Tomorrow's Joe 2 (1980–1981) User Reviews

Peak

[mafiya-59137 · 10/10 · 9 April 2022]

Ashita no Joe isn't a show about boxing, it's a show about a man who boxes. And yet it's the best sport anime I've ever seen.

But Ashita no Joe is less about boxing as a sport, and more about how it can become the very lifeblood for a man, and how that affects him and those around him.

The story of Ashita no Joe, seen through Joe Yabuki (amazing protagonist) as a character, was very influential to the young crowds at the time. Joe's journey through life, his strive to find meaning in a beforehand meaningless existence, his brash attitude, combined with the state of the Doya slums, created a very relateable figure for the younger crowd back in 1968.

It even went so far that they constructed an (real life) funeral for a deceased, fictional character. The creators themselves had difficulty believing how much of an impact Ashita no Joe had as a story.

While Hajime no Ippo (another boxing anime) had a huge impact in terms of Manga field because of its longevity, characters and other things, Ashita no Joe was a social piece of art which became the symbol of a young population protesting on the streets, it went beyond the borders of its media to become a cultural and social symbol.

Ashita no Joe is one of the few shows I consider peak fiction and Joe was the best main character I've encountered.

8.7/10 - Head and shoulders above most Anime.

[josh_lucht · 9/10 · 25 November 2020]

I did not watch the first season of Ashita no Jo, as I was not able to find it through my usual means of accessing Anime. After having watched Ashita no Jo 2, I can confidently say that you do not need to watch the first season to enjoy the second. It does reference the first season a number of times, but in such a way that it fills the blanks while doing so.

Ashita no Jo 2 is a special anime. The show does not try to convince you to have a certain perspective about the protaganist and his flaws, it simply takes you on a journey where some of the most powerful and inspiring aspects of human nature can also represent the most heart-breaking and disappointing results.

AJ2 seemed like it was going to be one thing as I ventured into the first half of the show, but it became something that held more depth, pain and within those qualities, beauty - than I imagined it would.

I believe that we as viewers are most drawn to characters in movies/books/tv that convincingly represent human traits and flaws in their more extreme places on the spectrum. Jo Yabuki is the epitome of finding fulfilment in the simplicity of one's passion, at cost to all other things, if necessary. The people around him represent balanced desire, normalcy, without this being portrayed as negative. He is what many wish to be, but fear being. Passion, in it's purest, most undiluted form. How beautiful, how tragic.

Old but gold

[frieren_mid · 10/10 · 29 March 2024]

Ashita no Joe anime is an incredibly old work, and at first I was quite skeptical about it. But after watching it the whole way through, I can only say that I am amazed. This is without any doubt one of the greatest anime in history, which influenced an entire generation of Japanese and confidently passed the test of time, because its main drawback is the art, but most people get used to it quite fast.

Ashita no Joe set the highest bar for anime storytelling quality. Such cast of characters, their in-depth exploration, development is almost impossible to find. All the characters, even the ordinary drunks, are memorable here. The main character has one of the best character developments that I've ever seen across all serialized stories.

The fact is that the vast majority of sports works are built according to one hackneyed scheme. The main character is a genius with a hidden talent in his sport. He meets a stern trainer who helps and trains the hero. Then there is a meeting with the main enemy in which the hero loses. After this, through overcoming, quarrels with the coach, loss of motivation (optional), overcoming some kind of physical injury (if any), they come to the final rival, at first loses in the fight, but miraculously turns the situation around and wins. In this regard, Joe is capable of surprising (watch the first season and you'll understand what I'm talking about). It is the plot that is the strongest side of "Ashita no Joe", and also the excellent musical accompaniment (the second theme by Rikiishi Toru and undoubtedly Midnight blues will forever be in my heart). But also the background music, music for combat and in tense moments is of the highest level (especially in the second season, the music of the first will appeal to those who love the classics of the seventies). Also excellent openings (my personal favorites are the first and fourth).

I highly recommend this anime to everyone who enjoy following well-written stories and are not prejudiced against old artstyle.