Ring ni Kakero

Ring ni Kakero (Japanese: リングにかけろ, Hepburn: Ringu ni Kakero, lit."Put It All in the Ring") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump between January 1977 and October 1981. The individual chapters were compiled by Shueisha into twenty-five tankōbon volumes. A sequel entitled Ring ni Kakero 2 was serialized in Super Jump between 2000 and 2008.

Ring ni Kakero
Cover of the first manga volume
リングにかけろ (Ringu ni Kakero)
Genre	Sports[1]
Manga
Written by	Masami Kurumada
Published by	Shueisha
Imprint	Jump Comics
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	January 10, 1977 – October 12, 1981
Volumes	25
Manga
Ring ni Kakero 2
Written by	Masami Kurumada
Published by	Shueisha
Magazine	Super Jump
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	2000 – 2008
Volumes	26
Anime television series
Ring ni Kakero 1
Directed by	Toshiaki Komura (Season 1) Yukio Kaizawa (Season 2) Hiroshi Ikehata (Season 3–4)
Produced by	Hedwig Schleck (Season 1) Atsushi Kido (Season 2) Shōsuke Okada (Season 3) Yoshihide Moriyama (Season 4)
Written by	Yōsuke Kuroda
Music by	Susumu Ueda
Studio	Toei Animation
Original network	TV Asahi (Seasons 1–2) Animax (Seasons 3–4)
Original run	October 6, 2004 – June 12, 2011
Episodes	36

An anime adaptation produced by Toei Animation premiered in October 2004. It was followed by a second season premiered in April 2006, a third season in April 2010 and a fourth season in April 2011.

Ring ni Kakero is one of Weekly Shōnen Jump's best-selling manga series, with over 13 million copies sold.

Plot

The story centers around the life of a young boxer named Ryuuji Takane and his sister Kiku, who is his coach. Ryuuji and his sister both inherited their father's talent for boxing with Ryuuji inheriting his strength and techniques while Kiku picked up his talent for analysis and strategy. In the past, their father was a famous boxer. Ryuuji and Kiku went away from home to train and become famous in order to help their lonely mother. On the way to stardom, they have to defeat the strongest challengers all over the world.

In Ring ni Kakero 1, the characters are briefly introduced, telling the story from the moment Ryuuji and Jun Kenzaki (his eternal challenger and supposedly best friend) fight for the National Boxing Title and having both achieved stardom. Ryuuji's sister then tells the story from the beginning which starts from when Ryuuji is the finalist in a local youth championship and had to compete against Kenzaki, the latter winning after an almost tie and K.O. one-to-one fight.

Afterward, most of the series tells about Ryuuji being the successor of Kenzaki (as the latter was terribly injured and almost crippled), who competes in the Japan National Boxing Championship, where he encounters strong and deadly opponents, including Ishimatsu Katori (a comic relief, but also a strong fighter), Takeshi Kawai (who specializes in the upper jab technique; he is also a pianist and also likes to cheat) and Kazuki Shinatora (who specializes in the Rolling Thunder technique; he is a former kendo practitioner, who retired when he challenged his father due to his cruel training).

Later on, the Jr. Japan team facing Blackshaft's team was adapted into an anime. Ryuji, Jun, Katori, Kazuki, and Takeshi represented Japan. Blackshaft had no intention of taking Japan seriously in a boxing match so he recruits Mick, leader of the Great Angels New York Branch (originally the Hells Angels in the manga), a deathrow inmate Monster Jail, Missie Charnel, a mysterious androgynous boy boxing champion known for his unhealthy obsession with his own beauty that knows no bounds (even in the ring) as well as that in which he savors reducing the "pretty" faces of any opponent he faces in the ring into mush, along with hypnotic powers that he casts upon his opponents to leave them as sitting ducks for his attacks and high-speed punches and fancy footwork, and N.B. Forrest, also known as the emperor of the south and a Ku Klux Klan member (in the manga). The second season ends with The Shadow clan, formed by a boxer who used the sweet science as an assassination art, aiming after Team Japan.

Characters

Ryuuji Takane (高嶺 竜児, Takane Ryūji)

Voiced by: Masakazu Morita

The main character of the series, Ryuuji is a fierce and spirited young man who is trained in boxing techniques by his older sister Kiku. He has strong skill in basic techniques like jabs and one-twos. His special attacks include the Boomerang Hook and Boomerang Telios.

