is a boxing themed manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 series authored by Masanori Morita

Masanori Morita

is a Japanese manga artist who is responsible for creating the manga series Rokudenashi Blues and Rookies. Rokudenashi Blues was made into a live action movie. At the beginning of Masonori's career he was an assistant of Tetsuo Hara on Hokuto no Ken....

 that was serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Jump

Weekly Shonen Jump

is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...

from 1988 to 1997.

Story

The story stars , delinquent student of , who wishes to become the World Boxing Champion. The manga follows Maeda (and his friends and rivals) as he struggles through 3 years of high school while becoming one of the strongest and best known high school fighters in all of Tokyo. Not just a pure action manga, Rokudenashi Blues is filled with humor and well-crafted story arcs about honor, friendship and the pressures of being a delinquent student in Japan. Short gag-stories with chibi versions of characters are published as 'Rokudenashi Buru-chu'.

Manga

The manga was originally serialized in the manga magazine Weekly Jump. The manga was also created into a series of Shueisha Original Kanzenban issues.

Rokudenashi Blues

• Distributor: Toei
  Toei Animation
  Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
  
  
• Released: 1992
• Cast
  • Taison Maeda: Hideyuki Hori
    Hideyuki Hori
    is a Japanese voice actor and younger brother of fellow voice actor Yukitoshi Hori and works at Aoni Production. He is most known for his roles in Saint Seiya , Sakigake!! Otokojuku , Kinnikuman , Mobile Fighter G Gundam , and the Dead or Alive series and Ninja Gaiden .-Career:Along...
    
    
  • Chiaki Nanase: Yoshino Takamori
    Yoshino Takamori
    is a prolific Japanese voice actress from Chiba Prefecture. Takamori is a member of Arts Vision.-Notable roles:*Ine in Project A-Ko*Sylvie in Bubblegum Crisis*Nadia in Nadia of the Mysterious Seas*Rui in the 1995 Fist of the North Star video game...
    
    
  • Katsuji Yamashita: Masaya Onosaka
    Masaya Onosaka
    Masaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
    
    
  • Yoneji Sawamura: Ryō Horikawa
    Ryo Horikawa
    is a Japanese voice actor. He is married to fellow Japanese voice actress Hitomi Oikawa, whose birth name is also . His former stage name is also Ryo Horikawa, which has his given name, Makoto, pronounced as Ryo.-Career:...
    
    
  • Kazumi Imai: Miki Itō
    Miki Ito
    is a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Air Gear 2006*Angel Links 1999*Ashita no Nadja *Aishiteruze Baby *Battle Angel Alita *Battle Athletes Victory...
    
    
  • Koeji Nakata: Yūsaku Yara
    Yusaku Yara
    is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is currently affiliated with Vi-Vo. His real name is ', and his former stage name was .He is best known for his roles in Chibi Maruko-chan as Hiroshi Sakura, Kiteretsu Daihyakka as Kiteretsu's Papa, the 1989 version of Sally, the Witch as Sally's...
    
    
  • Sorimachi: Shigeru Chiba
    Shigeru Chiba
    is an actor and voice actor. He has also worked as a sound effects director and music director. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce....
    
    
• Director: Takao Yoshizawa
• Screenplay: Yoshiyuki Suga
• Music: Yasunori Iwasaki

Rokudenashi Blues 1993

• Distributor: Toei
• Released: 1993
• Cast
  • Taison Maeda: Hiroaki Hirata
    Hiroaki Hirata
    is a male seiyū from Tokyo. He stands at 175 centimeters , and is a member of Gekidan Subaru.He is most known for the roles of Sanji , Sha Gojyo , and the Narrator of Digimon Adventure...
    
    
  • Chiaki Nanase: Sanae Horikawa
  • Koeji Nakata: Kazuki Yao
    Kazuki Yao
    is a veteran voice actor and actor currently represented by Mix Max.- Television animation :* Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple * Astro Boy * Beast Wars * Beast Wars Neo...
    
    
  • Monson Maeda: Shōzō Iizuka
    Shozo Iizuka
    is a male Japanese voice actor from Fukushima Prefecture who is affiliated with Sigma Seven. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University....
    
