Tomorrow's Joe

A former boxer and current drunkard named Danpei Tange meets a drifter named Joe Yabuki and sees potential in him. Tange offers to teach Joe how to box, but Joe isn't easily convinced.

Danpei is severely hurt after trying to protect Joe from the yakuza. Joe goes to visit the head of the yakuza group to try to get reparations for Danpei.

Danpei works hard day and night to save up for Joe and his boxing gym. Meanwhile, Joe uses the slum kids to con some money out of people and he runs into a woman named Yoko Shiraki.

Joe holes up in an abandoned building after he gets caught lying to con people out of money.

Tange sends Joe a letter to teach him boxing while he's at the police hospital waiting for his fate.

Joe ends up in a juvenile classification home and is quickly put into his place after trying to be cocky against his fellow inmates and their boss Nishi.

Joe, Tange, and the kids show up to court to hear if Joe will be sent off to the juvenile training school.

Joe and Nishi spend their first night at the Toko Special Juvenile Training School and are quickly put into their places.

Joe and Nishi are sent out with the rest of the inmates to do some farmwork. Later on, Nishi comes up with a plan to help Joe escape the island, but they meet a man named Toru Rikiishi.

Joe is completely out of it after getting punched by Rikiishi. However, later on, he had a huge surprise in store for everyone.

Joe continues to practice boxing while he's alone in solitary. Danpei and the kids try to find a way into the juvenile training school when they unexpectedly run into Yoko.

Joe tells Yoko why he treats her so badly. Rikiishi tries to interfere and Yoko proposes that they settle this in a boxing match. Tange finally gets to train Joe again in person.

Joe and Rikiishi prepare for their upcoming match. After seeing just how powerful Joe's new punch is, Rikiishi devises a unique training method to counter it.

Joe and Rikiishi finally have their first match. But for some reason, Danpei tells Joe to let Rikiishi keep knocking him down. Who will be the winner in the end?

Moved by the fight between Joe and Rikiishi, the inmates also start boxing.

Tange becomes the full-time boxing coach at the juvenile training school on Nogiku Island. Joe seems to finally be interested in training more with Tange, but Tange suddenly seems distant.

Joe keeps trying to get Tange to coach him again, but Tange just keeps ignoring him and concentrates on training Aoyama. No one expected Aoyama to get into the tournament, but he then somehow defeats the rep for dorm 7, Numata.

The dormitory boxing tournament begins and everyone finds out just how Aoyama defeated Numata.

Joe and Aoyama's match finally begins, but who will come out on top?

Joe and Aoyama's match concludes and Tange reveals something to our two fighters.

Rikiishi tells Joe that they need to have their match sooner because something came up, so they have an unofficial match out in the rain.

Rikiishi leaves Toko Special Juvenile Training School and Joe feels empty inside. Meanwhile, the final match of the dorm boxing tournament is about to begin.

Following Rikiishi and Aoyama, Nishi is also going to leave the juvenile training school, leaving Joe all alone.

Joe finally leaves the juvenile training school and goes back to the slums where he's welcomed back with open arms, and Danpei has a surprise for him.

Joe finally feels like something might be changing in his life, but then he is visited by Guerilla, who's on the run from the police.

Tange goes to the Japan Boxing Association to get his gym officially recognized. Meanwhile, Joe starts working at the grocery store Nishi works at.

Tange is unable to get the license for his gym, but then, an unexpected visitor gives them an unbelievable offer.

Joe goes to see the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament and figures out a way to get one of the members of the Boxing Association to give Tange the license he needs for his gym.

Tange is able to get the license for his gym after the stunt Joe pulled at the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament, but he says that Joe's not ready to become a pro yet himself. However, Joe's got his own ideas.

Joe and Nishi go take the pro boxing test and Joe finds out that it's not as easy as he thought it would be.

Joe passes the B-rank exam and takes his first real step towards becoming a pro.

Nishi and Joe both have their debut matches in the pro ring.

Everyone celebrates after Joe's first victory. Noriko gets him violets but those are quickly overshadowed by the giant bouquet of roses Yoko sends him.

Ishikura watches Joe win a boxing match and decides he wants to be just like him. He then suddenly shows up to Tange's gym wanting to join, but Tange surprisingly refuses.

Nishi loses all three matches so far after becoming a pro and loses his confidence. Tange, Joe, and the kids try to find a way to build his confidence back up and Kinoko finds a surprising solution.

Joe continues winning match after match and asks Tange when he's going to go up against Wolf Kanagushi. Tange tells him they're going to take it nice and slow, but then, Otaka sends them an invitation...

