Ring ni Kakero
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Ring ni kakero (リングにかけろ, Ringu ni kakero), a manga comic created by Masami Kurumada and published on the Shōnen Jump Magazine between 1977 and 1981. It had great success, some said that even more than Saint Seiya on Japan. 25 volumes were published between the same years.
After B'tX, Kurumada created Ring ni Kakero part 2, which is currently published on the Super Jump Magazine, which at least nine volumes more.
The story goes around the life of a young boxer named Ryuuji Takane and his sister Kiku, which is his coach. Ryuuji inherited the boxing/strength power while her sister did the analytical boxing technique both from their father, who was a Boxing Star in the past. They both went away from home to train and become famous in order to help their alone mother. In the way to stardom, they have to defeat the strongest challengers all over the world.
This series has a lot in common with Saint Seiya (astonishing combat techniques, references to Greek Mythology, character physical and personality traits) with the difference that RNK is a previous work from this author (Saint Seiya Manga appeared in 1986).
Many years passed until RNK came into anime by Toei Animation on October 6, 2004 and was broadcasted on TV Asahi. This covered the first season of the manga and it was the main reason why Toei stopped the broadcast of the Saint Seiya Hades OVA episodes (corresponding to the Inferno Chapter) on its peak and revival, perhaps that is why the latter had lack of quality in the following OVA format episodes.
In Ring ni Kakero 1, the characters are briefly introduced, telling the story from the moment Japanese Ryuuji Takane and Jun Kenzaki (his eternal challenger and supposedly best friend) fight for the National Box Title and having both achieved stardom. It is Ryuuji's sister (Nee-chan) who remembers the story backwards.
This starts when Ryuuji is the finalist to a Local Youth Championship and had to compete against Kenzaki, the latter winning after an almost tie and K.O. one-to-one fight.
Most of the season tells about Ryuuji being the successor of Kenzaki (as the latter was terribly injured and almost crippled), which competes in the Japan National Box Championship, where he encounters strong and then deadly opponents, including Ishimatsu Katori (a comic relief an also strong fighter in the series), Takeshi Kawai (Upper Jab Technique, he is a pianist but also likes to cheat) and Kazuki Shinatora (Rolling Thunder Technique, a former kendoka, who retired as he challenged his father due to the cruel training of his).
The main techiniques of Ryuuji are his Left-Right Jabs, his stubborn courage (similar to that of Seiya when fighting and never giving up) and his special technique, the "Boomerang Hook" (later known as Boomerang Thelios). Ryuuji and Kawai were the finalists of the tournament.
It should be noted that other opponent make cameo appearances, such as the USA (Black Shaft) and France (Napoleón Bara) Champions. Also Fuhrer Scorpion had an appearance, who ordered a fellow member of the Box Team to "follow" (spy) the steps of Kenzaki and Ryuuji, as possible threats to the World Championship.
Later on, Ring ni Kakero 2 came into anime after Saint Seiya Hades Inferno Chapter, corresponding to the United States Box Championship. Ryuuji, Kenzaki, Katori, Kawai and Shinatora teamed-up to represent the Japan Team in the World Championship.