    
  • Fujio Maeda: Yūsaku Yara
  • Yōkō Maeda: Ryō Horikawa
  • Haruka: Junko Hagimori
    Junko Hagimori
    is a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Anime:*Lu and Su in Blue Gender*Higuma-san in Bonobono*Nene-chan's Mom in Crayon Shin-chan*Misaki Sakura in Hanasaka Tenshi Ten-Ten-kun*Cookie in Kishin Corps*VesVes in Sailor Moon Supers...
    
    
  • Naoto Watanabe: Ryūsei Nakao
    Ryusei Nakao
    , known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor, singer, and voice actor from Tōkyō Metropolis, Japan. He is attached to 81 Produce. He has also worked under the name of ....
    
    
  • Hironari Komiyama: Hiroyuki Satō
  • Junichi Nakajima: Yasuhiro Takato
    Yasuhiro Takato
    is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.-Film and television:*Saruo in Dōbutsu no Mori , the film adaptation of the Animal Crossing video game series.*Mesopotamion Guy and Haou in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo*Jean in Captain Tsubasa...
    
    
  • Ioka: Tesshō Genda
    Tessho Genda
    is a Japanese voice actor. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Genda."...
    
    
  • Hikaru Midorikawa
    Hikaru Midorikawa
    is a Japanese voice actor from Otawara, Tochigi who is represented by Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Softon in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Tamahome in Fushigi Yugi, Seiran Shi in Saiunkoku Monogatari, Heero Yuy in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Kaede Rukawa in Slam Dunk, Zelgadis Greywords in...
    
    , Tsutomu Kashiwakura
    Tsutomu Kashiwakura
    is a Japanese voice actor and sound director. He was formerly credited as 柏倉 つとむ .- Primary roles :* young Terry Bogard in Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf* Ryo in Generator Gawl* Glemy Toto in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ...
    
    , Hideo Ishikawa
    Hideo Ishikawa
    is a male Japanese voice actor born in Hyōgo, Japan. His nicknames are "Hide" and "Hide-chan" and he works for Aoni Production. He is married and has two children....
    
    , Daisuke Gōri
    Daisuke Gori
    was a Japanese voice actor, narrator and actor from Kōtō, Tokyo. Throughout his life, he was attached to TV Talent Center Tokyo, Yoshizawa Theatre School and then Mausu Promotion; he was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was...
    
    , Yuriko Yamamoto
    Yuriko Yamamoto
    is a Japanese voice actress currently employed by Aoni Production.-Notable voice roles:* Arcadia of My Youth as La Mime* Dancouga as Sara Yuki* Earthian as Takako* Fight! Iczer One as Iczer One* Fist of the North Star as Yuria...
    
    , Megumi Urawa
    Megumi Urawa
    in Kashiwa, Chiba) is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.-Television animation:*Konjiki no Gash Bell!! *Ghost Sweeper Mikami *Hell Teacher Nūbē...
    
    , Naoki Tatsuta
    Naoki Tatsuta
    is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Buta Gorilla , Daima Jin , Oolong , Ashibe's Father , and Scoop-kun ....
    
    , Kenichi Ono
    Kenichi Ono
    is a seiyuu, tarento, and actor from Tokyo. His birth name is .-TV anime:* Super Pig * Zillion * Martian Successor Nadesico * Kindaichi Case Files...
    
    , Kazunari Tanaka
    Kazunari Tanaka
    is a Japanese voice actor from Osaka Prefecture who works for Aoni Production.-Notable voice roles:*Air Gear *Air Master *Blue Submarine No...
    
    , Kyōsei Tsukui
    Kyosei Tsukui
    , is a Japanese voice actor currently working for 81 Produce.-Notable voice roles:*Johan Tsang in Black Blood Brothers*Labramon and Shisamon in Digimon Tamers: The Adventurer's Battle*Pochi in He Is My Master...
    
