S1 E1 - Those are the Eyes of a Beast!

A former boxer and current drunkard named Danpei Tange meets a drifter named Joe Yabuki and sees potential in him. Tange offers to teach Joe how to box, but Joe isn't easily convinced.

Apr 1, 1970 • 25m

S1 E2 - The Live in the Square Jungle

Danpei is severely hurt after trying to protect Joe from the yakuza. Joe goes to visit the head of the yakuza group to try to get reparations for Danpei.

Apr 8, 1970 • 25m

S1 E3 - Face the Fangs of the Beast

Danpei works hard day and night to save up for Joe and his boxing gym. Meanwhile, Joe uses the slum kids to con some money out of people and he runs into a woman named Yoko Shiraki.

Apr 15, 1970 • 25m

S1 E4 - Shed Tears for the Burning Fist!

Joe holes up in an abandoned building after he gets caught lying to con people out of money.

Apr 22, 1970 • 25m

S1 E5 - For the Sake of Tomorrow! Part 1

Tange sends Joe a letter to teach him boxing while he's at the police hospital waiting for his fate.

Apr 29, 1970 • 25m

S1 E6 - Explode! Left Jab!

Joe ends up in a juvenile classification home and is quickly put into his place after trying to be cocky against his fellow inmates and their boss Nishi.

May 6, 1970 • 25m

S1 E7 - Don`t Judge the Wolf!

Joe, Tange, and the kids show up to court to hear if Joe will be sent off to the juvenile training school.

May 13, 1970 • 25m

S1 E8 - Toko High Security Juvenile Prison

Joe and Nishi spend their first night at the Toko Special Juvenile Training School and are quickly put into their places.

May 20, 1970 • 25m

S1 E9 - His Name is Rikiishi Toru!

Joe and Nishi are sent out with the rest of the inmates to do some farmwork. Later on, Nishi comes up with a plan to help Joe escape the island, but they meet a man named Toru Rikiishi.

May 27, 1970 • 25m

S1 E10 - Scream of the Red Sunset!

Joe is completely out of it after getting punched by Rikiishi. However, later on, he had a huge surprise in store for everyone.

Jun 3, 1970 • 25m

S1 E11 - Burn at the Bottom of Hell!

Joe continues to practice boxing while he's alone in solitary. Danpei and the kids try to find a way into the juvenile training school when they unexpectedly run into Yoko.

Jun 10, 1970 • 25m

S1 E12 - Shout at the Burning Sun

Joe tells Yoko why he treats her so badly. Rikiishi tries to interfere and Yoko proposes that they settle this in a boxing match. Tange finally gets to train Joe again in person.

Jun 17, 1970 • 25m

S1 E13 - Stand in the Ring of Destiny

Joe and Rikiishi prepare for their upcoming match. After seeing just how powerful Joe's new punch is, Rikiishi devises a unique training method to counter it.

Jun 24, 1970 • 25m

S1 E14 - Is it Time for the KO Gong Yet!?

Joe and Rikiishi finally have their first match. But for some reason, Danpei tells Joe to let Rikiishi keep knocking him down. Who will be the winner in the end?

Jul 1, 1970 • 25m

S1 E15 - White Mat's Lullaby

Moved by the fight between Joe and Rikiishi, the inmates also start boxing.

Jul 8, 1970 • 25m

S1 E16 - The Setting Sun of Treachery

Tange becomes the full-time boxing coach at the juvenile training school on Nogiku Island. Joe seems to finally be interested in training more with Tange, but Tange suddenly seems distant.

Jul 15, 1970 • 25m

S1 E17 - Alone in the Middle of a Storm

Joe keeps trying to get Tange to coach him again, but Tange just keeps ignoring him and concentrates on training Aoyama. No one expected Aoyama to get into the tournament, but he then somehow defeats the rep for dorm 7, Numata.

Jul 22, 1970 • 25m

S1 E18 - Ring Ropes of Despair

The dormitory boxing tournament begins and everyone finds out just how Aoyama defeated Numata.

Jul 29, 1970 • 25m

S1 E19 - The Fearsome Liver Blow

Joe and Aoyama's match finally begins, but who will come out on top?

Aug 5, 1970 • 25m

S1 E20 - Battle Scarred Victory

Joe and Aoyama's match concludes and Tange reveals something to our two fighters.

