Hajime no Ippo is a famous boxing anime and manga series created by George Morikawa. It follows the journey of Ippo Makunouchi, a shy high school student who discovers his passion for boxing and strives to become a professional boxer. The series is known for its intense boxing matches, character development, and emotional storytelling.
The characters in Hajime no Ippo are well-developed. Even though the manga's first chapter was published in 1989, it is still going strong and is still adding more characters.
Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers for some. Readers are advised to continue at their own discretion.
Source: Hajime no Ippo
List of Hajime no Ippo Characters
Ippo Makunouchi: The Main Protagonist
Ippo Makunouchi is the protagonist of "Hajime no Ippo." He was a retired professional featherweight division boxer. Ippo was a very shy school-going boy who was always tormented by his seniors. He also helped his mother run their fishing business. As a result, he had hardly any time to socialize with friends.
One day, when taken to school by a professional boxer named Mamoru Takamura, saved from bullies, a young Ippo was introduced to the world of boxing. The motivation he gets from the sport brings him to the decision to be a boxer too.
Mamoru Takamura
Mamoru Takamura is a key character in the Hajime no Ippo manga and anime series. He is a rather strong and dedicated professional boxer who is training at the Kamogawa Boxing Gym. Takamura has aspirations to win championships in six different weight classes, ranging from junior middleweight to heavyweight. His journey depicts hard work and confidence as he strives to be the best.
Takamura is known for being extremely wild, somewhat uncontrollable, and at times playfully irritating but he is loved and admired by friends alike within the gym. He is the one who rescued Ippo from the thugs who were harassing him and led his way to that particular gym which changed Ippo's life forever.
Genju Kamogawa: Head Coach
Genji Kamogawa is a central character and head coach for boxers Mamoru Takamura and Ippo Makunouchi. A former prizefighter himself, he runs the Kamogawa Boxing Gym. Strict and disciplined, that kind of approach to training made boxers like Mamoru Takamura and Ippo Makunouchi stand out in the world of boxing. He is one of the leading characters who realized the potential in Ippo and helped him to grow as a boxer.
Kamogawa has a hard outer self; however, deep down in his heart he too cares for his children and students. He does everything within his power to help them grow as boxers. His experience combined with insight makes him stand out as an experienced figure in the series.
Other characters
Here is a list of all the characters and their description:
| No. | Character Name | Role | Description | Boxer/Coach |
| 1 | Ippo Makunouchi | Main | The protagonist is a shy student turned professional boxer. | Boxer |
| 2 | Mamoru Takamura | Major | Ippo’s mentor and a talented boxer with a brash personality. | Boxer |
| 3 | Genji Kamogawa | Major | The head coach of Kamogawa Gym is a former boxer. | Coach |
| 4 | Masaru Aoki | Major | A boxer at Kamogawa Gym, known for his comedic personality. | Boxer |
| 5 | Tatsuya Kimura | Major | A boxer at Kamogawa Gym is a close friend of Aoki. | Boxer |
| 6 | Manabu Itagaki | Major | A young and talented boxer at Kamogawa Gym. | Boxer |
| 7 | Ichirou Miyata | Major | Ippo’s rival and a skilled out-boxer. | Boxer |
| 8 | Takeshi Sendou | Major | A powerful boxer and one of Ippo’s main rivals. | Boxer |
| 9 | Ryo Mashiba | Major | A boxer known for his ruthless fighting style. | Boxer |
