02x19 - God Of Boxing

[bunniefuu]

MITSUNARI TOKUGAWA

RESILIENCE

This is the critical juncture.

Are you deciding
you want to undergo treatment

or will you allow the illness
to progress without resisting?

I don't envy you,
it's a difficult choice to make, for sure.

But a decision that you must make.

And it's your final chance to make it.

Hmm.

All right, Mr. Tokugawa.

Make a choice.

It goes without saying

that there really is no choice.

Because I walk the path of no regrets.

When each of us are born,

there is no other path for us to walk.

Just as you must walk
the path set for you.

Right, Doctor?

Huh? Chiharu?

I've been waiting for you, Baki Hanma.

I don't want you to say a single thing.

Keep quiet and fight me.

Huh? Wha... Uh...

Huh?

Sorry this is
so completely out of the blue, Baki.

Why?

I don't understand.

Does there need to be a reason?

I mean, when you put it like that...

This is
a really bad decision, Shiba.

We've got no reason to fight.

I want you to fight Baki.

Huh? Uh... you really want me
to fight a guy like that?

I meant, why would he
wanna fight someone like me?

I thought you were Chiharu Shiba.

Do you need a reason to fight anyone?

Hmm... mm... mmm.

Well, well.

Well, well, well, well...

For such an extraordinary fighter,

it seems
that the world's strongest young man

is nothing more than a big softie.

Chiharu,

that was the last time.

If you attack me first again,

I won't go easy on you
like I just did, okay?

I'm warning you.

Who the f*ck wanted you

to hold back?!

He's freakin' strong.

He's the real deal, just like people say.

I had no idea

just how huge a difference there was
between me and him until now.

Chiharu Shiba.

I don't get it.

How come? Why fight me?

And why now?

Fight, Baki.

Because you're perfectly suited for this.

The nickname they gave him is "Smoking."

Because he follows you around like smoke.

He coils all around your body like smoke.

In every match so far,

not once has he taken a step backward.

He's the most likely contender
for the title.

Smoking Joe Cruiser!

Age 36.

He's going to be your next opponent.

Yup. He's an oldster.

He won't be any trouble at all.

After an amateur career
that included winning the Golden Gloves,

he decided to turn pro.

He won some and lost some.

But he started winning consistently
as he built his career,

and began climbing up into the top ranks.

When he heard
how much the fight money was,

he jumped at the chance.

He's an attractive opponent
considering he lacks your talent.

Feel free to tell the press
that you'll knock him out.

So, that's what Kaiser said?

That he's an attractive opponent
since he's got less talent than you?

Golden Gloves winner and top-ranked pro?

That Smoking Joe Cruiser?

Kaiser thinks he has no talent, huh?

And you saw him fight,
and yet you still believed that?

Yes, that's right.
I believe Cruiser has no talent.

Huh? What?

He has a good look, and that's all.

Huh?

You're not trying to say
you think he's handsome?

You don't get that kind
of boxer's face in a day.

Huh?!

Meager skills at best.

And a short stature.

But even so,
he staunchly refuses to give in.

Just keeps on moving forward.

His appearance shows that.

He takes two punches throwing one.

Too many punches in a career.

Hm.

Well, actually,
I happen to be a big fan of his.

Hmm?

Oh!

When I was visiting China,

I started to hear rumors
about you from time to time.

Did you know you're a famous man?

Well, that may be true, sir.

But I'm certain I'm not even
a thousandth as famous as you.

I've come here to stop you.

You mean stop me
from fighting Smoking Joe Cruiser?

It's not that I wouldn't like

to see kung fu given a run
for their money by boxing skills,

but I'm friendly with the Hanma family.

That's why I came here
to give you this little warning

about your upcoming fight.

You're saying I wouldn't win?

Tell me again Joe Cruiser's nickname?

Smoking Joe Cruiser.

Since the beginning,
boxers have always had nicknames.

However, one thing
has always been very clear.

Boxers are always less than the nickname
that describes their fighting style.

It was exactly the same with me.

"Phantom."

Though my punch was said
to be phantom-like,

it could be seen clearly
in slow motion replays.

But Smoking Joe Cruiser is different.

Smoking. Ever had
an opportunity to fight smoke?

I'm afraid I haven't.

Then try to imagine this.

Smoke attacks first.

Four-thousand years
of Chinese skill punch at it.

But before long,
you're surrounded by the smoke.

And when you can no longer see
through the smoke,

you gonna get punched.

And most likely,
you'll get knocked to the canvas,

by the world's strongest left hook.

"I don't mind in the least!"

I believe that's
a favorite saying of yours.

I may have said that once or twice.

So, what do you think?

I don't mind in the least!

This is weird.

Why do I feel intimidated?

Especially by this small heavyweight.

Only five feet nine inches tall
and about 200 pounds.

His size isn't anything special.

I'm much bigger and stronger than him.

Even so, there's something else.

This overwhelming presence.

His physical...

No. The density of his very character,

is on a completely different level.

Okay, Retsu, how 'bout it?
How does he look to you?

Does he look bigger than you expected
or much smaller?

Five feet nine inches
and about 200 pounds.

Like the weigh-in said.

No larger or no smaller than I thought.

An attractive opponent, huh?

He couldn't be more so.

Though a part of me would like
to see your brains get knocked out

to prove me right,

I love saying "I told you so."

I'd also like to thank you for giving me
the honor of being in your corner tonight.

As far as I'm concerned,
I've got the best seat in the house.

Just make sure that you come back alive!

What is this?

What is with these punches?

I can see them.

I can see all his attacks.

I'm defending against all his attacks.