    , Shinobu Satouchi
    Shinobu Satouchi
    is a seiyū who is best known as the voice of Fox McCloud in the Japanese version of Nintendo's Star Fox series and Super Smash Bros. series. He was also the voice of Giru in Dragon Ball GT...
    
    , Hideo Tanise, Yūko Nagashima
    Yuko Nagashima
    is a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Anime:* Ceres, The Celestial Legend - Gladys Smithson* Eden's Bowy - Fennis, young Yorn* Magic Knight Rayearth - Caldina* Martian Successor Nadesico - Erina Won* Naruto - Tsubaki...
    
    , Mariko Onodera, Wakana Yamazaki
    Wakana Yamazaki
    is a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Television animation:* Air Gear * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku * Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo * Captain Tsubasa * Dai no Daibouken...
    
    
• Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
  Hiroyuki Kakudou
  is a Japanese anime director. He is best known for directing the first two Digimon series.- Works :*Aoki Densetsu Shoot! : Episode Director*Be-Bop High School : Director *Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z : Director*Digimon Adventure : Director...
  
  
• Screenplay: Yoshiyuki Suga, Shunichi Yukimura
• Music: Kimio Nomura

Rokudenashi Blues

• Distributor: Pal Entertainments Group (PEG)
• Production: Pony Canyon
  Pony Canyon
  is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
  
  , TV Tokyo
  TV Tokyo
  is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
  
  , PEG
• Released: 1996
• Cast
  • Taison Maeda: Kensaku Maeda
  • Chiaki Nanase: Maju Ozawa
  • Seikichi Harada: Junichi Kawamoto
  • Hiroshi Shimabukuro: Ryūshi Yanagisawa
    Ryūshi Yanagisawa
    Ryūshi Yanagisawa is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and kickboxer. His real name is Atsushi Yanagisawa . As a martial artist, he competed in K-1, Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling and Fighting Network RINGS and holds victories over Oleg Taktarov, Paul Varelans, Vernon White, Jason...
    
    
  • Mitsuru Kizuka: Giant Jun
  • Kazumi Imai: Yukari Obata
  • Katsuji Yamashita: Yoshinori Umemoto
  • Yoneji Sawamura: Teruhide Kimura
  • Koheji Nakata: Yuji Hirata
  • Hiroyuki Otomo: Ken Inaba
• Director: Hiroyuki Nasu
  Hiroyuki Nasu
  was a Japanese film director. He won the award for Best Director at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Be-Bop-Highschool and Be-Bop-Highschool Kōkō yo Tarō aika.-Filmography:* Be-Bop-Highschool * Be-Bop-Highschool Kōkō yo Tarō aika...
  
  
• Screenplay: Midori Kogane, Yoshiyuki Suga

Rokudenashi Blues '98

• Distributor: PEG
• Released: 1998
• Cast
  • Taison Maeda: Kensaku Maeda
  • Chiaki Nanase: Moe Yamaguchi
  • Kazuya Yuki: Yūsuke Shinuchi
  • Katsuji Yamashita: Shu Ehara
  • Yoneji Sawamura: Masaki Nishimori
  • Kazumi Imai: Rie Fukaumi
  • Hiroto Oba: Osamu Takizawa
    Osamu Takizawa
    was a Japanese actor. He was born in Ushigome, Tokyo, Japan. Starting at the Tsukiji Little Theater, Takizawa participated in a number of theatrical troupes before forming Gekidan Mingei with Jūkichi Uno. His was praised for his performance in Death of a Salesman and also directed a version of The...
    
    
  • Nakata Yoheji: Yuki Tanaka
    Yuki Tanaka
    Yuki Tanaka is a Japanese volleyball player who plays for Kurobe AquaFairies. She serves as the captain of the team from 2009.-Profiles:*The former name is Yuki Sugawara....
    
    
  • Hiroyuki Otomo: Yōji Sasaki
  • Hironari Komiyama: Tōru Kaneko
  • Misaki-sensei
    Sensei
    ' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
    
    : Kaori Ōhara
  • Barber: Takashi Matsuyama
    Takashi Matsuyama (actor)
    is a Japanese actor and voice actor.- Filmography :*The Grudge as Takeo Saeki *Arcade Gamer Fubuki as Referee*Battle Programmer SHIRASE as Principal Miura...
    
