Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow 5

by Asao Takamori (Story), Tetsuya Chiba (Art), Annelise Ogaard (Translation)

While Joe is punching below his weight on the traveling sideshow circuit just to keep a hand in, Carlos Rivera is turning the world of Japanese boxing upside down—but is he really the happy-go-lucky clown he presents to the public...? Only Joe sees him for what he truly is, which just might present the young drifter with the greatest challenge of his career, on the biggest stage imaginable!

Genres: Manga

564 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2026

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

[RN_Hpesoj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked how there was a central theme of deception in the first half of this volume. It showed the boxers not revealing their true skill, that some fights are fixed/rigged, and many other layers of things not quite being what they seem. I'm so glad Joe is back in fighting form and I cannot wait for the sixth one to be released. I will buy the next one on day one.

Unfortunately, there's 50 year old Japanese sexism prevalent in this volume. The expected gender roles are on full display with the thoughts and comments of certain characters. I'm glad that Yoko is breaking through some of the outdated sexist gender roles though.

[Deo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Perhaps I really am a devil, dragging Joe Yabuki down into hell and... Perhaps the ring at Korakuen Stadium will become his grave!"

This volume highlights the dark and bleak sides of boxing, the tainting of the purity of the sport. Match fixing, putting on performances to generate hype; all of these has always been present in sports. What makes it tragic is a skilled fighter like Rivera is stooping low in these practices in order to prop his name. Joe still has his principles, trying to regain his wild beast instinct and slowly honing his capabilities as a boxer to fight against the smokes and shadows of the tainted aspect of boxing.

[Alex Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

God damn this manga is addictive and well written.
Also....comparing big panels where they had to draw all of the cars all o the buildings seems so magical because im pretty sure mangakas dont do that anymore they mostly use photos....
i know where this is going and i am terrified.

just keep fighting joe.