| 10 | Kumi Mashiba | Supporting | Ryo Mashiba’s sister and Ippo’s love interest. | - |
| 11 | Hiroko Makunouchi | Supporting | Ippo’s mother, who runs the family fishing business. | - |
| 12 | Tomiko Takamura | Supporting | Mamoru Takamura’s younger sister. | - |
| 13 | Alexander Volg Zangief | Supporting | A Russian boxer and one of Ippo’s rivals. | Boxer |
| 14 | Date Eiji | Supporting | A veteran boxer and former champion. | Boxer |
| 15 | Naomichi Yamada | Supporting | A boxer at Kamogawa Gym, often used for comic relief. | Boxer |
| 16 | Keigo Okita | Supporting | A boxer from the Otowa Gym, known for his speed. | Boxer |
| 17 | Kazuki Sanada | Supporting | A boxer and medical student, known for his analytical approach. | Boxer |
| 18 | Ricardo Martinez | Supporting | The world featherweight champion. | Boxer |
| 19 | David Eagle | Supporting | A world-class boxer and one of Ippo’s inspirations. | Boxer |
| 20 | Randy Boy Jr. | Supporting | A boxer with a unique fighting style. | Boxer |
| 21 | Jimmy Sisphar | Supporting | He is a boxer known for his jolt counter technique. | Boxer |
| 22 | Arnie Gregory | Supporting | A boxer with a strong defensive style. | Boxer |
| 23 | Ponchai Chuwatana | Supporting | A Thai boxer with a powerful kickboxing background. | Boxer |
| 24 | Malcolm Gedo | Supporting | A boxer known for his unorthodox techniques. | Boxer |
| 25 | Hammer Nao | Supporting | A boxer with a strong right hook. | Boxer |
| 26 | Iwao Shimabukuro | Supporting | A boxer with a strong physique and powerful punches. | Boxer |
| 27 | Hideo Katou | Supporting | He is a boxer known for his speed and agility. | Boxer |
| 28 | Kimura’s Girlfriend | Minor | Tatsuya Kimura’s supportive girlfriend. | - |
| 29 | Aoki’s Girlfriend | Minor | Masaru Aoki’s supportive girlfriend. | - |
| 30 | Kamogawa’s Assistant | Minor | Assistant coach at Kamogawa Gym. | Coach |
| 31 | Takuma Saeki | Supporting | A boxer known for his counterpunching skills. | Boxer |
| 32 | Shinobu Imai | Supporting | A boxer with a strong left hook. | Boxer |
| 33 | Ryuhei Sawamura | Supporting | He is a boxer known for his aggressive style. | Boxer |
| 34 | Gedo’s Trainer | Minor | Trainer of Malcolm Gedo. | Coach |
| 35 | Nekota Ginpachi | Supporting | A former boxer and friend of Kamogawa. | Former Boxer |
| 36 | Hama Dankichi | Supporting | A boxer with a unique fighting style. | Boxer |
| 37 | Yoshiaki Umezawa | Supporting | Ippo’s childhood friend and classmate. | - |
| 38 | Haruhiko Yagi | Supporting | A boxer at Kamogawa Gym, known for his dedication. | Boxer |
| 39 | Manabu Itagaki’s Father | Minor | Itagaki’s supportive father. | - |
| 40 | Manabu Itagaki’s Mother | Minor | Itagaki’s supportive mother. | - |
| 41 | Manabu Itagaki’s Sister | Minor | Itagaki’s supportive sister. | - |
| 42 | Takeshi Sendo’s Coach | Minor | Coach of Takeshi Sendo. | Coach |
| 43 | Takamura’s Manager | Minor | Manager of Mamoru Takamura. | - |
| 44 | Takamura’s Rival | Supporting | A boxer who is a rival to Mamoru Takamura. | Boxer |
| 45 | Ippo’s Classmate | Minor | A classmate of Ippo who supports him. | - |
| 46 | Ippo’s Neighbor | Minor | A neighbor of Ippo who supports him. | - |
| 47 | Ippo’s Fan | Minor | A fan of Ippo, who cheers for him. | - |
| 48 | Gym Receptionist | Minor | The receptionist at Kamogawa Gym. | - |
| 49 | Gym Cleaner | Minor | Cleaner at Kamogawa Gym. | - |
| 50 | Gym Member | Minor | A member of Kamogawa Gym who trains with Ippo. | - |
FAQs on Hajime no Ippo's characters
A. George Morikawa is the writer of the Hajime Ippo anime series.
A. No, Hajime no Ippo manga is not finished.
A. 141 volumes of the Hajime no Ippo manga series have been released.