Joe, Tange, and Nishi are anxious about what Wolf's secret training could be. The kids decide they'll sneak into the Asia Boxing Club to find out what Wolf's training is, but things go terribly wrong.

Joe and Wolf's match finally begins. Whose training will bring them victory?

Joe and Wolf's intense match finally comes to an end. Who will stand victorious?

Tange takes Joe, Nishi, and the rest of the neighborhood on a hot springs trip to celebrate Joe's victory, but on their way up, they find out that Wolf may have been incapacitated.

The new year has arrived and Joe finds out that Rikiishi is losing weight to become a bantamweight so he can face off with Joe.

Joe and Rikiishi continue training for their match. However, Rikiishi is starting to worry Yoko and Mikinosuke because he is going to extreme lengths to lose weight.

Tange formally accepts Shiraki Gym's match request between Rikiishi and Joe and he tells Joe about Rikiishi's brutal weight loss regimen. Meanwhile, Nishi doesn't seem to be losing any weight...

Rikiishi has his first match as a bantamweight against Pancho Leo. Who will come out on top?

Joe asks Tange and Nishi to help him improve his sway backs so he has a way to counter Rikiishi.

While Joe continues his intense training, Rikishi is equally devoted to maintaining his weight.

On the day of the match, Joe and Danpei reunite with Rikishi during the weigh-in and acknowledge his impressive weight-cutting success.

Joe realizes that Rikishi has stabilized his body after extreme weight loss.

Rikishi's uppercut grazes Joe's cheek, causing it to bleed. Alarmed, Joe moves in close during the third round, leading to an intense exchange of hooks.

Joe fortifies his guard for the first time in his professional career, but Rikishi's fierce attack knocks him down.

The fierce battle ends. Joe extends a congratulatory handshake to Rikishi, who starts to smile but collapses onto the mat.

On the day of Rikishi's funeral, Joe leaves their condolences to Danpei and Nishi and tries to distract himself by playing energetically with the children by the riverside.

Joe wanders through the town on a snowy night, carrying memories of Rikishi. To Joe, who has no family, Rikishi was an irreplaceable presence...

Three days after Joe disappeared, a ten-count gong was held at Korakuen Hall to mourn Rikishi's death. Joe watches the scene on a street-side TV.

Joe sees Wolf Kanagushi, who has become a bodyguard for the yakuza, on the streets.

The brawl with Gondo is treated as extenuating circumstances. After being informed by reporters, Danpei quickly retrieves Joe.

Joe continues training and lands a powerful body blow during sparring with Nishi. However, Nishi notices that Joe avoids striking the head, arousing suspicion.

The ten-round match between Joe and Tonotani begins. Danpei and Nishi, concealing their concerns, watch over Joe.

Having returned to form, Joe defeats several Japanese bantamweight contenders with his fierce body attacks.

Pre-match predictions favor Tiger in his fight against Joe. Around this time, the head of Bokuto Gym invites Joe to spar with him, saying it is to substitute for Nishi, who injured his fist.

In the fight against Tiger, Kunimoto, the Sun Gym president, claims to have uncovered Joe's weakness. In truth, Tiger realizes that Joe cannot properly strike the face.

After the fight, Danpei shockingly reveals the truth to Joe. However, learning that his actual opponent is the 'ghost of Rikishi' haunting him, Joe strengthens his resolve.

The slump in Joe's performance casts a shadow over the slums. Even so, Joe continues his desperate battle against himself, repeatedly striking the sandbag's temple position.

Carlos prays for both fighters' success in the ring for Joe's match against Nangou. As the fight begins, Joe faces his poor condition and a referee influenced by the Hyo clan.

After Joe's devastating loss to Nangou, Danpei dissolves the Tange Gym. He entrusts the future of Joe and Nishi to the proprietor of Hachiya, but Joe resolves to continue boxing alone.

Joe departs from the Namidabashi Bridge early in the morning and meets a boy who dreams of traveling to far-off places on his way to Ueno Station. Joe sympathizes with his story.

A postcard arrives, informing the children of Joe's whereabouts in Oarai. Determined to meet him, they head to Ueno Station, but an attempt at fare-dodging is discovered, forcing them to disembark.

Joe's new career in the traveling show begins. Kawano attempts to promote Joe as a star by arranging fixed matches and instructing the others to take deliberate losses.

On a day off, Joe goes hiking with Inaba and falls off a cliff in the fog. Yuri, the daughter of a nearby Hiyama Ranch, rescues him.

Yoko organizes a Carlos vs. Nangou match in Sendai, where Joe performs. Interested in Joe, Carlos and Robert visit the Namidabashi Bridge and learn how much Joe is still loved by the community.

Joe's performances continue at the sparsely attended Hakusan Shrine. During a break, Joe positions himself in front of the TV Kawano bought, intently watching Carlos's match against Nangou.

A postcard from Noriko brings news about the Namidabashi community. However, since watching Carlos's fight, Joe has been unable to focus on his performance.

Returning to Tokyo, Joe visits Yoko and requests to spar with Carlos. Reluctantly, Yoko agrees and insists they use heavier 16-ounce gloves for safety.

Tange Gym fell into disrepair during Joe's absence. Joe begins rebuilding it with Danpei and the children.

As Joe resumes training in the Namidabashi slums, Noriko watches with a complex expression. Meanwhile, the day of Carlos's match against Harashima arrives.

Yoko finalizes the contract for a Carlos vs. Tiger match. Carlos confidently declares he will win with a first-minute KO.

Robert's old friend, promoter Henry James, arrives in Japan. Henry arranges a match between Carlos and the world champion, Jose Mendoza, and proposes canceling the fight with Joe.

The day of Carlos's match against Tiger arrives. As a boxing fan, Danpei expresses his feelings about Joe's journey. Yoko quietly encourages Joe as they pass in the hallway.

Carlos counters Joe's rope-side techniques with an improvised move, nullifying Joe's strategy. He then proposes an all-out brawl with no tricks.

After inadvertently killing Toru Rikiishi in the ring, Joe Yabuki finds himself aimlessly wandering the city at night, when he comes across a fight between Wolf Kanagushi, his former opponent who has become a Yakuza muscleman and Goromaki Gondo, a henchman from an opposing Yakuza group.

After a long absence, Joe returns to Tange Gym where he is welcomed with open arms. He pays his respect at Rikiishi's grave and swears to return to the ring. Even after being away for several months, Joe proves his punches are still as powerful as ever in his spar against Nishi. The bell to Joe's first comeback match echoes through the hall.

Joe proves his comeback K.O. victory is no fluke. With his powerful punches, Joe sends his opponents to the hospital one after another. The rival boxing club owners see Joe as a serious threat and band together to get rid of him.

Joe, a fledgling boxer, is unfairly matched up against Tiger Ozaki, the National Bantamweight Champion. Despite the odds, Joe sees it as an opportunity to instantly climb to the top and is confident he can defeat Tiger Ozaki. However, right before the bout, a member of Tiger Ozaki's team reveals they have discovered Joe's weakness.

After a humiliating defeat against Tiger Ozaki, Joe agrees to another bout despite Danpei's protests. Under Tiger Ozaki's guidance, Ryu Harajima, Joe's opponent takes advantage of Joe's weakness in the ring. To prove them wrong, Joe unleashes a punch to Harajima's temple, the same punch that killed Toru Rikiishi. However, an unexpected physical reaction suddenly overwhelms Joe.

Despite learning his inability to strike his opponent in the temple is psychological, Joe is undeterred and trains for his upcoming fight against Koji Nango. Joe climbs into the ring while Carlos Rivera, the world's No. 6 bantamweight boxer from Venezuela, watches from the ringside.

Without a club willing to organize a bout against him, Joe's career seems over for certain. Even Danpei says, "Joe Yabuki, the boxer is dead" and urges him to retire. Unable to accept his career may be over, Joe is at a loss. Then, he receives an invitation from Yoko to see Carlos Rivera's fight. What kind of man and boxer is Carlos Rivera?

Danpei closes the gym and disappears to make Joe realize that his career is over. However, Joe refuses to give up boxing and continues to train. He catches Carlos Rivera's second match on TV and realizes what he saw during Carlos' first match was no trick of the eye. He visits the Shiraki Gym where Carlos is training and offers to be his sparring partner.

Joe is slowly released from the ghost of Toru Rikiishi during his heated spar against Carlos. After realizing Joe can punch his opponent's temple again, Danpei reopens the gym and the two go see Carlos's bout. Before his bout against Tiger Ozaki, Carlos searches Joe out of the crowd and predicts a one round K.O. victory.

It's Christmas and the mood is merry in the slums. Snow begins to fall, as Carlos and Joe's fire burn quietly inside of them. In the snow-covered park, Joe challenges Carlos to a fight to settle who is best. However, Carlos has another plan.

As the New Year's Eve bell counts down the passing year, Joe and Carlos' bout kick off with the sound of the boxing bell. Joe and Carlos put on a heated and breathtaking fight. However, Joe is unable to land his forte, the cross-counter. With no other option, Joe makes a daring attack by the ropes, but will it be enough to defeat Carlos?