Kiku Takane (高嶺 菊, Takane Kiku)

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka

Jun Kenzaki (剣崎 順, Kenzaki Jun)

Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu

Ishimatsu Katori (香取 石松, Katori Ishimatsu)

Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao

Kazuki Shinatora (志那虎 一城, Shinatora Kazuki)

Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa

Takeshi Kawai (河井 武士, Kawai Takeshi)

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya

Futaba Shinatora (志那虎 二葉, Shinatora Futaba)

Voiced by: Fumiko Inoue

Takako Kawai (河井 貴子, Kawai Takako)

Voiced by: Mami Kingetsu

Catherine (キャサリン, Kyasarin)

Voiced by: Mai Aizawa

Blackshaft (ブラックシャフト, Burakkushafuto)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Führer Skörpion (フューラー・スコルピオン, Fyūrā Skorupion)

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa

Krüger Helga (クリューガー・ヘルガ, Kuryūgā Heruga)

Voiced by: Hiro Yuki

Napoléon Valois (ナポレオーン・バロア, Naporeōn Baroa)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa

Don Juliano (ドン・ジュリアーノ, Don Juriāno)

Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda

Shadow Jeon (影道 殉（シャドー・ジュン）, Shadō Jun)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai

Media

Manga

Ring ni Kakero is written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. The series was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump between January 10, 1977 and October 12, 1981.[2][3] Shueisha compiled the individual chapters into twenty-five tankōbon volumes published between January 31, 1978 and January 15, 1983.[4][5] The series was re-released into a 18-volume deluxe edition published between September 9, 2001 and May 6, 2002.[6][7]

In 2000, a sequel entitled Ring ni Kakero 2 was published in Shueisha's Super Jump, a seinen magazine. Ring ni Kakero 2 tells the story of Kiku and Jun's son, Rindo Kenzaki, who is raised by Katori Ishimatsu after losing both of his parents. The series ran on an irregular basis until 2008.[8] Shueisha compiled the individual chapters into twenty-six tankōbon volumes published between July 9, 2000 and February 9, 2009.[9][10]

Video game

A video game titled Ring ni Kakero was released for the Super Famicom. It was available to download to writable Nintendo Power cartridges on June 1, 1998.

Anime

27 years after the first chapter debuted, the manga was finally adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation. The series premiered October 6, 2004 and was broadcast on TV Asahi. It covered the first story arc of the manga. Since Ring ni Kakero 2 was being serialized in Super Jump at the time, the anime was titled Ring ni Kakero 1 to distinguish it from the more current manga (the original manga was later republished under the anime title). A total of 36 episodes were made, published in format DVD for the world market.[11]

Season 1: Carnival Champion arc (2004)

Season No.	Series No.	Title	Original air date[12]
01	01	"Youth that Shines" "Kagayakeru seishun" (輝ける青春)	October 6, 2004 (double episode premiere)
02	02	"Goodbye, Golden Fist" "Saraba, ougon no ude" (さらば黄金の腕)	October 6, 2004 (double episode premiere)
03	03	"Its Name is Boomerang" "Sono na wa Buumeran" (その名はブーメラン)	October 13, 2004
04	04	"Champion Carnival Begins" "Chanpion Kaanibaru kaimaku" (チャンピオンカーニバル開幕)	October 20, 2004
05	05	"Roar! Boomerang Hook" "Unare! Buumeran Fukku" (唸れ！ブーメランフック)	October 27, 2004
06	06	"Rolling Thunder" "Rooringu Sandaa" (ローリングサンダー)	November 3, 2004
07	07	"Tomorrow" "Ashita" (あした)	November 10, 2004
08	08	"The Man's Determination" "Otoko no iji" (男の意地)	November 17, 2004
09	09	"The Thunder & The Boomerang" "Inazuma to Buumeran" (稲妻とブーメラン)	November 24, 2004
10	10	"Gong of Fate" "Unmei no Gongu" (運命のゴング)	December 1, 2004
11	11	"Navigation to Victory" "Shouri e no koukai" (勝利への航海)	December 8, 2004
12	12	"Formation! Golden Japan Jr." "Kessei ! Ougon no Nihon Jr." (結成！黄金の日本Jr.)	December 15, 2004

Season 2: The Pacific War arc (2006)

