Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow 2

by Asao Takamori

After a stunning clash between Rikiishi's finely honed skill and Joe's raw, unbridled gift, both are released from Toko Reformatory-but Joe has a lot of catching up to do. His rival is already making waves on the pro circuit, and while Rikiishi has expensive, state-of-the-art training facilities, Joe has nothing but a makeshift gym down by the river. Danpei inspires him to dream of walking back across the so-called bridge of tears and into the limelight, but when the old pug's reputation catches up with him, it looks like Joe might be shut out of the pros forever…

Genres: Manga, Sports

582 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

Asao Takamori (高森朝雄, Takamori Asao) is another pen name of the Japanese mangaka Asaki Takamori (高森朝樹, Takamori Asaki) or Ikki Kajiwara (梶原一騎, Kajiwara Ikki).

Reviews

[Norman Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classic manga gets a great looking English translation. The protagonist, Joe, carries a massive chip on his shoulder, causing him to be a stubborn, hard-headed jerk much of the time. So why is his story so popular? Maybe it's because Joe's trials resonate with people--people who might be in difficult situations but who don't let circumstances get in their way of their goals. We are now over a thousand pages into the saga, and finally Joe is slowly (very slowly) learning to tame his temper, but he still has trouble listening to advice from his friends. His only real goal is to fight his boxing rival and everything else is secondary. It's the sort of machismo that was certainly prevalent in the late 60s/early70s when this was first published. As such, it hasn't aged well, but it is an excellent historical look at Japan in the post-war era, produced by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba, two pioneers of modern manga.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I appreciate most about Ashita no Joe is its stubborn refusal to become what readers may want it to be. Asao Takamori writes complex characters who would, in any other manga, be one-dimensional tropes. Joe and Danpei are both troubled characters who continue to walk right up to the line of being what the other needs, but when second chances prove hard to come by, their pride, anger, and shame get in the way.

It's a story so relatable that it hurts sometimes. Troubled people who want to be better and are kicked just one too many times while they're down. But even as Danpei relapses and Joe's dreams are ripped away, he refuses to let it go. He's going to show the world what he's got even if it kills him...

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

At almost 600 pages, volume 2 of the series continues to impress! When I look at how old it is, it shows the quality and workmanship of the creators (Asao Takamori writing & Tetsuya Chiba creating the visual experience) it is something more fans should lock in on and read (or reread).

This volume picks right up where the last omnibus like book left off. The fights are raw and gritty. The thing I found in this volume, which was also in the first was just how much one can scrap and claw for the things they want...and sometimes you still can come up short. The adversity also can create newfound respect and even friendship. A solid volume of storytelling and art!

[Cooper Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peak

[Alberto Giancarlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the first volume came out, much was said about it not being worth the price ($60!) with this paper quality and whatnot. I still bought it (paid $40) because I love the series. I mention all this because this second volume looked like a "fan" right out of the box. What I mean is, if you lay the book horizontal on a flat surface, the cover stays open, almost as if the spine is slightly too thin for the amount of pages. I actually bought two (teamed-up with a friend so we could have free shipping) and both of them had this issue, so it wasn't a one-off thing. But after a while staying on my shelf, the book has sorta "straightened" itself. Anyway, love the series, actually like the design, I'm gonna keep buying it (not at full price, of course).