Hajime no Ippo, the popular manga series written by MoriKawa George, has reached a significant milestone as its latest volume, Volume 138, was released on the 14th, pushing the total number of copies sold to over 100 million. After 34 years since its serialization debut in 1989, the series has finally achieved this remarkable feat.
In a self-tribute to the series, the cover of Volume 138 pays homage to the first volume, and MoriKawa took to Twitter to share his thoughts, confessing, “The cover has the same composition as the first volume, but I accidentally drew the fist in reverse. It’s an example of a big mistake that I didn’t notice. I’ve always wanted to redraw it correctly someday.”
Expressing his gratitude to the readers, MoriKawa said, “Volume 138 has reached 100 million copies after over 30 years. It’s all thanks to everyone. Thank you very much. Please continue to support us in the future.”
Hajime no Ippo, which has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine since 1989, is a popular boxing manga that follows the story of Makunouchi Ippo, a clumsy and bullied high school student who encounters boxer Mamoru Takamura and embraces the dream of becoming a professional boxer while searching for the meaning of “strength.”
The series received the 15th Kodansha Manga Award in the Shonen category in 1991 and the 43rd Kodansha Manga Award’s 110th anniversary special award in 2019. It has also been adapted into a television anime series and stage play, solidifying its popularity.
■ Comment from MoriKawa George: “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for reaching 100 million copies. It’s all thanks to everyone. This manga is still halfway through its journey, so please continue to support Makunouchi Ippo and his friends. Thank you very much.”
