The Sad Truth About Hajime no Ippo: Why There’s No Season 4

Summary

The video discusses the decline of the anime adaptation of *Hajime no Ippo*, which, despite being an incredible story, failed to achieve lasting success. While the franchise had initial success with video games and manga sales after the first two seasons, the third season, *Rising*, struggled with poor reception and failed to resonate with the Japanese audience. Despite this, the manga has continued to thrive, achieving the milestone of 100 million copies sold. The video concludes by emphasizing that, although the anime might not get a fourth season, the manga remains a powerful and beloved work.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hajime no Ippo, despite being a great story, did not succeed as an anime, and a fourth season is unlikely.
• 😀 Anime adaptations are created to drive profits through merchandise, games, and other related products.
• 😀 Successful anime like Demon Slayer and Dragon Ball saw their sales and popularity surge thanks to the anime adaptation.
• 😀 After Hajime no Ippo's first season, video games were released, but the franchise didn't see long-term success in boosting manga sales.
• 😀 The second season, New Challenger, significantly boosted manga sales, but the momentum didn't last.
• 😀 The third season, Rising, didn't resonate with the Japanese audience, lacked key content from the manga, and was a poor adaptation overall.
• 😀 Despite Rising's poor reception in Japan, the anime found a loyal fanbase in the West, especially in Latin America and the US.
• 😀 A PlayStation 3 game released alongside the third season sold poorly, and manga sales did not see significant improvement.
• 😀 The anime exists to promote other products, like mobile games or merchandise, which is why many shows focus on that instead of delivering strong stories.
• 😀 Despite the failure of the anime, the Hajime no Ippo manga continues to thrive, with digital availability boosting sales and attracting new readers.
• 😀 Hajime no Ippo reached a milestone of 100 million manga copies sold, an impressive achievement for a manga series.
• 😀 The poor adaptation of Rising may have led to George Morikawa's disinterest in creating a fourth season, though this is based on rumors rather than official confirmation.

Q & A

Why do anime adaptations exist in the first place?

Anime adaptations are made primarily to increase a franchise's profitability by boosting sales of associated products like manga, video games, merchandise, and more.

What made *Demon Slayer*'s anime adaptation so successful?

*Demon Slayer*'s anime adaptation was so successful that it led to an incredible rise in manga sales, even surpassing *One Piece* for a time, and made the franchise a massive success across multiple formats like merchandise, games, and streaming.

How did *Dragon Ball* benefit from its anime adaptation?

*Dragon Ball*'s anime adaptation boosted the manga's success to another level, expanding into numerous spin-offs, movies, games, and merchandise. Its success continues today through manga sales and top-selling games.

What was the initial reception of *Hajime no Ippo*'s anime?

The first season of *Hajime no Ippo* performed well, leading to the release of several video games, including the popular *Victorious Boxers* series, which gained significant traction in Japan.

How did the second season of *Hajime no Ippo*, *New Challenger*, impact manga sales?

The second season of *Hajime no Ippo*, *New Challenger*, had a huge impact on manga sales, increasing volumes from around 180,000-250,000 copies per volume to over 400,000 copies per volume.

Why did *Hajime no Ippo*'s anime begin to decline after the third season?

The third season, *Rising*, faced several issues, such as skipping important manga content, poorly adapted character arcs, and rushed pacing. This caused it to not resonate well with the Japanese audience, despite strong reception in the West.

How did the *Hajime no Ippo* video game perform alongside the third season?

The PlayStation 3 game based on *Hajime no Ippo*, released alongside season 3, sold poorly and lacked an English version, contributing to the overall decline in the franchise's anime success.

Did *Hajime no Ippo*'s anime adaptation boost manga sales?

While the third season of *Hajime no Ippo* did not significantly boost manga sales, there were slight increases for a few volumes. However, the manga's sales ultimately leveled off at numbers lower than the second season's impact.

How did the digital release of *Hajime no Ippo*'s manga contribute to its success?

The manga's digital release, particularly making the first 110 volumes free, led to a surge in readership, bringing in new fans who later bought physical copies. This resulted in *Hajime no Ippo* reaching 100 million copies sold.

Is there a chance for a fourth season of *Hajime no Ippo*?

Despite rumors that creator George Morikawa may not be interested in making a fourth season due to the negative reception of *Rising*, there is no official confirmation on this. The lack of a new season is likely due to the anime's decline in Japan.

What makes the *Hajime no Ippo* manga still relevant and successful today?

The *Hajime no Ippo* manga continues to thrive due to its captivating art, well-developed characters, and emotional storytelling. The series is still ongoing with weekly releases, keeping fans engaged.