Ep 36. Encounter with the king

Hajime no Ippo season 1 episode 36, "Encounter with the King," opens with Ippo and his friends discussing the upcoming match between Ippo and the current Featherweight champion, Date Eiji. Ippo is nervous, but as his friends point out, he's been nervous before every match and has always come out on top. They try to hype him up, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Meanwhile, at the gym where Ippo trains, Coach Kamogawa is watching a video of Date's fights. He's impressed with Date's skill and power, but he's also confident that Ippo can beat him. He tells Ippo that the key to beating Date is to stay calm and not get overwhelmed by his reputation.

The day of the match arrives and Ippo and his friends head to the arena. As they're walking, they see a huge crowd gathered around someone. They push their way through and find that it's Date himself, surrounded by fans and reporters. Ippo tries to slip away unnoticed, but he's stopped by one of the reporters, who asks him for his thoughts on the match. Ippo stammers out a few words and then hurriedly makes his escape.

Inside the arena, Ippo is warming up when he sees Date for the first time. Date is tall and imposing, with a serious expression on his face. Ippo is shaken by his presence and has trouble focusing on his warm-up. Kamogawa notices and gives him some advice: "Don't look at the king. Look at his feet. If you focus on his feet, you won't be intimidated by his aura."

The match begins and Ippo starts off strong, landing several punches on Date. But Date quickly recovers and starts to dominate the fight. His punches are powerful and precise, and Ippo is having trouble keeping up. At one point, Date knocks Ippo down with a devastating uppercut. Ippo gets back up, but he's clearly shaken.

As the fight continues, Ippo starts to find his rhythm. He remembers Kamogawa's advice and starts focusing on Date's feet instead of his face. This helps him to stay calm and focused, and his punches start to land with more force. The two fighters go back and forth, with neither one gaining a clear advantage.

In the final round, Ippo lands a powerful body blow on Date that leaves him staggering. But Date quickly recovers and starts to unleash a barrage of punches on Ippo. It looks like Ippo is about to be knocked out, but he refuses to give up. He keeps fighting, landing a few more punches of his own.

In the end, the judges declare the match a draw. Ippo and Date both collapse on the canvas, exhausted and battered. But Ippo is happy with the result. He knows that he still has a long way to go before he can compete with the best, but he's proven to himself and to the world that he's a fighter to be reckoned with.

"Encounter with the King" is a thrilling episode that showcases the intensity and drama of professional boxing. It's a testament to the power of hard work and perseverance, and to the importance of self-confidence and focus. Whether you're a fan of sports, drama, or both, you won't want to miss this episode of Hajime no Ippo.