Aug 12, 1970 • 25m

S1 E21 - A Small Fight with a Big Honor

Rikiishi tells Joe that they need to have their match sooner because something came up, so they have an unofficial match out in the rain.

Aug 19, 1970 • 25m

S1 E22 - The Legendary Rikiishi Tooru

Rikiishi leaves Toko Special Juvenile Training School and Joe feels empty inside. Meanwhile, the final match of the dorm boxing tournament is about to begin.

Aug 26, 1970 • 25m

S1 E23 - Farewell, Juvenile Prison

Following Rikiishi and Aoyama, Nishi is also going to leave the juvenile training school, leaving Joe all alone.

Sep 2, 1970 • 25m

S1 E24 - Return to Slum Town

Joe finally leaves the juvenile training school and goes back to the slums where he's welcomed back with open arms, and Danpei has a surprise for him.

Sep 9, 1970 • 25m

S1 E25 - Law of the Stray Dog

Joe finally feels like something might be changing in his life, but then he is visited by Guerilla, who's on the run from the police.

Sep 16, 1970 • 25m

S1 E26 - License of Despair

Tange goes to the Japan Boxing Association to get his gym officially recognized. Meanwhile, Joe starts working at the grocery store Nishi works at.

Sep 23, 1970 • 25m

S1 E27 - Bridge to Tomorrow

Tange is unable to get the license for his gym, but then, an unexpected visitor gives them an unbelievable offer.

Sep 30, 1970 • 25m

S1 E28 - Wager for Glory

Joe goes to see the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament and figures out a way to get one of the members of the Boxing Association to give Tange the license he needs for his gym.

Oct 7, 1970 • 25m

S1 E29 - Challenge for Tomorrow

Tange is able to get the license for his gym after the stunt Joe pulled at the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament, but he says that Joe's not ready to become a pro yet himself. However, Joe's got his own ideas.

Oct 14, 1970 • 25m

S1 E30 - The Ordeal of the Pro Test

Joe and Nishi go take the pro boxing test and Joe finds out that it's not as easy as he thought it would be.

Oct 21, 1970 • 25m

S1 E31 - Spread Your Wings, Pro Boxer

Joe passes the B-rank exam and takes his first real step towards becoming a pro.

Oct 28, 1970 • 25m

S1 E32 - The Road to the Shining Ring

Nishi and Joe both have their debut matches in the pro ring.

Nov 4, 1970 • 25m

S1 E33 - Hooray for the First Victory

Everyone celebrates after Joe's first victory. Noriko gets him violets but those are quickly overshadowed by the giant bouquet of roses Yoko sends him.

Nov 11, 1970 • 25m

S1 E34 - The Aspiring Boxer

Ishikura watches Joe win a boxing match and decides he wants to be just like him. He then suddenly shows up to Tange's gym wanting to join, but Tange surprisingly refuses.

Nov 18, 1970 • 25m

S1 E35 - Do Your Best! Nishi!

Nishi loses all three matches so far after becoming a pro and loses his confidence. Tange, Joe, and the kids try to find a way to build his confidence back up and Kinoko finds a surprising solution.

Nov 25, 1970 • 25m

S1 E36 - Wolf Kanagushi Bares His Fangs

Joe continues winning match after match and asks Tange when he's going to go up against Wolf Kanagushi. Tange tells him they're going to take it nice and slow, but then, Otaka sends them an invitation...

Dec 2, 1970 • 25m

S1 E37 - Training Furiously

Joe, Tange, and Nishi are anxious about what Wolf's secret training could be. The kids decide they'll sneak into the Asia Boxing Club to find out what Wolf's training is, but things go terribly wrong.

Dec 9, 1970 • 25m

S1 E38 - The Greatest Six-Round Bout in History

Joe and Wolf's match finally begins. Whose training will bring them victory?

Dec 16, 1970 • 25m

S1 E39 - The Triple Cross of Victory

Joe and Wolf's intense match finally comes to an end. Who will stand victorious?

Dec 23, 1970 • 25m

S1 E40 - An Oath to the Snow

Tange takes Joe, Nishi, and the rest of the neighborhood on a hot springs trip to celebrate Joe's victory, but on their way up, they find out that Wolf may have been incapacitated.

Dec 30, 1970 • 25m

S1 E41 - Rikiishi Tooru`s Challenge

The new year has arrived and Joe finds out that Rikiishi is losing weight to become a bantamweight so he can face off with Joe.