But still,

deep in my body,

deep in my organs,

there's lingering damage.

Inside those round soft gloves

that even appear gentle...

Inside of those thick, limber muscles...

It's as if

there are sharp blades hidden within them.

I made a mistake...

I'm certain I hit him...

A right uppercut.

I felt it connect.

At the same time, he hit me.

Probably with a left hook.

Gloves...

When I was in training,

I used gloves many times.

But this is the first time
they've had such weight and sharpness.

Though they lack the hardness
and sharpness of bare fists.

Because of the extra weight of the gloves,

the damage to the brain
is clearly far greater

than with that of just plain bare fists.

It's as if my head is being shaken,

shaken in the palm of a giant.

Even the damage from Baki's fists
didn't feel anything like this.

Even Pickle's fists didn't feel like this.

The gloves.

Those things called gloves.

Those tools called gloves.

Tools...

This originality!

Four. That's five.

Six.

- Seven.
- Retsu...

Eight.

Okay?

I get it. That's what it is.

Those guys.

The strength
of the top-class boxers, it's...

Fight!

It's the fact
that they're proficient

in the use of the tools
that are their gloves.

Release muscle tension

to make the weight of the gloves
even more apparent.

In a liver shot,

with the flicker jab as well,

the glove is turned into a weapon.

How Incredible.

I've just realized it!

Boxing started with bare-knuckle fighting,

but to transform it
into a safe and wholesome sport,

in 1865,

the Queensberry Rules
were incorporated to include gloves.

It's now been 150 years since then.

After passing through
a long tunnel of diligent study,

at last, gloves were successfully
turned into weapons.

I failed to see it.

Due to their gentle, soft appearance,

their tender feel,

I overlooked the vicious will

that's hidden inside them.

What?

What can I do about it?

I've realized a lot of things,

but what'll I do

with the reality of this damage?!

What do you say, Baki?

Are you finally gonna fight me

while keeping your big mouth shut?

- Yeah, I think I will.
- Hmm?

Relax, I'm not gonna
really fight you, man.

What the heck's gotten into you anyway?

I mean, sure, I went along with it before,
but that's not happening again.

Does whiddle Baki need a reason?

Yeah, that's right, I need a reason.

Just like you need
to stop talking like a baby.

I mean, come on, man.

Why do you want to fight me so badly?

For practice? To learn how to brawl?

I guess that you could say
I'm practicing for something big.

Practicing how to kick your big butt.

My butt's big?

That's right.
And I'm gonna kick it.

So, shall we begin?

Whoa! Hold on. Just hold on here.

This isn't the Baki I heard stories of.

Well, dude, this isn't like
anything that I've heard of!

Starting a fight as soon as we meet?

Didn't I tell you to shut your mouth?

He's really gonna fight me?
Seriously?!

Oh boy.

From now on, we only talk with our fists!

Yup, this guy's really gonna fight.

Oh well.

Chiharu,

I appreciate that you volunteered
to be my sparring partner,

but you're so damn weak, man.

Yeah, I won't fight you again.

Get outta here when you wake up, huh?

Hmmm. Mm!

Holy sh*t. Listen to him out there.

He hasn't given up.
He's already getting ready for a rematch.

He's hopeless.

With guys like this,
you've really gotta teach 'em a lesson...

Oh, he's moving.

He's moving toward the front door.

I should hear him
putting on his shoes soon.

That's it!

What?!

What was that? That sound just now...

That jerk's wearing his shoes
with the back crushed under his foot!

Doesn't he know the disadvantage

of wearing shoes with the back crushed?

You've got only one-tenth the power!

What a tremendous idiot.

Okay, that was awesome.

That was not the punch of a novice.

You're good-looking with a bloody nose.

Sorry for wearing my shoes inside,

but they help when you're in a fight.

And he's also really strong.

I'll fix up your front door

after I'm done wiping the floor with you.

What the hell kind of hold is this?!

I mean, he may be
a novice without any skills...

...he sure has...

...a hell of a lot of power.

And boy, does he love to fight.

Is this...

No, not "is this."

This is!

This is the fighting power
of a true fighting spirit.

Thanks for that.

I think I get your point now.

I have stopped.

The scenery is melting.

Everything except me,

it's all melting.

Even my opponent.

He's coming at me
even though he's melting.

However,

this melted scenery...

Okay?

It's not my first time.

BAILIN TEMPLE

Don't fight it.

This move is unavoidable.
Don't move at all!

Can you hear me?

Effective, isn't it?

You can't even see me properly,

but yet you still know I'm here.

Now try to stand up.

This is tofu.

Soaking in water,

it closely resembles the relationship

between the human brain
and the surrounding skull protecting it.

With the application
of an external impact to the bowl,

the tofu is easily destroyed.

The inside of your skull
was feeling like this earlier.

You have mastered
your defenses well.

However, due to a mistake,

your defense could fail,
and you'll be struck.

As a consequence of some lax training,

one day you will most likely be struck
with a full-force punch.

What then? What to do?

Do as I just did.

I can't take any more damage.

I've reached my limit.

The tofu is jiggling in the bowl.

Until this jiggling stops,

I cannot allow him

to hit me with his next punch.

Hmm.

He's changed his form.

Retsu! Don't stand there!
Circle around him!

I won't change.

No matter how he changes,

Smoking will just keep on following.

Circle around!

Smoking will just coil around you!

He just... spun.

Good. This is working.

I'm recovering.

He's really spinning around and around.

Nicely too.

I knew he'd do that.

Hmm?

I already knew
that he's a very talented fighter.

With great moves.

But I won't change.

I cannot change.

This is all I know!

I advance, chase, and coil around you.

This is all I know!