Who created Ashita no Joe?
Ashita no Joe was written by Asao Takamori and illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine from the 1st of January, 1968, to the 13th of May, 1973.
Questions about Ashita no Joe
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Did Joe Yabuki die at the end of Ashita no Joe?
The ending is deliberately ambiguous. Takamori stated in a 1979 biography that Joe died, while artist Chiba has refused to comment directly and hinted that Joe may have survived. A forensic pathologist named Masahiko Ueno concluded in a 2001 interview that Joe had to be alive in the final panel to remain upright.
How many copies has Ashita no Joe sold?
Ashita no Joe has sold over twenty million copies since the end of its serialization. During its original run it was particularly popular with working-class readers and college students involved in Japan's New Left movement.
What is Megalobox and how does it relate to Ashita no Joe?
Megalobox is a futuristic anime reimagining of Ashita no Joe, released in 2018 as part of the manga's fiftieth anniversary. It was the final concept chosen from many initial ideas by director Moriyama, one of which had centered the story on Joe's rival Rikiishi Toru.
How did Ashita no Joe influence real-world events in Japan?
Members of the Japanese Red Army who took part in the Yodogo hijacking in 1970 compared themselves to Joe Yabuki and shouted "We are tomorrow's Joe!" during the incident. Working-class readers and New Left college students during the serialization saw Joe's struggle against the system as a reflection of their own.
Is Ashita no Joe available in English?
Kodansha USA announced in February 2024 that they had licensed Ashita no Joe for English release in North America. It is being published digitally and in eight oversized hardcover volumes, with releases beginning in December 2024.