Morikawa aims to return in a month.
If you were expecting the next chapter of Hajime no Ippo to land soon, that wait has just been extended. Creator and manga author George Morikawa has confirmed the long-running boxing manga will remain on break after his hospitalisation, with work paused while he recovers.
Morikawa shared the update on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, alongside a draft image of an upcoming chapter:
“I was admitted to the hospital today. I'll be focusing on treatment and recovery for a while,” he said in a machine-translated post. He added that if recovery goes as planned, he “can return in about a month.”
Hajjime no Ippo
Release Date: 11 October 1989
Author: George Morikawa
Publisher: Kondansha
Morikawa hospitalised, Hajime no Ippo chapters delayed
The update follows a recent pause in December, with Hajime no Ippo only just resuming earlier this year. Its latest instalment, chapter 1,515, released on 5 March in issue 14 of Weekly Shōnen Magazine, published by Kodansha.
Morikawa did not disclose further details about his condition, but his post centres on stepping away from production to focus on recovery. The draft artwork shared alongside the announcement indicates that work on the next chapter had already been underway before the interruption.
What is Hajime no Ippo?
First serialised in 1989, the manga remains Morikawa’s only work and has become one of the longest-running sports series in the medium. It surpassed 100 million copies in circulation in July 2023, with digital releases rolling out globally in recent years, including via K MANGA. The latest collected volume, number 145, shipped on 16 January.
Hajime no Ippo follows Ippo Makunouchi, a timid high schooler who is frequently bullied. His life shifts after crossing paths with professional boxer Mamoru Takamura, setting him on a path into the world of boxing.
Training at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym, Ippo develops his skills and confidence, pursuing what it truly means to be strong. The series blends in-ring action with character-driven storytelling, charting Ippo’s progression through increasingly tough opponents.
Where can I watch the anime adaptation of Hajime no Ippo?
The franchise has also expanded beyond manga, with multiple anime adaptations over the years. The original series debuted in 2000, followed by Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger in 2009 and Hajime no Ippo Rising in 2013. Additional releases include the Champion Road special and the Mashiba vs. Kimura OVA.
Streaming-wise, Crunchyroll currently hosts the original anime and Rising, while Discotek Media has handled Blu-ray releases of the first season. Earlier North American distribution was managed by Geneon Entertainment before it shut down in 2007.