Jan 6, 1971 • 25m

S1 E42 - A Man`s World

Joe and Rikiishi continue training for their match. However, Rikiishi is starting to worry Yoko and Mikinosuke because he is going to extreme lengths to lose weight.

Jan 13, 1971 • 25m

S1 E43 - A Cruel Weight Loss

Tange formally accepts Shiraki Gym's match request between Rikiishi and Joe and he tells Joe about Rikiishi's brutal weight loss regimen. Meanwhile, Nishi doesn't seem to be losing any weight...

Jan 20, 1971 • 25m

S1 E44 - Rikiishi Tooru`s Hard Fight!

Rikiishi has his first match as a bantamweight against Pancho Leo. Who will come out on top?

Jan 27, 1971 • 25m

S1 E45 - Sway Back to Defeat Rikiishi!

Joe asks Tange and Nishi to help him improve his sway backs so he has a way to counter Rikiishi.

Feb 3, 1971 • 25m

S1 E46 - The Man Who Risked Death

While Joe continues his intense training, Rikishi is equally devoted to maintaining his weight.

Feb 10, 1971 • 25m

S1 E47 - The Two Before the Storm

On the day of the match, Joe and Danpei reunite with Rikishi during the weigh-in and acknowledge his impressive weight-cutting success.

Feb 17, 1971 • 25m

S1 E48 - Showdown of Destiny

Joe realizes that Rikishi has stabilized his body after extreme weight loss.

Feb 24, 1971 • 25m

S1 E49 - An Endless Deathmatch

Rikishi's uppercut grazes Joe's cheek, causing it to bleed. Alarmed, Joe moves in close during the third round, leading to an intense exchange of hooks.

Mar 3, 1971 • 25m

S1 E50 - End of the Battle

Joe fortifies his guard for the first time in his professional career, but Rikishi's fierce attack knocks him down.

Mar 10, 1971 • 25m

S1 E51 - Burnt-out Life

The fierce battle ends. Joe extends a congratulatory handshake to Rikishi, who starts to smile but collapses onto the mat.

Mar 17, 1971 • 25m

S1 E52 - Farewell, Rikiishi Toru

On the day of Rikishi's funeral, Joe leaves their condolences to Danpei and Nishi and tries to distract himself by playing energetically with the children by the riverside.

Mar 24, 1971 • 25m

S1 E53 - The Man I Hate

Joe wanders through the town on a snowy night, carrying memories of Rikishi. To Joe, who has no family, Rikishi was an irreplaceable presence...

Mar 31, 1971 • 25m

S1 E54 - The Ten-Count Bell of Sorrow

Three days after Joe disappeared, a ten-count gong was held at Korakuen Hall to mourn Rikishi's death. Joe watches the scene on a street-side TV.

Apr 7, 1971 • 25m

S1 E55 - The Wandering Ballad

Joe sees Wolf Kanagushi, who has become a bodyguard for the yakuza, on the streets.

Apr 14, 1971 • 25m

S1 E56 - The Wolf Revives

The brawl with Gondo is treated as extenuating circumstances. After being informed by reporters, Danpei quickly retrieves Joe.

Apr 21, 1971 • 25m

S1 E57 - A Wounded Beast

Joe continues training and lands a powerful body blow during sparring with Nishi. However, Nishi notices that Joe avoids striking the head, arousing suspicion.

Apr 28, 1971 • 25m

S1 E58 - The Body Blow of Victory

The ten-round match between Joe and Tonotani begins. Danpei and Nishi, concealing their concerns, watch over Joe.

May 5, 1971 • 25m

S1 E59 - The Looming Black Shadow

Having returned to form, Joe defeats several Japanese bantamweight contenders with his fierce body attacks.

May 12, 1971 • 25m

S1 E60 - The Fierce Sparring

Pre-match predictions favor Tiger in his fight against Joe. Around this time, the head of Bokuto Gym invites Joe to spar with him, saying it is to substitute for Nishi, who injured his fist.

May 19, 1971 • 25m

S1 E61 - The Thrown Towel

In the fight against Tiger, Kunimoto, the Sun Gym president, claims to have uncovered Joe's weakness. In truth, Tiger realizes that Joe cannot properly strike the face.

