Manga publisher Kodansha has revealed plans to publish the iconic boxing manga Ashita no Joe in English for the very first time. The manga, penned by Asao Takamori and illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba, will be released under the title “Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow“.

The English translation will be released physically in eight oversized hardcover volumes and digitally, and is scheduled to be published starting December 2024, with an MSRP of $59.95.

Toshihiro Tsuchiya, Publisher at Kodansha, emphasized the timeliness and importance of bringing Ashita no Joe to English-speaking audiences, stating, “Kodansha believes that the manga market is maturing, as well as looking for past manga classics that have never been translated into English. This work is a true masterpiece that Japan is proud of. This year marks the 50th anniversary since its completion in 1973. Because of this, we think that now is the best time to bring Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow to English-reading manga fans worldwide. We consider it an honor and a labor of love to introduce such an important manga masterpiece to a new generation of fans. And we hope that this new edition will be as much of an inspiration as it was when it originally debuted in Japan.“

Ashita No Joe was first serialized by Kodansha in Weekly Shonen Magazine from January 1, 1968, to May 13, 1973, and was later collected into 20 tankōbon volumes.

During its serialization, it was popular with working-class people and college students in Japan. It has been adapted into various media, including the Megalo Box anime, a futuristic reimagining of the original that was made as a part of the 50th anniversary of Ashita No Joe.

MAL describes the plot of Ashita No Joe as:

Joe Yabuki is a troubled youth, whose only solution to problems is throwing punches at them. What he lacks in manners and discipline, he makes up for with his self-taught fighting skills.

One day, while wandering the slums of Doya, Joe gets into a fight with the local gang. Although greatly outnumbered, he effortlessly defeats them, drawing the attention of Danpei Tange—a former boxing coach turned alcoholic. Seeing his potential, he offers to train Joe into Japan’s greatest boxer. At first, Joe dismisses Danpei as a hopeless drunk; but after the trainer saves his life, he agrees to live with him and learn the art of boxing. Unfortunately, Joe’s personality makes him an unruly student, and he often falls back to his old ways.

To survive the harsh world of his new career, Joe needs to trust his mentor and master the techniques taught to him. However, the road to becoming a professional boxer is rife with struggles that will test his mettle to the end.

Source: ICv2