HAJIME NO IPPO EPISODE 1

NOW WE'RE COOKING WITH GAS!!!! someone in another server im in mentioned hajime no ippo a few days ago so i was curious to see it anyway. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD ONE!

ippo is a 16 year old in highschool who is very shy and timid. he really really wants to make friends but it's hard for him, because he spends a lot of his time helping his mom with their fishing boat rental business. and he gets bullied & beat up EVERY FREAKING DAY because he doesn't defend himself against his bullies.

he meets a professional boxer and is introduced to the World Of Boxing. and he's so inspired by how strong they all are. and he wants to be strong like that too. he doesn't do any sports, but because he's always helping with hauling heavy fishing equipment, he's already very strong. he just needs the confidence...! and a Teacher (in the form of that professional boxer from before)

and if youre thinking "Gee, Pay, this is pretty bare-bones as far as episode summaries go!" that would be because i don't want to give you all of the context & i want you to watch this first episode. the pacing and character setup is all REALLY well done. ippo is a really really likeable character. he's a sweet little guy! And he wants to know how to punch and do liver jabs!

the music in this anime is also really really good, the later half of the episode has this part with a really cool grungy electric guitar and GOD. that thing resonates‼️

do i want to watch more?

YES I DOOO!!! I WANNA WATCH IPPO'S BOXING JOURNEY!!! i want to see him CHARACTER DEVELOP!!!!!

favorite screenshots

i really like these two they show off his cuteness. the last one is of ippo's mom. and im including this one because usually Anime Mothers look like they're perpetually 26. but this one looks like a real lady! i like her!!
Ippo scratching behind his head, while sheepishly smiling. Subtitles read, Oh, yeah! Okay, I'd love to... Oh. End subtitle Ippo excitedly watching TV.Ippo's mom. She has long, wavy brown hair, and subtle wrinkles on her face to show her age.

INUYASHA EPISODE 1

Hi Inuyasha.

i watched a couple episodes of this one when i was like 10. But it's been literally 10 years so ive forgotten a lot of it.

the first episode is honestly really engaging and interesting!

we open on a scene taking place in feudal japan, where a demon (the titular inuyasha!) is trying to steal the sacred jewel so he can become, like, a superdemon. lady kikyo, the keeper of the sacred jewel, shoots an arrow into inuyasha's heart and kills him. however, lady kikyo is also injured! she instructs her little sister that the sacred jewel be burned alongside her body.

and then we jump to present day (present day as in Y2K.) where we meet kagome, a normal 15 year-old girl! kagome's family has been taking care of a shrine for thouuuusands of generations. she's heard all about the importance of this shrine and thousand year-old tree and she's SOOO bored of it.

kagome falls in the well inside of the shrine, and is attacked by a centipede-woman, demanding the sacred jewel. kagome manages to escape, and finds herself at the bottom of the well. when she manages to climb out, she's in a field.

She's been isekai'd to feudal japan!!!!!!!!! And there's a cute DOG BOY ?! who's been pinned to a TREE with an ARROW?!

kagome gets captured & questioned by the village people because they're all so worried about demons and war. but she's not a demon or a spy so it's fine. kagome just wants to go HOME!

the episode ends with the centipede monster coming back for round two, and STEALING the sacred jewel that was inside of kagome's body.

kagome reawakens inuyasha, who mistakes her for being lady kikyo. because she looks a LOT like lady kikyo. kagome pulls the arrow out of inuyasha's heart, allowing him to Kill! That! Centipede! and saves the entire village! Yayyy!

and then inuyasha threatens to scratch kagome to death if she doesn't give HIM the sacred jewel.
Inuyasha standing off against the village's elder and Kagome. Subtitles read, But isn't he supposed to be the HERO?! End subtitle

it's like if the wizard of oz took place in feudal japan. and there's no toto. genuinely im a fan of this first episode a lot the worldbuilding is very much "Fuck it, YOU figure out whats going on!" and i LOVE IT when there's no narrator goin' like "Feudal Japan... The time when demons roamed the eart...." like obviously sure it's a good way to explain a story's premise. great way to convey information quickly. But i like when there's other ways too. we're all confused! JUST LIKE KAGOME, WHO DOESN;T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON !!!

obligatory "I like this artstyle" paragraph. the character designs are all so violently 2000's i can't help but be charmed by it. the bishie anime boy look for inuyasha really works for him too LOL.

this anime ALSO passes the LOWEST POSSIBLE BAR: There's not a single panty shot of kagome. NOT A ONE! there are times where her skirt DEFIES physics just to avoid a panty shot! bare minimum? Absolutely! but after that shit brigadoon pulled i am So so so happy about it.

do i want to watch more?

Yeah. Yeah i do. i want to see kagome go home. how is she gonna get home?! and WHAT'S the deal between inuyasha and lady kikyo?! you GOTTA love a first episode that leaves you with a bunch of questions you wanna see answered!

favorite screenshots

i liked this gag at the start with the kitty. and also kagome messing with inuyasha's ears is really funny LOL
Kagome dangling the sacred jewel while a kitty reaches for it from her lap. Kagome holding the jewel further away from the kitty, making it stretch further over her lap in order to reach for it. Kagome messing with Inuyasha's silly little dog ears while Inuyasha is trapped in his eternal slumber.