    
  • Teacher: Kazuyoshi Ozawa
• Director/Screenplay: Atsushi Muroga
• Music: Gorō Yasukawa

Cast

• Taison Maeda: Kōichi Yamadera
  Koichi Yamadera
  is a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
  
  
• Chiaki Nanase: Sakiko Tamagawa
  Sakiko Tamagawa
  is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo. She works at Sigma Seven and is married to fellow voice actor Shūichi Ikeda.-Anime:*Akihabara Dennou Gumi as Miyama Soshigaya/Death Crow*Atashinchi as Mrs...
  
  
• Katsuji Yamashita: Issei Futamata
  Issei Futamata
  is a veteran seiyū who was born on March 15, 1955 in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from Towada Technical High School. He is a member of the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society....
  
  
• Yoneji Sawamura: Kenyū Horiuchi
• Kazumi Imai: Yūko Mizutani
  Yuko Mizutani
  is a Japanese voice actress working for Production Baobab.-Notable voice roles:*Alfimi, Katana & Byakuya in Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED*Andrea Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210*Anri in Bubblegum Crisis*Apple in Zillion...
  
  
• Yutaro Hatanaka: Bin Shimada
  Bin Shimada
  is a Japanese voice actor. He is currently affiliated with the talent management firm Aoni Production.-References:* Nakagami, Yoshikatsu et al. "You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle". Newtype USA. pp. 48–49.-External links:...
  
  
• Hamada: Nobuyuki Furuta
• Hidekazu Ohashi: Yoku Shioya
  Yoku Shioya
  is a Japanese voice actor debuting in Umi no Triton . Recently he has done some voice directing in such anime as Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls. His real name is Tsubasa Shioya...
  
  
• Masutatsu Wajima: Yukitoshi Hori
  Yukitoshi Hori
  is a Japanese voice actor from Setagaya, Tokyo. He is the elder brother of fellow voice actor Hideyuki Hori and is currently represented by Aoni Production....
  
  
• Shokei Muto: Ken Yamaguchi
  Ken Yamaguchi
  was a Japanese voice actor. He was represented by OYS Produce.He was most known for the roles of Ashuraman, The Omegaman, Prisman , Genji Togashi , Flazzard , Tarantula Arachne , and Ein .Yamaguchi died on October 24, 2011 due to illness.-Notable voice...
  
  
• Masahiko Kondo: Daisuke Gōri
  Daisuke Gori
  was a Japanese voice actor, narrator and actor from Kōtō, Tokyo. Throughout his life, he was attached to TV Talent Center Tokyo, Yoshizawa Theatre School and then Mausu Promotion; he was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was...
  
  
• Principal: Kōzō Shioya
  Kozo Shioya
  Kōzō Shioya is a veteran seiyū born in Kagoshima Prefecture. He is currently represented by Aoni Production...
  
  
• Girl: Yumi Tōma
  Yumi Toma
  is a Japanese singer and voice actresss from Chiba. She has been part of the singing group Goddess Family Club. Tōma also works for Aoni Production. Because of her mature voice, she often plays strong, beautiful women....
  
  

Video Games

Two video games entitled Rokudenashi Blues, developed by TOSE and published by Bandai

Bandai

is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...

, were released for the Family Computer (1993) and Super Famicom (1994).

Five characters of Rokudenashi Blues appear in the Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...

 battle royale game Jump Ultimate Stars

Jump Ultimate Stars

is a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...

. In the game, Maeda is a Support character (he may either punch the opponents or run them over with his scooter), while Yamashita, Sawamura, Chiaki and Masa are Help-type characters. He was one of the main characters in Famicom Jump II: Saikyō no Shichinin

Famicom Jump II: Saikyo no Shichinin

is a 1991 RPG for the Nintendo Family Computer published by Bandai. The sequel to Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden, the game features seven main characters from different Weekly Shonen Jump manga serialized at the time. Only four of the 16 represented titles from the original are brought back, while...

, a roleplaying game released in 1991.

