Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! Play Online

Game Info

Cover art of Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!

5 / 5

29 votes

Platform: Game Boy Advance
Genres: Fighting · Sports
Player Perspective: First person
Developers: Treasure
Publishers: ESP Software
Release date: December 13, 2002

Summary

Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! is a polished boxing title crafted by the legendary Japanese studio Treasure, drawing its inspiration from the wildly popular manga and anime series of the same name. The game captures the series’ high‑energy bouts with tight controls and a roster that feels true to the source material.

What sets this entry apart is its regional rarity: while Treasure also delivered the two Victorious Boxer games to a broader market, The Fighting never made it beyond Japan’s borders. That limited release has turned it into a hidden gem for collectors and fans of the franchise alike.

Storyline

In Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! on Game Boy Advance, the Story Mode tracks Makunouchi Ippo’s rise from his early spar with rival Miyata Ichirō all the way to his second title bout against Sendō Takeshi for the JBC featherweight championship.

The mode omits several bouts that appear in the series, including fights against Oda Yūsuke, Fujiwara Yoshio, Jason Ozuma, Kobashi Kenta, and Ponchai Chuwatana. After Ippo’s loss to Date Eiji, the game pits him against Shigeta Akira instead of the series‑original Ponchai.

Edited by Maya Carter