Joe loses consciousness after being hit with Carlos' powerful uppercut. However, he refuses to go down without spending every last ounce of his strength. Carlos' "invincible punch" mercilessly rains down on Joe. Their fierce fight continues, as both boxers fight with all their might. Who will be victorious?

With Joe's bout against Carlos now over, Joe, Danpei and the people from the neighborhood are busy organizing Nishi's retirement party. However, unbeknownst to everyone, Nishi was struggling to accept that he could no longer physically box. At his retirement party, Nishi asks Joe to spar with him one last time.

Joe visits the Shiraki Gym to pick up his prize money. There, he learns the World Champion had defeated Carlos. Joe also learns Carlos had become incapacitated as a boxer and that he was to blame. Seeing the pain in Joe's eyes, Noriko suggests he quit boxing.

Without a boxing club willing to organize a bout against Joe, Danpei visits Yoko for help. However, instead of organizing a bout against a Japanese boxer, she chooses Usman Somkit, the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation's No. 5 boxer from Thailand as his opponent. With Carlos still on his mind, Joe climbs into the ring...

With a lightening fast victory against Usman Somkit, all eyes are back on Joe. Meanwhile, Joe finally gets the opportunity to watch the gut-wrenching bout between Carlos and Jose Mendoza, the World Bantamweight Champion. Joe vows to avenge Carlos, but before he can challenge Jose he must defeat Tarny Aronzo, the OPBF's No. 3 boxer from the Philippines and climb the ranks.

Joe steps onto the gym scale and makes an unwelcome discovery. Meanwhile, Kanto TV has announced their exclusive broadcasting rights to all of Joe's bouts in Japan. At the announcement party, Joe notices an unlikely man standing amongst the crowd. Who is the uninvited guest and what is his objective?

Joe is eager to take on Yongbi Kim, the OPBF Bantamweight Champion, but according to Danpei, Kim is avoiding Joe because he's afraid of him. When in fact, Kim is eager to take on Joe, as well. Danpei has his reasons to want to avoid a bout between the two and is willing to cast a web of lies in order to keep Joe from finding out.

With Joe and Kim's Championship match now confirmed, Yoko sends Suga to South Korea to find out Kim's mysterious past, while Kim's manager secretly gathers information about Joe. Joe and Danpei watch Kim's exhibition match against a boxer, who is two weight classes above him. As the fight unfolds, a cold chill runs down Joe and Danpei's spine.

Despite the match being three weeks away, Joe is struggling to lose weight. Desperate to lose weight, he turns the gym into a dangerously hot sauna. After almost passing out, Danpei urges Joe to stop his dangerous weight loss attempts. Determined to stay in the bantamweight class and without Danpei willing to support him, Joe holes himself up in the attic room and refuses to eat...

With Danpei vehemently against Joe's dangerous weight loss, Joe leaves the Tange Gym. He visits the Shiraki Gym and locks himself up in the very same room where Toru Rikiishi once starved himself, so he could fight Joe. Joe's thirst and hunger reaches its peak and he goes into a wild rage as though he were mad. Unable to watch any longer, Danpei relents and offers to help Joe.

After a grueling weight loss regimen, Joe finally loses enough weight to stay in the bantamweight class. However, during the official weigh-in, Joe discovers he is actually over the weight limit and that Danpei had altered the scale back at the gym. With only a few hours left until the final weigh-in, Joe resorts to drastic measures knowing full well that it might kill him.

With the final weigh-in now over, Danpei brings Joe to a restaurant so he can enjoy a small meal before his match. Kim, who happened to come to the same restaurant, asks Joe if he could join him. Seated across from Joe, Kim begins to tell him about his past. What horrifying truth about his past will Kim reveal to Joe?

Kim's manager confidently predicts Kim's victory during the pre-fight press interview. Danpei and Nishi encourage Joe in the locker room, but Joe is not his usual self. Unsurprisingly, Kim dominates the fight and Joe can only defend himself. However, no matter how hard Kim knocks him down, Joe continues to get up. Why does Joe continue to get up in such a hopeless fight?

Joe has fought beyond his limit, yet he refuses to go down. Unable to comprehend how Joe can continue to fight, Kim slowly becomes unhinged and resorts to using his deadly technique known as Chom-Chom.

With is victory over Kim, Joe is now the OPBF Champion. His next goal is to defeat Jose Mendoza, the World Bantamweight Champion who crushed Carlos. Then one day, Joe learns about a Japanese boxer, who once fought Jose and decides to pay him a visit.

