Hajime no Ippo : The Fighting!

Hajime no Ippo : The Fighting! for Game Boy Advance is a boxing action game developed by Treasure and published in Japan by ESP Software on December 12, 2002. Based on George Morikawa’s Hajime no Ippo manga and its boxing world, this handheld adaptation puts the player in direct, face-to-face bouts rather than presenting a conventional side-view ring. The screen emphasizes the opponent and the boxer’s gloves, creating a close-range view of every exchange. It is a Japan-only Game Boy Advance release, distinct from the many other Hajime no Ippo games made for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Wii, PSP, Nintendo DS, and later systems by other developers.

The main Story Mode follows Ippo Makunouchi from his early Kamogawa Gym match against Ichiro Miyata through battles with the series’ rivals as he pursues the Japanese featherweight championship. Its subject matter comes from a series about a reserved student who finds a path into professional boxing, but the game is built around individual matches and their changing tactical demands. A Tournament Mode provides a succession of fights and gradually unlocks additional playable boxers as victories are earned, allowing matchups beyond the story’s usual progression. Training Mode explains the fundamental actions and the individual traits of the roster, while a Customization Mode lets players spend points to improve selected fighters’ abilities and save up to ten custom boxers.

Hajime no Ippo : The Fighting! uses the Game Boy Advance directional pad along with A, B, and R buttons for a compact but varied fighting system. Movement is handled with the pad, A is used for evasive maneuvers, and B delivers punches. Combining directions with B produces a jab, straight, hook, uppercut, or body attack; well-timed sequences can form combination blows. Defense is active as well: ducking, swaying back, and angled evasions can create an opening to return fire. Distance matters during exchanges, and the game discourages simply sitting behind a guard, since prolonged blocking can leave a boxer unable to guard for a time.

Each fighter has a group of special commands that draw on a Spirit Gauge, which fills through offense. These moves give the licensed cast its own identity. Ippo can call on techniques such as the Gazelle Punch and Dempsey Roll, while Miyata has his Cross Counter and Jolt Counter. Stronger special attacks require more Spirit, so choosing when to spend the gauge is part of a bout’s strategy, and offensive specials can be linked after a combination. Fighters also differ in boxing styles and signature defensive options, reflecting characters including Ippo, Ryō Mashiba, and Eiji Date. Character voice clips and eye-graphic cut-ins accompany special techniques, adding presentation touches to the close-up glove-based viewpoint.

The Game Boy Advance cartridge supports both solo play and two-player matches through the system’s link cable. Players can practice a boxer’s finishers and style before taking that fighter into tournament or versus play, then experiment with hypothetical rival matchups as the roster opens up. Treasure’s game arrived while the Hajime no Ippo television anime was still fresh in Japan and translates familiar characters, moves, and the goal of becoming champion into a portable, command-driven boxing format. For fans searching the series’ game history, this entry is specifically the 2002 Treasure-developed Game Boy Advance game, rather than the similarly branded PlayStation 2 releases or the western Victorious Boxers titles.