Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Vol. 1

Gr 9 Up–This beloved classic has held a revered spot in Japan’s manga history since its original run from 1968–1973, and an English translation is finally here. Joe Yabuki is a quick-tempered teenager and a preternaturally talented boxer. He finds guidance from an older ex-boxer named Danpei Tange, who sees what Joe is capable of and tries to mentor him. But as Danpei attempts to break through to him, his efforts are repeatedly thwarted by Joe’s flagrant law breaking and fighting. Joe winds up in a reformatory and Danpei continues to train him through correspondence, helping Joe develop boxing techniques to fight his rival. Modern readers might be taken aback by the prison hazing and intergenerational fighting, but it fits contextually, if not comfortably, as this manga reads like a folk hero’s tall tale. The artwork balances subdued yet elegant crosshatched backgrounds against countless frames of pure action, and the many fight sequences explode off the page. There is some welcome comic relief in the group of kids who adore Joe and work with Danpei to visit him in the reformatory. This is just the first volume, and Joe definitely has some maturing to do, but readers won’t be able to help but root for him as he fights tirelessly against adversity.