Season No.	Series No.	Title	Original air date[13]
01	13	"Start! Golden Japan Jr." "Shidou! Ougon no Nihon Jr." (始動！黄金の日本Ｊｒ.)	April 6, 2006
02	14	"Under the Flag of the Oath" "Chikai no Hata no Motode" (誓いの旗のもとで)	April 13, 2006
03	15	"Taking the Field! Fighting Champion" "Shutsujin! Kenka Champion" (出陣! ケンカチャンピオン)	April 20, 2006
04	16	"Logding One's Soul into the Fist" "Tamashi wo Kobushi ni Yadoshite" (魂を拳に宿して)	April 27, 2006
05	17	"Pierce Through the Storm!" "Arashi wo Tsukiyabure!" (嵐を突き破れ!)	May 4, 2006
06	18	"Temptation! The Demon's Eyes" "Yuuwaku! Mamono no me" (誘惑! 魔性の目)	May 11, 2006
07	19	"Run Up the Musical Scale!" "Onkai wo Kakenobare!" (音階を駆けのぼれ!)	May 18, 2006
08	20	"Natural Born Madness" "Nachuraru Boun Madonesu" (ナチュラルボーンマッドネス)	May 25, 2006
09	21	"Fierce Tiger, Go Wild" "Mouko, Araburu" (猛虎、荒ぶる)	June 1, 2006
10	22	"Superstar" "Suupaastaa" (スーパースター)	June 8, 2006
11	23	"Black Flash" "Kuroi Senkou" (黒い閃光)	June 15, 2006
12	24	"...And So the Boy Flies to the World" "Soshite Shounen wa Sekai e to Habataku" (そして少年は世界へと羽ばたく)	June 22, 2006

Season 3: Shadow arc (2010)

Season No.	Series No.	Title	Original air date[14]
01	25	"The Shadow Clan" "Shadou Ichizoku" (影道一族)	April 2, 2010
02	26	"The Tower of Shadow" "Kage no Tou" (影道の塔)	April 2, 2010
03	27	"Gathered Again! Golden Japan Jr." "Saishuuketsu! Ougon no Nippon Jr." (再集結!黄金の日本ジュニア)	May 7, 2010
04	28	"Bloody Fight! Thousand Miles' Slope" "Kessen! Senri Kyuuryou" (血戦!千里丘陵)	May 7, 2010
05	29	"The Leader Appears" "Sousui Toujou" (総帥登場)	June 4, 2010
06	30	"Farewell Shadow" "Saraba Shadou" (さらば影道)	June 4, 2010

Season 4: World Tournament arc (2011)

Season No.	Series No.	Title	Original air date
01	31	"Its Name is Square" "Sono na wa Square"" (その名はスクエアー!)	April 10, 2011[15]
02	32	"The Grand France" "Kareinaru Furansu" (華麗なるフランス)	April 10, 2011[15]
03	33	"Vollkommenheit" "Forukomenhaito" (フォルコメンハイト)	May 15, 2011[16]
04	34	"Hero vs. Genius" "Eiyū vs. Tensai" (英雄VS天才)	May 15, 2011[16]
05	35	"The Flag of Oath" "Chikai no Hata" (誓いの旗)	June 12, 2011[17]
06	36	"Farewell, Golden Japan Jr." "Saraba Ōgon no Nippon Jr." (さらば黄金の日本Jr.)	June 12, 2011[17]

Reception

Ring ni Kakero is one of Weekly Shōnen Jump's best-selling manga series of all time, with over 13 million copies sold.[18]

References

1. Thompson, Jason. "Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
2. 週刊少年ジャンプ 1977年 表示号数2. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
3. 週刊少年ジャンプ 1981年 表示号数44. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
4. "リングにかけろ 1巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
5. "リングにかけろ 25巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
6. "リングにかけろ1 1巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
7. "リングにかけろ1 18巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
8. Loo, Egan (August 14, 2008). "Saint Seiya's Kurumada to end Ring ni Kakero 2 Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
9. "リングにかけろ2 1巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
10. "リングにかけろ2 26巻" (in Japanese). Kurumada Production. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
11. http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/rin-kake1/
12. "リングにかけろ1" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
13. "リングにかけろ１ ～日米決戦編～" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
14. リングにかけろ 1 影道編[SHADOW] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
15. リングにかけろ1　世界大会編 (in Japanese). Web Newtype. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
16. リングにかけろ1　世界大会編 (in Japanese). Web Newtype. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
17. リングにかけろ1　世界大会編 (in Japanese). Web Newtype. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
18. "Top Manga Properties in 2008 - Rankings and Circulation Data". Comipress. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2013-08-18.

External links

• Ring ni Kakero (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia