Ashita no Joe - Recommendations

• TV (75 eps)
• 2000 - 2002

Ippo Makunouchi is a loser. He has no friends, he spends his free time helping his mom with work, and he's constantly being beaten up by bullies. But that all changes when one day he's saved from another beating by Takamura, an up-and-coming boxer. Soon, Ippo turns his life around with a passion for the newly discovered sport, but his new lifestyle is far from easy! Before he can even dream of becoming champion, he'll have to overcome a slew of fierce rivals and learn what 'dedication' really means.

• TV (20 eps)
• 2000 - 2001

In the year 1947, the people of Shinjuku are down on their luck. With little money to buy food or necessities, some resort to gambling in order to survive. The Mahjong parlors are where the traveling Tetsuya chooses to spend his time, wiping the floor clean with his adversaries. However, once Tetsuya meets the intensely-skilled Boushu-san, he discovers that his own skills are lacking, and from now on Mahjong will never be the same! Does Tetsuya have what it takes to become a legendary gambler?

• TV (44 eps)
• 1977 - 1978

Takaya Todoroki is a cocky, rookie racecar driver with dreams to make it big. Having lost his father, an American military officer and skilled jet fighter pilot, Takaya has made it his mission to follow his dreams and one day race and win in a Formula One car. During Takaya's first match, he crashes his car and awakens in a hospital, dejected and downtrodden. There, he's approached by a mysterious masked man who gives him another chance to prove his skills: Takaya will join an elite team of racers, and even test drive a prototype vehicle! Does Takaya have what it takes to race his way to the top?

• Movie (1 ep x 45 min)
• 1990

Legendary boxer Keijiro Akagi's second son, Eiji, is a high school dropout and the world's worst rock guitarist. Though his father and elder brother are both boxers, he hates the sport but suddenly takes an interest in it when he meets the local champion's little sister.

• OVA (3 eps x 40 min)
• 1990 - 1991

Ryo Takagi is a trumpet player on the verge of hitting it big with his band, but he's also a natural fighter whose blood starts burning when he fights seriously; this gave him the nickname B.B ("Burning Blood"). After suffering absolute defeat at the hands of a young man named Jin Moriyama, though, Ryo decides to trade in his trumpet for a pair of boxing gloves in order to have a rematch the way Moriyama wants it: In the boxing ring.

• Movie (1 ep)
• 1993

Teiken High School class goes on a field trip to the Kansai region of Japan, Taison is from. Taison's little brother Youkou sent a message to Taison & his older brother Fujio that their father, Monson, is sick and that they should return home to visit him. This trip back will also allow Taison to put some closure on his past regarding his friend Naoto & his ex, Haruka.

• OVA (3 eps)
• 1992 - 1993

Nozomi Egawa and Ryoutaro Shiba are the new high school students in town. As a matter of fact, they've just moved into houses next door to each other. In a chance encounter, Nozomi realizes that Ryoutaro has genius reflexes and vision, so urges him to join the boxing club to realize her dream of seeing her brother representing Japan in the Barcelona Olympics. This is the story of Ryoutaro's journey to make that dream a reality.

• TV (6 eps)
• 2011

After defeating Black Shaft's makeshift Team USA and proving their worth to the Shadow Clan, Team Golden Japan Jr. will finally enter the World Jr. Boxing Tournament. In order to fulfill their goal of a perfect victory they'll have to take on teams from countries like Mexico, Italy, France, Germany, and the mysterious and godlike Team Greece.

• TV (6 eps)
• 2010

After defeating Black Shaft's makeshift Team America, the Golden Japan Jr. team returns to training for the World Tournament that will be held in Tokyo. But during training the Shadow Clan, who was written out of Japanese boxing history due to its deadly use of the style, kidnaps Kiku in order to lure Ryuji and the others into a fight to see who's truly the better representatives of Japan's junior boxers.

• TV (12 eps)
• 2006

Ryuuji Takane has successfully become the Japanese Junior Champion after winning the Champion Carnival. He, Kazuki, Takeshi, Ishimatsu and the rest of the gang have their sights set on the upcoming World Junior Boxing Tournament, but before that they must participate in a special battle with America's team. Headed by the American Junior Champion, Black Shaft, the rival team will be tough to handle. Black Shaft has his own reasons for fighting Ryuuji and the gang, and he's recruited a convict and other dangerous individuals to ensure his victory...