Joe happens to run into Wolf Kanagushi, a former boxer at a pachinko parlor. He is relieved to learn that Wolf is now working as a trainer at a boxing gym, and is no longer a Yakuza muscleman. Wolf tells Joe about the financial struggles the gym is facing

As the OPBF Champion, Joe’s first title defense match has been confirmed in Hawaii. Not wanting to go all the way to Hawaii, Joe is reluctant about the fight, but quickly changes his mind when he learns Jose is also having a bout in Hawaii.

Knowing Jose is watching from the ringside, Joe predicts a two round K.O. victory. However, Joe quickly realizes that defeating his Hawaiian challenger will be harder than he originally thought.

After successfully defending his title, Joe is eager to challenge Jose more than ever. Then one day, Yoko invites Joe to spend some time with Jose and his family on a horse ranch. Joe finally gets an opportunity to question Jose.

As the OPBF Champion and world champion hopeful, it seems everyone wants a piece of Joe now. Meanwhile, the new Tange Gym that’s been under construction is finally complete and Danpei accepts several new aspiring boxers as apprentices.

Jose, the WBC World Champion must fight Harold Gomez, the WBA World Champion in a unification bout to determine the true World Bantamweight Champion. Meanwhile, Joe, the OPBF Champion and now the World’s No. 5 boxer, must defeat Leon Smiley.

Leon dominates the fight and Joe is on defense. However, Leon’s underhanded tactics light a fire inside Joe and the fight quickly becomes a fierce and tightly contested battle. With no knockout punch from either side, the winner is determined by points.

Jose, the WBC World Champion and Gomez, the WBA World Champion will fight head to head to determine the true World Bantamweight Champion. Joe, who has won his right to challenge the winner of the unification bout, flies to Las Vegas to see Jose and Gomez’

Yoko, who feels Joe has lost his wildness within, offers to give up her exclusive rights to Jose’s fights in Japan, under the condition that Joe fights one last bout before his title match against Jose.

Harimau, a wild beast-like man who grew up deep in the Malaysian jungle has been confirmed as Joe’s challenger. Yoko brings Harimau to the Tange Club to introduce him to Joe, but Joe reiterates his displeasure about having to fight.

Joe is humiliatingly caught off guard by Harimau, not once, but twice. Admitting he’s lost his street fighting instincts, Joe asks Goromaki Gondo, a Yakuza henchman for his help. Invited by Joe, Gondo and his subordinates show up at the Tange Gym.

The bout between Joe, the Brawler and Harimau, the Wild Beast begins. At first, Joe struggles to keep up with Harimau’s agility and speed. However, Harimau proves to be no match against Joe, who has regained his instincts as a former street fighter.

Yoko arranges Carlos to be admitted into a hospice to recuperate. However, Dr. Kinninski, the world’s leading authority on punch-drunk syndrome delivers the devastating diagnoses that Carlos is suffering from a severe case of punch-drunk syndrome.

Noriko and Nishi are engaged. Joe is happy from the bottom of his heart to see his long-time pal marry his dream girl. Meanwhile, Jose arrives in Japan just two days after their bout has been officially confirmed.

Noriko and Nishi are engaged. Joe is happy from the bottom of his heart to see his long-time pal marry his dream girl. Meanwhile, Jose arrives in Japan just two days after their bout has been officially confirmed.

After noticing Joe might also be suffering from punch-drunk syndrome, Yoko asks Dr. Kinninski for his professional opinion. Dr. Kinninski is reluctant to give a concrete diagnosis without examining Joe.

In order to avoid Danpei finding out about his health, Joe decides to train with Nishi and Danpei at a mountain lodge, far away from Yoko. Desperate to tell Joe about his health, Yoko tracks down Joe and visits the mountain lodge.

On the day of the title match, Yoko finally tracks down Joe in his locker room and urges him to cancel the fight before he ends up like Carlos. She learns Joe is well aware of what is happening to his body, and that he is going to fight Jose regardless.

Joe and Jose finally face off in the ring. With his impenetrable defense, Jose dodges Joe’s attacks while hitting him with his own punches. After receiving countless blows and unable to land a meaningful punch against Jose.

Jose is rattled by Joe’s sudden comeback, but quickly realizes Joe is no longer able to see out of his right eye, due to the effects of punch-drunk syndrome. Jose moves to Joe’s blind spot and batters him with his punches.

No one doubts Jose’s victory, but something begins to change. While, Jose is unable to knockout Joe completely, Joe masters Jose’s corkscrew punch and continues to fight with a blatant disregard for his life.