Characters

Rokudenashi Blues has a wide-arching cast of characters that live in and go to school around Tokyo that must deal with the pressures and struggles that come from being involved in the delinquent struggles of honour and strength.

The 4 Heavenly Kings

The 4 Heavenly Kings are what the students of Tokyo consider the strongest fighters in Tokyo. They each come from a separate district and often come into contact with each other throughout the later half of the manga, which often result in bloody, drawn out dog fights between the schools involved.

The main character of the story, he's a famous delinquent from Teiken High, in the Kichijoji

Kichijoji

is a neighborhood in the city of Musashino in Tokyo, Japan. It is centered on the commercial area to the north of its train station and has a youthful, artistic, slightly countercultural reputation...

 area of Musashino, Tokyo

Musashino, Tokyo

is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 137,222 and a population density of 12,788.63 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...

, known for his passion of Boxing, street fighting, and his moped, Chavez. Albeit being a delinquent, being easily angered and stupid at times (He punched a professor when he heard the girl's uniform changed), he has a sense of honor and respect, and values his friends greatly. Taison is also known as one of the Tokyo's elite 4s, or "Heavenly Kings", and aims to become the world champion in boxing. Taison has an interest for Chiaki Nanase. His name is based on wrestler Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda

is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....

 and former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

. He lives with his brother in the Honky Tonk apartment complex. Him and his older brother both left the south of Japan for Tokyo to avoid inheriting their father's profession, that of a monk. He is a lightweight when it comes to drinking and always breaks down into tears.

Onizuka

The most cruel of the 4 "Heavenly Kings", Onizuka come from the Shibuya

Shibuya, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....

 district of Tokyo. He controls the school he attends with an iron fist, forcing his classmates to pay protection fees for their safety. When Maeda and his friends protect one of Onizuka's classmates from him, a bloody war ensues between the two of them, with Onizuka shoving Sakamura out of a second floor window, breaking Mutoh's ribs and capturing the rest of Maeda's friends. In their final confrontation Onizuka injures both of Maeda's hands and stabs a screwdriver through his leg. In the end however, Maeda uses the trademark karate kick he learned from his father to knock Onizuka out. During middle school, him and Akagi were classmates until Onizuka broke most of his teeth with a chair during a fight and Akagi transferred schools. After his defeat at Maeda's hands, Onizuka changes dramatically, respecting his friends and losing his cruelty. Keeping with the punk rock look of most of the characters, Onizuka is strongly modeled off of Billy Idol

Billy Idol

William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...

.

Yakushiji

Yakushiji is a seemingly carefree, hopeless romantic who has terrible luck in love. He lives in Asakusa

Asakusa

is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...

. Highly superstitious, throughout the manga he can often be seen reading his horoscope and visiting shrines for luck. However, his laid-back demeanor hides his fighting strength and his martial prowess. He often lapses into melancholy and seems the smartest and wisest of The 4 Heavenly Kings. When he was younger, him and Chiaki used be best friends, and he often thinks about her. He has a Teddy boy

Teddy Boy

The British Teddy Boy subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, styles which Savile Row tailors had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II...

 hairstyle which is dyed brown. Maeda has an intense dislike towards Yakushiji due to his relationship with Chiaki.

Kasai

The most violent and perhaps the strongest of the 4 Heavenly Kings, Kasai is filled with an all-consuming need to prove himself and keep the respect of his classmates by beating up anybody that he considers strong. The school he goes to has the worst reputation in all of Tokyo and is considered a Yakuza recruitment ground. Having dominated everybody in Ikebukuro

Ikebukuro

is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....

 he decides to once and for all prove who is the strongest of the 4 Heavenly Kings by humiliating each and every one of them. His rage and his desire to be number one starts to overwhelm him and destroy his sanity and his friendships. Shinjo, a main character from Morita's other manga, Rookies

Rookies (manga)

is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Masanori Morita. The series was featured on Weekly Shōnen Jump during its original run from 1998 to 2003. The series was licensed for release in France by Edition Tonkam and in Italy by Star Comics, where it was featured in the magazine Express...

