DVD for the world market.^[4]

Season 1: Carnival Champion arc (2004)

Season 2: The Pacific War arc (2006)

Season 3: Shadow arc (2010)

Season 4: World Tournament arc (2011)

References