May 26, 1971 • 25m

S1 E62 - Rikiishi Toru was Alive

After the fight, Danpei shockingly reveals the truth to Joe. However, learning that his actual opponent is the 'ghost of Rikishi' haunting him, Joe strengthens his resolve.

Jun 2, 1971 • 25m

S1 E63 - The Final Challenge

The slump in Joe's performance casts a shadow over the slums. Even so, Joe continues his desperate battle against himself, repeatedly striking the sandbag's temple position.

Jun 9, 1971 • 25m

S1 E64 - Enter Carlos

Carlos prays for both fighters' success in the ring for Joe's match against Nangou. As the fight begins, Joe faces his poor condition and a referee influenced by the Hyo clan.

Jun 16, 1971 • 25m

S1 E65 - As Long as There's the Ring

After Joe's devastating loss to Nangou, Danpei dissolves the Tange Gym. He entrusts the future of Joe and Nishi to the proprietor of Hachiya, but Joe resolves to continue boxing alone.

Jun 23, 1971 • 25m

S1 E66 - Setting Out for Tomorrow

Joe departs from the Namidabashi Bridge early in the morning and meets a boy who dreams of traveling to far-off places on his way to Ueno Station. Joe sympathizes with his story.

Jun 30, 1971 • 25m

S1 E67 - A Little Adventure

A postcard arrives, informing the children of Joe's whereabouts in Oarai. Determined to meet him, they head to Ueno Station, but an attempt at fare-dodging is discovered, forcing them to disembark.

Jul 7, 1971 • 25m

S1 E68 - Fixed Match

Joe's new career in the traveling show begins. Kawano attempts to promote Joe as a star by arranging fixed matches and instructing the others to take deliberate losses.

Jul 14, 1971 • 25m

S1 E69 - Lullaby of the Ranch

On a day off, Joe goes hiking with Inaba and falls off a cliff in the fog. Yuri, the daughter of a nearby Hiyama Ranch, rescues him.

Jul 21, 1971 • 25m

S1 E70 - The Guy I'm Worried About

Yoko organizes a Carlos vs. Nangou match in Sendai, where Joe performs. Interested in Joe, Carlos and Robert visit the Namidabashi Bridge and learn how much Joe is still loved by the community.

Jul 28, 1971 • 25m

S1 E71 - Carlos the Uncrowned Emperor

Joe's performances continue at the sparsely attended Hakusan Shrine. During a break, Joe positions himself in front of the TV Kawano bought, intently watching Carlos's match against Nangou.

Aug 4, 1971 • 25m

S1 E72 - Return to the Shining Ring

A postcard from Noriko brings news about the Namidabashi community. However, since watching Carlos's fight, Joe has been unable to focus on his performance.

Aug 11, 1971 • 25m

S1 E73 - The Cross Counter Returns

Returning to Tokyo, Joe visits Yoko and requests to spar with Carlos. Reluctantly, Yoko agrees and insists they use heavier 16-ounce gloves for safety.

Aug 18, 1971 • 25m

S1 E74 - Setting Out Today

Tange Gym fell into disrepair during Joe's absence. Joe begins rebuilding it with Danpei and the children.

Aug 25, 1971 • 25m

S1 E75 - Carlos, Magician of the Ring

As Joe resumes training in the Namidabashi slums, Noriko watches with a complex expression. Meanwhile, the day of Carlos's match against Harashima arrives.

Sep 1, 1971 • 25m

S1 E76 - The Burning Challenge

Yoko finalizes the contract for a Carlos vs. Tiger match. Carlos confidently declares he will win with a first-minute KO.

Sep 8, 1971 • 25m

S1 E77 - Battle of Men

Robert's old friend, promoter Henry James, arrives in Japan. Henry arranges a match between Carlos and the world champion, Jose Mendoza, and proposes canceling the fight with Joe.

Sep 15, 1971 • 25m

S1 E78 - Duel!! Carlos Vs. Yabuki Joe

The day of Carlos's match against Tiger arrives. As a boxing fan, Danpei expresses his feelings about Joe's journey. Yoko quietly encourages Joe as they pass in the hallway.

Sep 22, 1971 • 25m

S1 E79 - Let the Shining Tomorrow Burn in the Distance!!

Carlos counters Joe's rope-side techniques with an improvised move, nullifying Joe's strategy. He then proposes an all-out brawl with no tricks.

Sep 29, 1971 • 25m