, closely resembles Kasai in both appearance and personality.

Kichijoji

Kichijoji is the area of Tokyo that Maeda and his friends are from. At the start of the manga most of the action that takes place involves the different schools from the area such as Yonekura Industrial before branching off into the other districts of Tokyo and even to the south of Japan.

Teiken High

An intelligent, beautiful and emotional girl that's the complete opposite of Taison, she cares deeply about him. Many of the characters fall in love with Chiaki during the manga, much to Maeda's annoyance as he has severe jealousy issues. One of her best friends from her childhood was Yakushiji, who is now one of the "Heavenly Kings" of Tokyo. She is head of the sport's committee in Teiken High.

One of Maeda's best friends. Gets extremely angry whenever someone mentions his wide forehead. While the only one with a proper girlfriend in the series, they constantly fight and bicker, each accusing the other of infidelity. His father runs a motorbike repair shop and Maeda usually makes Katsuji repair his mopeds and loan him porn movies. Katsuji has been best friends with Yoneji since Preschool and, originally, his bully.

One of Maeda's best friends. Gets extremely angry whenever his large nose is mentioned. Had a crush on Chiaki early on in the manga but never really did anything because he knew Taison liked her. Despite his appearance as a delinquent, he is excellent at school, getting full marks on most tests and is meant to be pretty good at art. Yoneji has a large scar on his head from when he was hit with a rock and keeps his hair thick to hide it. His girlfriend, Sayuri, lives in the south of Japan.

Yutaro Hatanaka

A very skilled boxer who attended Teiken High, and is attempting to secure a place in the Olympics. Him and Maeda come to blows, with Maeda knocking him out with a wrestling move. However, when people begin to question the authenticity of the win due to Maeda being two weight categories heavier than Hatanaka and him not fighting in a straight boxing match Maeda forces Hatanaka to fight him again. This time Hatanaka easily defeats the emaciated Maeda. He leaves Teiken to train at boxing at a prestigious college by the sea. He is very easy-going and cheerful, but can be moved to anger. He used to be one mistake away from being expelled from Teiken High. According to Hatanaka, Maeda has been the only one to knock him down yet in a boxing match and that no one at his college compares to him.

Hamada

One of the original members of the boxing club and the person that took over running it when Hatanaka left. Hamada managed to bring the boxing club back to life and return it to its former glory after Hatanaka left. An extremely honourable and noble person, Hamada eventually got himself expelled in an effort to protect Seiji, who was forced by a teacher to plant cigarettes on him. To ease Seiji's guilt and stop him from admitting what he did to his friends, Hamada hit the teacher in question to make the whole point moot. He later finds work at a building site, and his friends are pleased that he found a job that he enjoys.

The leader of the Cheering Squad. He is recognized for his moustache, large frame and strong tolerance towards alcohol. At the start of the manga, the Cheering Squad and Boxing Squad were in the middle of a feud, but this was quickly sorted out by Taison and his friends. He is twenty years old, having to continuously repeat his final year.

Hidekazu Ohashi

Original member of the Boxing Club that was involved in the dispute between Hatanaka and Maeda. He is well known for his extremely strong punch and his bright blong, permed haircut. He is best friends with Mutoh and the two both had to repeat their final year together. While originally a mediocre and below average boxer, during his repeat year he started training and working out seriously, being the last member of the original boxing club left.

Mutoh

Member of the Cheering Squad. Mutou is recognizable from his large scar under his right eye. This was accidentally self-inflicted when Mutou rubbed away tears when his hand was bandaged with a blade. When he was younger, he had a large, comical afro. Even though they were bitter enemies at the start of the manga, Ohashi and Mutoh are best friends.

Ebihara "Marcy" Masatoshi

A first year at Teiken High and one of its most powerful fighters, Ebihara is skilled at most martial arts and at using improvised weapons. Originally an antagonist at Teiken when he first arrived, Ebihara was able to overpower Maeda the first time they fought. He is recognisable by his distinctive mod look and the bandana he uses to prop up his overflowing mass of hair. This bandana is used to hide the large, disfiguring scar Ebihara has left over from middle school. This has left him with a crippling fear of knives and can go into a blind panic when he sees one. His nickname "Marcy" comes from when he used be in the Masako motorbike gang.

