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Hajime no Ippo seasons
Hajime no Ippo has three TV series made by Madhouse: the first series (often called The Fighting!, 2000 to 2002), New Challenger (2009) and Rising (2013 to 2014, co-produced with MAPPA). Together they total 127 episodes: 76, 26 and 25. There are also two 2003 extras, the TV special Champion Road and the OVA Mashiba vs. Kimura. George Morikawa's manga has run in Weekly Shonen Magazine since 1989 and reached its 145th volume in January 2026, far beyond the point where the anime stops, so the TV series cover only part of the story.
| Season | Premiere | End | Episodes | Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1: The Fighting! | October 4, 2000 | March 27, 2002 | 76 | Madhouse |
| Season 2: New Challenger | January 6, 2009 | June 30, 2009 | 26 | Madhouse |
| Season 3: Rising | October 5, 2013 | March 29, 2014 | 25 | Madhouse, MAPPA |
| Hajime no Ippo: Champion Road (TV special) | April 18, 2003 | Madhouse | ||
| Hajime no Ippo: Mashiba vs. Kimura (OVA) | September 5, 2003 | Madhouse |
Season 1: The Fighting!
The first series aired on Nippon TV from 4 October 2000 to 27 March 2002, directed by Satoshi Nishimura at Madhouse. It follows Ippo from his first day at the Kamogawa Gym through his pro debut, the East Japan Rookie King tournament and his first bouts against Japan's ranked featherweights. It has 76 episodes; 75 aired on TV and the 76th was released on home video.
Season 2: New Challenger
New Challenger aired on Nippon TV from 6 January to 30 June 2009 with 26 episodes, directed by Jun Shishido at Madhouse. It picks up after Champion Road: Ippo looks for stronger opponents, his gym mates chase their own title shots, and Takamura takes on bigger challenges in his weight class.
Season 3: Rising
Rising aired from 5 October 2013 to 29 March 2014 with 25 episodes, directed by Jun Shishido and produced by Madhouse with MAPPA. It continues straight on from New Challenger, with Ippo meeting new opponents and the series spending time on Takamura's world-level ambitions and the backstory of Coach Kamogawa.
Hajime no Ippo: Champion Road (TV special)
Champion Road is a 90-minute TV special directed by Satoshi Nishimura that aired on Nippon TV on 18 April 2003. It takes place after the first series and covers Ippo's next important fights, so it is best watched between the first series and New Challenger.
Hajime no Ippo: Mashiba vs. Kimura (OVA)
Mashiba vs. Kimura is a 60-minute OVA directed by Hitoshi Nanba and released on 5 September 2003. It moves the spotlight from Ippo to his gym mate Tatsuya Kimura and his title match against Ryo Mashiba. Watch it after Champion Road and before New Challenger.
Next season Not announced yet
No new Hajime no Ippo anime has been announced as of November 2026. The last new series was Rising, which ended in March 2014. In 2026 the existing anime gained new attention instead: ABEMA began streaming all 127 TV episodes, the TV special and the OVA in Japan from 10 August 2026, and Netflix in the US has carried all three series since January 2025. The manga has been on a break since its chapter of March 5, 2026; a break was first announced in December 2025, and in late March 2026 George Morikawa said he had been hospitalised and that no return date was set.
FAQ
How many seasons does Hajime no Ippo have?
There are three TV series: the first series (76 episodes, 2000 to 2002), New Challenger (26 episodes, 2009) and Rising (25 episodes, 2013 to 2014). That makes 127 episodes, plus the TV special Champion Road and the OVA Mashiba vs. Kimura, both from 2003.
Will there be a Hajime no Ippo season 4?
Nothing has been announced as of November 2026. No studio or publisher has confirmed a new series since Rising ended in 2014. The manga still has many chapters the anime has not adapted, but new chapters have been paused since March 2026 while the author recovers from a hospital stay.
What order should I watch Hajime no Ippo in?
Watch the first series (76 episodes), then the TV special Champion Road, then the OVA Mashiba vs. Kimura, then New Challenger and finally Rising. Both 2003 extras fill in events that the later series build on.
Is the Hajime no Ippo manga finished?
No. George Morikawa's manga has run in Weekly Shonen Magazine since 1989 and reached volume 145 in January 2026, with more than 1,500 chapters. It has been on a break since March 2026, and the author later said he had been hospitalised.
Who is the main character of Hajime no Ippo?
Ippo Makunouchi, a shy high school student who joins the Kamogawa Gym after the boxer Mamoru Takamura rescues him from bullies. He fights at featherweight as an aggressive in-fighter and is voiced by Kōhei Kiyasu in Japanese.
Sources
- Hajime no Ippo - Wikipedia
- List of Hajime no Ippo characters - Wikipedia
- 第一神拳 - 维基百科
- ABEMA press release via INSIDE (2026-08-10)
- Anime News Network: Hajime no Ippo Manga Takes Break Due to Creator's Hospitalization (2026-03-30)
- Anime News Network encyclopedia: Hajime no Ippo (manga)
- Anime News Network: Netflix Adds Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger, Rising Anime (2025-01-17)
- Search result: 3rd season of Hajime no Ippo anime greenlit (2013)
- Anime News Network: Hajime no Ippo manga announces break