Oba Hiroto

A first year student, he trusts Taison with his life.

A first year student and Oba Hiroto's best friend.

Chiaki's best friend and Katsuji's girlfriend. She can be a bit ditzy at times.

Mika

A girl in Maeda's class that used to have a serious crush on him. Ohashi used think she had a thing for him but was sadly proved wrong. She now goes out with Koheiji's younger brother.

Junichi Nakajima

Junichi is one of Maeda's classmates. An avid photographer, Nakajima is considered an annoyance by Maeda and his gang, especially whenever sports are involved. He is the head of and only member of Teiken's photography club and usually must resort to selling risque photos of his female classmates to magazines in order to keep it running. Maeda, or someone else, almost always breaks his cameras by accident whenever he is around.

Mafuyu

A sukeban

Sukeban

means delinquent girl or boss girl in Japanese, equivalent to the male banchō. A dictionary of says that sukeban only refers to the leader of a girl gang, not any member of the girl gang.-Characteristics:...

, Mafuyu used be part of the destructive bike gang Brown Sugar, until she fell in love with Takeshi, a Misako, and rival gang member. She almost killed herself on Valentine's Day before Maeda stopped her. She eventually overcomes her despair and falls in love again.

Masahiko Kondo

A kind hearted and much loved teacher at Teiken High, Masa often despairs over Maeda and his friends failure at making grades. Maeda has great respect for Masa and it was under Masa's guidance that Hatanaka got one last shot at getting a boxing scholarship at college. When he was younger he was on the Japanese olympic team for wrestling but never actually managed to compete in the olympics.

Yonekura Industrial

Shimabukuro

One of Maeda's longer running adversaries. They met when Shimabukuro crashed his car into Maeda's, inadvertently saving his, and his friends lives from an oncoming train. Mistaken identity later led the two to become enemies. A long-running joke in the manga is that Maeda and Shimabukuro always meet by helping the other out, only to fight when they realize who it is they are dealing with. He is a strong fighter, coming 2nd place in the Japanese High School Judo Finals. While he should be in his final year at Yonekura, he had to repeat 2nd year due to poor grades. Him and Maeda seem to be of equal strength, though Shimabukuro knocked Maeda out with a Judo slam during their only serious fight. The two later resolved the conflict in hospital, both suffering from chicken pox. While often at each others throats, the other characters often wonder whether or not they're best friends.

Yahiro

Sakamato's underclassmen who is the complete opposite of him. Yahiro often fights with Sakamoto, especially over his rigid sense of honour. He is an extremely competent fighter, having fought and beaten multiple opponents, and having even beaten Sakamoto once in a fight. He is extremely disrespectful and proud, usually considering himself above everyone else, and even though he treats Sakamoto the same way, it is obvious the two are close friends.

Misako Technical College

Tsuyoshi Mihara

The boss of Misako College and of the gang of the same name, Mihara was put into prison before the start of the manga. When he returns he plans on getting revenge on Teiken because it was Mafuyu who got him put there and for when Yoneji came to the school and beat up Naoto. Maeda manages to defeat him by bashing his head in on the gravestone of Mafuyu's boyfriend, who he had blinded in one eye and crashed his motorbike as a result.

Naoto

A pupil at Misako and a former classmate of Yoneji and Katsuji's when they were still at middle school. Something of a ladies man, Naoto seduced Yoneji's girlfriend at the time Sayuri, into giving him a kiss. Yoneji witnessed this and because of that hates Naoto and broke it off with his girlfriend. When Sayuri returns into his life, he gets revenge on Naoto and manages to defeat, even though he trains at karate.

Takeshi

A former pupil and gang member of Misako, he died in a motorcycle accident before the manga started. He and Mafuyu used to go out and it was this relationship which brought about Mihara's wrath. He was blinded in one eye when Mihara punched him and was told by doctors not to drive, advice which he sadly didn't follow.